My amazing birth experience and birth of my little boy!
This is a bit long but here goes:
I had my 38 week, 3 day appointment on Wednesday 28 November and my BP was taken 3 times and all 3 readings were higher than normal and OB sent me for urine and blood tests to check for signs of pre eclampsia. OB checked my cervix and said things looked good and I was still 3cm dilated from the week before. We discussed my growth scan I had 2 days prior on the Monday and he said that it showed that baby's size was around 3.7kg (8lbs 4oz) and said that rather than leaving me to go over my dates and risk having a bigger baby he would book me in to be induced on Monday morning 3 December if I didn't have bub before then as he said things looked really good and he was petty sure it could happen anytime. He did say that if the blood test results came back as positive for pre eclampsia that they would get me back straight away and induce me the next day.
The next morning (Thursday) my Dad and brother came for a visit with me and DS1 and when they left and I had just put DS1 to his bed, I felt like I had wee'd myself. I felt a bit embarrassed (my waters with DS1 never broke spontaneously as I was induced with him and OB broke waters) and figured that my bladder must be really weak! I put on some clean undies and within 10 mins it happened again and I started to wonder why this was happening but then it clicked that it could be my waters starting to break. I put on another pair of clean undies and put on a maternity pad but within another 10 mins I felt another mild gush and the pad was soaked. Decided to go lie down while DS1 had his nap and put a towel underneath me. I woke just before 3pm and the towel, my undies, maternity pad and my dress was wet. I knew it must be my waters as I didn't think my bladder would have been that full and that I could have wee'd myself that much while asleep! lol
I got up went to the toilet and DS1 woke up. I grabbed a towel and held it between my legs and when it dropped on my bedroom floor while finding more clean undies and it gushed out down my legs on to the floor I figured this was it! At about 4pm after having a shower I phoned my OB's office and put through to the midwives at the hospital who said for me to come in as soon as I could so they could monitor bub.
I phoned DH who was working an hour and a half away and he said he would make his way home or meet me at the hospital (45mins away from home and 45 mins away for where he was working). I also phoned my parents to ask them to meet me at the hospital to take DS1. I grabbed the last few things needed for our bags and drove myself to the hospital (as I wasn't having any contractions except for a couple of BH's).
Got to the hospital at 6pm and my Dad took DS1 home with him and my Mum stayed with me. Went up to the maternity ward and midwife took me through to the birth suite. She checked my pad and said that it was definitely my waters. I was put on the monitors and after a while it showed that I was having regular 3-4 min apart contractions lasting about 30 seconds. By 9:30pm the on call female OB came to check on me and said I was still 3cm dilated but that bubs head was still quite high and to leave me on monitors for another hour and we'd discuss next plan of action after that. DH finally showed up at the hospital at 9:40pm and by then the contractions started dying off a bit and when OB came to check on me again at 10:30pm they were gone.
OB said that we would wait until midnight and if contractions didn't start up again she'd induce me but that before she did bubs head would need to be lower in pelvis too. I was also told that i would be given antibiotics at midnight for precaution as it would have been 12 hours since my waters have broken. A midwife came and tried to put a cannula into my hand but it failed twice. So another midwife came and got it put in. We were taken to my room and I was told I could have a shower and rest or try to walk a bit to try get bub to move down more.
I had a shower and walked around a bit to kill time and by midnight I was given my antibiotics and some phenergan to try help me sleep as OB decided to wait until morning to induce me as she had 2 emergency c sections to do and there were 2 other ladies in active labour too (it was after all full moon that night lol). I was happy with this news as both DH and I were exhausted at this stage. Even with the phenergan I didn't really sleep much but at least didn't feel too bad the next morning.
I got up at 5:30am had a shower and at 7am they served us a yummy breakfast and I was taken through to the birthing suite at 7:30am and put on the monitor again. It showed I was having contractions 5-6 mins apart and lasting about 30-40 seconds. At 7:45am female OB came to see me and did a check and said I was 4cm dilated and that bubs head was down more but not yet fully engaged but that she would induce me anyway. While she was there the other OB showed up as he was about to take over from her and I was thrilled as I had really wanted him to deliver our little boy all along.
He wanted me to be monitored another 30 mins as bubs heart rate was showing de-cells (dipping when I was having contractions) before inducing. My midwife Rachel (same midwife that was with me during my entire labour with DS1 was with me again) gave me some apple juice to drink to try wake baby up a bit. After half an hour OB came back and gave the go ahead with the induction (they didn't want to wait too much longer as it had almost been 24 hours since my waters broke).
Started the oxytocin and within half an hour (about 9:30am) my contractions were regular enough to be classed as active labour. The contractions were ouchy but I was determined to have another drug free labour so kept telling myself that I was one step closer to holding my little boy!
At about 10:30am, OB came to check on me and he said I was 6-7cm dilated and that bubs head was fully engaged now and putting good pressure down there to dilate me further. The contractions ramped up from here on and I grabbed the gas which I sucked on and it help me get through them. At about 12pm I went to the toilet and I had the urge to push but female OB from previous night popped in and checked me and said that I was about 9.5cm and had to keep going a bit longer because if I pushed I would just tire myself and push against the lip of the cervix. I kept going another 5 contractions and kept saying I had to push now I really, really needed to. I cried as I said I couldn't keep going unless I pushed. OB checked me again and said to go for it. At about 12:20pm I started pushing and the male OB showed up. I had both OB's there encouraging me to push and then the female OB was called away to an emergency but the male OB stayed.
My midwife put a mirror at the end of the bed and I looked at the mirror and focused on seeing my little boy being born. My OB knowing how terrified I was of tearing badly again like with DS1 coached me with every push and at about 12:39pm I gave the biggest push of my life and out popped my baby's head. OB told me to pant while he turned bubs head a bit and with the next push out came his little body and they put him on my chest while he was screaming his lungs out!! I was so relieved to hear him crying as DS1 never cried and needed oxygen to start breathing.
They put him on my chest and he quickly found my breast and starting sucking. His agpar scores were 9 and 9.
DH cut the cord and OB delivered the placenta and told me that he had great news for me. He said that he didn't need to stitch me up as I had no tears or even a graze this time! I was thrilled!!
Official stats: Joshua (Josh) born 30 November 2012 (38 weeks, 5 days) at 12:39pm, weight 3.73kg (8lbs 4oz), height 50cm, HC 35cm after a 3 hour 9 min drug free labour!
I'm so in love with my little man and think my heart has grown bigger from the love I have for my boys! Being a mother and being able to give birth to two beautiful little boys has been truly amazing and I thank God for being so blessed!
My amazing birth experience and birth of my little boy!
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