My Story Monday - Bear

Happy Monday everyone! Today I'm going to tell the birth story of my second child, Bear (or Baby Bear as we call him as he's currently such a squidge). He was long-awaited as everyone was so sure he would arrive early...but was in fact thirteen days overdue (and only came then because he was forcibly evicted), so here's his little slice of drama...

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know how desperate I was to have this baby out of me, but as my midwife kept saying...I was too good of a host and he was clearly very cozy in there. I really didn't want o be induced, in fact, I was terrified of it and the after care I might receive as a result of ending up at the Conquest hospital in Hastings. I tried everything to get the little pudding out but no such luck sadly and so on the morning of Saturday September 7th, the husband and I found ourselves doing a 7am ASDA run for snacks, magazines and treats after dropping Moo off for a very tears goodbye.

We arrived not long after eight and were almost immediately shown to the room on the pre-natal ward that was for women being induced. There were two others there; another woman from Eastbourne who was being induced early because of problems with her loos pressure (poor thing, she was quite poorly) and a young girl from Horam who was really unimpressed at the fact shed been there 24 hours and nothing was happening for her. I got the impression she was quite young from her attitude (she was also a smoker, ick).

I was given the prostin and left to my men devices, we witnessed the other lady (who was on the drip) go into labour and head off for delivery, leaving us to watch bad TV on the ridiculously-charged screen above the bed and entertain ourselves. Food was disgusting, husband had to fend for himself...we took a couple of walks but it was freezing, ended up in the coffee sop spending more money than needed.

At some point in the late afternoon I started to get pains but they were nothing  much to write one about...and by 7pm husband suggested he go home and get some rest in case he had to return in the middle of the night (they were going to kick him off at 9pm and the drive is about 40mins). I said that was probably a good idea, not much was happening, so off he went, leaving me alone, feeling a bit sad and teary but I figured I too could use the sleep.

Half an hour later or so things started getting a bit painful so I wen and asked for some paracetamol. It had no effect so about nine I buzzed for the midwife...I was in quite a bit of pain by this point and running my own back through contractions (which is very difficult). She examined me and said I was only 2-3cm and that it might not be 'real', she'd get me a script for some pethedine. I said that was fine though when she returned, it was without the drugs, saying all the doctors were in surgery, I'd have to wait. So wait I did and it was agonising. I'm convinced she still didn't believe I was in labour. Ninety minutes after she examined me, she finally brought the injection and administered it without re-examining me (this is where I think thins started to go wrong). She reassured me that if it was real t would take the edge off, if it wasn't it'd knock me out and I'd get good sleep ready to try again tomorrow. Did it knock me out? Yes...but each contraction re-awoke me and they were agonising. I buzzed again, begging for help (this is where I totally lost my dignity and I'm so ashamed) and she agreed to monitor me. I'm not really sure what happened next, I know that at one point I was asking someone to get my husband, pleading with them that I needed him and I was in and out. All I know is that the midwife was shaking me awake to tell me a midwife had come from labour with a wheelchair to take me to delivery and that I could call my husband (from my own phone, charming) when I got there and found out what was going on. Like I said, my dignity was completely gone by this stage, I was moaning and begging for help and whining like a child (seriously, I'm so embarrassed)...and as I was being wheeled I felt the desperate need to push so I said 'I really need the toilet...I don't want to poo myself'. They started to wheel me a little faster and when I got in the room I rushed to the bathroom, being called out to by my new midwife to 'please be careful'.

Collapsing on the bed, really unsure of what was happening, the midwife told me to call my husband before she examined me...I think she could tell I was close. So I rang his mobile twice and got no answer so bit the bullet and called the landline without a clue what the time was (it was 12:54am), this waking my daughter, husband, mother-in-law and her partner. I shouted 'you need to come now' at my husband before hanging up on him...I had to follow with a text that read 'delivery' so he went to the right ward. Smooth. I know.

I was then examined and panic ensued. My midwife turned to to her student shadow and told her to get more help and a doctor, the baby's heartbeat wasn't right...and I remember not panicking, just thinking that I was so desperately out of control of it all...as the doctor came in and a floor of other women, my midwife told her that I was fully dilated, waters 'bulging' (I know...ew) and that the heartbeat was at fifty. The doctor instructed her to break the waters and at that point I started to tell about pushing, she very calmly shrugged and said 'well go on then'. The normal me probably would've punched her for being so incredibly blase about the whole thing.

