By 6am the twinges had become a tad more uncomfortable but bearable. We went down to the Hospital canteen and had some breakfast, walked around a little and then made our way back to my room ready for morning ward rounds.
We had the same midwife, Connie again that day. I was introduced to the consultant for that day who asked me if I had a birth plan. I told her that my plan was to do whatever it took to get my baby out safely - though I would like to avoid a forceps delivery as they look brutal. Her reply was "If you're telling me I can't use forceps, you're taking away one of my safest methods to help you!" So I revised my plan - told her to do whatever and use whatever it took to get my baby out safely.
We brought out the puzzle book and I moved from the bed to the chair, wandered around the room and kept as mobile as I could to help things along. By lunchtime the twinges had become quite painful so out came the gas and air. I wanted to keep on top of the pain right from the start. Connie offered to give me an examination around midday, but I wanted to give the pessary the benefit of a full 24hours. I had an inkling
that something was happening as the pain was starting to build up. I kept going with the gas and air, rolled around on the Birthing Ball and did a few more puzzles with Mam and Mark.
that something was happening as the pain was starting to build up. I kept going with the gas and air, rolled around on the Birthing Ball and did a few more puzzles with Mam and Mark.
I didn't want to leave the labour room to go to the canteen for lunch, you know - just in case my waters broke in front of everyone.
At 3:30pm the pessary would have been in for 24hours so it was time to see if anything really had been happening with the pain's I'd been having.
I was 2cm dilated and Connie was able to break my waters.
Then the contractions really kicked in. They were exactly as they had been with Osh and Isabella, they took over my whole body - but the gas and air took the edge off. I had already warned my midwife that as soon as my waters we're broken I wanted an epidural. All though I gave birth to Isabella with only half a dose of pethidine and I knew I could cope with delivering Martha that way - they thought of having her taken away from me immediately made me want to be numb to the pain so I could be relaxed for the few precious minutes she'd be in the room with us.
I wish I hadn't opted for an epidural. The anaesthetist arrived shortly after 4:30pm and by this time my contractions we're every few minutes and I was managing fine with the gas and air. The pain from the epidural was far worse than any of my contractions. He got the needle in but then there was some back bleeding so he couldn't use that line and needed to try again. The pain was even worse this time - I squeezed Mark's hand and bit down really hard on the mouthpiece for the gas and air. After what felt like a life time - I was hooked up to the epidural and shown how to use the controls to give myself a dose each time I felt it wearing off.
They wanted to start me on the oxytocin as soon as possible to speed up my contractions, however - the baby's trace wasn't great on the CTG so the Consultant put a stop to it until the baby behaved for a straight 20 minutes. They asked me which side I normally slept on - my left side, so they helped me on to that side and immediately you could see that the baby was much happier in that position.
I can remember drifting in and out of sleep. I remember my mam saying she was going down to the canteen for a bite to eat. I remember Mark leaving to go to the Tesco Express around the corner.
TMI time (stop reading now if you are easily offended) At 7pm the midwife said I needed a catheter as I couldn't walk to the toilet myself. I remember laughing to myself that if Mark would have walked in right there and then he'd have a stroke seeing the midwife inserting a catheter. But no, Mark comes running in to the room, huffing and puffing and all red in the face - he'd been robbed!!!
No he hadn't...he left his wallet on the self-service till in Tesco, by the time he realised he'd left it the person who used that till after him had already swiped his wallet. He'd spent the last 15 minutes looking through CCTV footage with the security guards. His drivers licence was in there with our full address, along with both of our cards for our joint account and Mark's bank account (which has all our sort codes and account numbers printed on) So at 7:10pm - there I am on the phone to the banks cancelling our bank cards while Mark is on the phone to the police in my en-suite.
But I can feel something between my legs, I convince myself that it's just the pipes from my catheter and think nothing of it.
At 7:35pm I have the same sensation again, like I've got a Mango wedged between my thighs. I tell my midwife that I think something is happening. She lifts my blanket and squeals "Baby is on the way" before running out to fetch the Paediatrician's who need to be in the room for Martha as soon as she is delivered.
I shout to Mark who is still on the phone in the toilet and tell him "It's time" - he replies "OK - just need to brush my teeth!"
It was shift changeover time but we desperately wanted Connie to be present for the birth, she'd been amazing at looking after me for the two days. Luckily she stayed along with the other midwife Ivan (yes - I had a male midwife deliver Martha and he was amazing too!)
