Chanel Elizabeth - The Lack of Labour

[SassyMummy]

When my due date came and went without so much as a twinge of pain, saying I was disappointed was an understatement. Having had at least 5 phone calls a day asking if I'd had her yet (I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I DO! STOP CALLING ME!)...I felt like I'd not only disappointed myself, but everyone else too.

A week after she was due (my dates were SPOT ON) to arrive, still nothing. I went into the hospital, where they booked me in to get induced three days later (So I'd get induced at 10days overdue). I was promised that by the end of the weekend, I'd have a baby, no matter what. I hoped and prayed she'd come out before that. The idea of needing any sort of intervention annoyed me - I'd always thought I'd had "child-bearing" hips. Perhaps I did...but I certaining didn't have a "going into labour" uterus.

On Thursday afternoon, I went into the hospital, bags packed, full of labour goodies and new clothes for my new baby (mostly whites, yellows and greens as our doctor had been unable to determine the sex). I was excited. It seemed as if I'd been waiting FOREVER to have this baby...and this was finally it! She'd finally be out of my body for good. Midori...here I come!

So far, I'd never experienced even Braxton Hicks, so I wasn't sure what was a contraction or not. My stomach was HUGE (and I'm not a small girl...so my baby was obviously a big one). It made my DD breasts look like mere B cups. With every move she made, I wondered whether it was actually a contraction. Obviously not...

I was hooked up to all sorts of machines for testing. The routine apparently. But the doctors were surprised by my high blood pressure (it was pretty high for most of the third trimester), and had a drip insterted "just in case". Although most pregnant women have obvious veins, mine seemed to sense the invasion and hid. So, after three jabs with pethadine in various places in my hands (ouch - I'm NOT a fan of needles!), and at least twenty more stabs with the drip needle thing in those three places, the drip was finally inserted - on my left hand, just below one of my knuckles. It made moving my fingers most painful.

By the way, the drip was never used...much to my annoyance.

Eventually, a "prostin tape" (it looks like a flattened tampon) was inserted and to the maternity ward I was sent. It was hard to sleep that night, for two main reasons. Firstly, I was in the maternity ward. I think I was the only one there who had yet to actually HAVE A BABY...but everyone else had them, and they would not stop crying. It really bothered me...surely I'd be really tired when I went into labour because of it all. I was pretty angry about everything...feeling sorry for myself mostly.

I was excited when I felt pain that night, similar to period pain. Pity nothing came from it.

2 nights later (the doctors were busy), another was inserted. The first had failed...but I felt like it was MY BODY that had done the failing.

On Sunday afternoon, I was giving another internal...and when I was only 1cm dialated, no contractions, and my baby's head was still not engaged...I recieved the news I'd been dreading. "You'll have to have a Caesarean". What? Why me? Don't only old people have those? "Tomorrow you'll be two weeks overdue...if we keep your baby in any longer, it could be very dangerous. I'm sorry".

I was quite frightened and upset. I'm not the kind of person to show my upset...especially in the form of tears...in front of people - especially not people I don't know. I was so scared and upset and disappointed, however, that I bawled. Wailed even. Probably quite loudly. I imagine people thought I was giving birth...I was that loud.

When you sign papers to say you're having an elective c-section (elective my butt!), it had all this nasty info on there. Things like, "In rare instances, you may need a permanent colostomy bag". Right... Just what I needed to hear. It really made things a lot easier. lol.

They let me come home from hospital that night (I'd been in there the previous 3 nights), but I'd have to come back in at 6.30am the next morning. Somehow, I got over it. I was going to have a Caesarean. I didn't want one...but oh well. It was beyond my control now. I just...dealt with it.

Next day...cathetar. EW! Have you had one? Seriously...the do not feel nice getting put in. It gave me that same irritation you get from having a urinary tract infection. The midwife was very unsympathetic too...quite mean actually. When she left, I cried. The girl in the next cubicle was really nice and came over to see if I was okay (she'd just had a baby girl).

On to theatre. Time for a drip. Great. This time, 5 pethadine shots in random places (one of which made me look like a drug addict when it bruised), and more stabs with the drip. I was constantly hooked up to a machine testing my blood pressure. 190/106. The highest it had ever been (I was SO scared!).

