 Rank: Duckling Posts: 420
Location: VIC
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I have finally managed to find time to write up my birth experience. It was more medical intervention than I'd hoped for, and I spent my entire labour in hospital, but the end result ofcourse outweighs all the rest!
Five days prior to my due date I contacted my OB as she had been monitoring me for a potential liver function issue, and I felt it had got worse, and I hadn’t slept properly for days. She asked me to come into the hospital for foetal monitoring and an examination, so DH and I grabbed our bags and headed in. Upon examination the OB felt that my condition was deteriorating, and so following a discussion we opted to be induced. At the internal examination I was not yet dilated at all, although my cervix was soft, so the OB used prostaglandin gel that evening, about 6pm, and said she would return in the morning to connect me to a syntocinon drip.
I spent that night in hospital, by midnight I was having irregular contractions, and as I was under constant foetal monitoring I wasn’t able to get to sleep. Contractions continued throughout the night and at 4.45am I had a bloody show, and began to vomit (this unfortunately continued on through much of my labour).
By 5.30am contractions were 5 mins apart, lasting for 1 minute. By 6.30 they were 2.5-3mins apart, lasting for 1 min. At this stage I was relying heavily on my stress balls to get me through each contraction. Bubs was posterior so I was on all fours to help with the back pain.
At 8am I had an internal examination which showed I was only 2-3cm dilated, and that my membranes had ruptured (although I hadn’t noticed). I was given an injection for the vomiting and nausea as it was still continuing. It was decided that since I was in established labour they wouldn’t connect me to the syntocinon drip yet but instead just keep me monitored ( I was on constant foetal monitoring for most of my labour which unfortunately made it quite difficult to move around). By 10.30 my contractions hadn’t increased, but were constant at 3 or 4 for every 10 minutes, so I was connected to the syntocinon drip to help labour progress. I was also given more drugs for the vomiting as it still hadn’t stopped.
The syntocinon severely increased the amount of pain I was experiencing with contractions, and I shortly opted for a TENS machine on my back to deal with the back pain, as well as starting to use the gas for some contractions.
At 12pm I had another internal, where I was 5-6cm dilated. Baby is now transverse/slightly posterior and is sitting quite high up. I’m told that because of bubs position it’s still going to be a long labour. By now the lack of sleep for the last few nights and the constant vomiting have caught up with me, so I opt for an epidural, something I had certainly not planned or wanted to do.
Around 1pm the epidural is provided (a constant one rather than a once off injection). As soon as it begins to work I know I have made the right decision, as I’m finally able to get some rest. The syntocinon drip is increased now that the pain is gone, and the contractions quickly speed up further. Following the epidural bubs finally moves into an optimal position, releasing the pressure off my back.
At 4pm my OB advises that I am fully dilated, but bubs still has to descend further before I can begin pushing. By this stage I am getting a strong bearing down sensation (fortunately it was a perfect epidural so I could still feel the urge to push). At 4.45 I began active pushing, as the urge was now to strong to resist. I was advised as since its my first baby it will probably be a few hours of pushing. As pushing progresses I’m given a mirror to see our baby’s head, and this combined with DH’s constant encouragement helps me to continue on despite my complete exhaustion.
5.15pm my OB arrives back for the delivery, and at 5.33pm Caitlin Anne was born. My DH caught her head, the OB helped him to unloop the umbilical cord from her neck, and at the next contraction I push the rest of her out. She quickly begins to cry, DH cuts her cord and she is placed on my chest - the most beautiful little girl, her eyes wide open and we are instantly in love, DH is in tears! Placenta is delivered around 10 mins later, and I get away without any tears, just some “gravel rash” as the midwife calls it.
Caitlin weighed in at 7lb 6oz, 50cm long and 35cm HC.
She is now 7 weeks old, breastfeeding beautifully and gaining weight quickly 
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