After a few pushes - Martha Grace entered the world with a perfect cry! We had been warned that she may have DiGeorge Syndrome and one of the signs is a facial abnormality - so the first question I asked was "How does she look!" to which Mark replied that she looked perfect, just like her big sister.
She was placed in the care of the Paediatrician's who did all their checks, weighed her and wrapped her up. She was a lovely 6lbs 1oz - which was great considering they had estimated she would only be a little 4pounder. They asked if he had a name for her, "It's Martha Grace" we said.
She was brought over to me for a quick cuddle and a photo.
Then that was it...she went! She was less than 10 minutes old and she was being taken across the hall to NICU. It would be 11:30pm before I got to see her again.
GM
x
You can read part 1 of Martha's Birth Story here.
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I was 2cm dilated and Connie was able to break my waters.
Then the contractions really kicked in. They were exactly as they had been with Osh and Isabella, they took over my whole body - but the gas and air took the edge off. I had already warned my midwife that as soon as my waters we're broken I wanted an epidural. All though I gave birth to Isabella with only half a dose of pethidine and I knew I could cope with delivering Martha that way - they thought of having her taken away from me immediately made me want to be numb to the pain so I could be relaxed for the few precious minutes she'd be in the room with us.
I wish I hadn't opted for an epidural. The anaesthetist arrived shortly after 4:30pm and by this time my contractions we're every few minutes and I was managing fine with the gas and air. The pain from the epidural was far worse than any of my contractions. He got the needle in but then there was some back bleeding so he couldn't use that line and needed to try again. The pain was even worse this time - I squeezed Mark's hand and bit down really hard on the mouthpiece for the gas and air. After what felt like a life time - I was hooked up to the epidural and shown how to use the controls to give myself a dose each time I felt it wearing off.
They wanted to start me on the oxytocin as soon as possible to speed up my contractions, however - the baby's trace wasn't great on the CTG so the Consultant put a stop to it until the baby behaved for a straight 20 minutes. They asked me which side I normally slept on - my left side, so they helped me on to that side and immediately you could see that the baby was much happier in that position.
I can remember drifting in and out of sleep. I remember my mam saying she was going down to the canteen for a bite to eat. I remember Mark leaving to go to the Tesco Express around the corner.
TMI time (stop reading now if you are easily offended) At 7pm the midwife said I needed a catheter as I couldn't walk to the toilet myself. I remember laughing to myself that if Mark would have walked in right there and then he'd have a stroke seeing the midwife inserting a catheter. But no, Mark comes running in to the room, huffing and puffing and all red in the face - he'd been robbed!!!
No he hadn't...he left his wallet on the self-service till in Tesco, by the time he realised he'd left it the person who used that till after him had already swiped his wallet. He'd spent the last 15 minutes looking through CCTV footage with the security guards. His drivers licence was in there with our full address, along with both of our cards for our joint account and Mark's bank account (which has all our sort codes and account numbers printed on) So at 7:10pm - there I am on the phone to the banks cancelling our bank cards while Mark is on the phone to the police in my en-suite.
But I can feel something between my legs, I convince myself that it's just the pipes from my catheter and think nothing of it.
At 7:35pm I have the same sensation again, like I've got a Mango wedged between my thighs. I tell my midwife that I think something is happening. She lifts my blanket and squeals "Baby is on the way" before running out to fetch the Paediatrician's who need to be in the room for Martha as soon as she is delivered.
I shout to Mark who is still on the phone in the toilet and tell him "It's time" - he replies "OK - just need to brush my teeth!"
It was shift changeover time but we desperately wanted Connie to be present for the birth, she'd been amazing at looking after me for the two days. Luckily she stayed along with the other midwife Ivan (yes - I had a male midwife deliver Martha and he was amazing too!)
After a few pushes - Martha Grace entered the world with a perfect cry! We had been warned that she may have DiGeorge Syndrome and one of the signs is a facial abnormality - so the first question I asked was "How does she look!" to which Mark replied that she looked perfect, just like her big sister.
She was placed in the care of the Paediatrician's who did all their checks, weighed her and wrapped her up. She was a lovely 6lbs 1oz - which was great considering they had estimated she would only be a little 4pounder. They asked if he had a name for her, "It's Martha Grace" we said.
She was brought over to me for a quick cuddle and a photo.
Then that was it...she went! She was less than 10 minutes old and she was being taken across the hall to NICU. It would be 11:30pm before I got to see her again.
GM
x
You can read part 1 of Martha's Birth Story here.
Don't forget to leave your e-mail address in the box below t have future posts delivered straight to your inbox. You can also follow us by clicking on the social media icons at the top right of your screen
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