With three pushes and at 1:06am Baby Bear entered the world, seven minutes after I was examined and twelve after I was permitted to call my husband. Remember I said home was forty-minutes away? Yeah...my husband missed the whole event...ran in twenty-five minutes later to a lot of blood, a lot of people and both his wife and baby in shock. He was slightly unimpressed, mainly because he was distressed at the thought of me doing the whole thing 'alone'. At 5am they transferred me to the post-natal ward and my husband was asked to leave to return at 9, so he drove home. Again.

Luckily we were discharged at 2pm that day after some not-unpleasant but certainly not attentive after-care on the ward and he has settled into life at one nicely...though I wish he'd stop spitting up all over me!

Clare

My Story Monday - Hannah

Hello! Happy Monday! Just so you're aware, I scheduled this post five days in advance because of my induction on Saturday, I'm hoping that I've had a baby busy this point but may still be in hospital...if you follow me on Twitter, you probably already know if I am with or without baby!

That said, today's post is really relevant, it's Hannah from Make Do and Push (one of my favourite blogs) and her story of being induced!

It all began on the Wednesday; I had an appointment to be induced on the Day Assessment Unit and then the plan was to go home and ride it out until I was dilated enough to be admitted to the Labour ward. However, Grape hadn't been moving as much as usual that morning (ditto the previous morning) so I was admitted to be induced. Four hours of very stressful waiting later I was strapped to a CTG monitor, and was given the green light for the pessary. I was given a high score on the Bishops Score and told by Midwife #2 that this pessary would probably do the job as my cervix was "favourable", and my waters would be broken later that evening if they didn't break by themselves before. Skip forward to half past midnight...after being examined by Midwife #3 I was still only 2cm dilated, she didn't think my cervix was favourable and couldn't break my waters. After inserting another pessary, she advised that Nick and I get some sleep, and she kindly found him a mattress.

GUSH!
3am - I am woken up by my waters breaking and the contractions starting thick and fast. Nick is fast asleep on the mattress, and I spend a good few minutes trying to wake him up before I buzz for a midwife (he was there in his boxers and thought he'd appreciate having more clothes on!) Enter Midwife #4 who advises I have a bath to help with the contractions. Bathroom is opposite post-natal ward and is full to the brim with sleeping babies... I am so worried that I am going to wake them, so try breathing through the contractions as quietly as I possibly can! However, as soon as I sink into the warm water I feel the very painful and uncomfortable urge to push, so we make our way back to our room and I inform Midwife #4 of my urge to push; she dismisses this as I'm only 2cm dilated (she doesn't re-examine me). I request pain relief as per my "birth plan"... Entonox is refused but I am offered paracetamol and codeine, which unsurprisingly doesn't help at all. My contractions are becoming more frequent by now so I'm transferred to the Labour ward.

The Labour Ward
We're taken upstairs in the lift and shown to our birthing room by Midwife #5. By this point I am so exhausted as have been awake since 5:30am on Wednesday morning, and am in so much pain I feel like I might die. Honestly. My contractions were at least every minute and once again my urge to push was ignored by the Midwife. It was suggested that I try a different position so found myself perched on a birthing ball, the front of a chair and then kneeling on a bean bag (the room looked like a soft play area when I was fully conscious again). Eventually, at around 7am, Midwife #5 gave in and let me have pethidine. She told Nick that I would do well to get some sleep as she didn't think Grape would be here before the afternoon/evening as I wasn't fully dilated (she still hadn't examined me), so they lifted me up onto the bed...all I can remember is the intense agony of my stomach going hard with every contraction and Nick holding my hand. I remember repeatedly screaming "Get her out of me! Please! Get her out of me!", but other than telling Nick to ssh once I was remarkably polite to him.

