[chocolatecrackle]

At my 35w appt, my OB asked if I was happy to be induced at 40w. Her reasoning was that while things had progressed well so far, there was no point pushing it and risking the placenta failing due to my SLE. I happily agreed, thinking that I was likely to go early as most of my family seem to, and we agreed that I'd be induced at 40+2.

By 37 weeks I was starting to feel things moving along. I had a couple of big gushes of fluid, which never continued past the first gush, and was getting lots of low back pain and period-type cramping. I lost my mucus plug at 38+5, but... nothing happened. I even had two evenings of fairly consistent contractions that then petered out once we'd finally decided to put my bag in the car! At my final appointment, my OB was disappointed to see that I was still only a fingertip dilated - she'd been expecting to get a call that I'd gone into labour for the past two weeks.

On the day after my EDD, I went into hospital to have the gel put in. It was enough to restart the low back pain and stop me from sleeping, but not enough to actually start labour. I had a terrible night's sleep and then had another lot of gel put in the next morning. Then, it was on to having my waters broken and the drip put in. Of course, there was quite a bit of meconium in the water - which made me glad I had agreed to the induction. I had the monitor hooked up and waited.

By 9am I was having some pretty good contractions, and by 11am it was time for moving around. I was aiming for an active birth and was on my knees and the fitball trying to open up my pelvis and get gravity to help. I started using the gas and then DH banned me from the ball as I kept falling off it! I tried the shower, which was useless because it was not hot enough, and then tried to just use the gas. I couldn't coordinate the breathing with the contractions and it wasn't really achieving much.

At this point, I'd started to develop a migraine from not having enough to eat. The MW checked me and I was still only 2cm, and it was all starting to be too much. DH had been encouraging me to have an epidural and when I found out I'd only made it to 2cm in five hours, I asked for one. I started vomiting from the migraine while the anaesthetist was putting in the epidural.

The epidural was great for the first two hours, but then I started to get pain in my lower back and hips. It just got worse and worse, and I was pressing that little button every fifteen minutes. I ended up having two top ups on top of the ones I could do myself, but it just didn't work. I'd only made it to 4cm by 6pm.

But then things started moving. By 9pm I was at 10cm and was very pleased to be told that we were on track for a vaginal birth. It was strange, I couldn't really feel the contractions over the back/hip pain but I could still know when to push. I pushed for almost two hours before the OB decided that forceps were needed. The MW had been telling me that I was pushing really well, and DH could see the head, but DS he hadn't moved any further down in almost an hour. The OB cut me for the episiotomy and then wrenched DS from me. I almost expected her to fly across the room when he came free. There was the amazing sensation of a hot, slippery baby on my belly, crawling up to my breast. He missed the first time and went all the way up to my neck, until I moved him down. He latched on and then fed for the next two hours while the rest happened...

The placenta wouldn't come out. The OB had given me the injection in my thigh, but it wasn't coming loose. She tugged on the cord, but still no luck. So she had to manually remove the placenta. It was just awful. At this stage the last of the epidural was well and truly not working so I felt all of it. And then once the placenta was out, it was time for the stitches. It took the better part of an hour to be stitched up - I don't know how many stitches I had, but they went a good few cm up into my vagina. I was covered in blood and vomit, and had bruises on my face from hitting the drip stand while being sick.

When I think about the birth, I'm not upset at all. I know that if someone else told me the story I'd be horrified for them, but for some reason I don't feel that it was all that bad. I think that maybe because DS was fine the whole time - at no point was there any worry with his heart rate - and because even though a lot happened, it was just me, DH, the MW and the OB, and the MW and the OB were both very calm. Yeah, I'd have liked to have been mobile, not have had the epidural (or had it work better), and missed the last bit, but DS is here safe and well.

[frogcal]

It is great to hear someone who has taken a cascade of intervention for what it was - a disappointing but necessary thing that achieved the ultimate result of a healthy baby.
It is also great to hear a story where things haven't gone to plan and perhaps you didn't have the birth you had envisaged, but it is still ok.

Congratulations on the arrival of your DS and best of luck

[Luci]

Congratulations on the birth of your little one. I also had a very difficult birth with #1, loads of intervention and ending in an emergency c-section. However I had a fast recovery and felt great afterwards. I actually look back on the whole thing as a positive event, as it was the arrival of my much wanted baby with a happy and healthy baby and mum at the end. I am now pregnant with #3!

Best of luck and thanks for sharing your story.

Luci

[splendid]

Congratulations on your new arrival OP, and I'm pleased for you that although the process didn't go exactly as you would have liked that you are at peace with what happened, and the very happy outcome.
All the best, Splendid x

[laurs]

Good for you! I had lots of intervention for both my births. While things didn't go to plan, I consider them both a success - healthy babies and an only slightly damaged Mum! For me birth is not about the process, but more about the result.

[Ella mum]

Sounds like a bit of an ordeal! Glad your bub is here safe and sound though and that is the main thing!!!!

[kelly77]

Glad that you feel positive about your birth. Congratulations.

[Femogan Boop!]

I think a healthy baby and healthy mum are fantastic outcomes and always worth celebrating. People seem to take these things for granted these days.

Congratulations on the birth of your baby OP.

[TwiceTheWoman]

Great tale to share OP! I'm sorry it was such a hard time for you yet I'm so delighted that you've shared with us that your primary objective was to have a healthy baby and he arrived safely and is doing well.
Congratulations on the happy and safe arrival of your dear little son. It sounds like he's feeding well too which so wonderful for you both!

[Nimomum]

This is my exact story - well almost!
Congrats! Like you I couldn't be happier... My daughter is here and healthy!