Suzie and Faith
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IVE WRITTEN SO MUCH!!!!! You may need to read this over several days, in fact it may take several days to read!! So good luck!
Oh and for those of you who dont know I was planning a home waterbirth. As they say.. even the best laid plans...
Ive finally found a moment to start on my birth story! Its amazing how much time babies take up!
My contractions started on Sunday 1st June at about 5:40pm! I felt a strange tightening that peaked and faded, I wasnt sure what it was so I ignored it but then ten minutes later I felt another, then ten minutes later another... after an hour of these I mentioned them to Matt (my hubby) he was just about to leave for work. I told him still to go to work and Id let him know if there were any developments.
I then had a long bath to see if it stopped the pains at all. It didnt (which was quite exciting!). Matt finished work early that night anyway and he was soon back with me. We tried the TENS machine but it was annoying me in the end so I took it off. We then attempted to get some sleep! Matts a really deep sleeper so he managed to sleep all through my contractions!
The next few days seem to blur into one and Im not entirely sure what happened when. I think my midwife came to see me Monday morning, she didnt examine me but she watched me through some contractions (which were coming every 6-7 minutes) she said at that point that baby would probably be here by the evening! We set up the room including blowing the pool up and laying down the floor coverings etc. The midwife also took my blood pressure (3 times) and it was slightly high which wasnt good as I normally have the opposite problem! But we reckon it was the worry of it that made it raise itself!
I think we went to the beach on the Monday too and had fish and chips and ice-cream figuring it would be our last baby-less meal. Over the afternoon the contractions were back to being 10 minutes apart but more painful. We put the TENS on again but I couldnt find a level I was happy with. It was either too low and I couldnt feel anything or too high and it stung!
Monday evening the midwife popped back again but contractions werent any closer and werent too bad pain wise so she told me to have a warm bath and try and sleep. So I did (after a few games of cards and monopoly!). In the middle of the night the contractions suddenly picked up to every 5 minutes and very painful Matt called the delivery suite who told me to take 2 paracetemol and have a bath so I did (it was about 3am). Matt called his mum to let her know it could be starting. The bath eased them a little and by morning they were less painful again. My mum took the day off work just in case...
The midwife came round to see how I was and asked if I wanted to be left or to be examined. I opted to be examined because I felt I needed to know how far along I was. I was prepared for her to say I wasnt even dilating so it was a slight relief to find I was 2cm. She did a sweep then but still nothing picked up!
Me, mum and Matt went to Pizza Hut for lunch as I was hungry and bored and we wandered round a couple of shops. Next day (Wednesday) I was still contracting and hurting and not sleeping - but not enough to be in established labour! It was driving me mad! We went to the cafe in Asda that day for lunch again to pass time!
It seemed that at various points in the day the contractions would get a lot worse and closer together but that then theyd fade away again but at no point did they totally go!
Wednesday evening I visited a friend who was back from university and we took a trip to Boots to get some Clary Sage oil as recommended by Sherlock (it could have been this that finally got things moving!)
Thursday morning the midwife came back with my induction date booked for the next morning! She checked baby was ok at this point we found out that baby was now back to back which explains why Id had constant backache all night! Midwife then left and I spent a few hours on my hands and knees leaning over the gym ball.
Sometime Thursday afternoon the contractions got A LOT more painful and I put the TENS on again and this time it seemed to help a lot. At about 5pm I was in a lot of pain with contractions every 5- minutes and I was totally shattered. I got Matt to call the delivery suite because I wanted to see a midwife and see if wed gotten any further. I was beginning to worry I wouldnt have the energy to go through labour at home. Matts mum popped in on her way from work and at this point my contractions suddenly jumped to every 3 minutes and lasting a minute each. I had my TENS on high and was shuddering with every contraction. My mum, Matt and my MIL were all telling me to scream or swear or something but I just shuddered and whimpered a bit.
The midwife arrived at 6:30pm and she wasnt one of the ones Id met before and for some reason I didnt like her she was really quiet and the total opposite of my normal midwife. She also said that I should consider going in to hospital if I really was too tired as there I could have an epidural and get some sleep. We decided shed see how dilated I was and then I could make my decision. She seemed surprised that I was 5cm. I asked how long it could go on for and she said that they say on average it takes an hour to get 1cm further from the 4cm mark meaning it would be another 5 or more hours. At that point I asked if we could see how I was in an hour and then I could decide, she agreed to this.
