Once I
finished work, I went into a serious nesting phase! I made a list of odd jobs
around the house that had to be completed before baby Scott's arrival! I
also batch cooked a lot of food and put it in the freezer so that when we all
got home I wouldn't be thinking about
cooking dinners for a few weeks!
I had my final ante natal appointment on Monday 9th October, and my due date was the Friday 13th October. This appointment was like all others, but my blood pressure was unusually high. It had been normal the whole pregnancy and if anything had dipped slightly making me feel off balance on a couple of occasions. They said not to worry and they would let the consultant know what was going on!
When I saw the
consultant, he did a manual blood pressure and agreed that although it was still
slightly high not to worry! He did the scan and then asked if I wanted a sweep
done. I thought I would have only got this once my due date was passed
but because it was at the end of the week he said it would be fine to do it
now!
I had heard of a sweep but actually had no idea what it involved so was nervous about what was going to happen!! Once it was over, (I’ll not go into specifics) the consultant advised me that I was already 2cm dilated and he wouldn't be surprised if baby made an appearance in 1-2 days! I was so excited, very nervous and also very aware that my list of odd jobs was not complete!!
I had heard of a sweep but actually had no idea what it involved so was nervous about what was going to happen!! Once it was over, (I’ll not go into specifics) the consultant advised me that I was already 2cm dilated and he wouldn't be surprised if baby made an appearance in 1-2 days! I was so excited, very nervous and also very aware that my list of odd jobs was not complete!!
That week Davy
and I worked in the evenings trying to get my list complete, doing things like
finishing the painting in the hall, re-grouting the shower etc. Davy, dear love
him was run ragged doing random DIY jobs all week, but by my due date of the
Friday, baby Scott still had not arrived!
Mum invited us for a family dinner on the Sunday to save me cooking, and joked that if we planned a dinner maybe the baby would arrive! So Davy and I agreed that our infamous list had to be completed before we went for dinner. That weekend we spent every waking minute finishing my list and by 3pm on Sunday it was done! We were so pleased with ourselves and I joked that the baby could now arrive!
When we got to mum and dads I was helping my mum in the kitchen! I suddenly felt like I needed the toilet right away but this had become normal as baby Scott was pushing down on my bladder! I went to the toilet and returned to the kitchen chatting to my mum then I felt like I had suddenly wet myself slightly! Embarrassed I quickly retreated to the bathroom again and quickly guessed that my waters might be breaking. I had read that it doesn't tend to happen like in the movies of an almighty gush of water but sometimes can trickle on and off for awhile!
I came out of the toilet and rang the EOU unit at the Ulster. I updated them, but as I was having no pains at all they said to have my dinner and come afterwards to get examined. I went back to the kitchen and was about to tell my mum when I had another sensation of peeing myself. I told my mum that my waters were breaking and we rushed upstairs to the main bathroom. My mum got me clean clothes and she went and updated Davy and my dad! Everyone was shocked and on edge, but we sat down to a lovely meal of lasagne!
Once dinner was over we left to get me home to get the hospital bags and get to the Ulster. On arrival we went into the EOU unit for my examination, they advised my waters had broken but that they wouldn't do an internal examination as I had no pains. We were told about the contractions and that once they were roughly 1 minute in length and 5-6 minutes apart that we would need to ring and come back then. I was told to try going to bed as when the contractions come on it could be twelve to eighteen hours of labour ahead.
At home I went straight up to bed and just lay there, I couldn’t sleep. Within ten minutes of being home I got the sharpest pain down below, I was curled up in pain. I thought at least it would be awhile until any further contraction pains but within 15 minutes I had another one. Davy had come up to check on me, I was already crying with the pain, scared and asking him how was I going to cope if it hurt this much already! After calming me down and putting me back into bed, Davy went back downstairs. We both thought it would be a long night ahead!
Mum invited us for a family dinner on the Sunday to save me cooking, and joked that if we planned a dinner maybe the baby would arrive! So Davy and I agreed that our infamous list had to be completed before we went for dinner. That weekend we spent every waking minute finishing my list and by 3pm on Sunday it was done! We were so pleased with ourselves and I joked that the baby could now arrive!
When we got to mum and dads I was helping my mum in the kitchen! I suddenly felt like I needed the toilet right away but this had become normal as baby Scott was pushing down on my bladder! I went to the toilet and returned to the kitchen chatting to my mum then I felt like I had suddenly wet myself slightly! Embarrassed I quickly retreated to the bathroom again and quickly guessed that my waters might be breaking. I had read that it doesn't tend to happen like in the movies of an almighty gush of water but sometimes can trickle on and off for awhile!
