Birth Story: 36 week hospital birth

After a miscarriage my second pregnancy was full of worry, I was being monitored from about 20 weeks as the baby was small and appeared to have a kidney problem where one kidney was enlarged- they were concerned that there was a problem , that there was a cromazome issue and offered an amino. After research and the fear of risking another miscarriage and that I was small as a kid we declined - they also discussed a termination. I was monitored for the rest of my pregnant and at 32 weeks the consultant said that she wanted me to be induced as although she was growing it wasn’t as fast as they would like. I was upset about this and really felt that they were being over cautious. FF to 4 weeks before my due date I finished work and was looking forward to a few weeks off at least. Saturday Morning 8am .. not even a lie in I got up to go to the toilet- after about 5 seconds it still felt like I was going for a wee but felt like I had finished ... my waters had broken. Because of my history and that I was supposed to be induced I rang the hospital and they said to go in. So we grabbed my bags and set off - at this point I wasn’t really feeling anything. We had to wait to be seen for what felt like ages. I was examined for them to confirm that it was my waters - I knew it was as was still leaking. I was then put on a monitor for most of the day and late afternoon should round scbu to prepare us just incase she needed to go in there. It wasn’t until around 4/5pm that day that the contractions started to ramp up and I had my show. Hubby had to go home in the evening as I was still on the day ward. I was given paracetamol but was really struggling my back was killing me and I couldn’t lie down - so in my sexy hospital clothes late in the evening I was pacing the hospital corridors. I asked the midwife if there was a possibility of having a bath (because I was early and classes as high risk I couldn’t be in the birthing suite where I desperately wanted a water birth) she said she thought it would be ok and when off to find out, sadly my hopes were raised and she came back and said no.

I didn’t sleep much that night. The next day I was on the monitor again and they said that they would induce me as the contractions were not strong enough. I was really upset with this option as it wasn’t what I wanted. I asked them to wait but they said no because of infection risk. In the end they said they would wait until Monday.

I struggled on until Monday when they eventually took us down to the delivery suite , waited for a while and then was re examined - I was 4 cm dilated so they said that was classed as established labour ( I felt quite smug that She had got that far without any help and was on her way on her terms) so they wouldn’t induce me but as it was still progressing really slowly they would put me on a drip which I was told meant monitoring and having to lie on the bed 😢 I had researched a lot and knew this was not good, I found out later she was back to back so that’s why my back was so bad. I was offered drugs after a while and I refused, by the time I relented I was examined again and I was past 8cm so they said no - I did have gas and air - it made me feel a bit spaced out and I didn’t like that but went with it as it was a focus off the pain. Suddenly I felt the need to push, they said to wait as I wasn’t ready, I think I’m the end it was maybe 15mins/half an hour of pushing then I felt like my insides were burning and ripping ... what they call the ring of fire - after 2 1/2 days of labour she arrived at 3.45pm on the Monday - whisked away to be checked but definitely loud !!! I was stitched up (I will never forget the feel as you could feel the threading) After what seemed like ages she was given to me and we tried feeding. She was not having any of it and I left her on me to seem if she could find her way and she did but wouldn’t latch on. Daddy got a hold while

I got tea, toast and a bath.

We were very lucky that she didn’t need to be in scbu and we settled in to the bed area back on the ward, remembering the first poo and having no idea what to do with this little baby and how to change the nappy 😂 she was fussing at the breast and couldn’t get the latch right - it was so painful I was in tears. The midwifes said to give her a prem bottle and she was struggling with that too. She had to have heel prick tests for her blood sugar levels so we had to stay in for a while. The first night I remember being woken up by the midwife at 2am saying to me that she was awake and needed feeding - she wasn’t crying why would I need to feed her ??!!! As she wasn’t taking much I had to force a routine of every 2 hours, hubby had to go out and buy all new baby grows in prem sizes as the newborns drowned her at 4lbs 12oz

We got a special cushion to try to prop her up when feeding - after many tries hubby suggested feeding her in the cot propped up which seemed to work a bit much to the midwifes disapproval but she would turn her head away and cry otherwise. We never found out why she did this and continued at home, we couldn’t feed her out as she had to be in a certain position and it quiet. I did continue to try breast feeding but it was too painful and it didn’t get better , I expressed the small amount I could and gave her that.

She is now a feisty 9year old still small and still is a fussy eater !!!

Feel free to share this for your business x

I think what your doing is amazing and I hope that your able to help lots of ladies - I wish I could have had a doula when I had Jess !