I sat up after the internal check and felt a pop and my waters went. I was sitting on a towel on the rug in the middle of the floor at the time wed cleared up the homebirth stuff earlier in the week in case it was jinxing anything actually happening! There were a few more gushes it was quite a nice feeling in a strange way a relief of some sort!
Midwife began monitoring baby through and after my contractions and at this point it all went a bit blurry... (Contractions were practically non-stop) she said that babys heart-rate was dropping after each contraction and she was worried the baby was distressed. When the heart-rate dropped for the 3rd time she called an ambulance. I remember being told she was going to blue-light me and I remember telling Matt to grab my bags. The ambulance arrived really quickly and I was put into my dressing gown.
I stood at the door and saw the mini-chavs who live down my road all crowding round the ambulance, at that point I turned to the male paramedic and told him to make them go away he yelled to them but they didnt move so the female paramedic went over and got them out of the way. I was put on a bed in the ambulance and Matt came with me. I remember my mum saying that shed meet us there. She hugged me and told me id be ok. I was shuddering and shaking and petrified because I really dont like hospitals and because I didnt really understand what was going on.
It blurs even more from here, I remember the ambulance being bumpy, I remember the cold air when the bed was pushed out of the ambulance, I remember a lift and then the next thing I know Im on a bed being attacked from all angles with people strapping me down and putting things into my arm and sticking my legs up in stirrups. At this point someone asked if id like gas and air and I said YES (rather enthusiastically so Im told) and then it goes woozy... I was sucking on the gas and air non-stop. I could hear sounds and occasionally id open my eyes and see lights and see my mum and Matt and I remember someone saying that it was the gas and air making me out of it and I remember being really relieved that itd all be over soon.
I was 8cm when I got to the hospital so I had dilated ridiculously quickly! I then was fully dilated not long after that. I was told to push and I tried but it wasnt working. I dont remember them doing the next things but im told that they were still worried about baby so they took a blood sample from her head whilst she was still in there. They then tried venthose (suction cup) and then the forceps and somewhere along the line they cut me.
It still wasnt working, they got the forms ready for Matt to sign for me to have a general and a c-section and the midwife got into her scrubs. Another midwife had a go with the forceps. It didnt work. The consultant came in and told me I had one more go before id have a section. He was a huge burly guy. They took my gas and air so I could concentrate on pushing whilst he pulled. He pulled SO hard it dragged me down the bed! But then suddenly she was here and out in the world. She was put onto my chest before going off to be checked Matt went with her and mum stayed with me.
I had a huge run of stitches which took them ages to do and I bled a lot.
Babys apgar scores were 8 and then 10 which is amazing considering what shed been through. She was bruised and battered but so perfect.
Matt held her and mum held her then I got a hold.
I got to have a bath not long after and then I was offered my own room for the night as the ward was full! So I had a home from home delivery suite all to myself! It had an ensuite and was quite nice really. It made being in hospital a bit easier for me. We tried to get Faith to feed but she wasnt interested.
I have very little experience with babies and so when Faith cried in the cot next to me and my mum and Matt had gone home I didnt know what to do! So I pressed my buzzer and a midwife came and passed her to me, put her on my shoulder and left me. Faith was there from 2am to 5am as I didnt know how to move her or what to do! And I was really sore so couldnt actually get out of bed without a lot of help! At 5am a midwife/nursery nurse came in and cup fed her 10ml of formula. I wasnt asked about this and I wasnt given another chance to try breastfeeding, I was just told that someone would come along later to help me. I was a bit miffed but wanted a happy baby so I didnt protest!
At 9am Matt was back at the hospital and they moved me over to the ward. We were left on our own really all day! Neither of us had ever changed a nappy or dressed a baby before and so our first time was a bit of a guess and a bit of a team effort! The midwife who was there for the delivery came back later and helped me with the breastfeeding but Faith was just not interested, probably because of the stress shed been through and the bruises and cuts from the forceps. I was told to express as much as I could into a cup and feed her that it was all of 2.5ml! No one offered us any formula though.
The day went on, we had some visitors (7 round a bed and 4 waiting outside (despite the rules saying only 3 round a bed)) and we managed to find someone to ask about going home (no one had mentioned it) we pestered a bit and they got the paediatrician to check Faith over and she was given the ok to go. They were supposed to check my BP before I went as Id lost a lot of blood but they forgot and by that time Id given up with them and just wanted to go (I was very light-headed and weak). We were given the discharge talk but no one told me about much really!
Then we went home!
