Share your labour & birth stories and fears

[Fran]

Are you worried about your labour? Or do you have an unusual or interesting birth story to share? Why not start a discussion by sharing your stories and fears with other mums.

[charlie]

hiya im 18 and pregnant im really scared about giving birth the thought of the pain. ive never even taken a paracetomol so im pretty nervous. ne1 who feels the same or has been thru it let me no.

[alyshaw]

hi,
i was only 21 when i had my son. i was really scared as i do not cope with pain at all. however when the time came my body just took over and coped. i made sure that i knew all the options of pain relief etc i had well before i went into labour. i found this easier as when the midwife suggested something i knew exactly what she meant and what effects it may have on me. this way there were no real surprises or anything to worry me. i was really surprised at how well i coped as was my partner. all i would say to you is know everything available to you at your hospital well before your due date. it helped me loads.
alysha

[nikki_m]

I don't know what I expected.
I thought that giving birth would be an idyllic beautiful sensation.
Boy was I in for a shock!


Well I had passed my due date by four days, so I knew that the birth was imminent.
We went to bed as usual, and I woke up 1 hour later with a headache.
I sat downstairs and was violently sick. This sickness continued for a further 8 hours. It was a rough night.

I had regular contractions which got more intense as the night went on.
At seven o'clock, we went along to the Hospital, and they examined me.
The contractions were not strong enough, but they kept me in as I had a previous blood pressure problem. Also, the baby was passing Meconium, which is common if you go past the due date.

A further 10 hours later, and I was transferred to the Maternity wing.
I had been round the Maternity wing on a previous visit, and the Midwives were really friendly. They put an IV line into me and put me on a saline drip and then used Synto to increase the strength of the contractions. Every time the dosage was increased, I was sick.

The Synto dosage was gradually increased until the pain was unbearable. The Entonox (Gas and Air) was really good at relieving the pain, and I am told that I took such deep breaths that I started giggling inanely! I can only compare it to feeling very drunk, but without the after effect of a hangover. I was also offered pethadine which is a another painkiller.

The Midwives were excellent; so cheery and helpful. By this time, the pain was excruciating, so I opted for a shot of Meptid which is a pain reliever. I was also offered an Epidural, but I though that I was so far into the labour that I'd just carry on with the Entonox.

Another examination confirmed that I had dilated fully, so I was told to stand up to get the things moving under gravity. It was the longest hour of my life, and probably the hardest. Everything in my body was telling me to push, and I was having to fight this reflex. It was also very painful, and I certainly got through a lot of Entonox. More giggling!

A quick chat with the Registrar and the room changed into a mini Operating Theatre in minutes. A doctor now joined the team, as did another two Midwives. It all happened really quickly, and after some excruciating pushing, and some help from a Ventouse cup, my daughter was born.

The Birth

After the birth, my partner cut the umbilical cord and the sex was confirmed. She was cleaned up by the Paediatrician who also made sure that her airways were clear.
They wrapped her up in a swaddling cloth and passed her firstly to me and then to my partner. It was amazing, and a feeling that I'll treasure forever!

However, we did return back to hospital four days later as our baby was not taking enough of my milk. It was advised to us by the Midwife that we returned to check her over.
he Paediatricains took it really seriously as they couldn't rule out the possibility of an infection. They put a feeding tube into her stomach, so they could feed her, and did a Lumbar puncture test. They found no infection, and she returned home a couple of days later.

Going home!

We got the all clear from the Midwives and got ready to return home. Despite all the trial runs at fitting the car-seat, neither of us could fit it! It was embarrasing. We were exhausted and the instructions just didn't make any sense. Eventually we realised that it was back to front. Duhh...

It felt really weird leaving the house as a couple and returning as a family.

