Today we have Sarah’s story from her 3rd baby! You can find Sarah HERE!
I am an experienced mum, when I found out I was pregnant with my third, while I was nervous as she was unplanned, I thought that at least labor and delivery would be easy peasy..
It was in a way, she didn’t take very long to enter earth-side but of how she entered is a big of a long story.. so sit tight and enjoy..
It started on the 17th of April, which was a sunday, I was sitting at home alone with the cats while my husband took the older two children around to visit their nanny like always on a sunday, I was busying myself sewing baby R a blanket with the cats sitting beside me and Teen Mom on the television, baby R had been rather quiet all day, I did feel a few wiggles and kicks but she wasnt her usual self but I put it down to be being busy, walking around and doing my weekend cleaning routine.
Once my husband and the older two came home, they went to bed, we sat down to enjoy some dinner and while he was busy writing for his website I started noticing some tightnings and pain, they weren’t labour but braxon hicks but I also felt sick and she wasnt moving either so I rang labour ward and they demanded I come in as soon as I can because of my previous low movements over the course of the third trimester.
I remember that car journey, my wonderful Mother In Law drove us to the hospital and it was a mixture of fear and cramps, trying to distract myself with silly jokes along the way, when we arrived I was strapped into the machines and there was her beautiful heartbeat but because of the tightnings they decided to check if anything was happening down under, I was 4cm dilated but I wasnt soft, which was good but I still wasnt feeling her move as much as she shouldve been so they wheeled in an ultrasound machine and they found she didn’t have much amniotic fluid around her and all they could see was cord, the doctor who told me all this information also said that the reason why I couldn’t feel her move was because of my placenta being in the way which I found rude as I had explained she was usually a wriggler and her movements compared to before was severely reduced.
A few minutes past and I talked to my other half about whats going to happen, another doctor comes in with a midwife carrying my paperwork, he ran through what was going to happen and then double checked my cervix, yup.. still 4.. and told me he was about to sweep me, which I honestly didn’t expect and hurt a little but after that I was told that because of the potential low water I will need to stay in over night and have a follow-up scan in the morning.. a quick phone call to the mother in law and she brought round my bags, husband went home to dismiss his brother and I was moved around to labour ward.. I wasnt expecting this…
Thanks to being stretched and sweeped I didn’t get very much sleep, plus a woman in the opposite bed was labouring all night and while she can’t help it, it did keep me up.. I got out of the bed around 5am and found a midwife for some pain killers and possibly a cup of tea.. I wasnt going back to sleep.
Around 10 am I was told to go over to the ultrasound clinic.. I walked around in my pj’s and slippers being given funny looks by all the other pregnant ladies waiting to see their babies.. it felt strange but I had no intention to put any jeans on, plus the ultrasound clinic was only a short walk from the labour ward.
Lying down was horrible, but as always I love seeing my baby again, I saw her little heartbeat thumping away and the technician checked the water levels, making the same comment about her being ‘all cord’.. she informed me that there was indeed a reduction of waters and was told to waddle back to labour ward for a doctor to come and speak to me.
What felt like hours, my mum turned up with some biscuits, and helped me get my lunch, which I took a photo of to show my other half who was looking after the children before taking them around his mums house so she can watch them when he came over to sit with me, my lunch was yummy.. so that explains part of the reason of the photo haha.
Around 7pm, the doctors finally got round to speak to me and explained that yes I will be induced and that a midwife will be along shortly to place the pessary which wasnt has never been an enjoyable experience.. and so we wait… and waited.. every I think five minutes I would experience a contraction but they weren’t what the midwife called ‘proper’ ones which was rather annoying as they bloody hurt!!
Around 1am, I called for a midwife to come check on me, I had decided to time them as they suddenly became every 2 minutes and lasting around a minute, she told me that nothing was really progressing as much as they like and ordered my husband to go home and get some sleep, she, under the guidance of the doctor on charge gave me oramorph which… is the best thing in the world.. I just wanted to sleep and they knocked me out completely until the next morning.
5am on the 19th April, I threw up my tea that a wonderful midwife had made me.. the downside of morphine! of all the things, I ruined the only bra I had with me!! I was strapped on the machines after I had a much enjoyed shower and checked over.
GOOD NEWS! I was ready to go and all I needed was to wait for a space in the delivery rooms.. I quickly called my husband who was still asleep at that time and he made his way to the hospital, just minutes before they broke my waters. this was 11am..
I have had children before, two in fact, one was a completely medicated birth.. epidural and all and my second was only gas and air and I wanted to go down that same route with this birth.. because ive done it once without pain relief.. i knew I could do it again.. I was a bit wrong on that, what they don’t really tell you about labour is that it’s a very scary time.. your whole body takes over and you are just along for the ride..
The only thing I completely remember was having a panic attack, ive only ever experienced them before but I just remember not breathing in between the contractions and feeling completely out of it.. until I suddenly felt that undeniable urge to push..
I bolted up and just yelled at the midwife that ‘I want to push’ and she told me not to but I couldn’t control it, I could feel her head descend down the birthing canal, they quickly got a wheel chair around and I somehow moved to it slowly and off we went..
After finally getting my gas and air and asking if I could push, two big pushes later and at 11:58am on the 19th April she was here…
They asked who would be doing skin to skin and I said my husband, I don’t know why I said ‘him’ but he did it with my second child and I just wanted him involved as much as possible as always..
I got a quick look of her as they moved her from the birthing table to my husband and she was tiny, I know newborns are always smaller than expected and after they sorted me out, I needed some stitches, we was told she was a tiny 5lbs 8oz! I couldn’t believe it, both my other children at birth were 8lbs 1 and 8lbs 4 but for some reason little R was so small but she was healthy and I was so glad she was finally here..
and that’s it, a 57 minute long labour, a four-day stay in hospital and I am now a proud mummy of three beautiful babies..
and I couldn’t be happier..
Mummy Cat.
If you would like to feature on the Birth and Labour Series, please don’t hesitate to contact me. [email protected]
Mwah x
Becca x