A Dramatic Entrance
Midwife #5 hands over to Midwife #6, who examines me as soon as she begins her shift.
"Hannah, you beauty, you're fully dilated!" she exclaims.
"I knew it!" I say, "I've been wanting to push since I had my bath" 
"Really? Did you tell Midwife #5?" 
"Yes. And Midwife #4!"
Ahh communication in the NHS...
I get up off the bed and instantly feel better, and like I really really REALLY need to push now! Midwife #6 finally hands me the entonox and pops out of the room to let the Chief Midwife know that Grape is going to arrive fairly soon; by the time she comes back into the room I'm kneeling on the bed with a head nearly poking out! She advises Nick of the Assistance Button and the Emergency Button("but we won't be needing to use that one") just in case help is needed. A few pushes later Grape lands on the bed - I thought Midwife #6 had caught her - and she's placed in my arms. I look down at the little person who has been growing inside me for 9 months, and through the pethidine, entonox and shock, I am met with such an intense rush of love for her. She gives a small cry and turns purple.
"Midwife #6 - I don't think she's breathing!" I stutter. Midwife #6 takes Grape off me and calmly says to Nick: "Press the emergency button". The next thing I know Grape's cord is cut and there are a team of Doctors with the crash cart trying to pump oxygen into her lungs. Nothing prepares you for that feeling of dread. Your mind descends into the darkest of places. "Is my baby going to die?" swamps your thoughts. Nick and I stare in horror, tears pouring down our faces. Finally Grape gives another cry and starts turning pink. The Doctors confirm she is ok and she's handed to me again. It turns out you shouldn't give pethidine to a mother an hour and a half before she gives birth - and if communication had been better, if Midwife #5 had listened to me and not just dismissed my pain as first-time labour inexperience, we could have been spared those terrifying few minutes where our baby wasn't breathing.

Labour was all over in just under 6 hours, which is considered quick for a first time Mutti. I'm extremely thankful it didn't last any longer!

Baby Busby
After an hour or so of staring at Grape in awe, love and all-consuming devotion we still hadn't come up with a name. Our favourite name - Matilda - didn't suit her, so we were racking our brains for other names that had been on our list. Busby was the first name we came up with for the list back in April/May time and it suited her perfectly. Beautiful Busby.

I hope I haven't put those of you out there who don't have children yet off. Yes it was the most painful thing I will probably ever experience in my life, but it was completely and utterly worth it for the little bundle of Busby at the end. I spent the entirety of labour saying to Nick "I'm not having anymore. I'm not going through this again." but despite the pain there is nothing quite like the elation you feel right at the end when you know you're about to meet your baby. But hey, that could've just been the entonox!

Thank you Hannah for sharing your story today!

If you would like to share your true birthing story then please check out the intro post!

Clare

Castor Oil

Before I start, I just want to say I'm not a medical professional and I'm simply sharing my own opinions/findings.

I've had enough of this pregnancy malarkey now. He's been imminently coming for the last three weeks now and it's getting a bit daft, I was even told by a midwife four days ago that he'd be here 'within the next couple of days'. I'm still here.

So, I started thinking about ways to help things along. With Moo I tried lots of curries and raspberry tea, she was a day early so the results were inconclusive...so this time around I've tried it all...including Castor Oil. 

There's a lot of contradicting reports on the Internet, however the NHS website reports that it was a successful method for 58% of women in their experiment. 58% not fantastic odds, admittedly but enough to make me think 'alright...let's do this...'.

Castor Oil is incredibly tricky to track down, I eventually picked it up in my local Holland and Barrett for around £9 (yes, I wanted to cry over that price but no more than Bear's head bouncing on my cervix if I'm honest). It is thick, slimy and smells very unpleasant.

The main side-effect is diarrhoea, a lot of people reporting that it gave them violent diarrhoea, nausea and even vomiting, before it did anything to move baby along. How it works, apparently, is that because it is a laxative, it causes your bowel to contract to 'flush you out', this in turn, sets off your uterus with contractions.

I drank 60ml of Castor Oil in approximately 3/4pint of orange juice. I couldn't taste the oil at all, but I could feel it on my tongue. It turned my juice very thick, greasy and 'lumpy'. To make it drinkable I had to stir it vigorously with a spoon before drinking...taking three attempts to drink the lot. It made my lips really greasy (which made me feel sicker than the actual oil itself) and I accidentally dribbled it a little and now cannot get the ghoul stain out of my top!

I suffered from very mild tummy upset, it took three hours to strike, lasted about an hour and then was over.

And then the contractions started, they became regular and strong but not really painful...and after a few hours of regular but not very painful contractions, they fizzled out. I had been waiting for them to go 'somewhere' a bit more concrete before heading to the hospital as I'd already had one false alarm the week previous and with Moo I had I think three in total so I really was reluctant to go until the last minute.

A week has passed and still no baby.

So to summarise...yes, Castor Oil can apparently work for some people, it didn't for me (boo), perhaps you have to have a certain set of circumstances which I did not meet the criteria. Who knows?

Just remember that if you're thinking of giving it a try it might not work and you might be quite poorly for twenty-four hours...if you do decide to try, drink loads so you don't dehydrate (I drank about two letres of water, I didn't need to but I just kept drinking out of paranoia).

Clare