Nikki x

[Sophies mummy]

Where do I start.  I had a trouble free pregnancy wasn't sick once, but my labour was pure hell.  I started contracting at 21.45 on the Sunday night and my baby was delivered the following wednesday,  My waters broke at 2.15 on the monday morning was admitted to hospital but as i wasnt dilated they allowed me home until the pain was sore - they also booked me in for an inducement on the tue morning due to waters breaking.  I eventually gave up and went back in to the hospital on the Monday evening where they gave me Morphine to help me sleep as still not dilated.  On the Tuesday morning I was induced in a normal ward and I requested to go down to the labour ward to gas and air as they not allowed to gave anything in normal ward.  I was advised they couldnt take me down as there no midwifes free!!  I was eventually taking down to labour suite by a midwife who had finished her shift.  In labour ward I was given gas & air and Pethidine - though at first it worked it didnt last long.  I had now been in labour 50 hours and only 4cm dilated.  I was given IV drip to speed up dilation and one with antibiotics incase of infection.  Aneasnatist was then required as I was tired and baby's heartbeat was dropping so i was advised to have a epidural as pain was unbearable.  This worked fantastically.  This was at 11pm on the Tuesday.  Eventually at 4 am on wednesday I was 10cm dilated and started pushing.  Baby unfortuatlely had turned and heartbeat struggled within 5 min I was rushed into theatre Epidural ws increased - when my body violently started shaking - this was very upsetting as no one had explained this is a side effect. After 56 hours Sophie was delivered with help of forceps and I had a cut. 

After the birth sophie was taken away to be tested as I am rhesus neg,  unfortunatly her daddy wasnt allowed to cut cord as we were in theatre which was very disappointing.  They eventally  took me upto the labour ward 2 hours later where i ws giving a bed bath.

I couldnt feel anything from arm pit down and when sophie cried a mid wife had to get her for me as I couldnt walk.  I also had a catheter fitted.  Now 6 weeks on I still feel I am not 100%  for the first week I could pass bowels as my scar was so big.  I went to all the antinatel classes and no matter how many classes they give you no one can ever prepare you for parent hood.  I felt like first day of driving lessons were you havent a clue even how to start a car and someone tells you to drive.  Sophie now starting to smile so she worth every 56 hours they say you will forget the pain, but i can honestly say i will never never forget and dont think i will ever do again unless they guarentee me epidural from the minute a contraction starts.

[Rooney06]

with my first i had the best pregnancy you could hope for,the only down fall was i was asleep by 9pm every night without fail lol i was still riding my horse up until a few days before i went into labour with her at 32weeks, i started gettin these pains so i went and seen my midwife as usual and got them checked out and the consultant was over the same day so she took me to get checked by him. they both told me it was ligament stretchs and i should relax and take it easy. that was at 10am on the wednesday! 3-4hours later i was back up at the midwifes room screamin my head off on my knees begging her to do something. because i live on an island i got rushed down for the next ferry to the mainland and was wizzed up to paisley royal alexandra hospital (the nearest hos wit a scbu). was an interesting journey i have to say i was balanced on the trolley in the back of the ambulance without a seat belt and my hubby was following us with my mum his mum and his uncle driving - his uncle was doin 100mph and still couldnt keep up wit us. i thought i was going to die!!! lol anyway got to the hospital and was on the labour ward by this time it was 3pm. the doctor came and examined me and told us they were going to try and stop the labour. 7am the next morning i was still contracting! when the doctor did his round i told him i did not want them to attempt to stop it again as i had been contracting all night and the baby was sure as hell wanting out! so they left me to it and at 3.48pm i gave birth to a healthy baby girl weighing 4lb 8. i didnt get to hold her my hubby did tho, he even attempted to show her to me but all i seen was her blue hat lol bless him! i then got told they had left my baby in the corridor outside my room for 20minutes - i no this as my parents were sitting watching her! iI ABOUT EXPLODED WITH ANGER! anyway i got cleaned up and i was taken to scbu to see her. i was then shown to my bed on the ward - with 6 other women and their newborn babies. this really upset me and i ended up discharging myself. i was on my way home at 7pm the same night.

