I found reading other peoples birth stories so useful - so here is mine. CJ was born 11:50PM, 31st May by Emergency C-Section - or via the sunroof as I like to say. She was 9lb 2.5oz, her dad was 10lb 11oz when he was born also via the sunroof - so she is taking after him in actions as well as in looks!
So on Friday 29th May I went for an acupuncture session as was a week overdue hoping to get things moving - not sure if was the acupuncture but overnight I started getting contractions - at 5:00AM Sat I got up and decided to see if could time them - were about 5 mins apart but not painful at all - so sat on BB and used one of those internet timers for a while until was bored and thought would wake DH and tell him something was happening at around 6:30 - also had a show. Everything continued the same all morning, after lunch they spaced out a bit but became a little painful. Mid afternoon I noticed some blood - phoned hospital and discussed with midwife decided all ok and would stay at home. Had to keep going to the loo so didn't feel like walking anywhere until later in the evening when we took a trip down the road, contractions prob still about 7 mins apart. Around 22:00 noticed some more blood, phoned hospital and decided to go in to get checked out - we put bags in car but were fully expecting to be coming home as I didn't think based on the contractions would have progressed that far. The midwife at hospital seemed to agree with me and we were all pretty surprised when a VE showed I was 4 cm. As was at 4cm they said I could stay or go home and come back when contractions got more regular and frequent - as only live 10 mins from hospital decided to go home. At home, DH watched the FA cup final, and I tried to sleep but I had to stand up everytime I got a contraction and it hurt getting up from lying down so ended up dozing in a chair in between. DH tried to sleep in babies room on an airbed but turned out it had a puncture so he didn't get much sleep either.
At about 6:30 I decided I didn't think I could cope with the car journey if the contractions got any stronger (they were still about 7 mins apart) so phoned the hospital who said to go in. VE showed I was 6 cm so not that much progress but at least some - and they said CJ was in anterior position. I let the trainee midwife who was following us know and she said was on her way. The midwives I had were great and the morning passed quite well although the contractions were not changing at all really just continuing as before. I found I could only cope with them either on the fit ball or standing up, had a shower or two and all was ok. There was plenty of laughing and joking, one of the reasons being I was wearing my DH's underwear (he had been about to throw out a load for some reason and I remembered someone saying that need big pants so I took them) and the midwife said it was quite weird if you looked quickly to see the person labouring in mens undies with a pouch at the front! (They have been the most useful thing I took to hospital actually as are so comfy). Around mid day was due for another VE to see how progressing - I wasn't that surprised to hear no change but was disappointed, and starting to feel tired as had been well over 24 hours since slept properly. So we talked about having waters broken to try get things moving - the midwives were great and explained about advantages and disadvantages (e.g. if waters showed meconium then would have to have continuous monitoring so moving around could be more complicated) - decided to get waters broken as would be able to stand even with the monitoring so thought that would be fine. Waters were broken and there was meconium so needed the monitoring, the equipment was being awkward and couldn't get a good trace at all so we got a scalp monitor put on which allowed me to move about easily and gave a very good trace, showing CJ was extremely happy where she was. This is when we started talking abuot teletubbies as DH said thinking of CJ with a scalp montior made him think of tinky-winky. I had a few more intense contractions after waters were broken but then seemed to go back to before. I was getting a bit down hearted at this stage, the contractions were hurting but I just had this feeling that weren't as they should be. At this point the midwife said she thought maybe my baby was posterior based on some back pain I was getting (I didn't really think about it at that point, all the recent check ups including that morning had said anterior so wasn't sure I should think any different). I was so tired at this point I started asking for some sort of pain relief - but decided to wait a little longer before doing anything about it. Time came for next VE - midwife had warned me that if no progression doctor would want to administer synotocin, and sure enough no progress still 6 cm and cervix showing signs of irritation/swelling. So doctor wanted to give me an epidural and the synotocin - not really what I had wanted, but I had made no progress all day and was shattered so didn't think I could really do anything else (we had tried reflexology points,nipple stimulation and even spoken to the acupuncturist in an effort to get things going). Every decision point DH and I were given chance to discuss it and the midwives helped with any questions.