I came out of the toilet and rang the EOU unit at the Ulster. I updated them, but as I was having no pains at all they said to have my dinner and come afterwards to get examined. I went back to the kitchen and was about to tell my mum when I had another sensation of peeing myself. I told my mum that my waters were breaking and we rushed upstairs to the main bathroom. My mum got me clean clothes and she went and updated Davy and my dad! Everyone was shocked and on edge, but we sat down to a lovely meal of lasagne!
Once dinner was over we left to get me home to get the hospital bags and get to the Ulster. On arrival we went into the EOU unit for my examination, they advised my waters had broken but that they wouldn't do an internal examination as I had no pains. We were told about the contractions and that once they were roughly 1 minute in length and 5-6 minutes apart that we would need to ring and come back then. I was told to try going to bed as when the contractions come on it could be twelve to eighteen hours of labour ahead.
At home I went straight up to bed and just lay there, I couldn’t sleep. Within ten minutes of being home I got the sharpest pain down below, I was curled up in pain. I thought at least it would be awhile until any further contraction pains but within 15 minutes I had another one. Davy had come up to check on me, I was already crying with the pain, scared and asking him how was I going to cope if it hurt this much already! After calming me down and putting me back into bed, Davy went back downstairs. We both thought it would be a long night ahead!
The next thing
the pains were more intense and I literally couldn't control my swearing and screaming!
I don't know how to describe the pain apart from nothing like I'd ever felt
before and it was unbearable! I reckon if the neighbours heard they may have
thought I was getting murdered! I started timing the pains as they seemed to be
getting closer together. They lasted roughly 45 seconds and were 6-7 minutes
apart! This was all within an hour of getting home. I rang the EOU unit but the
girl said as they had just discharged me I couldn't be ready and if I came over
and wasn't at least 3cms I would be sent home again! At that point I got
another contraction; Davy took the phone and out of sheer panic just advised
them we were coming back over!
We got back into the car and Davy drove like a rally driver over to the Ulster! All I can say is thank goodness it was night time which meant there was very little traffic on the roads! When we arrived my waters were still breaking, and I was in absolute agony when a contraction came! I'd never had any Braxton hicks so had no idea what to expect or how strong the pain would be! I was terrified that if this was the pain level this early on, how much worse it would get!
I got onto a bed and was examined straight away, and told that I was now 5cms dilated! I was finally given gas and air, the midwife was trying to show me how to work it and I remember just trying to grab it from her hands! I said about my water birth but was told that as my blood pressure was too high I would have to go to the Labour ward now! I was upset about not getting my water birth but was in so much pain I didn't have much time to dwell on it! I was put in a chair and given gas and air until my latest contraction stopped then they raced me up to the labour ward before another one started!
Things are slightly blurry for me from here...I remember there being a couple of midwives and Davy in the room and I was sucking on the gas and air like mad! I'm actually surprised I didn't break my two front teeth from biting down on it so hard during contractions! I also remember a mid wife saying to the room, she's not coping with the pain, its happening too quickly for her! I couldn't have agreed more!
From using the gas and air I remember my mouth was so dry I could barely talk so Davy's main job was to feed me water every so often! The next thing I remember is Davy telling me your 7cms already. It had only taken 30minutes to progress from 5cms! At some point I was asked if I wanted stronger pain relief, I obviously said yes! So the anaesthetist came in, it felt like it took a lifetime to get a canula into my hand and she gave Davy an A4 sheet about the drug to read to me! I snatched the sheet out of Davy's hand and said yes to getting it, but by this stage the midwives had called in a consultant. Baby Scott's heart rate was dropping, I was now 9cms and I was tachycardic. So after all of that, I didn't have time for any further pain relief, it was time to start pushing!
By this point, I just wanted it to be over, I was screaming “I can't do this” every time they wanted me to push, but Davy and the midwives constantly reassured me that I could! Davy was still on water duty and the midwife told him to hold my head down towards my chest during contractions. In between contractions I was apologising to everyone for screaming and swearing, agreeing that I knew I could do it but then with the next contraction would again squeal I can’t do this!
I felt like I had been pushing for hours, and I was already exhausted. I heard the word forceps, so started hoarsely saying no forceps, thankfully Davy heard me and so he also said she doesn’t want forceps. The midwives then said that the baby needed to come out now so a kiwi extraction was needed and an episiotomy.
At this point the midwife to my right said maybe you should sit down and get some water...I groggily said I am lying down, but then looked at my left side and Davy was being sat down and given water! I think this was when the episiotomy and vacuum were being done!
