The Random Ramblings of an Emotard.: The Birth Stories of my girls.

When both my girls were born I posted 'Birth Stories' on a website called Babyworld.co.uk which I used at the time... I found them today.. and thought I would blog them :)

Ashli

"Little one's EDD was 7th March 2005, of course it came and went, and little one decided to be a fashionably late, 10 days over. We went in at 8.30am on Thursday 17th March (St patricks day of all days..) to be induced at Stafford General Hospital. We were checked over on arrival and a trace done of Ashli which showed everything was fine. I'd been having period type pains all morning and hadn't thought anything of them and just put them down to eating something bad, but the trace showed that it looked like they were early labour contractions so I was given an internal to see what was happening. Turned out that I was already 2-3cms dilated which amazed me as I'd only been feeling the pains since I woke up that morning! So anyway, they decided I didn't need the pitocin gel to start things off as they'd already started, and so opted to break my waters instead.

I was taken down to delivery suite and they were broken in quite spectacular fashion at 1.10 pm. Let's just say that a tidal wave had nothing on me and even the midwife had to dodge the torrent of water that came out..lol. If I remember right she described it as 'fishing boots time' lol. I was suprised how much there was and that it didn't seem to want to stop!
I was monitored for the rest of the afternoon til 5, by which point the contractions were getting quite bad but weren't regular, so I was having gas and air which made me temporarily insane and laugh for about 15 mins straight. (at the end me and Steve were both sat on the bed with tears streaming down our faces it was that funny..).

At 5ish I had another internal to check things and I was only 'a good 3 cms' dilated, so it was decided that they'd hook me up to a oxytocin drips to get things moving properly and having that put it was actually more brutal than the contractions I was feeling! Apparently I have 'bendy' veins??

The pain was getting bad and things were starting to get worse very quickly so I asked for an epidural only to be told I couldn't have one for another hours or so due to staffing so I had to have some pethidine, which didn't do much apart from make me a zombie inbetween. When the epidural finally arrived I was in so much agony I just wanted it to be all over. I think I had the epidural about 9/10 oclock. I can't remember that well as my mind was pretty blurred from the pain and I don't remember much from about 7 oclock because things were happening so quickly.

TO cut a long story short my labour was recorded as being 4 and a bit hours with Ashli being born after 26 mins of pushing at 23.51. I had gas and air, pethidine and an epidural, all of which did bugger all when things starting progressing because it was all happening so quickly. I didn't tear (amazingly as her head was 37cms! and she was 8lbs 4!) but I did have one stitch for a 'nick' in the vaginal wall. I bled quite a lot and had to have an extra injection to stop the bleeding, but everythings fine now.

The labour was horrific and I've never know so much pain. I turned into something out of the evil dead, screaming and shouting, saying I couldn't so it and I wanted to go home (What exactly was I going to do when I got there???) but in the end it's all worth it. Feeling Ashli come out was a bizarre experience but I'd go through it all again because she's just so perfect.

Next time I'll just make sure I ask for the damn epidural as soon as I get there.

It sounds cheesy but I really couldn't have done it without Steve. I literally had no control because of the pain and without him I probably wouldn't have handled it as well. He was my rock and the only one I could rely on. His support played a huge part in it and I'm so glad he was there. I don't know what I would've done without him. "

Kaitlyn -

"On Sunday 28th January I was woken at 5 am by regular strong braxton hicks. I'd also been having them every 10 mins the evening before so was convinced 'this was it'. Imagine my disappointment when at 7am they all stopped completely!!! Monday morning (29th jan) I was woken at 5am with exactly the same thing, except this time accompanied by strong period pains. They gradually went to 10 mins apart and we were so convinced it was proper labour Steve stayed off work and we called MIL and SIL to put them on red alert.
9am came..and they stopped again! Argh! Called my midwife who told me to go for a walk to see if they'd start again and that she'd come see me later to check out if anything was happening.
Got back from my walk at 10.50 to find the contractions had returned and were 20 mins apart. When the midwife showed up at 12ish they were 10 mins apart and she said to go for another walk and call the hospital if they carried on every 10 mins.
So we slapped on my tens machine, took 2 paracetamol and went down the village to get some lunch and when we got back at 2.45 the contractions were 6 mins apart, and with every one they were coming closer and closer until we called the hospital at 3 and they were 3 mins apart. They said to go in if I felt I needed more pain relief and I'm glad we did! SIL arrived at 3.25 to take us to hospital and the contractions were 2 mins apart. Got to the hospital at 4 and was booked in and checked out and everything was fine.
Was examined around 5.20 and found to be 7cm dilated so they broke my waters and I started gas and air as it was too late for anything else.From then on everything happened very quickly and they contractions were soon back to back and I felt an incredibly pressure and urge to push. At this point I was trembling terribly and sobbing uncontrolably as our wedding first dance song came on the cd player and I was inconsolable sayign I couldn't do it/screaming etc etc as the pain was unbearable as I was only on gas and air.
Kaitlyn was born at 6.02 after 20 mins of pushing (official labour time was 2 3/4 hours.) weighing 8lb 2 and 52cm long using just gas and air. No stitches and no problems and she had 2 good breastfeeds soon after so we were allowed to go home at 8.45. Kaitlyn's beautiful and I think I'm still in shock from the sheer speed of everything and I couldn't have done it without Steve, he really was my rock and I wouldn't have made it through sane without him.
Feeling exhausted but glad it's over and we've finally got our baby Kaitlyn! We won't be doing that again in a hurry though! Feeling very sore but very very happy.

Here's a pic, should be interesting introducing her to big sister Ashli tomorrow who is currently in bed none the wiser to the new arrival!!!"