Wednesday, July 30, 2014

"Shock" Birth Story!

I can't help thinking back to the conversation I had with the consultant on Wednesday, when she asked if I had experienced any signs of labour yet. I'd said that my braxton hicks had got a bit meatier but that's all they were.

I also think about the 2 hours I spent stuck in traffic the day after coming home from work. 2 hours in 26 degree C heat with no air con. Oh, and the 2.5 hours I spent at soft play with the kids on Friday, also without air con. And how sick I was after. How I had blamed it on heat stroke.

Saturday had been braxton hicks central, but I carried on as normal, even taking the 3 lads to the cinema. By the time the kids were in bed I was inclined to admit they were probably contractions. Early labour. But given I was 3 weeks till due date it was likely to be a false start, like I had with Georgie. People suggested it was the real deal (you know who you are) but I brushed it aside. 3 weeks early was too early. Even with a slight gush of wetness around 8pm. And the contractions were sooo irregular. In fact at one point they dropped off to 15 mins apart and then stopped all together. So I went to sleep. On the settee, with the fan on, coz it was too damn hot to go upstairs and share a bed with my Hubby.

It was gone 3am on the Sunday morning when I woke again. Contractions were 6mins apart and hurting. I got the Tens machine on and started closely watching my timings and trying to keep calm with some telly. 3:45ish I called maternity and told them what was happening. I'd had a bit of show on my last trip to the loo, and the contractions were ramping up. Previous two deliveries were 3 hrs each from contractions being 3 mins apart. They suggested calling back in an hour or if I made significant progress. Less than on hour later I'm getting Hubby out of bed and calling them back. I need to come in!

4:40 and my contractions are 3 mins apart, getting faster, getting damned painful... My mum is on her way to mind the boys, but still an hour away. The hospital are trying to send an ambulance, but THAT is an hour away too. They say they'll call us back. Hubby twigs that he is still just in his boxers and runs up stairs to get dressed, while I moo away my contractions leaning over the settee. I've given up recording them now, but the tens machine tells me they are 1 min 30 apart. I am in AGONY. Then....

BANG - GUSH - OHHH!

My waters EXPLODE all over the living room floor (I'll say it again, SO glad we ditched the carpet in favor of laminate)

Hubby comes racing down stairs - still in his pants - to see what's wrong. Steps on a clippo brick, slips, and lands full body in my waters with a thud! I think "Christ, don't break an arm or a leg NOW!" We laugh at this now....

Feeble attempts at mopping up include two nappy clothes, and all the freshly laundered towels and blankets Hubby had dealt with that day (sorry Babe).

Contractions ease for a moment, and Hubby is on the phone with the ambulance team who are talking him through looking after me while they are trying to get to us. They keep asking him if he can see or feel the baby yet. But he can't. Then a taxi arrives... It's been sent for me by the hospital. Hubby chucks my bags in, helps me in, kisses me goodbye and goes to wait for my mum to arrive so he can follow me up.

It's only 8 mins from my house to maternity on a clear run. It's only 5:30ish am so it's clear. My tens machine is on maximum and constant. About 1/4 of the way there I have another contraction but this one feels odd. Like something started to descend. I try not to think about it. I'm on my way to the hospital, they'll sort everything. Driver pulls up outside the maternity doors and tries to help me out. A nano second later a community midwife pulls up, dives out if her car and helps. She had arrived at my house 2 mins after I'd left, and chased us all the way to the hospital. I'm sat in a wheel chair, crying with pain, and wheeled to delivery. It's 5:45 am.

They take one look at me, lent over the bed. I hear "cord prolapse", "8cm", "trace" and "distress". Then two words I dread. "Emergency section". But I agree instantly. Save my baby! I'm chucked on the bed. Face down on the mattress, backside high in the air. Midwife dives in, one hand on baby's head pushing it back, the other holding the cord out of the way. I am wheeled like this into theatre. It takes seconds, but when I get there I'm 10cm! Flipped on my back, feet in stirrups. The fastest, and therefore safest, way to get baby out now is forceps. I've had no pain releaf yet. I beg for some. Anything. Knock me out! They can't knock me out, I NEED to push. All I have time for is gas. I suck that gas like my life depends on it. My baby's life DOES! I'm terrified! I know this baby is 9 1/2 lb. I know I crown slowly. I don't want him to die because I can't push.

I pushed! With everything I had, and suddenly some more from nowhere. Two contractions and he was here. Not breathing... But here. 6:04 am.

