So my little man, Archer, is finally here! Actually... this post is a little late and he just made it as a May baby being born on the 31st and 10:18am!
I had my second membrane sweep at 1pm on the 30th when I was 40+6 days pregnant and it must have done the trick as I had awful backache all day and then contractions started that evening. They came in thick and fast and I can barely even begin to comprehend the pain of them now! I went to hospital around 1am that night as the pain was unbearable and my contractions were around 4.5 minutes apart but was only 1cm dilated so got sent home... boo! So after coming home and doing the most vomiting I think I've ever seen someone do (TMI?) I couldn't handle the pain and was back in hospital by 3am - this time 6cm+ dilated and in fully established labour (not quite worth sending me home!).
The pain was agonising and I was demanding painkillers from everyone I could but as it was the night there wasn't a midwife around to care for me so I was left hanging for longer than I would care to be left for....
Eventually I got gas and air which did help a little, but I think it was more the feeling pretty high that helped rather than doing anything for the actual pain relief.... I didn't want it as I knew it made babies drowsy but I also had pethidene which helped SO much but made me fall asleep between contractions so I was too tired to really push or do anything. Both the gas and air and pethidene wore off pretty quickly and I couldn't have anymore pain relief due to being too sleepy - boo!
A few hours later I'd been pushing away for a while to no avail.. I remember saying to the midwife (or maybe shouting...) 'I'm pushing but he's not moving!' which turned out to be correct. The little guy was not shifting for anything and every time I would push him down he would move straight back up.
I eventually was admitted to theatre for a forceps delivery and I must say... being given a spinal tap was actually one of the best feelings I've ever had - going from that much pain to none was amazing! But the theatre delivery was pretty weird. There were probably about 12 people in the room... they all announced themselves before the delivery. My other half was suited up in scrubs next to me and I watched my legs be lifted up into stirrups in front of me when they still felt like they were on the bed (so weird!).
The little guy was out within a couple of contractions then, but the poor guy did get some war wounds! They've all healed up now thankfully so no harm done.
I was in a pretty bad way afterwards which sucked. I couldn't stand up until the next morning but was in hospital with a baby to look after all night without his dad which was pretty hard! I could barely walk or sit down for a week or so after this but now feel just about normal and just get a bit achey after long walks. The pain afterwards was excruciating at times though! I wish I'd known that before!
It all feels like a distant memory now though and I couldn't bare to be parted from my little man. He is hard work but totally worth it! Who knew there could possibly be so much laundry? And nappy consumption?!
I'm glad pregnancy is over and I can start to enjoy life more now. This time last year I could not have imagined having a little boy a year later, but I'm so glad it turned out this way!
Lyd
xxx
