I went into hospital on 9th Feb 2009 to be induced via the prostine pessery (a tablet inserted through the vagina to get labour going). They inserted the pessery not long after I arrived. They could've used a tea bag method which is for a cervix that's not ready for labour yet and works slowly over a 24 hour period (whatever that is) but decided since my cervix was soft, I'd be ok for the pessery instead - how wrong they were!
Nothing happened. They wanted to insert another one later on that night at around 11pm. But Shane was home by then and I didn't want a repeat of last time. After the 2nd pessery in the same day with Draven, I went into hard labour FAST and Shane got there 9 minutes before he was born! So I declined until the next day.
Tuesday, 10th Feb, they inserted another one at around 10am. Still nothing happened.
Wednesday, 11th Feb. They insert another one. They said I'm now 1cm dilated, but my cervix is still long and not effaced at all. They said until the baby's head drops down, I won't dilated as the baby's offering no pressure yet to make the cervix effaced. (it's all sounding like a waste of time to me!). They want to break my waters but can't because my cervix is too long.
Thursday, 12th Feb. I'm still dilated 1cm and not effaced - it's not working! A new doctor decides she can break my waters with pain meds. I asked them to try one last pessery as it could be the one to make me dilate more (I can only have 4, so I said we may as well try the 4th and see). So in goes a 4th pessery - the final attempt!
Friday, 13th Feb. They come over to try to break my waters hoping I've dilated some more, if not, a c-section is on the cards.
I've dilated to 2cm's! So they CAN now break my waters, although my cervix is STILL long! He's just not ready! I wished they'd just send me home and allow me to finish my pregnancy in peace!
So they try to break my waters. It's AGONY! I don't know if it's because I'd had daily internals, sometimes more than once, or if it's because my cervix is still long. The doctor asked me if I wanted her to stop, so I said yes. I was crying, kicking and screaming, it REALLY hurt! So the bitch said "ok I'll have you booked for a c-section today" I said "no you won't". And thankfully the midwife suggested having me on the labour ward with some Nitrous Oxide to help me manage the pain while they break my waters. Thankfully she agreed and so did I.
At 1:11pm my waters were finally broken!! I sobbed like a baby in sheer relief! The midwife stroked my arm and told me to let it all out. I'd had a LOT of built up tension, and I cried LOUDLY!
I started to get very mild tightenings soon after. They gradually over time got stronger which I loved as it gave me time to absorb the labour. Draven's labour was such a shock to me, and came on so suddenly and strong, it was nice this time to have a slow build up. I breathed through them and was eventually given some gas and air (Nitrous Oxide). The midwife was really cool and said you don't get much free on the NHS so enjoy it while you can lol. AND WE DID!! She left us alone in the room a lot of the time as things were going so smoothly, and as the contractions weren't that bad, I was getting quite the buzz from the gas and air, and so was Shane!! lol We've never laughed so much, you wouldn't have believed I was in labour!!
Shane went out and got me some lasagna for dinner which I sat and ate between contractions lol. I kept it down too as things were finally on their way! Previous to that I'd only kept one meal down since Saturday!!
They decided to put a drip in me (like pitocin, but it's called something else) to increase the contractions.
Then there were complications. Brandon's heart started to drop dramatically. It was 60 something. The midwife was really concerned, I could see it in her face, she was trying to hide it from me so I wouldn't panic, but I knew something was wrong and I did panic! I told them to stop the drip (even though it had barely started). They wanted to put a monitor on his head, but the doctor couldn't get to his head and by which time his heart had gone back to normal - thank God!! I was 5cm's dilated by now.
By now I'd been asking for an epidural with each contraction. The midwife didn't want me to have one as I'd been coping so well knowing I was halfway there, so she decided to check me and see how far dilated I was. She looked pissed off and then said "you need the epidural!" So I asked why and she said I wasn't at 5, I was only 2.5cm's! Different fingers I guess??
So the epi guy came in and gave me a run down of what it is. I had the mobile epi, and I could still feel everything. But eventually the pain in my tummy stopped, they then decided to start the drip again as I had the epi now for pain.
This was 9pm, and then there was a staff turn around, so I was introduced to another midwife. A lady called Charlotte who was so young! She was wonderful though and talked me through everything.
She topped up my epi (I didn't know it could wear off within 45 mins!) at 11pm. It didn't seem to work? Maybe it wasn't strong enough? Or the contractions were REALLY strong that I could feel them again? I really don't know, but I could feel pain now.
I'm not sure what time it was but she said she was going to top it up again. I told her I could feel pressure down there (but I had a lot anyway throughout the labour), so she said she'll check and see how far I am now etc before topping up (damn! I should've kept my mouth shut!! lol After last time, I didn't want to feel him come out!).
To everyone's surprise, she said his head was just sitting and waiting in the birth canal!!! I almost panicked - I'd be able to feel myself tear! Convinced I would.
So she told me whenever I'm ready to push. I puffed on the gas and air, shut my eyes and pushed! It didn't feel right to me, so I got up onto my knees and turned to face the wall and leaned over the back of the bed with the gas and air.
Now it felt right. I pushed, and could feel him moving down. There was no pain down there, just pressure, it was SO DIFFERENT to last time! The midwife was amazing and talked me through what to do telling me I'm doing great etc. Then I felt his head come out - no burning sensation or anything! She asked me to stop pushing and to breathe him out slowly. Then she said whenever I'm ready, one last push and he'll be here! So I did, and there he was at 00:04am on Valentine's day, 2009!! Brandon Ash Conway, born, FINALLY!!
He weighed 7lbs, 7oz. 20.9 inches long, head cicumfrence was 13.4 inches.
I felt everything, but it wasn't sore at the end, it was truly wonderful! No screaming, nothing! I just grunted a little as I pushed lol.
I was in active labour for 2 hours and 50 minutes and pushed for 14 minutes (same as Draven).
It was so lovely to have Shane there with me the whole time too, it really made a world of difference.
He'd pooped a little whilst inside me, so we had to stay in for 24 hours for observation. So I was finally allowed home on Sunday, 15th February.
What a week!
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