luca charlie 30/4/06

[stellaj]

The arrival of Luca Charlie

EDD: 19/5/06

DOB: 30/4/06 8lb 2oz, 50cm long, 36cm HC.

I had been having bad pains in my side, like a stitch for about 3 days, it was a constant pain not like labour and I thought I might have had appendicitis. I had had my 37 week check up 2 days prior and the midwife thought it was just the cramped surroundings the baby was in. The middy examined me and found I was measuring 43 weeks and ordered an ultrasound for the following week to find out what was happening or namely why the baby was so big.

On Sunday the 30th of April I woke at about 5am as I couldn’t sleep, I had brekky and watched TV for awhile. I went to get up form the couch and felt something running down my legs, I assumed my waters had broken but when I looked down I saw that it was blood running down my legs. I ran to wake up DH and I told him to call an ambulance as the blood was still coming and making a puddle on the floor. The ambulance arrived quickly and they kept asking me if I was having contractions which I wasn’t.

The ambulance took me to hospital and I arrived at about 6.30am. I was put on a monitor and the nurses could see weak contractions which I couldn’t feel and the baby’s heart rate etc. was fine. They said I would have to stay until they figured out whether to induce me or send me home on bed rest. The monitor I was on kept registering contractions but I couldn’t feel them and they couldn’t believe I didn’t feel them yet. Doctors and midwifes kept coming in to check on me and commenting on how huge my belly was and how high the baby was ‘its going to be a big baby’ they all said (not what I wanted to hear).

Contractions increased eventually, and I was checked and about 3 cm dilated at around lunchtime. The doctors were still worried about the bleed and so decided to break my water to hurry things up, about 20 minutes after that I was in pain and having contractions about every 5 mins. I wasn’t allowed to move off my back and had 2 monitors and a drip on me, all I felt like doing was moving around but I couldn’t. I suddenly felt a huge gush and the bed was filled with blood. I buzzed the nurse and she came in and took one look and pressed the alarm thing, and it was announced over the loud speaker and in seconds about 6 midwifes appeared and a doctor came running in ready to do a Caesar there and then. Someone realized that the litres of blood was actually blood mixed with water and things weren’t as bad as they seemed, they estimated about 3 litres of fluid came out. The doctors decided to see what happened and let things continue for awhile but a surgeon was on standby.

Things continued and got increasingly more painful. I had the gas and it helped a little, as the pain increased I got a shot of pethidine that I didn’t think helped much. I was in so much pain, with every contraction I yelled out and cried and I felt totally out of control. I was yelling ‘someone help me!’ This was much different from my first labour, that one hurt but this time was absolute agony. Eventually I asked for an epidural, the midwife encouraged me not to have it and said the baby was close but I demanded she got it. She left the room and came back and said she had paged the anesthetist, of course I didn’t believe her and begged for her for it.

Suddenly at about 6pm I had the familiar ‘need to poo’ feeling. The middy asked me to push, I didn’t have a huge urge to push but did anyway because I wanted to be out of this agony. Two doctors came in and the lights were switched on and equipment was being set up as they thought the baby might be in distress when it arrived. No time for the epi as the midwife had expected. The pushing hurt as well but I kept going especially when they told me the head was visable. I pushed and it stung like anything, particulary as a contraction stopped when he was crowning and I had to let him hang there until the next contraction arrived. I pushed as hard as I could and at 6.36pm with an almighty gush Luca Charlie was born! What a relief. The cord was cut before I saw him and he was taken away to the equipment. He needed to have some oxygen and other help to breathe, his Apgar was only 5 and they took him to the special care nursery with his dad following.

The doctor was concerned about the amount I was bleeding and want the placenta out straight away. With the injection and some pushing on my belly it came out. The doctor and midwife examined it and found a huge blood clot about 10cm covering a hole in the side of the placenta. They believe the placenta had started to come away from the wall of my uterus, so basically the blood clot may have saved the baby. I had no tears or anything and the midwifes commented on how fast I pushed him out. I took a shower and Luca remained in the nursery for about 2 hours, he was weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces which was good for 2 weeks and 5 days early. Finally my baby was brought to me and he was just perfect with pink skin and blond hair and looking just like his big brother. Mum, dad and baby settled down to rest together and wait until morning so his brother could come and meet him and we would finally be a family.

[*Chels*]

CONGRATS!!

Awesome name and gorgeous bubba!!!Sorry you had such a dramatic time,but I bet its all worth it now when your holding Luca!!
Take care

[TwoBlue]

Congrats on the arrival of Luca

Thanks for sharing your birth story you did an awesome job

Glad he and you are both well

[hippee]

What a brave woman you are I would have freaked right out!
Congrats on such an huge effort and a beautiful baby.

[Bubble*Crazy]

Congrats again, Mel

What a rough trot you had - but I'm sure it was all worthwhile in the end

[maybe1more]

Mel- wow what a amazing birth story, im so glad all went well in the end, and you have baby Luca naturally. He`s sooooo beautiful, after seeing his photo im happy to have another boy (ill find out in a week)

[Funkychicken]

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO BABY LUCA

It never fails to amaze me just how unbelievably strong and brave we women are! What a great birth story!

[HoopDeeDoo]

What a rough ride for you! Glad it worked out well, he's soooo cute. Well done!

[zenifa]

Congratulations on the birth of Luca Charlie, what a gorgeous baby boy and name too. Thank you for sharing your birth story, you are one amazing mumma!!

[stellaj]

thanks,thanks,thanks 6 weeks later and i could go back and do it all again someday, maybe.