Katie's story, Wiltshire - arrival of 4th boy, weak but fast labour, 10lb 6oz natural birth!

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.

Clare's story, Basingstoke - first daughter, 41 weeks gestation

"I woke up at 6ish on a Sunday morning to mild but regular contractions. Got up and went into the spare room onto the PC. Hubby surfaced about 8ish, came looking for me and I greeted him with, "I've been having contrations for 2 hours". Probably the wrong thing to say as he is DS1's stepdad and this was his first labour experience. He immediately started panicing, getting dressed and grabbing the hospital bag, asking me how I was every 10 seconds, until it dawned on him I wasn't screaming, I wasn't moving and I wasn't even dressed! He stopped, slowed down and I told him it's not time yet, but either later today or early tomorrow I expect we'll be meeting baby! I had mild but regular contractions all day and nothing changed, went into maternity about 8pm to check progress, came home and took 2 paracetamol and went to bed. Woke up at 12.30am ish in agony, so bad I could hardly get out of bed and get dressed. Hubby was downstairs watching TV and DS1 was at grandmas for the night just in  case! He took one look at my face and resumed his earlier panicing! Rang labour ward to say we were coming back. Three hours of very intense pain later DD arrived, shocked at her arrival she took longer to start breathing than her older brother and I went to pieces as she was born the day before my best friend's angel baby's 1st anniversary. When she took that first wonderful breath I was shaking so much I couldn't hold her. I was on all fours and couldn't support myself. It worked out for the best though as hubby, who was petrified of holding newborns, saw I wasn't capable, and grabbed her! No messing with the time this time around, the midwife had it exactly!

She was 8lb 12.5oz, 03.49 am, 41wks gestation and a gas and air only baby."

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Clare's story, Basingstoke - first time mum, break in contractions

"DS number 1

I was 38+5 when I started getting period type pains and waters started leaking. It was my own fault as it was Thursday 12th and I'd said to my mum 'I'm not going anywhere tomorrow just in case'!!! Ha! Well I didn't technically go anywhere, unless you count from antenatal to labour ward! Anyway, I rang maternity and they said to come in as waters were leaking and it was my first baby. They said to stay in, although labour was not established, but waters were broken, they weren't busy and this was my first baby.

I got to hospital at about 10.30pm, had irregular contractions for most of the night, then DS decided it was time for a rest and went to sleep for a few hours and all the contractions stopped! Got going again about lunchtime and they took me to delivery about 1pm as I was dilating well. I had an 8 hour established labour which I was told was good for a first timer. Towards the end the midwife broke my waters as although they had gone the night before, the bag had sort of folded back under my cervix and stopped it from breaking properly. This frightened the life out of DS and he evacuated his meconium inside! Paed was called and present at the birth to check him over... he was fine. No-one knows the exact time he was born though as midwife deferred to the paed, who thought the midwife was doing the timing. They agreed it was about 8.20pm though. Paed rushed off as busy by now and midwife almost had to call her back as my placenta wouldn't come out, but she catheterised me and it came out soon as my bladder was empty!

He was 6lb 7.5oz at 38+6 gestation, 2 shots of pethadine overnight to help me get some sleep and the actual established labour on gas and air."

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

The Arrival of Leo!

Huge CONGRATULATIONS to Caroline, Brett and Zachary on the arrival of baby boy Leo John on 14th July 2011. An excellent weight at 8lb 5.5oz. Many happy wishes and sleepless nights to you all!

Kelly's story, US - a video of home birthing and re-birthing

This is Kelly's tranquil video story of her home birth, subsequent hospitalisation and re-birthing journey. Click the YouTube logo to view.

Kylie's story, UK - 27 weeks c-section due to pre-eclampsia

"It was a Friday morning, May 8^th 2009. It was unseasonably warm, as I remember, but at the time of my caesarean section I had not seen the outside world for over 24 hours. Two midwives came into the room, the delivery suite of our local hospital, and asked me “Would you like to walk into theatre, or would you prefer to be wheeled in?” I sat up high on the bed, looked at the drips in each arm, the catheter tube between my legs connected to a bag, and said “no I will walk”.

As I was led up the hall, I swallowed back tears. I was 27 weeks pregnant. I had signed a consent form for my unborn child to be treated, to do whatever it took to help him survive. My heart was heavy. Had I done the right thing? If I didn’t have surgery today, death would be imminent. I felt so angry. No one tells you that in 21^st century Britain you can still die in childbirth. I was cross. And I was frightened.

My husband had already gone, the consultant had taken him to scrub up and put his gown on. As I got into the theatre I was struck by how cold it was. My friendly anaesthetist sat by my side. “Please, Kylie, reconsider. I do think a general anaesthetic would be safer for you, you are quite big and I am not sure I can do the spinal”. Those tears that I’d forced down now were stinging my eyes. “Would you try, please, I really don’t want a general anaesthetic”.

