Seth's birth story-V. Positive.

**clementinexyz** · 11-07-2010, 12:53am

So, on the day before-at 8 days overdue-I had a long walk, did some gardening on my allotment, made a hot Thai curry and drank some pink fizz. I had also previously tried sex and acupuncture and had 2 sweeps which weren't particularly successful.

At 06.30am I woke up with a pain, which had worked its way into my dream, and had another one soon after. It was all in my bum and back and not terribly painful. This went on till about 2pm, the pains coming every 4 mins or so during which time I damselled a lot

had a bath and took Dexter for a walk, then DH dropped Dexter off at Grandad's. I also had a little catnap of about half an hour, managing to ignore the pains a bit.

Around 2-3pm the pains got worse, so I stuck the TENS on and had 2 co-codamol. By 6pm I'd had another bath and decided I needed to be seen to find out how I was progressing as this had been going on for almost 12 hours. Still had the TENS on (obviously took it off for my bath).

I was assessed in Triage around 6.30pm and found to be only 2cm dilated, 3/4 effaced but 'very stretchy'. They gave me some slightly higher dose co-codamol and sent me home, I could have cried. I had several contractions on the way back to the car, having to stop and lean against lamp posts or DH to get through them. I should say that there are a lot of speedbumps between my house and the hospital, though it's only a ten minute drive it is not pleasant in labour

So I got home, and it's a bit blurry. I was contracting frequently and strongly, tried to go to the loo but couldn't. DH disappeared upstairs to check something-turns out he was trying to work out how to make the TENS go higher, but I only had it on about level 4 or 5 anyway. He heard me have a massive contraction and shout the house down so he came running downstairs and I told him we had to go back to hospital. With his help I staggered to the back seat of the car and did the speed bump mile again kneeling on the seat hanging onto the headrests. I had a picnic blanket in the back of the car which I vainly tried to pull under myself in case my waters went, we've only had the car 3 weeks

*this is where it gets good*

SO we got to the hospital, I had been *almost* pushing through my numerous contractions on the journey. DH pulled right up to the doors and got me out of the car-thank God he helped me, and buzzed the intercom. I could feel as if something was coming out

but I didn't quite believe it so I put my hand down and could feel my bag of waters bulging out. I still had my knickers on. I collapsed on all fours just through the doorway-thank Goodness maternity has a private entrance-and told DH something was coming out. He was really flustered and went to find someone, a lovely MW

came rushing out, she clearly knew what was about to happen more than I did. By now the contraction had passed and everything had retracted back inside. MW got a wheelchair and they rushed me through to delivery, DH decided to go and park the car, the MW didn't tell him not to but she was urging him to just dump it anywhere.

Anyway they got me to a room, I got my and skirt and pants off and jumped on the bed between contractions, she gave me the G&A, I asked for some water but the MW said she was too busy getting the birth kit ready in case my baby should shoot out. She also asked me if I wanted synto to deliver the placenta, I asked her to leave the cord as long as poss before clamping.

Within no more than a minute I had a contraction, pushed and out came the head. The G&A did nothing, I'm not even sure it was turned on

I felt a bit of burning as the head came out but it was very brief and mild. I wasn't even sure that's what had happened. The MW confirmed the head was out and I somehow had the presence of mind to lift up my top and unhook my bra cups so I could have immediate skin to skin. I pushed with the next contraction and his whole body slithered out easily, I felt a great sense of relief. They delivered him on to me and put a blanket over him, and confirmed he was a boy-which we already knew. She had to clamp the cord early because I was bleeding a bit more than she'd like and there was also some thin meconium in the waters, which I presume burst at the same time I delivered.

Around this point DH walked into the room. The first thing he saw was my legs akimbo and the bloody mess, so he exclaimed in shock, then looked a bit higher up the bed and realised we'd had a baby

cue more shock!

The MW then set about delivering the placenta whilst I just cuddled Seth. She checked me over and I just have a small labial graze

Seth had a really good feed and she didn't rush me to weigh him or give him the vitamin K. She brought me some toast and jam, and I finally got the water I had asked for

. When he was weighed we were shocked that he's only 8lb 13oz, a tiddler compared to Dexter.

All in all an amazing birth experience, I could have done with a bit more pain relief for the last hour and next time I am definitely planning a home birth-I do not want to do that journey in that state again, plus what's the point of delivering in hospital when you don't even get the drugs before the birth?

I'm still a bit shocked at how quickly and how well it all went, even though I was singing a very different tune at 7.30pm.