So... here's my birth story before I forget it all!
I was doing shared care with my GP and hospital - was low risk so I pretty much spent most of the time at my GP and only went to the hospital a couple of times for appointments. Money and time lacking I missed a few weeks at my gp around the 34-38 week mark, but i had a hossy appt at 36weeks.
Went back to GP at 38 weeks. The whole time i'd been keeping an eye on blood pressure cuz my mum had pre-eclampsia & Toxemia both pregnancies including ending up on life support with me. At 38 weeks my BP was still in the 'normal range' however it was high for me, I also had proteins in my urine....so GP sent me to hospital for them to look at me.
They ended up keeping me overnight to watch me.... but the sent me home next day - no baby yet . I had an appointment back at hossy on Monday (this was Sat).
Saw doctor then and he decided to induce me on the Wednesday. i was low risk, but he'd rather none at all and by that time i was 39weeks.
Had to be at hospital by 4pm on Wed 21st April to be induced.... the doctors forgot about me...Hubby had to leave at 8pm cuz visiting hours were over.... still hadn't seen any doctor.
10pm - Midwife comes in to put me on CTG... apologises for forgetting me and says doc will be in any minute. Meanwhile I'd had hardly any sleep the night before cuz i was anxious/excited... couldn't nap that day for same reason.... and had been waiting for the doc since 4pm!! Getting very tired!
Doc comes in at 10.30 and inserts a bit of gel and the tape (have no idea of names). Says he could feel babies head well, cervix was nice and ready and i was already 1cm dialted....
Not bad considering i hadn't ever felt a braxton hicks!! I had to keep CTG on till 11pm to monitor bub after get etc..... Getting very tired.
Approx 12.00am {after like 15mins sleep - stupid insomnia} started getting a sore tummy like i'm about to get my period.... Slowly got worse and at about 1.30 I went and asked for panadol or whatever they could give me....
I had arranged with my Doula for her to come up at 4.30am to check on me (she used to work at hospital and knew all the nurses).... however by 2.30 I msged her and asked when contractions started and if they were much diff from the period pain. While texting her, i could feel the pain start to change... however alot of the pain was now in my lower back. I put off having a shower till it got 'worse'.
I felt sooo alone. No midwives or anyone had come to check on me, and I wanted my DH so bad... however they said they'd call him if things started to happen. Still msging my Doula she said she'd come in at 3.30 since she was awake and Give me massages and so I wouldn't be so alone.
After texting her I tried standing up for some relief. The pain seemed to come and last for about 30secs and then i'd have relief for only 10secs. I had to do something... however there was soo much pressure down there to stand... I decided the shower would be better....
Ahhh no towels, off to ask a midwife... she got them for me and just looked at me strange. {different one from the panadol}. I waddled back to the shower and turned it on hot onto my back... felt nice, but it wasn't hot enough - stupid taps set to a max temperature. By now the pains alternated.... lower back, then around to lower tummy, short break (maybe ten seconds) then both.... It kept repeating... i couldn't even time it - it just felt constant.
It hurt to stand so i tried to sit... no way!! Pressure was even worse down there..... Had no relief from pain like I'd hoped. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't move. After about 10minutes Lauren (my doula showed up).... she put a torch on for me so i wasn't in the stark light and she realised i was in alot of pain and went to find a midwife and ask about the birth suite and calling my DH??
She found a lovely midwife Jan who came to look at me and realised it was the real thing and arrange a wheelchair for me to go to birthsuite. In the mean time Lauren called JOhn.
I was wheeled to the birth suite by 4amish and John (DH) was there not long after. When I got there the midwife on duty said she wanted to do a VE... I didn't really want one, but i'd already had ppl looking there to induce so why not... was ouchie!! 3cm ~ oh is that all! I have a long way to go! Very discouraged. I tried kneeling on the bed and leaning over the back, nope couldn't do it. Asked about the bath cuz I wanted a waterbirth - nope wasn't allowed because they were understaffed.... "Ok can i Have the shower?" "Sure no worries, let me check your BP first".....Sorry it's high i have to put you on the CTG. you can still move around but no shower... mega disappointment now
By this stage DH had called Heather my best friend who was going to be there also and she turnd up at this point.....
Lauren was going to try heat packs for my sore back, but it seemed to have gone from my back and was all in my tummy and contractions were more regular. I hated the heat now... i wanted ice and lots of water.
At one point i had a huge contraction and ended up puking all the water back up... bugger... smaller sips from now on.
