patrick lysanders birth story

**jamsplat** · 14-05-2010, 11:06am

firstly please excuse one handed typing

at 37+ 5 i had an appointment with my consultant to discuss how big baby was likely to be and decide on a 'plan of campaign' to get him out in a way that minimised the chances of complications. (my 11lb dd2 caused some nerve damage on the way out that left me partially paralysed for months).

All indications were that this baby was smaller (although not small). She basically said 'how important size is depends on how you are going to give birth, if you have a cs then its not really an issue'. I told her i didn't want a cs and we were agreed that it wasn't a good idea to go past my due date (16/05) which is 40 weeks + 3 days (don't ask me why pregnancy lasts longer in norway

) and we decided we'd go for a 'gentle protocol' induction from the monday of that week 10/05. She gave me a sweep (1cm opening) but said I was pretty 'unripe' for someone in their 3rd pregnancy with 2 vaginal births behind them. I wasn't suprised by this as DD1 came 10 days past due date and DD2 was induced past due date so I have no history of going early.

Had a midwife appointment a week later and another sweep with no real changes despite the fact I'd lost large chunks of mucus.

Then on monday i headed off to hospital with DH. Was examined, again no measurable changes (1cm opening), had a prostaglandin pessary and then went shopping

. Shopping brought on a few tightenings so we headed back to hospital and did a CTG to check baby was OK before heading home for the night (we live over an hour away from the hospital).

By the time I went to bed the tightenigs had stopped so I got a decent nights sleep and headed back to the hospital in the morning. I was hopeful that we might see some effects of the pessary but

, so on to the next stage, pessaries every 4 hours. had one at 9, one at 1.30, one at 6pm and by 11pm I was having cramping that was uncomfortable (I'd been having measurable 'contractions' since mid afternoon but seeing as they didn't hurt I didn't really consider them 'real'). Another examination revealed I was just about ripe enough for them to break my waters but they felt I might be better off with a sleeping pill and waiting for the morning 'so I could get some rest'. I wasn't convinced I was going to get any rest as the cramping was v. uncomfortable and my SPD made finding any comfiortable position next to impossible but I let myself be convinced and took a bunch of painkillers and a sleeping tablet and tried to go to sleep whilst DH settled down on the sofa bed.

Around 3 am I was awake, v. sleepy, in alot of pain/discomfort and severely pissed off, lying down was killing my pelvis and now the damned sleeping pill was making me so sleepy I couldn't stand up either so I pulled the cord and near on demanded some more painkillers. _I got some paracetamol and the offer of acupuncture if things haden't improved within 30 mins. I rang again 30 mins later and was told that they'd like to give it another 30 mins but then she'd be back with the acupunture needles.

An hour passed and she hadn't been back and I realised I hadn't felt any movements for a while so I rang again and asked for them to do a heart trace, which she did and it was fine and then I got my acupuncture. That was really strange, felt sort of electrical when she put the needles in

. That really helped me relax and I finally managed to find a comfy possition, and at this point the cramping began to change and I thought 'aha' these are proper contractions now, although they were v easy to breath through.

At 7.30 they out on a new CTG (which was fine) and around 8 or 8.30 they persuaded me to eat some breakfast. They said the doctor would be with me 9.30 for another exam.

Shortly after that the contractions really ramped up and vomitted up my breakfast quite dramatically with DH and the midwife mopping me up and holding the cardbord bowl for me

.

Just after nine the midwife suggested she examine me 'to see where we stand', I was in 2 minds because although I was now pretty convinced I was in active labour I really couldn't stand the thought of hearing 'theres still not much progress'. Anyway I said oh why not and at 9.20 she declares I'm 6 cm, stretching to 7 during contractions

. My waters went while she was examining me.

From then on things got a bit hectic but I got some gas and air

, they were having trouble getting a stable read on baby's heartbeat from the CTG so they got a head electrode on him, by now I was 8-9cm and then baby started to have decelerations so they took the gas and air off me and gave me oxygen and the room was soon full of people (2 midwives, 2 doctors, peadiatric nurse, and possibly a few others I lost count!). It was all very calm though and they told me he was OK at the moment but needed to be born soon and they were getting ready to help if neccessary. They got a canula in my hand and I heard them talking about the ventouse although not to me iyswim. Then they said 'right he's still high in your pelvis but we need you to start pushing now' 3 contractions later he was crowning and he was born at 10.19am with the midwife practically elbowing the doctor out of the way when he tried to get in on the baby catching action

.

He looked good when he came out and had an APGAR of 9 so despite the decelerations (his heartrate was down at 40 briefly

) he's clearly a super tough little guy. vital stats, 4085g (9lb), 52cm and 37cm round the head.

I didn't need any stitches

and all my nerves are in full working order

and my SPD is almost gone

we came home after 1 night in hospital and his 2 big sisters are besotted with him