My reasons were simple. My baby could die. I didn’t want to be asleep, for my husband to wake me to have to tell me, I wanted so desperately to be awake. Everything else had been taken from us. Pre eclampsia had stolen my natural birth, my third trimester, all I wanted now was to be awake.

Reluctantly, he agreed to try, I’d seen enough medical programmes to know what I had to do. I practiced my hypnobirthing and I pretended to be a cat. I curled my back. I thought about Atticus, our dear cat at home, how her spine curved. I stayed rigid. I heard a little “whoop” behind me. The anaesthetist came around and grinned! “Mrs Hodges, you are fat at the front but thin at the back, it’s in!”

I lay down and they started prepping me for the procedure. My husband appeared by my side, obviously trying to stay as positive as possible. He squeezed my hand and we started talking about our honeymoon. The team decided not to tell me what was happening. I couldn’t feel a thing. I had two surgeons, Charlie to my left and Dr K to my right. Dr K had the business end, I had felt my baby kick and swirl and move all night long. I had not been permitted to sleep the previous night, due to risk of seizure.

I saw a flurry of activity, and some people surge forward. I heard hardly a sound. The baby had been delivered and sent to the room adjacent. After a few minutes I heard a noise. I was angry. I turned to my husband “I am so sick of this, I heard labouring women all night and now babies crying. It’s too much”. I looked up and several pairs of eyes were smiling at me over the masks. My husband smiled. “That’s our baby sweetheart”. My baby. I hadn’t seen him, I didn’t even know his gender at this point, but he was alive. He was crying. My heart sang, and sank again. It would be a long time before I could see him, and an even longer time until I could hold him.

The mood in the room had totally shifted. People started telling jokes and talking about football. They completed sewing me up. The room emptied. I was taken to recovery. My husband finally appeared again, he’d gone into the ante room. He had seen our baby boy. He was buzzing with excitement. I was terrified. After a time I went back into the delivery suite room and got reattached to my drips. The risk of eclamptic shock lasts for at least 24 hours after delivery.

I sat that day, in my bed. There was no television or radio allowed. I couldn’t move. Our NICU was too small for a bed, and I wasn’t well enough to be put into a wheelchair. I was unable to read as the pre eclampsia was still affecting me, and I couldn’t focus. Thoughts turned to my baby. I began to cry. Charlie, my beautiful assistant doctor, came in to see me and in his big Ghanaian voice said “What is the matter?” I tried not to cry “I’m just hormonal, post-op blues, I will be fine”. He smiled. He said “You are not fine. You need to be with your baby”. I stared at him, my eyes open wide. “I will do something, if I have to carry you myself, you will see your baby today. You must”. He walked out purposefully.

I don’t know what he did, but by 6pm I was wheeled into the NICU unit in chair, with my drips and my catheter. I had walked past that unit so many times in my short pregnancy. And whenever I walked, I said a prayer for the babies and staff on the unit. Never in a million years did I think I would be one of those mothers, who waited, who worried, who cried. Never in a million years did I think I would be the mother of a 1lb 7oz miracle baby.

As I got to his side, I was amazed. I didn’t see machinery, I didn’t even really notice the plastic walls. My heart reached out to my baby, to Joseph.

I looked at him, I told him I loved him, and I smiled.

10 weeks later we finally went home.

And now, 2 years on, you would never ever know that my walking, talking, smiling, laughing toddler was that tiny little baby, so small and frail.

Sometimes I read birth stories and wish. I think “I wanted that story, the water birth, the home birth, the vaginal birth, the skin to skin, the breastfeeding”.

But I own this story, and it’s a special one. I may not have been the one I wanted, but it’s the right story for our family, and it has a happy ending, for which I am eternally grateful."

Kylie, Not Even A Bag Of Sugar

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Recent scan picture and NUB theory

Hi lovely followers and likers and unsubscribers alike! I am 14+2 weeks today and we had our dating scan a couple of weeks ago. Just wanted to add a picture here!

Has anyone heard of the NUB theory? I don't think you can make it out on these pictures, but I'm intrigued as to who has had an accurate NUB reading?

So Sorry!

I've been away, I know, sorry about that! Been busy, busy, busy. I'm looking forward to posting some new birth stories soon and one of my lovely friends, Rachel, has just given birth to her second son, Stuart. There's lots going on at home and projects in the pipeline but I'm back updating this blog!

The Arrival of Stuart!

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Rachel, Craig and Scott on the arrival of Stuart Alastair! A magnificent weight - looking forward to hearing all about it once you have recuperated and settled as a family of four. Well done!

One Born Every Minute - Channel 4 and 4OD

I love this programme! I've just been catching up with the episodes I've missed as I don't find the time to sit and watch it when it is on TV. Every time I see the opening credits, I go all tingly and get butterflies in my stomach. I find it so intriguing seeing what choices all the women make, how they are supported by the staff and their family, the birthing positions, pain relief... the tears are brimming every time!

