This is the second part to my pregnancy and birth story, if you haven't read the first part The Preganacy click here to read that first.
Ok so I was booked in to be induced 10 days early as they were concerned with the size of the baby. This happened to be a Monday, I spent the whole weekend packing and re-packing my page, trying to rest and spend some time with OH.
Now I would like to tell you that the inducement worked, the birth went smoothy and a had a baby in my arms by the end of the day....but we all know the birth is just not that easy and nothing in my life runs smooth so this is how it really went.
I turned up they examined me, BG hadn't engaged yet. They decided to try a sweep to start with, however I was dilated even a little bit so they couldn't do a sweep so they sent me hime and sai come back next Monday!! As you can imagine I wasn't a happy bunny, I had prepared my self for birth, I was ready to take my baby home.
So we went home and I spent the next week praying I would go into labour but of course I didn't. We went back the following Monday, there had been no change, this time the tried a stretch and sweep (yes thats as paniful as it sounds) and booked for me to be admitted at 8 that evening.
8 o'clock finally came and I was admitted to the maternity ward, where I was then informed that they wouldn't actually start the inducement until the following morning! They wanted me in over night for observation and I would go down the labour ward at 6am. OH was sent home and I was left all alone and very very scared.
The next morning they woke my at 5am, gave me some breakfast so I could then take me insulin. I went down at 6am and OH joined me on the labour ward. They checked the baby to make sure everything was Ok then the consultant came to see me and did an examination and decided they would use Prostaglandin gel to induce me, I also had to had to have a drip put in with glucose and insulin the control the diabetes. It took 2 midwifes and a doctor to get the needle in and I ended up having in the back of my hand, which was really painful and made it really hard to do anything with my left hand.
The midwife then inserted the prostaglandin gel and I had to lay still for 30 mins and they monitored the baby. I then had to wait 6 hours to see if it started my labour off. It was the longest 6 hours of my life (well so I thought). Me and OH went for a few walks around the hospital, read, listened to music and prayed this worked.
But it didn't, I had a few tightens but nothing. The midwifes had been in and out all day checking me, the baby and my sugar levels and everytime it spiked I was hooked up to the drip. I was supposed to see a doctor again, but the labour ward got super busy and they decided at 8 o'clock they wouldn't try again and they sent me back up to the ward and OH home!
The next day went almost exactly the same, my baby was so not ready to be born! The decision made that afternoon, was to see if I go into labour over night and if nothing happens they will try and break my waters and if that doesn't work then I would have a c-section.
I of course didn't go into labour overnight, so the next morning the consultant did an examination and tried the break my waters. For those that have not had the pleasure of having their waters broken, they using what I can only describe and a long crotche needle and is really not pleasent. That didn't work, so I was booked in for the first c-section of the morning.
My baby girl was born at 9.39am on the 27th November which just happend to be her due date! 11 months and 2 days after we decided to have a baby and 2 years and 20 days after our first date!
We didn't know what we were having so when they said your baby is fine I had to ask them what sex she was! BG was checked over and her and OH went to the labour room while they stitched me up. This should have only taken 30 minutes but I remember thinking "I've been laying here a long time now", next thing I know the anaesthetist tells me that the have to give me more drugs which may make me sick.
My womb wouldn't contract and I was losing a lot of blood, I was told later by a midwife that I had lost about a pint and a half, though they couldn't be certain. Thankfully the drugs worked and I was taken through to meet my daughter.
BG was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen, she weighed 9lbs 3 ozs (not as big as they predicted). They bought her over for me to hold and it the was the most amazing moment of my life. They helped me put her to my breast and she feed, they then took me up to the maternity ward and thats were the fun really begain!
As I was typing this I became really angry at the way the birth turned out. My body was not ready to give birth, BG hadn't even engaged and my cervix was closed but the kept trying which then resulted in a c-section, which I hated. I know births rarely go the way you plan and they were thinking of BG's health but I wish I had been stronger I feel the birth was taken out of my hands. The pregnancy and the c-section had a huge impact on my body and I still struggle with a lot of pain.
Last part will be on Thursday...The Baby!
NM X
I don't blame you for feeling angry about how your birth was managed. Obviously BG was big but not too big not to have a normal birth! It seems like they interfered a lot.
ReplyDeleteBut the main thing is are both well and healthy and together!
ReplyDeleteWe didn't find out the sex of either of ours, I love that moment when you find out, it is magical.
aaw hunny, I think they 100% interfered too much but I would have gone along with it like you did too because you put your trust in these professionals. I think half of it is so they have a timetable in the mat units!
ReplyDeleteBut at least you have a lovely little girl at the end of it still
It can be a scary tome giving birth whether it goes smoothly or not, but I don't blame you for being angry. We put some much faith into professionals when your body should have been in control of the situation. Happy birthday for friday.
ReplyDeleteI think we might be living in parallel worlds. a week on delivery suit 3 suppositories, waters broke, syntocinon drip and a crash section!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy birth experience was almost identifical to yours and MadHouse's - induced at 38 weeks. My consultant explained it was my best shot at a natural delivery as I'm small, she was big - and in another 2 or 3 weeks she'd be TOO big and it would be a definite c-section, so I can see the sense of it.
ReplyDeleteI had 4 prostaglandin gels, waters broken, 24 hours on a drip, then a c-section - the only difference is that I also had to have a general anaesthetic because the epidural AND spinal block failed, meaning when they started the incision I could feel it! Eeek. I woke up about 40 minutes after Flea was born.
I've had a bit longer than you to process it, and here's what I tend to think: It was four days out of my life. Not a great four days, but only four days. Compared to the life you have with your child, it doesn't really matter, does it? For me, particularly, given the 11 major bleeds I'd had during pregnancy, it was a miracle in itself just having a baby.
I think there's a temptation to have this view of what a *good* birth is - when the reality is that a *good* birth is any where Mum and baby come out of it healthy and alive. And in that respect, stories like this are important - even imperfect births can end up perfectly happily!
We all seem to have not a very good time off, it, .I've yet to meet anyone who the prostaglandin gel actually worked for and I am with you on the fact that having you waters broken is not very nice at all. The good thing is BG is safe and well.
ReplyDeleteEmily O - Thats what I think, I believe I could have given birth naturally
ReplyDeleteHeather - It was a great moment. Most of my family and friends though she would be a boy!
WADs - Lol, yes I have a great little girl x
Aingeal - Thank you hun
TheMadHouse - Wow thats hard going, bless you x
Sally - Ouch! That must of been horrendous for you. I agree it was only 4 days out of my life and maybe I should be grateful that it all turned out fine in the end. I was never expecting a *good* birth or for it to go as I planned in my head but just wasn't expecting it to be the way it was. They did't explain that the gel might not work and it would drag for so long. But I am grateful for BG x
Lorraine - The more I talk to people the more I realise I lot of people have tough births not that I though for one min that they were easy x