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thread: The 40 Hour Labour of my First Born - Aidan

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  1. #1
    Registered User

    Sep 2009
    Brisbane, QLD
    1,062

    The 40 Hour Labour of my First Born - Aidan

    1.50am Wednesday 17 November (at 41 weeks) I woke to go to the toilet and felt some mild period type cramps and pains.

    By 3.00am they had ramped up to one contraction every 10 mins so I woke my Husband up and called my Mum to come from the Sunshine Coast.

    Mum got to me by 7am and at that stage the contractions were 6 mins apart and getting stronger.

    At around 12.30pm my contractions were around 5 mins apart and lasting around 20-30 seconds. We decided to pack up and head into Hospital.

    Got to Hospital was told I was 2cm Dilated but Cervix was thinning out nicely. Sent home with Panadine and told to try and get some rest.

    Approx 9 -10 hours later my contractions were now still 4-6 mins apart but were lasting up to 1 minute in length. Husband decided it was a good idea to go in to Hospital again; he was worried as I had been in Labour for quite some time.

    Got into Hospital again and was told I was still 2cm dilated but my cervix was now really thin and I should start making some decent progress, was sent home with Sleeping Tablets and more Panadine.

    6am Thursday morning and I couldn’t handle the pain any longer and was utterly exhausted. Husband and I both decided enough was enough – we were going into Hospital and I was going to have my baby one way or another!

    Got into Hospital and was 4cm Dilated! YIPPEEE! THANK GOD! So up to Birth Suites we headed...I got in the bath and laboured in there from 4cm until 9cm. Using the Gas I managed to get through the pain and the exhaustion. I was still in the bath at around 1pm when I felt the urge to push. The Midwives got me out of the bath – did a quick check and said your 9cm and you can start bearing down when you get the urge. I pushed leaning over the bed, squatting on the floor and on the birth stool and after 2.5 hours I was utterly exhausted and still no baby.

    They decided to do an internal examination and they realised that there was a flap of my cervix still in the way which was now extremely swollen and aggravated. They told me to stop pushing and to breathe...this was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and as much as I tried my body just kept on pushing. They then tried to push the flap of cervix back with their fingers while I pushed but this didn’t work. After another hour on lying on my side, trying not to push and absolutely shaking with pain the Midwives decided that the Epidural was needed so that my body would relax and dilate to 10cm so that I could push my Son out.

    The anaesthetist came at around 4pm to administer the Epidural. I got the Epidural and immediately fell asleep from exhaustion. They left me to sleep for 50 mins and then came back in with the Doctor to monitor me.

    The Doctor did an internal and found out that my Boy was Posterior and was still sitting very high up. They upped the Syntocin Drip to get my contractions pumping hard and rolled my on my side to try and get him down and into position but he wasn’t budging. His heart rate was erratic and had started to drop. This baby needed to come out ASAP.

    They decided to let me have a go at pushing him out with the help of “the vacuum”. I pushed and pushed and pushed and FINALLY my baby Boy was born at 5.53pm Thursday 18th November..40 hours after Labour had started. When he was put on my chest my Husband and I both cried. He was so beautiful and although I was exhausted and had suffered a 3C Tear – (3rd Degree Tear combined with some tearing of the sphincter muscle) it was so worth it.

    So I put him to my breast and my Husband took our First Photo together ...Mother and Son.

    Aidan Peter
    8 pound 8ounces (3.840 kgs)
    56cm Long
    Head Circumference of 35cm
    Thanks for reading

    Blondie
    Last edited by Blondie; February 8th, 2012 at 10:33 AM.

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Victoria
    4,601

    Wow what a story! You did an amazing job!

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Nov 2005
    Sunshine Coast
    1,142

    Wow! You did great.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    melb
    8,498

    Congratulations your pic is gorgeous!

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jun 2010
    763

    Gorgeous story! Well done hun Welcome to little Aidan- hope you are enjoying those newborn snuggles!

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    5,951

    WOW! You did an incredible job, congratulations!! I had that problem (with the lip of the cervix) with both DD2 and DD3 labour.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Nov 2008
    in the ning nang nong
    12,163

    wow Blondie, what a marathon!!

    welcome to the planet, precious Mr Aidan Peter Radcliffe!!


  8. #8

    May 2008
    Melbourne, Vic
    8,631

    What a mammoth effort Blondie! How frustrating to be sent home from hospital twice, argh! Thanks for sharing

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Add Footsteps on Facebook

    Mar 2008
    Waterloo, Merseyside, UK
    2,543

    you did amazing huni...iv watched your journey from afar and iam sooo happy that you finally have your darling prince. hope you are doing well. xx

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Sep 2009
    Brisbane, QLD
    1,062

    Thanks Ladies! Yeah my journey was a long one but oh so worth it. I still get tears in my eyes when I think about it but I look down at my little boy and my heart just fills with love for him

  11. #11
    Moderator

    Dec 2006
    Smidgen-ville
    3,736

    Wow Blondie, thanks for taking the time to share Aidan's birth story with us. You must have been exhausted. Congratulations.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Jan 2008
    2,037

    Wow you did a fantastic job! And he is sooooo cute in that pic

  13. #13
    BellyBelly Member

    Mar 2008
    Kurri Kurri
    1,715

    That was a long labour Blondie. Well done and congrats on little Aidan

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Jul 2004
    Perth
    1,864

    You did so well

    Congratulations

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Mar 2008
    North Northcote
    8,065

    thank you so much for sharing your birth story! 40 hours! wow, congrats all round

  16. #16
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Jan 2006
    11,633

    Great job! Hope your recovery is going well

  17. #17

    Dec 2010
    Lake Everard
    181

    Wow, well done! you had my on the edge of my seat the whole time!

    Hope it's all going great for you

  18. #18
    Registered User
    Add purplepixie1978 on Facebook Follow purplepixie1978 On Twitter

    May 2010
    Western Sydney, Australia
    577

    Congratulations Blondie! Our little ones share a birthday

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