Does anybody else watch it? What sort of memories does it bring back for you? Or if you are an expectant first time mum, does it instill you with confidence or just plain scare you? Please leave comments below, I find it fascinating how people view labour and birth and their perceptions on it afterwards and hopefully you can lend your knowledge and experience to others.

You can watch One Born Every Minute on catch up on 4OD here.

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Favourites Feature: Westrea

I thought it would be nice to have a regular feature spot highlighting bloggers and hand-makers with relevant news and products. I have lots of blogs I follow personally and know some fantastic craft producers and I'd love to share them with you.

First up is Westrea Design Studio based in beautiful Devon. This blog and attached online shops, Facebook pages and Folksy account, previews her work - bags ideal for baby paraphernalia, purses, wet wipe cases, collectible mohair bears - everything is hand crafted by this very talented lady. Feast your eyes on this...

Did you take a look? What did you think? Please leave comments below.

Almost at the target...

We're almost at our 50 birth story target - number 44 has just been posted. Do you know anyone who might be interested in reading this blog? Someone who may be willing to share their story? It would be fabulous if you could recommend this blog!

Lesley's story, UK - waters breaking early and Group B Strep

"September 2002

This was my first pregnancy. I was 19 years old and 28 + weeks pregnant.

In this pregnancy I had really bad sickness and and sciatica, I was bed ridden for weeks with my back. Other than that I was enjoying it. One day in September 2002 I was having a lie down (at my partner at the time's house) as I wasn't feeling too well. When I felt a gush of warm water between my legs I got up in such a fright and looked at the bed; it looked like I had peed the bed. My boyfriend at the time shouted for his mum who phoned my local midwifery unit who said I had to go to the labour suite 25 miles away and had to wear a pad. So I did and when we got to the hospital they tested my pad and said that it was my waters that had gone. I got put straight on a drip to try to stop the contractions and got steroids injections. I was so scared but they said that they would do everything in their power to stop my labour progressing. I got a scan and was told the head was well down. Hours passed and I was kept in the labour suite as they said my baby was well on his way. During the night nothing seemed to happen; I was given the steroids again 12 hours after the first time. I was kept on my drip to stop my labour for 48 hours. After that they put me up to the maternity ward and I got checks every few hours. This would be my new home for the next week. During the week they discovered Group B Strep in my urine and in my high vaginal swap. I had never heard of this before and was puzzled to what it was so I was explained to that I would need antibiotics for the rest of my pregnancy because of my waters breaking and that also during my labour that I would need a drip in to administer antibiotics straight into me to stop my baby becoming ill when he entered the birth canal. After they were convinced that I was OK to go home, I was given my tablets and leaflets and told not to have sex. 

October 2002

I was getting checks all the time to make sure everything was OK, I would have scans and blood taken. When I went for a check one day I was kept in as I was having tightenings, nothing happened and after a few days I got home. This happened a few times over the next few weeks. 

20 November 2002 

36 weeks pregnant

They were really happy that I had made it this far and decided I would be booked in for induction on the 2nd December, 18 days before my due date. On the 20th November I got my usual scan and blood taken and they said everything was fine. The next day, 21st, I received a phone call from a midwife telling me to get straight into the hospital as they had found a problem in my blood. I was so scared. I got there straight away when I was told that my CPU level in my blood was at 2 and if it went to 3 there was a great danger of infection and that I was to be induced straight away. I was taken to the labour suite and put on my drip to start my contractions and my drip for antibiotics so here I was stuck on a bed with a drip in each hand after about 9 hours my baby boy Dylan entered this world weighing in at 6lb 6oz, 4 weeks early. He was taken away and had swabs taken on his eyes and ears to be sent away to make sure he had not contracted the Group B Strep. Luckily he didn't. We got home after a few days but were back in for a week afterwards as he was really bad jaundiced. I hated being back in there but knew it was the best place for him. 

My son is 9 years old in November and he has no idea the trouble we went through to keep him in my belly until 36 weeks - one day I shall explain."

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Winner announcement!

Good evening everyone! The mei tai giveaway competition has ended and the winner has been drawn - drumroll please...

I am pleased to announce that the winner is number 35 - Facebook user name:

Natelle Nuttynel Arnold

An email will be sent requesting contact details to arrange delivery, congratulations!

The winning number was drawn using http://www.random.org/

Thank you to everyone who entered - a new competition will be coming soon so keep a look out!

Tanya's story, Kent - 34+4 weeks, first c-section, 3rd baby

"Thursday 2nd December

I had a routine midwife appointment which showed Jack's heart rate was way too high so we were sent to maternity day care and strapped to a monitor. His heart rate was up and down but they were not concerned about it at all. Little did we know this was the start of things to come.

Saturday 4th December

I had been getting irregular pains/tightenings since the Friday night but just brushed it off as I had been getting them for a while. I woke up 4am Saturday morning and they seemed stronger and more uncomfortable so I rang the hospital and was advised to go in.