Getting the epidural was interesting, trying to stay so still through the contractions, gripping onto DH's arms - I am surprised he hasn't got bruises. That seemed to go ok and I felt I could rest and they put me on the synotocin, could still kind of feel the contractions but were just a tingling sensation now - I then fell asleep. Around 10:30 I had been on the synotocin for about 2 hours and knew nothing had changed with the contractions, they did a VE and confirmed no progress and cerivx getting more swollen/irritated, so now was time to talk c-section. The consultant came in and started talking to me about it (it was more of a rant at me really - she seemed to make the assumption that she would need to convince me that it was needed, just because I had wanted a natural birth, but I knew coudn't go on like this, so there was no need for that attitude really). I was also a bit annoyed that she left DH asleep on sofa at this point, so he woke up to hear her saying something about restricted oxygen supply to the baby and it sent him into a panic (there was no restriction the trace showed CJ was as happy as larry in there and the contractions weren't bothering her at all) the consultant was just explaining what could happen if continued but it just wasn't done in the best way. She did a VE and said in her opinion I was only 5cm and seemed a bit annoyed that we had been allowed to go along all this time with no progress. Anyway agreed to the c-section and then everything got a bit manic, the epidural was topped up for the op, and in I went. There wasn't any wait time which was great (it was 11:00pm on a Sunday evening).
DH was sat next to my head but I felt so so so sleepy (not sure if that was the epi or just my exhaustion) and I was fighting to stay awake, I didn't want CJ to be born and me be asleep! I demanded DH tell me some jokes to try stay awake, sensation was quite weird of them tugging about inside you, but it was reasonably quick and I did manage just to stay awake until they lifted her out and I heard her cry, then I fell asleep! She was pretty big 9lb 2.5oz and apparently you could hear a pop when they wrestled her out with the forceps, she was in a posterior position (so I am assuming she rotated some time during the day?) and well and truly stuck. We always thought she would be born on the 31st May and she just made it by 10 mins, was born at 11:50pm (although that is more to do with when could get the op done, than a desire to be born on the 31st from CJ :-) ) They stiched/stapled me up, consultant spoke to me after and was much nicer (although felt drunk), said that was no way she was going to make it out due to her position and partly her size, but said there is no reason to think that in future I would have problems delivering a large baby if it was in the right position, and then I went to recovery, DH was with CJ (she apparently was sucking on his chest and scratching him desparate for a feed). In recovery I felt like you do if you are drunk but trying to appear sober, I felt very spaced out but was trying to sound sensible to the guy looking after me. After half an hour taken down to the rooms to meet CJ, DH and the trainee midwife who was such a star and stayed with us the whole time. CJ fed really well, and then an exhausted DH headed home.
So it didn't really turn out how I had envisaged at all - the c-section has not been too painful, is just awkward because are not free to move pick up the baby as easily as otherwise could. I was up and out of bed that Monday morning but in hospital till the Friday as standard. Very happy to be home now, and although didn't turn out like I wanted thought the hospital and midwifes especially were great and feel like did everything could to have a natural birth but some things just aren't meant to be. I am writing this at 4:30AM because CJ has not slept since 11PM, first night she has been like this and has been feeding constantly -maybe she is remembering the trauma of a week ago as she was a week old at 11:50PM :-)
You did a fantastic job birthing your gorgeous princess! It sounds like you did everything you could to try to get the birth you wanted, but at the end of the day you did the sensible thing and listened to what your body and the caregivers were telling you needed to be done to get CJ out safely. I think you did wonderfully!
Enjoy this precious time with CJ because they grow up to fast!
Vic - awesome Birth for CJ - what a legend being in labour for so long, you were fantastic - Hope you are recovering well from your Csection and enjoying every moment with CJ
Huge congratulations to you, Vic. You did such an amazing job birthing your little CJ. Hoping you continue to recover quickly from the c/s and that you continue to enjoy your gorgeous little one!
Wysiwyg Birth Story - Arrival of CJ 31-May
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