[INDUCTION] 24 March 2013 - The birth of chody's DD2

I'm sorry it's so long. I've written about my pregnancy too as that shaped my thinking throughout my labour too.

On the morning of the 9th of June, 2012 I caved and took a pregnancy test. I wasn’t sure that I was pregnant (and I was only about 10DPO), but I’d been falling asleep on the couch the past few nights by 8pm and wanted to know why. To my delight a dark BFP showed up even before the control line did! I was pregnant. I was sure it was going to be an awesome pregnancy like I’d had with DD1 and was looking forward to meeting my new baby around 20/2/13.

Early on I started to get nervous. At about 5 weeks I had a small bleed. When I had a dating scan at 6-7 weeks I was told there was some blood which may cause a small bleed. I did have another one at about 8/9 weeks but luckily it wasn’t too much. I was still feeling positive.

At our 12 week scan everything looked great. I asked the lady doing the scan if, from her point of view, everything looked good. She said it did but obviously the bloods needed to be done too. A couple of days later I rang my ob for the results (they only ring if there is a problem) as I wanted to confirm it was all good before blurting my news to the world. I was told the results weren’t in yet and they would call me when they were. A few days later I still hadn’t heard so I tried again. Still no results....the next morning (at about 13 weeks) I received a call from my ob. My risk for DS was 1/59. Apparently my levels of Papp-A were really low. We were devastated and scared. We opted to have an amnio but had to wait until 16 weeks for that to occur.

Those three weeks were the slowest ever. When the day finally arrived I was so nervous but the procedure was quick and relatively painless. Then the waiting began. Whilst sitting on the couch the next morning I felt my first big kick from my baby. A couple of hours later we received the news we were hoping for – our baby was fine and......it was a GIRL!!

Unfortunately that wasn’t the end of our issues. The low Papp-A meant we were at risk for our little girl not growing properly. All looked good at 20 weeks. We had another scan at 28 weeks just to check and she was still growing, but not as fast. Her abdominal circumference was now in the lowest 10%. We had another scan at 32 weeks. Once again she had dropped down the charts (they were guessing about 1.75kg) and, more worryingly, the blood flow in and out of the cord was having some resistance. We were now on weekly scans....

At 33 weeks everything looked the same as 32. In my 34th week I started getting flashy and blurry vision and found myself being hooked up to machines to be checked out. It was decided that baby and I were fine and we were sent home. At my scan that week it showed that blood flow in and out of the brain was starting to be effected. I was kept in that weekend to rest. At 35 weeks the scan was the same as 34 but my fundal height had dropped back to 29cm (was 32 at 34 weeks). It was decided I’d have another growth scan at 36 weeks (23/1/13).

This scan showed a number of things. Firstly, baby had barely grown since 32 weeks (they now guessed 2kg). Cord blood flow was even more restricted and my amniotic fluid had dropped. It was decided she would be coming out. My request was not Friday, as this was DD1’s birthday, so I was told that it would be the next day and to come in that night with my bags.

I arrived at the hospital at 7:30pm on 23/1/13. The intention was to put some gels in and then get things going the next morning. However, after chatting, my ob decided that since my last labour was so quick we would start in the morning instead. I was allowed to go home. Needless to say, I had very little sleep.

On the morning of 24/1 we arrived at the hospital at about 8am. I was checked over, had blood taken (partly in case bubs didn’t cope and I needed a CS), given antibiotics for strep B and my ob broke my waters at around 9. It was extremely uncomfortable and not something I wish to repeat. I was hooked up to a monitor as they wanted to keep an eye on bubs the whole time as they were worried what effect labour would have on her. Nothing happened. I tried walking around, bouncing on the fit ball, anything I could think of but nothing happened. All I could do was keep looking at the clock thinking it was getting closer and closer to DD1’s birthday and I wanted separate birthdays for my girls. The next 4 hours went extremely slowly.

At about 1pm my ob came and did a vaginal exam. I was still about about 2cm (what I’d been the night before when they’d checked me). They decided they’d give me the drip. I was nervous about this too as I had heard it brings contractions on hard and fast. By that point I just wanted something to happen though so I was kinda looking forward to it (I must be weird lol). I tried walking around, bouncing on the fit ball, anything I could think of but nothing happened. All I could do was keep looking at the clock thinking it was getting closer and closer to DD1’s birthday and I wanted separate birthdays for my girls. The next 4 hours went extremely slowly.

At about 1pm my ob came and did a vaginal exam. I was still about about 2cm (what I’d been the night before when they’d checked me). They decided they’d give me the drip. I was nervous about this too as I had heard it brings contractions on hard and fast. By that point I just wanted something to happen though so I was kinda looking forward to it (I must be weird lol).

I was given more antibiotics and hooked up to the drip just after 2. Very shortly after the contractions started. Unfortunately, with every contraction, bub’s heart rate dropped. It was worse when I was upright. As I result I had to lie on my side the whole labour. The contractions were coming quite regularly but I felt I was coping well but still terrified I might end up having to have a CS.

After about 30 mins the midwife from next door came in. She told me that an anaesthetist was coming to give that lady an epidural and did I want one too. I stated that I’d prefer to wait and see how I go (I’d had nothing for DD1). I was told that if I didn’t have it then then there may not be anyone around when/if I did want one.

About half an hour later I was again asked as the anaesthetist had just finished next door. There was still talk of me needing a CS so I said yes. I’d prefer to have it in now rather than when the contractions were hard to cope with (I was still having no trouble). They unhooked the drip and I sat up and were about to get started when the lady from next door fainted and they all went rushing there leaving DH and I alone. By the time they came back in and put it in it was now over 1.5 hours since starting the drip (it was still unhooked though). They thought they’d wait til the epidural kicked in before starting the drip up again.

At about 4 I started feeling pressure in my bottom. I started to freak. I wasn’t ready for this. This whole pregnancy hadn’t gone as planned. I shouldn’t even be having her yet. Would she actually be ok? Two hours ago nothing was happening. I’d only had the drip for an hour, surely it wasn’t time. I just lay there (on my side) through 3 of these contractions before telling my midwife that I was feeling pressure. She seemed shocked but checked and, sure enough, I was fully dilated and ready to go. She called my ob and told me to push with the next contraction. I told DH that I didn’t want to push. I wasn’t ready. Dumb thing to say I know, but I honestly didn’t feel mentally like I was in labour yet...

I’ll be honest, that first contraction I didn’t really push at all. I pretended to did, and did a slight push, but nothing really, I wasn’t ready. By the time the next contraction started my ob arrived. For some reason I suddenly felt more confident and pushed harder. I think she was out in that contraction, or at the very start of the next. All up, there was just 4 mins of pushing.

Is@belle M@rgaret was born at 4:09pm on 24/1/13 (interestingly her sister was born at 1:09pm)
Weight: 1.84kg
Length: 46cm
Labour was just 2 hours

She spent the next three weeks in the SCN until she was able to come home. They were the second three longest weeks of my life....

Beautifully written hun. You did an amazing job through pregnancy and birth x

Lovely birth story hun xxx

Thank you for sharing Chody. You did well welcoming your tiny princess.

Thank you for sharing Chody. I hope your little one has settled in well at home xx

Amazing chody, beautiful birth story for a beautiful little girl xox

Lovely story to read, I am sorry the pregnancy and labour were not to plan but glad you and your beautiful little girl are ok xo

Great story!

Im so sorry you had such a hard pregnancy and birth. You did amazingly. Im glad all is well and your princess is home xx