Once there I was given all the usual checks and then the Dr came round and examined me; it was quite a shock to hear I was 3cm and in established labour. I was taken to the delivery ward and given steroids and also drugs to stop labour which I would have to have for 36 hours. To cut a boring story short, I was still getting regular pains so the drugs were not working and I was getting some contractions showing on the monitor so they decided to stop the drugs. I was examined again and was 4cm dilated and I was left in the delivery room. Sunday morning, I was transferred to the ante-natal ward where I stayed until Tuesday 7th December. All the time I was in I was getting irregular contractions but not much else was happening. Every time I was on the monitor Jack's heart rate at times, was going through the roof; everytime we queried it we were told it was normal and it meant he was active even though he wasn't moving. We didn't say much else about it as obviously we put our trust in the midwives!!!!

I was sent home on the Tuesday in slow labour and told to wait it out and wait for labour to start properly. It was an uncomfortable couple of days with hardly any sleep and by the Thursday after trying everything I decided sex was the only thing left to try!!

Thursday 9th December

At about 4pm I started contracting every 10 minutes. This carried on until 9pm when I couldn't take the pain anymore so after ringing the hospital we went in. As soon as I got in the room the charming midwife asked if I was after an induction... hmmmm, no, I knew my baby was safer inside rather then out at 34+4!!! She strapped me up to the monitor and that's when things went wrong. Jack's heart rate was over 250bpm, I knew then something was not right. She used an old fashioned heart listener and it was the same, she was hoping that the monitor was having a moment which it was clear then it wasn't. She called the Dr who rushed in with a scanning machine and scanned Jack. It wasn't good, his heart rate was dangerously high - the next thing I just heard the words c-section and then loads of people were rushing in talking to me, shoving lines in my hands, shaving me!!! By this time I was confused and crying.

I was taken to theatre, given the spinal then laid down. The first cut was made at 23.31pm and my gorgeous baby Jack Aaron William Osgood was born at 23.32pm, weighing 7lb 9oz at 34+4.

He was handed to DH while I was stitched, the whole time his heart rate was being checked. We were told if it didn't slow down he would have to go to SCBU. We were taken to recovery where I held my precious boy for the first time. I held him for a couple of minutes then he was taken to SCBU as his heart rate was still too high.

To cut a long story short my precious boy's heart rate didn't improve so he had to go to St Thomas's where, with medication, his heart is now beating at the right speed. This is the first time I have written my birth story and it is so upsetting to sit and do but I know to overcome the upset I have to do it and face it. I never got to give him his first feed or change his first nappy, I was away from him for the first 24 hours of his life, these hours can never be replaced and I find that hard to deal with, as I do looking at his newborn photos with him strapped to machines. I just thank God every day I went to the hospital when I did otherwise who knows what could have happened. My mother's instinct truly kicked in that day and I now have a gorgeous 8 week old baby boy who is thriving. As hard as it is to deal with his birth, I am forever thankful for being blessed with him, my little fighter."

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Elaine's story, Scotland - infertility treatment for a beautiful boy

"5 Nov 07

THAT'LL BE THE MUCUS PLUG!!!

Well, (TMI warning) things are definitely moving along, when I had my 4.45am visit to the loo on Saturday morning, I wiped away some lovely salmony pink CM!!

It's now coming in dribs and drabs and is a little darker, so having to wear a pad at all times. Think that's my mucus plug officially gone, so getting closer to the finish line!!

Had another acupuncture appointment today - my back feels so much better, and she stuck a couple of needles in my shins again for energy! Made appointment for next Tuesday - but I'm hoping I won't need it!!!

9 Nov 07

PLEASE COME OUT TO MEET MUMMY & DADDY SOON!!!

We had clinic appointment on Wednesday and had a touch of protein in urine and slightly higher BP than usual, so two hours at the MDA in Wishaw that afternoon. BP was up and down and bloods showed a touch of pre-eclampsia, but they were happy enough for me to go home.

Made another clinic appointment for next Wednesday and MDA appointment with consultant for next Friday. Then at 2.30am Thursday had a proper "show" and cramps every 5-6 minutes lasting between 10 and 20 secs. DH wanted to phone Wishaw straight away, but I managed to put him off for a couple of hours as I knew there was a chance it could all calm down again. Anyway, when I did eventually call, the nurse said she wanted them longer lasting and closer together - needless to say, by the morning they were almost completely gone!!!! Same again last night/this morning with an added trip to the loo every hour on the half hour!! I'm exhausted!!

22 Nov 07

CHRISTOPHER JOHN IS HERE!!!!

As today is my due date, (started typing this on the 22 Nov!) I think it's only right that I update you while all the details are fresh in my head!

Saturday evening (10th Nov) sitting watching X Factor, I was really short of breath and had an uncomfortable tightness across the top of my bump. I had trouble eating my dinner (obvious sign something was wrong - it was a Chicago Town Pepperoni pizza!!) and just didn't feel 'right'.