I feel that the hospital were FANTASTIC with rushing me in and getting Faith out without a section and safely BUT I think their aftercare was not very good and I felt very abandoned and a bit lost as well as being really sore and weak. I was glad to get out of there in the end and I would definitely try again for a homebirth (if there is an again!).
Ive written the story fairly seriously as I wanted to explain it as it was but there were some funny and some great moments here are a few:
When my waters broke I stopped mid-contraction and went ooh, i think that was my waters... was it... ooooh yeah, it was
I had friction burns on my knees from leaning over the birth ball
Matt asked me what I thought of the gas and air I said it was lubbly
He kissed my forehead and told me to have a little Faith I told him I was trying
I told the people in the room that they should sell gas and air because theyd make a fortune
Whilst on the gas and air I was thinking about how I would write how great it was in my birth story
The first thing I said when they delivered Faith onto my chest was Yuck well she was all bloody and gunky!
I kept telling the lady stitching me up to stop and I kept telling her it hurt, in the end she told me she had already injected 3 lots of local anaesthetic and I wasnt allowed anymore!
They took the gas and air off me a few times because I wasnt getting the urge to push I wouldnt let go so they left me with the mouthpiece and I kept saying gas and airrrrr gas and airrrrrr over and over until they gave it back to me.
For days after I had a sore mouth and sensitive teeth because I bit so hard on the mouthpiece
During early contractions I ruined the wooden spoon from the kitchen
I was offered tea and toast after the birth and I accepted. When the tea came out it was in a tiny cup so I said very loudly that it didnt count as a cup of tea, it was more like a mouthful. When I came back from the bath there were three cups of tea waiting for me.
My favourite moment is when my mum passed Faith to Matt. It was the first time he has ever held a baby and the look on his face was one of pure fear and love at the same time! It was adorable!
We are all doing well now, bubs latched on eventually, her bruises and cuts are nearly gone and she is a very happy and contented little girly. Matt has taken to being a daddy so well and I love watching him coo over her!
Vital stats:
Born 8:50pm
Weighed: 7lb 14oz
Time form start of contractions to actual birth: 99hours 10 min
Length of labour in notes: 2hr15 !!!!!!!!
Well done if you managed to read all that, and if you did it in one sitting you deserve a medal!!!!
Oh and for those of you who dont know I was planning a home waterbirth. As they say.. even the best laid plans...
Ive finally found a moment to start on my birth story! Its amazing how much time babies take up!
My contractions started on Sunday 1st June at about 5:40pm! I felt a strange tightening that peaked and faded, I wasnt sure what it was so I ignored it but then ten minutes later I felt another, then ten minutes later another... after an hour of these I mentioned them to Matt (my hubby) he was just about to leave for work. I told him still to go to work and Id let him know if there were any developments.
I then had a long bath to see if it stopped the pains at all. It didnt (which was quite exciting!). Matt finished work early that night anyway and he was soon back with me. We tried the TENS machine but it was annoying me in the end so I took it off. We then attempted to get some sleep! Matts a really deep sleeper so he managed to sleep all through my contractions!
The next few days seem to blur into one and Im not entirely sure what happened when. I think my midwife came to see me Monday morning, she didnt examine me but she watched me through some contractions (which were coming every 6-7 minutes) she said at that point that baby would probably be here by the evening! We set up the room including blowing the pool up and laying down the floor coverings etc. The midwife also took my blood pressure (3 times) and it was slightly high which wasnt good as I normally have the opposite problem! But we reckon it was the worry of it that made it raise itself!
I think we went to the beach on the Monday too and had fish and chips and ice-cream figuring it would be our last baby-less meal. Over the afternoon the contractions were back to being 10 minutes apart but more painful. We put the TENS on again but I couldnt find a level I was happy with. It was either too low and I couldnt feel anything or too high and it stung!
Monday evening the midwife popped back again but contractions werent any closer and werent too bad pain wise so she told me to have a warm bath and try and sleep. So I did (after a few games of cards and monopoly!). In the middle of the night the contractions suddenly picked up to every 5 minutes and very painful Matt called the delivery suite who told me to take 2 paracetemol and have a bath so I did (it was about 3am). Matt called his mum to let her know it could be starting. The bath eased them a little and by morning they were less painful again. My mum took the day off work just in case...
The midwife came round to see how I was and asked if I wanted to be left or to be examined. I opted to be examined because I felt I needed to know how far along I was. I was prepared for her to say I wasnt even dilating so it was a slight relief to find I was 2cm. She did a sweep then but still nothing picked up!