In went the spinal...but not easily. ("BEND OVER!" Yeah okay...like I can do that...have you SEEN the size of my belly? "Is that in the centre?" I dunno, you're the doctors...you tell me...) Off to surgery I was wheeled.

Severe Pins and needles...then ice on my neck. Ran down the side of my body...when it reached just below my breasts...NOTHING. It was so strange. Not being able to MOVE your legs is weird too. You can feel everyone moving you...but you can't help. I was transfered to a table thing, my partner came in, and a screen was put up infront of me. I felt them pull back my gown...My boobs below was revealed to all. If only I'd have gotten a bikini wax recently...lol.

TUGGING AND PULLING. OMG there was a lot. I was surprisingly not scared anymore (I had an oxygen mask, which my partner is sure was filled with some sort of drugs as well...). I asked all sorts of questions. (What are they doing? No...like where are they cutting? What does it look like?).

Someone pushed just under my boobs really hard. I knew the baby had left my body when I felt my stomach...colapse. So strange. There was also a squelching noise that accompanied it.

"Do you want to see your baby?" Sure I did. They showed me her quickly over the screen. She hadn't made a sound yet. I didn't know she was a girl either...all I noticed was that she was blue-grey and covered in white gunk...and had a huge round head. It looked too big for her body. I had to ASK what she was - boy or girl. Girl. Good...I wanted a girl.

For 11 minutes, she didnt breathe. I wasn't getting told much. I didn't care too much...which was unusual. But she did, eventually.

I saw her once more (sleepy, round face, pink in a pink blanket. Like a strawberry). Off to Special Care Nursery she went (for observation). Off to recovery I went. (Where my pads were changed for me...embarrassment.). I spewed over myself several times.

I didn't get to hold Chanel Elizabeth until 8 that night (she was born at 10.55am - 10lbs 4oz) because of my constant vomitting.

It was worth it in the end...but I don't think I'll be trying to get pregnant again any time soon...and next time...I want to try VBAC!

[Shazbutt]

Wowo Stacey, what a story! I hd an emergency c/section with DD1 and an elective with DD2, so i understans what you mean about all the drips and stuff, and the pulling and tugging...it feels so weird huh....And good on you for wanting a VBAC next time!...I just couldn't go through with it....too scared.

I am so glad your bubba arrived safely after all you went through....and that you coped alright too. Thanks for sharing your story!

[whatwasithinking]

Stacey - congratulations.
You have written your birth story beautifully. The C/section description was exactly like mine - it was like reading my birth of my girls.
Very moving and touched to read.

[My3kids]

OMG what a big baby! The Nurse's seem so rude? Are you in silkstone Ipswich? Saying that i guess she was born in Ipswich Hospital, If so i Didn't have any problems there i thought all the nurses where good there! I wonder how big your next baby would be, OMG i would be asking for a C section if it's any biger thn your first.

Glad your little girl is alright

Best Wishes

[WeThree]

Thanks for sharing your birth story with us Im sorry it didnt turn out for you the way you would have liked, hopefully next time you will get to do it your way, but i am so glad your little girl was ok

[brooke]

wow- what a story! Congratulations! What a lovely name.. so pretty!

[Peaceangels]

Wow Stacey, what an amazing birth story (which was written so well you could almost picute it!). Thank you for sharing that with us.

Not only am I addicted to bubhub, but I am addicted to ready birth story's, it brings back such wonderful memories.

BTW, I had an emergency c/s with #1, so for #2 was determined to do VBAC (which I did) and they are only 15mths apart.

[SassyMummy]

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments! Glad to hear my story made sense...I tend to write how I think, which is sometimes pretty crazy.

Peaceangels - Thanks for mentioning your VBAC experience. I still feel like I have (sort of) failed as a woman for not being able to give birth (or rather, go into labour...) and am determined to have a vaginal birth next time round. Although I sort of look back at my birthing experience and cringe, I see it as a learning curve. I am now a little more confident, and will next time do it MY WAY...not just the way I am told to do it.