DH pestered me to call the maternity ward, but I kept putting him off. Eventually I gave in and called, and they told me to come straight over. We left the house at 8.30pm. On arrival, we were moved to another ward as ours had no spare beds. We actually benefited from the move, as it was to the high dependency ward, and we were well taken care of.

Baby's heart rate, my contractions and blood pressure were continuously monitored through the night. I was hooked up all night to a fetal heart monitor, so got no sleep, while DH snored in the chair next to the bed. While I was melting, DH was freezing, so pinched the cover off the bed, LOL!! At 7am, I got DH to phone my parents to let them know what was happening, but also to ask if they could go and let the poor dog out – she’d been abandoned, poor pup!

The staff were concerned that the baby was showing some signs of distress with each contraction, so the consultant (who had done my amnio – I liked her so was quite please to see a familiar face) did a scan, which showed the amniotic fluid was a bit low and that baby was smaller than we would have expected at this point. She then did an internal examination which showed I was already 2-3cm dilated. She said, let’s get you delivered, and broke my waters, it was now 10am.

In the labour room, I was hooked up to the syntocinon drip and antibiotics for my GBS. I was bouncing away happily on the birthing ball for a couple of hours before I needed the gas and air. The syntocinon was continuously turned up to bring on the contractions stronger, so I was soon asking for the injection – can’t remember if it was pethidine or diamorphine!

Had a very interesting conversation with one of the midwives before needing any of the pain relief. She asked what my feelings on pain relief were, I told her I wasn’t brave and would take whatever was needed. She gave me some very good advice. Gas and air is pumped straight into the room so is on hand the minute you ask for it. Pethidine/diamorphine has to be signed off by two people and takes about 15-20 minutes to kick in, so you’re looking at half an hour before you get the relief. An epidural also needs two people to sign it off and an anaesthetist to be located. By the time the drug has taken effect you are looking at an hour all in. Something to think about!!!

Anyway I had my injection, but unfortunately some of the anti-sickness drug was lost, so there was poor DH running back and forward to get me water as the gas and air was making me so thirsty and drying up my lips like crazy, then fetching a sick bowl for me to throw it all back up again!

By 4pm I couldn’t handle it any longer. I could no longer track the contractions and time my gas and air intake. It felt like I was having one huge contraction! The midwife said an induced labour was a million times more painful than a natural labour, and she would eat her hat if I managed without an epidural!

LOL!!!

So over the next couple of hours, the consultant popped in a few times to check on us. She wasn’t too happy with the EFM, so attached a monitor to bubs head, which was a more accurate way of reading his heart rate. She also took a couple of blood samples from his head too.

By 9.30pm-ish, it was decided to get baby out by forceps. It all felt so surreal! You knew what was happening all day, but to actually know you were going to have your baby in your arms within a few minutes was crazy!!

After three pushes, Christopher John was born at 9.48pm weighing just 5lb 10.5oz. DH and I were literally speechless! The effects of no sleep, all the drugs and just the craziness of the day then took hold, and I could not stop shaking. DH had to hold the wee man for quite some time before I stopped! As soon as I was able to I popped him inside my nightshirt for some skin to skin which was the best feeling ever!

CJ slept by my bed in an incubator that first night and we were then moved to the ward the next morning, where the staff from the high dependency managed to get us a single room. I’m so gad they did, as CJ ended up being taken away to Neonatal for almost 48 hrs, which, if I’d been in a ward would have been really tough!

My milk didn’t come through, and I really wanted to breast feed – it actually didn’t come through for a week. I was managing to hand express a small amount of colostrum into a syringe, but it wasn’t enough. CJ’s blood sugar was all over the place, so I told the midwives I was happy to bottle feed him. Unfortunately this may have been left a bit late as with his jaundice making him sleepy and the fact that he wasn’t feeding, at 2am on the Tuesday morning, he was taken away! I can’t tell you how much I sobbed!! When DH and I went along the next morning to see him, I sobbed again. I knew he was in the best place, but you feel unbelievably helpless! The staff were all fantastic, and I can’t praise them enough. I spent as much time as possible with CJ, but felt guilty about sitting cuddling him when the best place for him was in the incubator. The sooner he was better, the sooner we could get home.

We did eventually get home late Thursday night, and I don’t know where the last couple of weeks have gone!

DH and I are eternally grateful to Dr Willocks, Dr McLellan and all the staff in wards 23, 24 and the neonatal unit of Wishaw General, and of course all the staff at Glasgow Royal Assisted Conception Services, without whom we wouldn’t be the family we longed to be."

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Anne-Marie's story, East London - attempted robbery didn't even work!