Me, mum and Matt went to Pizza Hut for lunch as I was hungry and bored and we wandered round a couple of shops. Next day (Wednesday) I was still contracting and hurting and not sleeping - but not enough to be in established labour! It was driving me mad! We went to the cafe in Asda that day for lunch again to pass time!
It seemed that at various points in the day the contractions would get a lot worse and closer together but that then theyd fade away again but at no point did they totally go!
Wednesday evening I visited a friend who was back from university and we took a trip to Boots to get some Clary Sage oil as recommended by Sherlock (it could have been this that finally got things moving!)
Thursday morning the midwife came back with my induction date booked for the next morning! She checked baby was ok at this point we found out that baby was now back to back which explains why Id had constant backache all night! Midwife then left and I spent a few hours on my hands and knees leaning over the gym ball.
Sometime Thursday afternoon the contractions got A LOT more painful and I put the TENS on again and this time it seemed to help a lot. At about 5pm I was in a lot of pain with contractions every 5- minutes and I was totally shattered. I got Matt to call the delivery suite because I wanted to see a midwife and see if wed gotten any further. I was beginning to worry I wouldnt have the energy to go through labour at home. Matts mum popped in on her way from work and at this point my contractions suddenly jumped to every 3 minutes and lasting a minute each. I had my TENS on high and was shuddering with every contraction. My mum, Matt and my MIL were all telling me to scream or swear or something but I just shuddered and whimpered a bit.
The midwife arrived at 6:30pm and she wasnt one of the ones Id met before and for some reason I didnt like her she was really quiet and the total opposite of my normal midwife. She also said that I should consider going in to hospital if I really was too tired as there I could have an epidural and get some sleep. We decided shed see how dilated I was and then I could make my decision. She seemed surprised that I was 5cm. I asked how long it could go on for and she said that they say on average it takes an hour to get 1cm further from the 4cm mark meaning it would be another 5 or more hours. At that point I asked if we could see how I was in an hour and then I could decide, she agreed to this.
I sat up after the internal check and felt a pop and my waters went. I was sitting on a towel on the rug in the middle of the floor at the time wed cleared up the homebirth stuff earlier in the week in case it was jinxing anything actually happening! There were a few more gushes it was quite a nice feeling in a strange way a relief of some sort!
Midwife began monitoring baby through and after my contractions and at this point it all went a bit blurry... (Contractions were practically non-stop) she said that babys heart-rate was dropping after each contraction and she was worried the baby was distressed. When the heart-rate dropped for the 3rd time she called an ambulance. I remember being told she was going to blue-light me and I remember telling Matt to grab my bags. The ambulance arrived really quickly and I was put into my dressing gown.
I stood at the door and saw the mini-chavs who live down my road all crowding round the ambulance, at that point I turned to the male paramedic and told him to make them go away he yelled to them but they didnt move so the female paramedic went over and got them out of the way. I was put on a bed in the ambulance and Matt came with me. I remember my mum saying that shed meet us there. She hugged me and told me id be ok. I was shuddering and shaking and petrified because I really dont like hospitals and because I didnt really understand what was going on.
It blurs even more from here, I remember the ambulance being bumpy, I remember the cold air when the bed was pushed out of the ambulance, I remember a lift and then the next thing I know Im on a bed being attacked from all angles with people strapping me down and putting things into my arm and sticking my legs up in stirrups. At this point someone asked if id like gas and air and I said YES (rather enthusiastically so Im told) and then it goes woozy... I was sucking on the gas and air non-stop. I could hear sounds and occasionally id open my eyes and see lights and see my mum and Matt and I remember someone saying that it was the gas and air making me out of it and I remember being really relieved that itd all be over soon.
I was 8cm when I got to the hospital so I had dilated ridiculously quickly! I then was fully dilated not long after that. I was told to push and I tried but it wasnt working. I dont remember them doing the next things but im told that they were still worried about baby so they took a blood sample from her head whilst she was still in there. They then tried venthose (suction cup) and then the forceps and somewhere along the line they cut me.
It still wasnt working, they got the forms ready for Matt to sign for me to have a general and a c-section and the midwife got into her scrubs. Another midwife had a go with the forceps. It didnt work. The consultant came in and told me I had one more go before id have a section. He was a huge burly guy. They took my gas and air so I could concentrate on pushing whilst he pulled. He pulled SO hard it dragged me down the bed! But then suddenly she was here and out in the world. She was put onto my chest before going off to be checked Matt went with her and mum stayed with me.
