So it's been nearly a week and I want to get the details of Sophias birth down before I forget them.
As I've had high blood pressure since week 36 I've been monitored twice a week by the midwives and been on medication to keep it down. At my routine 40+4 appointment my blood pressure was very high and i measured to have some protein in my urine which are both signs of pre eclampsia. I was shipped off to the hospital and I was told that I was not leaving without a baby! This was so crazy to hear.
At 7pm they started the induction with a pessary as I was 1cm dilated. I was given 2 IV drips saline and a magnesium sulphate one and a catheter which were awful, I had to have canulars in the back of both hands and one was a double one. I freaked out over these as they hurt and I was terrified. I was told that at 1am they would come back to check on me and break my waters if they could. At this point they gave me another drip this one was to bring on stronger contractions. Due to the possibility of a C section I was not allowed any food or water this was absolute torture as I'd not eaten much that day and I was sent to the hospital at 3.30pm. I was starving and thirsty and miserable but understood why they were doing it. I also couldn't move from the bed due to being hooked up with both arms something that I didn't want for my labour. Eventually they let me have a tiny amount of water.
My contractions get going and I eventually have some gas and air. At 1am they break my waters and do a membrane sweep which really hurt (the sweep not waters), I was now 2cm dilated. The next contraction after my waters had gone was alot more intense due to the water not being there and my uterus squeezing more effectively. The next few hours are a blur the pain got very intense and and it was bad! Mike my husband was brilliant and I am so lucky to have him there for me. He held my gas and air as I could hardly move my hands due to the drips.
A while later maybe 2-3am I ask straight for a epidural i originally didn't think I'd have one since I was so terrified of injections. My plan was to have pethidine before a epidural but I felt I needed to bypass this and stop the pain now!
The anaesthetist was busy in surgery and couldn't come, another hour went by and she was still in surgery I was starting to lose it! I now had the pethidine. It must have helped to calm me down as I don't remember having it. I eventually got my epidural about 3-4am? and I was super calm it didn't even bother me Mike couldn't believe it. He said I was just chilled and smiled when it went in due to the relief. I did feel a plastic like thing go in but it didn't hurt just pressure. I was surprised by how much I could still feel after the epidural.
I had a patch of my left side of my back where I could still feel pain and I could still feel my legs.
They had me lie of my left side to let gravity move the medication across my back. I assume this worked. I could still feel my contractions but alot duller so I was now coping. I was 6-7cm and Mike got to see Sophias head. I think it was now about 6 am. They had me do some practise pushes but after 20 mins they said to stop for another hour to let her move down the birth canal more herself as she still wasn't low enough.
An hour later we push and push.
It was exhausting.
The babies heartrate kept dropping and not coming back up the way they kept all talking made me think that I was going to have a C section at any second. I don't remember but Mike said they pressed the emergency buzzer and within 2 minutes we had about 8 people in the room. It was quite scary and I was told it was emergency forceps time as she needed to come out now!
They had to make a inciscion and use forceps to deliver her it took 2 contractions once they were in and boy could I feel them it was excruciating even with a epidural but she was born very quick after they came in. It turns out the cord was wrapped round her neck twice which kept making her heartrate go down. She was perfect though she got a 7 on the apgar test at birth and then a 10 at 5 minutes old.
They now delivered my placenta which I don't remember but then they stitched me up which I felt and Mike said that I was pissed off and told them to stop mauling me and that I just wanted to be left alone.
They put her on my chest as soon as she was born and my first thought was wow she is so warm she was roasting haha but perfect.
Since her birth I had to stay in due to my pre eclampsia and my blood pressure not going down. I had her on the Friday lunchtime and was not discharge until Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday comes around and the community midwife visits and sends me straight back as my blood pressure is still too high. They didn't keep me in though. Today is Thursday and I am currently waiting of her to come check on me again as I might have to go back in. I hope not but pre eclampsia is very dangerous.
Sophia is doing very well! They usually expect babies to lose weight in their first few days but she has put on 40g. So breastfeeding, even though it's painful it is working and she is thriving.
Being a mum is awesome :-) x