"Well where do I start? I have a condition called SPD - basically my pubic bone splits in pregnancy and I end up in hospital towards the end of my pregnancies and wait for c-sections. Fifth and last pregnancy I was in agony, could no longer walk, couldn't sleep and was put on strong medication. I was taken in because of mild contractions, also on the promise of finding me a slot ASAP. Thirty six plus weeks pregnant my baby was large and ready! A week went past, I was getting tired angry and needed to get out! My husband arrived, I told him the same thing every morning, "might be fitting me in for my section in the morning". We ignored it as it was doctors keeping me sweet.

"John I need to get out for an hour," grinding my teeth, he knew I was in agony emotionally and mentally, so I picked up my crutches and 'escaped'. I shuffled out in my PJs and got in the car. I decided to get some money out of my account for my husband in case of emergency. Went into my credit union to draw some cash out, I was the only customer in there. Anyway, as I'm leaving two masked men decided to rob the place - I had a gun waved in my face, I was in total shock! Anyway they didn't get away with anything but managed to run away. I was rushed straight back to my ward by my husband and just asked to be put on the monitor. The midwife asked why, so I broke down and explained. Baby was fine!! I was so glad. I had to eat that night as I didn't eat anything, just breakfast that morning. I had a hot curry delivered, I polished that off. NOTHING was happening! Absolute shock and a really hot curry was not bothering this baby!

Finally! Two days after the attempted robbery I was taken down late sunday night due to my baby showing some signs of stress! Midwives, doctors and surgeons were amazed that what happened didn't bother my baby!

Baby JJ finally arrived just after 10 o'clock by c-section, 7lb. Not a care in the world, just perfect! Now 6 months old nothing bothers him still, he takes everything in his stride and is such a brilliant baby. He has helped me in a way deal with what happened, he makes everyone smile! NOTHING was going to budge him, he was just too comfortable and warm not even an attempted robbery and a hot curry was going to move him!!"

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Competition details!

Here they are - details for our mei tai give-away competition sponsored by Marvellous Mei Tais.

1. Re-tweet or recommend through Facebook and invite all your friends and family to enter.

2. 'Follow' the blogs or Facebook pages: Birth Stories by Marvellous Mummies and/or Marvellous Mei Tais / Marvellous Mummies FB and/or Marvellous Mei Tais FB

3. All 'followers' will be assigned an individual number.
4. Entry closes at 11pm on Sunday 13th February 2011.

5. A winner will be chosen via a random number generator.

6. The winner will be announced on the blog and arrangements made for delivery.

GOOD LUCK!

Penny's story, UK - 1 hour labour for first baby

"I had my 1st child when I was 21. As a single mum I was terrified of giving birth but had decided I wanted as natural birth as possible. I was booked in at the midwife unit near my home with the hope of using gas and air only.

The day I went into labour it was extremely hot (August 05). My DD was due 29th August and on the 18th decided to go for a nice long walk with my family. We stopped for ice cream and I noticed that my hands had swollen and for some reason knew today would be the day. I didn't want to worry my mum so I didn't say anything but later decided to have a sleep once we got home as I knew I would need as much energy as possible.

After a 3 hour sleep I woke up with the feel of a pop; my waters had gone. 

I went down the stairs to tell my mum and half way down I was overcome with the most intense pain I had ever felt in my life. After a quick call to the maternity unit we were swiftly on our way. The contractions were coming thick and fast. When we arrived at hospital we tried buzzing but no answer, it was then that I felt the urge to push! Luckily my mum found a chair which I clambered over backwards and desperatlely resisted the urge to push while my mum franticly kept on buzzing. Eventually a very stressed midwife quickly showed us into a room and raced off (a lot of women were in labour that day).

I was climbing the walls with pain at this point and a midwife was sent down from the labour ward upstairs, she assumed that she would just be coming in to examine me and establish how far into labour I was. Well she took one look at me and knew it was imminent after a quick look she realised I was 9cm dilated and ready to go. The poor woman franticly tried to find gas and air and help me the best she could but the cylinder just wouldn't work. It was then that she asked if she could take me upstairs where she knows where everything is.

Wheeling my bed out and into the lift the urge to push was just too much and I had to start pushing much to the horror of the four men coming out of the lift, seconds later we were in a room. Two puffs of gas & air later and my DD was born.

My waters had broken at 6:15pm and she was born at 7:30pm.

A few hours later the original midwife who showed us into the first room came in to see me. She could not apologise enough for not realising how far into labour I was. Bless her she felt terrible. All the midwives were rushed off their feet and they work so, so hard. 

I wouldn't change my birth experience for anything, I'm just glad she wasn't born in the corridor or that lift."

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Jennie's story, Birmingham - home water birth using hypnobirthing

"Positive Birth Story – Home Water Birth using Hypnobirthing

Baby S born 7th April 2010 weighing 7lbs 15oz 

My due date was Thursday 8th April and on Tuesday 6th April OH had the day off work so that we could attend my grandmother’s funeral. Family members had 'joked' that the stress of such a day might trigger early labour. 