[Rooney06]

onto my second lol

Misty-Blue born at 26weeks gest weighing 2lb half oz

we got married on 4th aug 06 i found out a few weeks later i was pregnant again. everything was great up until my 18week scan when the doctor pressed hard on my belly i was in tears wit pain. since that day 18th december 2006, i had a dull pain until new years eve where the pain was too much to bear i took myself to the hossie. i cant really remember what happened that night or the weeks after but i was airlifted off the island 3times in the folowing 10days. they did a scan to see how far my cervix was open, i was 3cm dilated at just 23weeks, we were prepared for the worst. got told that if our baby was born she would die or be severely disabled. i then spent 2-3weeks on bedrest until i discharged myself. i have a serious phobia of hospitals and i wanted to be with my 9mnt old baby girl and family if the worst was too happen, not on my own in a tiny side room with nothing but a dustbin to look at. i had her 3days later on the island where i live, at 3.46am. just under 4hours into my 26week point. the doctor here was great he never left her side, it was a wild day and the doctors that wud keep her alive on her journey couldnt get over, tghey tried at 7am by helicoptor but had to turn back due to the weather. the same thing happened again and again, until they finally made it over. they took her away at 1pm - that was the hardest moment of my life seeing my tiny little daughter being taken away from me and knowing i might never see her again alive. am filling up just thinking about it. Anyway i didnt get discharged from the hospital until 3pm cus the midwife was relly funny (not haha funny either). by this time i wouldnt have been able to get to the hospital my baby was in and get home again the same night. the hospital was 3hours away. i had to get home i had know where to stay and know one to have my big baby. so we didnt see her again til the next day. she spent 10weeks in hospital.

shes 14months old know and still only in 3-6months clothing but shes my angel and when she old enough im goin to them her just how special she really is.

[pebbles123]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone has been in the same situation as myself.

My last labour ended up in an Emergency C Section as the baby was in the wrong position.   Some health advisors told me not to try for another baby until at least 2 years afterwards.   However, although we wanted another baby I didnt expect to become pregnant the first time we had unprotected sex as the last baby took a while to conceive.  I became pregnant again just 5 months after given birth.

If I had given birth viginally after my last labour I would be absolutely delighted, but now after carrying out alot of research on the internet it appears that I have a 1% risk of a ruptured uterus due to the last C Section.

The risk goes up to 3% if there is a short gap between the pregnancies.   It goes up a further 3% if you are over 35, and another 3% if you are likely to give birth to a baby greater than 8llbs (my last baby was 9.2llbs with a large head, he was 95% of the percentile).   This means that I have around a 10% risk of a ruptured uterus which could result in the death of myself and baby.   

I am now worried sick.   I would dearly love to give birth naturally but because of the above it appears that another C - Section is the safest option, although this carries numerous risks as well due to the short space between pregnancies etc.

Is there anyone else out there who is in or has experienced the same situation as myself?

Pebbles123

[Rooney06]

hi i havent experienced it myself but i just wanted to say i use bounty.com and i am sure they are ladies on there that will put your mind at ease. you should go and have a nosey on the forums there great they've even got a chatroom and theres always someone in one of the rooms if your ever bored or lonely or just want to rant on lol were pretty friendly too, we dont bite -well not too often anyways lol hope to see you around tc XxXxX

[wxrthltl]

Well, the story of my labour - here it goes.
Background first is that i was terrified of the whole pregnancy and it took a lot of time for me to allow myself to get pregnant.  Anyways, i woke up at half 1 in the morning with a sore tummy.  Pain didnt go away so hubby helped me into bath a 230 am. Still sore after this so called hospital and was told to rest and call back in an hour.  Ended up having to call back in 10 mins as was having some blood now.  Advised then to go into hospital to get checked, however couldnt walk to car so ended up with an ambulance!!  When paramedics arrived they told me not to push as baby was coming now. Made it to hospital by 5 am and baby son born at 0549 hehe.  Gas and air was all i needed - not time for anything else anyways.  Needed some stitches but other than that no bother at all.  Have the most perfect baby son now 7 months old and worth every minute of worry! 

[mommybing]

..this is really great! unfolding each story..each unique! 

[bounty2009]

Congratulations to all the new mummies! What an amazing storys -  i'm 32 weeks pregnant myself so have been checking out lots of mummy blogs; theres loads of great ones here too <removed plug for bounty(dot)com> He's my first baby - im hoping reading other peoples experiences will make everything ok, lol, probably not but its helping so far! x