Sweep Tuesday 10th January at about 9:00am, no contractions or show. Cervix posterior, soft and stretchy, 2 cm dilated. Nothing pointing towards labour. Waited all day for a sign and went to bed disheartened again.
Weds 11th January, some painful burrowing pains, couple of uncomfortable BH during the day – 5-6 by 15:45pm, period pain on and off but only mildly niggling. Just before 11am, lost some plug. Not sure if it was just dislodged from the sweep yesterday or whether it means I’m dilating.
Had a crying episode between 17:30 and 18:00pm, nothing happening (or so I thought).
18:45pm posted on FB: Feel sick and generally not quite right. Baby feels low but high up so I can't breathe, all at the same time?! Just had some tears too, stupid woman. Curry (a-bloody-gain), OBEM and bed. At least when asleep, our brains have a chance of getting some respite from thinking about sodding labour. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Around 18:50pm had a contraction. Another about 20 mins later. Third again, 20 mins after that. Seemed to stop at 20:40pm but started soon after and then kept coming! Fluctuating and irregular, getting down to 9 – 13 minutes apart, couple starting to hurt a little by 10pm. Lost large part of plug at 10pm, kept coming away so knew something was definitely happening. Have to go in at first sign of labour for Strep B antibiotics so rang RUH about 10:30pm for advice. Said to go in as 2 lots of IV antibiotics need to be given, 4 hours apart. Explained my last natural labour was irregular, 7cm at home, 10 minute dilation from 7-10cm once waters broke, so they knew my labour may not be straight forward.
Arrived at Bath RUH at 00:05am on Thursday 12th January. Urine sample given, showing protein but probably due to more plug coming away. Sent away for tests anyway. CTG started at 00:20am. Internal showed 4cm dilated, cervix still 2cm thick and mid-posterior, although personally felt much further forward than Tuesday, medium consistency. Baby 3/5 palpable still, fundus height 40cm. Question mark over established labour but MW happy that I knew my body and listened to what I was telling her was happening. Left on trace while spoke to Doctor about plan of action.
01:15am CTG discontinued, all fine, irregular uterine tightenings. Doctor came and explained procedure of strep B treatment. Plan is to mobilise for 2 hours then reassess.
01:30am Using ball, contractions pick up quickly, coming every 8 minutes, starting to become quite painful, having to breathe through them. Numerous trips to toilet, more plug coming away.
03:15am, MW came to check on me, can see in pain and that contractions lasting longer than 1 minute. Taken back to room, internal done, cervix mid-posterior still but 1-2cm thick now and soft, 5cm dilated. MW reviewed plan with doctor; 03:45 moved to labour room, yay!
Canula put in and first (and only) lot of antibiotics given. Using birthing ball, but doesn’t seem to help. Contractions at 5 minutess, painful, but quite manageable.
04:50am asked for gas and air; although could have managed without for longer, wanted a bit of respite from the pain.
05:05am pressure in bum! Baby moving down. Ball doing nothing, so decide to stand to move things along.
05:30am standing has sped things up a lot – contractions seem strange; one contraction, small amount of pressure, next contraction moves baby down and I’m bearing down, can feel baby moving down my pelvis at 05:37am. No urge to push yet but tell Ady and MW it won’t be long.
05:41am biggest contraction yet, ‘painful’ but more because of pressure than proper pain, if that makes sense? I’m quite with it, telling MW what is happening in my body, was expecting immense pain as with my other labours but this labour and sequence of contractions is an odd experience. Contractions stayed at only 5-7 minutes apart until now. Small amount of waters draining on pushing. First time ever for my waters to go spontaneously in labour. 2nd MW called for imminent delivery.
05:45am got on bed to deliver, on back and slightly upright but no contractions. I’m very conscious and perplexed that I’m normally pushing with no say in the matter by this stage!
05:50am kneeling over back of bed starts contractions again, 05:55am pushing resumes.
05:56am vertex just visible – 06:03am head delivered. Loads of pushing, felt like I was pushing for a good half hour just to birth his head, just didn’t feel like it was coming, but eventually I felt that stinging sensation and knew he was almost there.
06:04am body not delivering with pushes, moved onto back. Rest of waters went between head and body being delivered.
06:05am body delivered. No shoulder dystocia, but broad shouldered baby made it a tight fit for him!
06:09am placenta delivered.
Fully dilated: 05:56am
Pushing commenced: 05:55am
Head delivered: 06:03am
Body delivered: 06:05am
Placenta delivered: 06:09am
Duration of labour: 2 hours 44 minutes
The labour was really an odd experience – painful, but in varying degrees, nothing that was unmanageable and I could have done without the gas and air but it’s always nice to have some! The only really painful part was pushing the head out. Irregular contractions, never getting to more than 5 minutes apart until his head was being birthed. Contractions slowed and petered out in strength if I was on the ball or not upright. Not sure if it was to do with his weight or positioning? The amount of contractions was sparse and I just can’t get over what a weird labour this was! Even Ady was saying it wasn’t normal!
I’m really happy with my MW, she listened to my previous experiences and took notice of what I was saying my body was doing. Fab young lady who will be getting a thank you card.
Had a small 2nd degree tear but it doesn’t hurt at all. My pelvis is noticeably unstable so need to rest as much as I can really.
Marley had to have an antibiotic injection as I didn’t get my second dose in labour, heel prick test for blood sugar levels before every single feed for 24 hours and obs every 4 hours for Strep B, poor boy has heels covered in cuts and bruises. I have to inject myself with Fragmin for 7 days – all good practice for when I come to do it to other people!
Marley is in 3-6 month clothes – he isn’t excessively long but he’s covered in gorgeous soft fat. 57cm long, head circumference 37.5cm.
Marley was born at 06:05am weighing 10lb 6oz.
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