Having got through the service and wake feeling emotional but generally OK, I was having pretty regular Braxton hicks and we decided to take a short walk in the park later in the afternoon. We sat down to enjoy a cup of tea and a cake in the tea shop and I felt a different sensation in my bump which was more like a strong stitch. We took this as a signal to get home and comfortable, ordered a takeaway curry for dinner and caught up on my daily allowance of raspberry leaf tea. 

Lying on the sofa watching TV at about 11pm I felt a slight popping low down and to the front of my bump which felt like a little bubble bursting. I wondered whether this was my waters but couldn’t feel anything. Five or so minutes later I went to the toilet and realised that I did not have control of the fluid that was coming out. After sitting on the toilet for a few minutes I started to let myself believe that this was it and that my waters really had broken. 

I called the birth centre and the midwife on call said she would come out and see me within the next hour or so to assess what was going on. As we had planned a home water birth we had a pool to inflate and I had been anxious about the noise using the electric pump late at night so OH got on with inflating the pool while I relaxed in bed listening to the affirmations and rainbow relaxation CD (Hypnobirthing) on repeat. The midwife arrived sometime in between 12.30am and 1am and having checked my pads confirmed that my waters had broken, advised me to go to bed and get some rest and reassured me that for most women whose waters break early, labour starts within 24 hours. She also explained that if it didn’t, I would need to have antibiotics after about 18 hours and they would want to induce me after 24. She told me to call again when my contractions were coming every 5 minutes or so. 

With the birth pool inflated and the hot water boost on, we went to bed. I was listening to the affirmations and rainbow relaxation CD on my iPod when I experienced what I later realised was my first surge (contraction). The only way I can describe what this felt like was as if I was desperate for the toilet and had been holding it in for too long. I went to the toilet then got back into bed and dozed on and off for a couple of hours with the CD on my iPod and surges coming and going. 

By about 3.30am I found that breathing and relaxing whilst lying down during surges was becoming difficult and I was more comfortable moving around or sitting on the toilet so I was continually going back and forth to the bathroom. At about 4am I came into the lounge, lit some candles, put the affirmations and rainbow on the stereo and used the tens machine and birthing ball through each contraction. OH then got up at about 6am and started to prepare the room, laying shower curtains underneath towels to cover our (light cream!!) carpet and sofa and began to fill the pool as we knew this would take some time due to our small water tank! 

For the next couple of hours we continued like this, me leaning over the birthing ball and gradually increasing the power on the TENS machine as my surges got stronger. I was also timing my surges using 'Contraction Master' App. on OH’s iPhone. In hindsight, although this gave me something to focus on during this time, I think it did prevent me from fully relaxing and going inwards and I was always conscious of having an 'aim' of stronger, longer and closer together surges and checking my progress. 

During each surge I was trying to visualise a green balloon in my abdomen, inflating with each inhalation and having this to focus on was helpful although I did find that once each surge got stronger I had to breathe through my mouth rather than my nose and inhalations became more challenging. 

At approximately 8am-8.30am I called the midwife as my surges were now coming regularly every 5-6 minutes and were lasting anywhere between 30-90 seconds by my calculations. At this point I felt like I needed OH with me during surges and in between filling the pool with pans of hot water he came and massaged my back and pressed my shoulder (which had been a relaxation anchor we had learned and practiced at hypnobirthing) and reminded me of what we had been practicing in terms of breathing and relaxing. 

The midwife arrived sometime between 9am-9.30am bringing a student with her. She asked me some questions about the timing of my waters breaking, etc. and observed me during surges for about 30 minutes, feeling my bump and assessing how I was progressing. At this point she said that although I was having 3 in 10, I was not in established labour yet and told me that the surges would get a lot stronger than they were at that point. She said that they were going to leave me to it and to call her once I was regularly having 3 in 10 surges that were 60 seconds long. I asked her when I could get into the pool and was told that I needed to stay out of the pool until I was in established labour and there was a midwife present. In the meantime she said that I could have a bath if I felt that I would benefit from it. 

As soon as the midwives left I felt the need to move so I went and sat on the toilet. From this point the surges seemed to get quite intense and I was calling for OH to massage my back each time. I had started to tense up and OH was pushing my shoulders down with each surge and reminding me to breath. I stayed sitting on the toilet for about 30 minutes while OH filled the bath. At this point it felt like I wasn’t getting much of a break in between surges and they were feeling quite intense. As soon as I was able to, OH helped me into the bath and although the heat of the water was soothing in between surges, almost instantly they became much stronger and I felt a pressure pushing down which was uncomfortable whilst lying or sitting so I was lifting myself up with each surge while OH massaged and poured water over my back. In total I remained in the bath for about 30 minutes and during this time I first started to feel my body pushing. I told OH that it felt like my body wanted me to push and we both felt like I should be trying not to do that and to just focus on breathing. 