Then Davy whispered in my ear it’s a boy Jo! I was exhausted and fairly groggy with the gas and air so my eyes were open and closed on and off! They weighed Charlie and I held him briefly, Davy then took him as the consultant needed to sort me out!
We got back into the car and Davy drove like a rally driver over to the Ulster! All I can say is thank goodness it was night time which meant there was very little traffic on the roads! When we arrived my waters were still breaking, and I was in absolute agony when a contraction came! I'd never had any Braxton hicks so had no idea what to expect or how strong the pain would be! I was terrified that if this was the pain level this early on, how much worse it would get!
I got onto a bed and was examined straight away, and told that I was now 5cms dilated! I was finally given gas and air, the midwife was trying to show me how to work it and I remember just trying to grab it from her hands! I said about my water birth but was told that as my blood pressure was too high I would have to go to the Labour ward now! I was upset about not getting my water birth but was in so much pain I didn't have much time to dwell on it! I was put in a chair and given gas and air until my latest contraction stopped then they raced me up to the labour ward before another one started!
Things are slightly blurry for me from here...I remember there being a couple of midwives and Davy in the room and I was sucking on the gas and air like mad! I'm actually surprised I didn't break my two front teeth from biting down on it so hard during contractions! I also remember a mid wife saying to the room, she's not coping with the pain, its happening too quickly for her! I couldn't have agreed more!
From using the gas and air I remember my mouth was so dry I could barely talk so Davy's main job was to feed me water every so often! The next thing I remember is Davy telling me your 7cms already. It had only taken 30minutes to progress from 5cms! At some point I was asked if I wanted stronger pain relief, I obviously said yes! So the anaesthetist came in, it felt like it took a lifetime to get a canula into my hand and she gave Davy an A4 sheet about the drug to read to me! I snatched the sheet out of Davy's hand and said yes to getting it, but by this stage the midwives had called in a consultant. Baby Scott's heart rate was dropping, I was now 9cms and I was tachycardic. So after all of that, I didn't have time for any further pain relief, it was time to start pushing!
By this point, I just wanted it to be over, I was screaming “I can't do this” every time they wanted me to push, but Davy and the midwives constantly reassured me that I could! Davy was still on water duty and the midwife told him to hold my head down towards my chest during contractions. In between contractions I was apologising to everyone for screaming and swearing, agreeing that I knew I could do it but then with the next contraction would again squeal I can’t do this!
I felt like I had been pushing for hours, and I was already exhausted. I heard the word forceps, so started hoarsely saying no forceps, thankfully Davy heard me and so he also said she doesn’t want forceps. The midwives then said that the baby needed to come out now so a kiwi extraction was needed and an episiotomy.
At this point the midwife to my right said maybe you should sit down and get some water...I groggily said I am lying down, but then looked at my left side and Davy was being sat down and given water! I think this was when the episiotomy and vacuum were being done!
Then Davy whispered in my ear it’s a boy Jo! I was exhausted and fairly groggy with the gas and air so my eyes were open and closed on and off! They weighed Charlie and I held him briefly, Davy then took him as the consultant needed to sort me out!
My labour was
quick and intense lasting 2hrs 21minutes but also quite traumatic for me and I
am sure for Davy also! Davy was allowed to stay for awhile and we were asked
what we would be calling our beautiful baby boy! We had two names chosen and
just had to pick which one, but Davy said I could choose after the hard work I had just done giving
birth. We looked at him and called him both names, but we both agreed our son
was to be called Charlie!
As I had been tachycardic and lost a fair bit of blood in labour, they kept me in the labour ward side room until 6am for observation before I was moved to the general ward. Davy had gone home around 4am as he would be coming back the next day! Charlie slept for a good bit and although I was tired, I only managed to catnap on and off.
I still can't believe what I went through giving birth and although I will never forget the pain, the memory has faded slightly and been replaced with our little bundle of joy! Charlie Ben William Scott was born at 00:01am on 16th October, 54cms in length and weighing 8lbs 13ozs!
As I had been tachycardic and lost a fair bit of blood in labour, they kept me in the labour ward side room until 6am for observation before I was moved to the general ward. Davy had gone home around 4am as he would be coming back the next day! Charlie slept for a good bit and although I was tired, I only managed to catnap on and off.
I still can't believe what I went through giving birth and although I will never forget the pain, the memory has faded slightly and been replaced with our little bundle of joy! Charlie Ben William Scott was born at 00:01am on 16th October, 54cms in length and weighing 8lbs 13ozs!
Xx
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