They show me my baby and rush him to resus. Moments later he's breathing, but his lungs are wet so I get a quick cuddle and kiss before he's taken to SCBU. They need to monitor him for up to 4 hours.

I ask for my phone, call Hubby. He's JUST pulled into the car park. "Baby's here" I choke down the phone. Within seconds he's by my side. The situation is explained to him. We go back to delivery and we wait.

We get our baby back just 2 hours later. Fit. Well. Healthy. If a little bruised from the forceps.

9lb 6oz, and exactly 3 weeks early on 27/07/14.

Welcome to the world, Alfred James Walker. You are so loved already!



Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Induction Date!!!

Oooh yeah! I got my induction date!

Mark it in your diary folks, I'm booked in for August 5th 2014!

Today went really well all round really. I had been dreading it since I had the kids last day at school & nursery to deal with, Tom to take to the Clinic with me, and the prospect of no nearby parking and awful heat to contend with.

But Tom behaved, we found a good parking space, and escaped the GD Clinic in time to collect Jack & Georgie.

Tom liked seeing the Baby on the "TV", although Bean looks nothing like a baby on the scan at this stage, far too big for a good profile shot etc. But he understood that what we was seeing was bits of baby's body, heart beat etc.

Just for the record, the estimated weight of baby is currently 4333g or 9 1/2 lb. so I'm now saying Bean will be a shade over 10lb at birth! Any one else fancy taking a guess??

So... Assuming that I don't spontaneously go into labour BEFORE the 5th, I'll be taking the kids down to my Mum's on the Sunday afternoon, getting them settled and into bed for the night before coming home. Having a very quiet and relaxed Monday. Then driving up to the hospital on Tuesday morning and hoping they don't get a "rush on" like when I had Georgie. Me and Hubby are going to discuss whether he comes with me or not, as we know from experience that inductions can take a long time. We'd both prefer to not both be sat there waiting because he fidgets when he's bored and that drives me insane! And I feel like I can't nap because then he'll have no company so I get tired and grouchy which drives him nuts. It's better if I'm there on my own, reading my book and chilling, and then call him when stuff starts to happen. He'll probably come with me while I get settled (and help carry my bags, lol) and then go until I call him. This way we can both relax and reserve our strength for the actual labour. The hospital is less than 10 mins from home in a taxi, and probably less from Hubby's work. Almost as quick to walk!

Eek! Soooo excited now!

I've got work tomorrow, and up to 3 days in next week to keep my mind occupied. The kids are home now and the weather promises to stay good so I can foresee trips to parks (where I can sit in the shade and watch them play). Good times ahead!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

"1 month to due date" update!

Time is marching!


  • It's one month to my due date!
  • Three weeks OR LESS until my (probable) induction!
  • Two weeks from today I'll have finished work.
  • And it's just under one week until the kids finish school & nursery for the summer.

We're pretty much sorted for baby. I have washed all my neutral coloured baby clothes, and they are in baby's drawers ready to be used. Tomorrow I'm planning to wash either the coloured stuff or the cloth nappies.  I printed off my birth plan today while I was at work and it is now safely tucked away with my Green Notes.

I'm getting loads of Braxton Hicks now. I've had them a lot this pregnancy, and now they are getting that bit more intense. It's definitely just BH though - as I have to keep pointing out to Hubby who gets twitchy when I mention them.

I think I have the swollen feet sussed! Oh, don't get me wrong, they are still swelling up, but not as badly. It seems it's the way I've been sitting which has caused the problems because it's interfered with my circulation. If it sit with bended legs for any amount of time I swell up. If I keep them straight they're loads better!

Unfortunately working out how to get comfortable at night so I can sleep better hasn't been so easy to figure out. My perpetual tiredness is taking it's toll. I am becoming more and more useless! I'm half zombified at work, working at a serious go slow despite all my best efforts to get my job done. The kids are stunned to find me anywhere other than sprawled on the settee.

And I have developed a case of the Dropsies. I smashed a drinking glass this evening. It rolled off the settee when I tried to stretch out my leg (my foot was getting fat) and shattered into a billion tiny bits on the floor. Luckily Hubby was there to roll his eyes and clear it up or I would have been trapped there! Too fat to see where my feet are, let alone razor sharp shards of glass. I'll be drinking out of plastic bottles from now on!

I'm just about ready for baby to come now. I am considered "term" in 10 days time. Once I hit that milestone I'm good to go!

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