Through each contraction I just grabbed my DH's hand and kept my eyes as tightly shut as possible. Other than asking for water (and even then it was occassionally) I think i kept my eyes shut. I was sooo tired having no sleep. I was pretty much asleep between contractions. Other than saying 'ow' here and there I hardly even spoke. Heather and John were fantastic... Heather kept getting me ice and cold washers for my face and neck and John just held my hand. I didnt' want to move from the bed. I just lay on my side the whole time. Was disappointed i wasnt more active but the CTG was horrible lying there let alone moving. I tried to pull it off a couple of times but the midwife kinda got cranky! lol.
Lauren had to leave about 5.30ish and said she'd be back - she had to find a babysitter for her 1 year old.
The midwife offered me Gas; i didn't want to be offered any drugs (no one had asked to see my birth plan yet )... however i accepted thinking it was worth a try.... Helped the concentration listening to the rattle of the machine, however after about three contractions I felt ill and threw it away.
I think about 6ish (although really I have no idea of the time)....I started telling John to make it stop. I didn't want to do it anymore. In my head I was thinking I wanted him to offer me a c-section. I couldn't do it anymore I kept saying. He and heather kept reassuring me I was doing great and i'd be over soon. I just kept saying 'make it stop'... After about 10minutes the midwife offered me an epi saying it would help with my BP also cuz it was high....
'no no no. i dont want to be offered this' i was thinking.... i kept thinking of the needle and my birth plan and said no - using the needle as my excuse. "i'll just wait a bit longer'... she offered it a couple more times to which i kept saying no not yet.
Heather asked the midwife if she could check how far I was...."oh i checked her not long ago, shes got a long way yet'. disappointment from me... and i could feel heather was too!
at 6.40am With a huge contraction I felt an uncontrollable gush...."oh no i can't stop peeing!!!' I was soo embarrassed. all i could think was that I shouldve went to the toilet!! After it kept going for what seemed like forever I was told that it was my waters - I didnt' wee myself.... Phew.... But I did ask to go to the toilet anyway! I felt disgusting and wet! It was alot more fluid than i had expected and I was now lying in it.
I hobbled over to the toilet and when i sat down the immense pressure was enough to nearly make me cry! But I had to push!! I shouted it out to the midwife who was right next to me.... she told me to go with it; but then i had to go back to the bed for another ve cuz i couldnt' push if i wasn't ready.
made it back to the bed and got examined again... more ouchies... oh you're 10cm, you can push!! (oh don't you think you shoulda checked before offering me an epi!! crazy woman)
So i started pushing.... out of all labour - pushing was my favourite if i can have a favourite lol. I could finally take my mind of the pain and do something constructive!! yay....
Shift change at 7am... double yay... new midwife with a student midwife and student doctor... meh who cares... it's true, all modesty is gone!! New midwife was fantastic... she got me to breathe and push properly and explained it so I understood and did it with me the rest of the labour.
Had alot of help down there by all three; stretching everything open
Bub ended up crowning about four or five times... ahh the pain... and then he would slip back in and i could feel him kick me in the tummy - even more ouch! he wanted out as much as i did....but eventually he got there. Somewhere in there i did the embarrassing and pooped as well but was told not to worry about it.
Finally at 7.45am William John Neville was born!! yay I did it.... DH cut the umbilical cord and i got jabbed.... along with my birth plan not being seen, i did want delayed cord clamping and no needle.... but at the time i didn't realise i was just facinated with this huge bubba on my chest!!!
Midwife checked down there...yay no tears or anything.....we weighed him....8lb 2oz~~ What!!?? i was amazed (i am a little size 6 mumma and everyone kept telling me 'youre so small the whole pregnancy) that i had a huge baby and no stitches or drugs!! go me!! haha....
My poor Doula though - she is currently training... and she missed it ... she came back less than 15mins after he was born. Poor thing... I felt so terrible - and so did she. Oh well....
Anyway thats about it... Congratulations if you made it to the end hehe....
Last edited by Kirley64; May 13th, 2010 at 07:39 PM.
Yes it was so frustrating.... but i'm just glad everything worked out for the best.... I will know alot for next time though ... and so will my Doula (including making sure the birth plan is seen before she leaves... haha and not to leave!)
Thanks for sharing your story with us!! I'm so glad it all worked out for you, even though they didn't listen to you or read your birth plan! How annoying for you.
I'm also glad that you weren't alone - I was scared for you when you were labouring alone, so glad they got your DH, friend and Doula in - even if she missed it!!
Congratulations! I felt bad for you that you had to be alone so much, but glad that you got the support and company at the end! Great story. Enjoy your beautiful son!
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The Little Savage is here!! :)
. I had an appointment back at hossy on Monday (this was Sat).
saying it would help with my BP also cuz it was high....
... and so will my Doula (including making sure the birth plan is seen before she leaves... haha and not to leave!)
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