I had arrived at the hospital for a routine CTG, but due to high blood pressure and protein found in my urine, I was told I was being admitted overnight for monitoring. A consultant then informed me that I would be induced that very evening. Once in the Labour Suite my induction was started early Saturday evening, and, as nothing seemed to be happening, G went home at midnight to get some rest . . .
At 4am I was woken by some mild tummy pains, and realised that this could be it, the start of labour. The pains got steadily stronger over the next hour, and at 5am I called Emma in to let her know that I thought things were starting. She examined me a short while later; I could hardly keep still on the bed as it was incredibly painful. Emma became a little impatient with me squirming about, but I just couldn't help it. She discovered I was 3cm dilated. Things really were starting.
At about 6.15am I rang G to let him know that it was time to come to the hospital, and that I thought he should be there before 7.30am, but not to rush. As soon as I'd made the call, my pains started to ramp up to the point where I needed some gas and air to help me cope. Having previously expressed a preference for an epidural, a doctor arrived to insert a cannula and take some blood which, due to my high blood pressure, they needed to test before an anaesthetist would administer an epidural. By this point I was really having to concentrate on getting through each contraction by pulling heavily on the gas and air. I was surprised that, in contrast to my labour with the First Boy, this time I did feel some benefit from the Entonox.
Soon I was wheeled through to a delivery room which I was told was more suitable for epidural births. But there was still no sign of the epidural, nor of G. The contractions now began to merge into one continuous pain with no respite between them, and I started to demand and then beg for my epidural. It couldn't be given, the midwives explained, as the blood test results were not ready yet. I realised that I was going to have to give birth with just gas and air.
G arrived at 7.15am, as I was puffing furiously on the gas and air. He looked shocked to see me obviously so far advanced in labour.
Then things started to go wrong. My baby's heartrate plummeted suddenly. I could hear the reassuring rapid thud of his heart slow to one beat every couple of seconds. I was yelled at to get on my left side. I struggled to do so but it made no difference to the heartrate. The atmosphere in the room changed to panic. G was ordered to remove my jewellery, but couldn't get my watch to unclasp. I screwed my eyes tightly shut and didn't open them again throughout the whole thing. Medical staff rushed into the room and spoke in urgent voices about an emergency Caesarean section, when suddenly, I felt a gush as someone broke my waters and I heard the words 'fully dilated'.
I felt my legs being pulled back and I was yelled at by several different voices to 'Push!' I bore down with all my strength, so terrified that we were going to lose our baby son. After only a couple of minutes I felt an intense whole body pressure and I pushed out our second precious son into the world at 7.50am, swiftly followed by his placenta.
He didn't cry and was whisked over to the resuscitaire. Thankfully, all he needed was a brisk rub-down before he took his first breath and was delivered onto my stomach. He was weighed at 5lb 11oz. So tiny. At this point I opened my eyes and saw our little boy for the very first time. Love at first sight. And such incredible relief.
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| Just born |
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