I had a huge run of stitches which took them ages to do and I bled a lot.
Babys apgar scores were 8 and then 10 which is amazing considering what shed been through. She was bruised and battered but so perfect.
Matt held her and mum held her then I got a hold.
I got to have a bath not long after and then I was offered my own room for the night as the ward was full! So I had a home from home delivery suite all to myself! It had an ensuite and was quite nice really. It made being in hospital a bit easier for me. We tried to get Faith to feed but she wasnt interested.
I have very little experience with babies and so when Faith cried in the cot next to me and my mum and Matt had gone home I didnt know what to do! So I pressed my buzzer and a midwife came and passed her to me, put her on my shoulder and left me. Faith was there from 2am to 5am as I didnt know how to move her or what to do! And I was really sore so couldnt actually get out of bed without a lot of help! At 5am a midwife/nursery nurse came in and cup fed her 10ml of formula. I wasnt asked about this and I wasnt given another chance to try breastfeeding, I was just told that someone would come along later to help me. I was a bit miffed but wanted a happy baby so I didnt protest!
At 9am Matt was back at the hospital and they moved me over to the ward. We were left on our own really all day! Neither of us had ever changed a nappy or dressed a baby before and so our first time was a bit of a guess and a bit of a team effort! The midwife who was there for the delivery came back later and helped me with the breastfeeding but Faith was just not interested, probably because of the stress shed been through and the bruises and cuts from the forceps. I was told to express as much as I could into a cup and feed her that it was all of 2.5ml! No one offered us any formula though.
The day went on, we had some visitors (7 round a bed and 4 waiting outside (despite the rules saying only 3 round a bed)) and we managed to find someone to ask about going home (no one had mentioned it) we pestered a bit and they got the paediatrician to check Faith over and she was given the ok to go. They were supposed to check my BP before I went as Id lost a lot of blood but they forgot and by that time Id given up with them and just wanted to go (I was very light-headed and weak). We were given the discharge talk but no one told me about much really!
Then we went home!
I feel that the hospital were FANTASTIC with rushing me in and getting Faith out without a section and safely BUT I think their aftercare was not very good and I felt very abandoned and a bit lost as well as being really sore and weak. I was glad to get out of there in the end and I would definitely try again for a homebirth (if there is an again!).
Ive written the story fairly seriously as I wanted to explain it as it was but there were some funny and some great moments here are a few:
When my waters broke I stopped mid-contraction and went ooh, i think that was my waters... was it... ooooh yeah, it was
I had friction burns on my knees from leaning over the birth ball
Matt asked me what I thought of the gas and air I said it was lubbly
He kissed my forehead and told me to have a little Faith I told him I was trying
I told the people in the room that they should sell gas and air because theyd make a fortune
Whilst on the gas and air I was thinking about how I would write how great it was in my birth story
The first thing I said when they delivered Faith onto my chest was Yuck well she was all bloody and gunky!
I kept telling the lady stitching me up to stop and I kept telling her it hurt, in the end she told me she had already injected 3 lots of local anaesthetic and I wasnt allowed anymore!
They took the gas and air off me a few times because I wasnt getting the urge to push I wouldnt let go so they left me with the mouthpiece and I kept saying gas and airrrrr gas and airrrrrr over and over until they gave it back to me.
For days after I had a sore mouth and sensitive teeth because I bit so hard on the mouthpiece
During early contractions I ruined the wooden spoon from the kitchen
I was offered tea and toast after the birth and I accepted. When the tea came out it was in a tiny cup so I said very loudly that it didnt count as a cup of tea, it was more like a mouthful. When I came back from the bath there were three cups of tea waiting for me.
My favourite moment is when my mum passed Faith to Matt. It was the first time he has ever held a baby and the look on his face was one of pure fear and love at the same time! It was adorable!
We are all doing well now, bubs latched on eventually, her bruises and cuts are nearly gone and she is a very happy and contented little girly. Matt has taken to being a daddy so well and I love watching him coo over her!
Vital stats:
Born 8:50pm
Weighed: 7lb 14oz
Time form start of contractions to actual birth: 99hours 10 min
Length of labour in notes: 2hr15 !!!!!!!!
Well done if you managed to read all that, and if you did it in one sitting you deserve a medal!!!!
Poor wee darling getting bruised but at last she is happy and healthy... as are you and Matt!!