During the whole of my labour, this was the only point that I doubted myself and my ability to relax and have a positive experience. Not because of the sensations I was feeling but because I was remembering that the midwife had said that I wasn’t in established labour yet, that the babies head was only 3/5 engaged and that I would probably have a while to go yet. Had I realised that I was actually in transition at that point and that I was nearly there, I am sure I would have felt differently. As it was I was experiencing very intense surges and thought that I would have several hours ahead of me with worse to cope with. 

At about 11.30am I told OH that I needed to get into the pool despite having been told by the midwives that I shouldn’t. I just knew that I needed deeper water to get more comfortable and as soon as I had the opportunity I did just that. Getting into the deeper water so that I could lean over the edge of the pool and still have my bump and lower back submerged was a huge relief. At this point OH was calling the midwife, boiling water for the pool and simultaneously trying to massage and pour water over my back. He told the midwife that things had progressed quite quickly and during the time he was on the phone, the midwife was able to hear me during a surge and said that she would come over straight away. In terms of the noises I was making, OH described it as a “wail” I certainly wasn’t screaming or shouting and I don’t think I had any control over it. I never panicked or felt like I couldn’t carry on, just had to keep moving with each surge and I was still really benefiting from having water poured over my back and OH massaging me. Although my surges were very intense at this stage and I could feel my body pushing the baby down, I still wouldn’t describe this as the agonising pain that most women talk about and I think this is due to the fact that I was not at all scared and I was just letting my body do what it needed to do. 

The midwife arrived at 12 noon still with the student and has later told me that she was very frustrated that I was already in the pool when she had told me not to get in until she got there. She was also concerned that there wasn’t quite enough water in the pool and I could hear the panic in her voice as she looked down, saw the baby crowning and called the second midwife on the phone and told her to come quickly. I heard her saying to the student “this baby is coming now” and telling OH to get more water. She asked me whether I wanted her to order any gas and air and I replied yes as this was what we had discussed previously although I don’t honestly think that I would have used it, even if it had arrived in time! 

As the baby was on his way out, the midwife was struggling to get me to stand up to monitor the heart rate and surges were coming thick and fast. She was fantastic as although I had never spoken to her in detail about hypno birthing and breathing the baby out, she never once asked me to push, she just kept telling me to breath and to let my body do what it wants to do. I kept remembering the J breath and although I wasn’t able to do this quite as quietly and calmly as I had practiced, I did find it incredibly beneficial to breath in very quickly then blow out the exhalation as slowly as possible. Doing this and being guided by the midwife, the baby's head came out and stayed out at either 12.12pm or 12.15pm (I can’t remember exactly!). I could feel that the head was out and the midwife told me to just relax and wait for the next surge so his body could turn. With the next surge his body slipped out, the midwife guided him through my legs and helped me to sit backwards so that I could lift him out of the water in front of me. He was born at 12.17pm no more than 17 minutes after the midwife had arrived back at the flat! The second midwife arrived at 12.25 while I was still in the pool holding baby S who was alert and looking around very calmly at this point, turning his head when he heard either mine or OH’s voice (adorable!).

After a few more minutes of skin to skin in the water, I was helped out and onto the floor, propped up by lots of cushions and pillows to deliver the placenta. Baby S stayed with me during this time as I wanted the cord to stay attached until it had stopped pulsing. After 30 minutes or so, it had stopped so the midwife clamped it and cut it (OH didn’t really want to do this) and the placenta was delivered naturally shortly afterwards. 

The gas and air arrived at about this point and the midwife decided to keep it in case I needed stitches but when I was examined it turned out I didn’t need any. 

The midwives cleared up everything except the pool, even asking where I keep the cleaning products so she could scrub up a spot of blood off the carpet! They did their initial checks on Baby S, weighing him etc then left us to it. OH had some time with him skin to skin before I moved to the bedroom and got comfy. OH spent the next hour or so clearing everything away and putting all of the furniture back into place then we had a few hours in bed, just the three of us, relaxing, having lovely skin to skin cuddles with Baby S and talking about what an amazing experience we had just had.

Unfortunately later that evening Baby S started to show signs of being poorly and we did end up taking him into hospital but we were so pleased to have been able to give him a calm and relaxed water-birth at home and I personally felt rather proud of the fact that all my hypno birthing practice had paid off!!!

Having spoken to the midwife since, she said she couldn’t believe that this was my first baby and how well I had coped with the whole labour. She said that when she had seen me first that morning, the fact that I was so calm during surges was one of the reasons that she felt I was not in established labour and because I had not had an internal examination we would never know whether I was much further on than she had thought at that time or whether I had just progressed very quickly from that point onwards.

Although I didn’t have as calm an experience as we had witnessed on the DVDs in hypnobirthing class, I had an incredibly positive experience. It was very intense at times and I couldn’t say that it was totally pain free but it certainly wasn’t the agony that I had initially feared. I was in control throughout and I attribute this to the positive mindset brought about by regular practice and listening to the affirmations daily. The breathing techniques, massage, water and support from OH were all I needed in terms of pain relief."

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