Daniels arrival

This birth story is in two parts coz I wrote the first part soon after I got home then expanded it a bit the next couple of days.
To start off:
OB appt and 9:30am March 31 had cervix check and sweep. First ctx was felt around 10am and were every 10 mins after that. Still wasn't sure though if they were just b/h ctx. By 2pm they seemed closer than 10 mins so we called the maternity wad and went in for a CTG to see what was happening. When we were taken into the delivery suite they had the trolley all set up covered with a sterile drape so they were convinced already he was coming out. My OB was called after the CTG showed labour strength ctx. he ruptured the double membranes at 4:30. Ctx were still 10 mins apart and he had said he would be back at 8:30pm to start the syntocin drip if there was no change. I decided as it was taking a while to have some pethidine to take the edge off but they have to do a check first to make sure you aren't too close to delivering before giving pethidine. I was only 3cm but with a mis-shapen cervix it was hard to tell. Another midwife came in to check and said 3cm she thought. My OB just after 8:30 then checked and said I was at 5 in those few minutes.
I was using the gas by then and asked for it to be turned up when I felt pressure but still had a lip of cervix to go. By 9:30 I felt like pushing and the pressure of bearing down against the pain eased the pain.
I felt his head there and instinct took over, Tracy the midwife grabbed gloves, sent someone to fetch my OB who hadn't yet left to go home again (he was concerned coz every now and again Daniels heart rate would drop) and so I pushed.
Was told to try and hold my legs (ha ha I was too busy pushing against them with the pain to hold them) and it seemed to take forever to push him out but was 5 minutes tops.
Tell you what this time it took a bit more effort to push him out but I was told he had to come out then and there coz his heart rate had dropped radically. I remember it took a few pushes/breaths over 2 ctx to get his head out and them they were trying to see if the cord was around his neck causing the decels and told me to breathe thru the next ctx but my body wanted him out so pushed instead and he was out and on my chest. You can't stop that last push, nature won't let you lol. They had to blow on his face a few times to get him to breathe and in the end he had oxygen. He was given oxygen while he lay on me with the mask held over his nose. He was left there and checked over even when the placenta was delivered.
usually they take the baby to the warming bed for a quick health check while you do the placenta part but this time they did everything while I held him and Robert got to cut the cord.
So our little (big) boy is here. Other than Greg he is our biggest Mills baby.
His official stats according to the paediatrician are
HC 34.5 (midwife measured it at 35), Length 52cm and weight is 3430gm (7lb 9oz). Today, day 3 he had dropped to 3140gm (6lb15oz).
His hair is a goldy ginger toned blonde/brown. Yeah, hard to describe lol.
he has had a few chucks coz he is very mucosy and keeps bringing up more so brings up his feed with it.

The reason labour started off so slow with a ctx every 10 minutes was the scar tissue from that LLETZ procedure back in 1996. It held up labour for Annabelle and Samuel too. Luckily with Samuel the scar tissue broke after 7 hrs and he arrived in a sudden rush.
This time when I was checked at 8:15pm and the 2 midwives couldn't decide for sure if it was 3cm or nogt I mentioned the scar tissue and the misshapen cervix.
When my OB came in at 8:30 he mentioned the fact he was concerned the scar tissue had regrown and asked if he could check me. OMG that was so painful and I completely forgot I had the gas in my hand until the midwife said to breathe it and take the edge off. I gather what he did was check me and then break the scar tissue which is why all of a sudden I went to 5cms and after that was getting ctx 2-3 every 10 mins and much more painful. Up til then I had been able to breathe through them.
The only reason I asked for the pethidine was 1) to check how far I was (disappointing 3cm) and 2) if it was going to take hours I wanted to take the edge off and doze in between.
So all of a sudden I went from breathing through them to having to use the gas and then by 9pm was groaning through them. By 9:30 I was feeling the pressure so it sure didn't take long once he broke the scar tissue. Once I felt his head pressure though I was just determined to push him out as quickly as possible.
He has a bruise on his hand and the midwives told Robert sometimes they hold the cord as they come out and get bruised hands, sometimes even broken fingers. That would also explain the sudden hear rate drop and urgency to get him out if he had a tight hold on the cord.

I just know it was amazing opening my eyes as soon as I felt him slither out and see him being passed up to me and put on my chest. He was quickly rubbed down with warm towels and covered over both of us to keep him warm. Then they kept blowing on his face then they had to put the mask on him. Pushing out the placenta was a very quiet almost passed over moment. Robert said it was huge and intact and healthy unlike Samuels which had started to break down and looked unhealthy.

And to now.
The engorgement has passed, he feeds quite well unless he is in a hurry and I am engorged from a long time between feeds and he can't latch on easily. Once on though he just gulps and sounds like he is being flooded lol.
I had a scan yesterday morning (day 4) coz the loss had eased up but increased with clots and flooding the pads. Also my uterus was not as contracted down as it should be. Scan showed lots of blood in the uterus but no obvious tissue requiring a D&C so I am to just keep an eye on it and go back if worried. It is still quite heavy. The OB was on call (OB Peter who did the CVS) was satisfied with everything and my fundus is just below the umbilicus so he is ok with that.
We were going to go to Kingston Cemetery today for Annabelle's Angelversary and take her some flowers but there is no way I could go that far bleeding this heavily so we will go down once it has eased off, probably next weekend (Easter)

Congratulations!! He is absolutely adorable.

Thanks for sharing, he's gorgeous! And congrats on the bfing - I'm so jealous!

Your hubby is amazing to be able to compare placentas!

congrats hun..he is adorable ...xxxx

Jude... :hug: Well done babe! I have tears welling up and i am so happy for you and your family... It is so special to be crying happy tears for you!!

I think its very special that Daniel arrived so close to Annabelles Angelversary, and i am sure she is smiling down on you and waiting patiently for you to be well enough to visit her grave.

Take care and enjoy your little bundle of joy!!

Lots of Love Katti
xoxox

Jude well done to you and congrats to the family on the birth of your miracle boy. I am sure Annabelle is smiling down on you, I hope your visit was a happy one with little Daniel in your arms.:)
Love Pam and family.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A beautiful little boy :hug: Congratulations :cheer:

Jude - am so so happy for you all..

Daniel is gorgeous..

Jude - he is soooo cute, congratulations I hope the bleeding eases off for you. Enjoy your babymoon :dance:

Congrats Jude, I've only just got round to reading your birth story!:redface:

Sounds like you had a tough time, but glad he arrived safely in the end and yes he is absolutely adorable. I hope things are ok with you now babe, take care. x

Judy you are an inspiration to me. I thought at 40 that I shouldn't have any more but now I'm thinking otherwise lol. Well done and welcome to the world Daniel. What a sweetie