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29th
September 2001
Weight: 5 lbs 8 oz
Length: 18 inches
Head Circumference 33 cm
The
memory of giving birth to my first daughter, Christina is so fresh in my mind,
it could have been yesterday. From 28 weeks into the pregnancy onwards, my blood
pressure was high, and my baby was failing to thrive, therefore, at 38 weeks,
with a warning that I would have a small baby, labour was induced.
I arrived at the maternity department of the hospital at 8.00 am to be checked
in. At 9.00 am, I was given an internal examination and told that my cervix was
posterior and very unfavourable. This meant that I would have to have prostaglandin
gel inserted to help me ripen up. The first application of this gel was at 10.00
am. I was expecting it to be an uncomfortable procedure, but I hardly felt it at
all. I was then informed that they would check my cervix for progress in six
hours time (which didn't impress me), because induction can be a very long, slow
process.
During the six hours, I began to have weak, period pain type contractions and
niggling backache. The midwife offered me some paracetamol at this stage, but I
declined. I thought that if I needed pain relief now, what would I be like when
real labour kicked in?
Six long hours later, a new midwife had come on her shift. She did the internal
examination, and to my horror, she informed me that I was only one centimetre
dilated and not ready for my waters to be broken artificially to start labour,
or for a pitocin drip to be put up. I was mortified because I knew that I would
have to have another pessary and wait another six hours!
Finally, at eleven o clock in the evening, when yet another midwife had come on
her shift, I was examined again, and the midwife said that even though I still
hadn't made much progress, she would try to break my waters. She produced a long
plastic rod with a curved end and inserted it into my cervix, I suddenly felt a
gush of hot fluid (which at the time felt like the most horrible feeling I had
ever felt), but IT WORKED!!!!!!! I was really pleased that things would soon be
moving on.
Not long after my waters had been broken, the weak period pain contractions
became more intense, but they weren't coming at regular intervals. Just over an
hour later, I was told that I was going to be put on a pitocin drip to
strengthen and regulate the contractions. It was then that they advised me to
have an epidural because apparently induced labours are more intense and painful
that natural labours because the contractions go from practically nothing to
really strong straight away with no build up. So, I agreed to the epidural.
I chose to sit up straight as the huge needle was inserted into the epidural
space in my spine. The midwife told me that it would take at least ten minutes
for the bottom half of my body to become numb, and from now on, I would be
confined to the bed (which I was used to anyway because of all the fetal
monitoring I had to go through during the whole experience).
At 12.15 am, the drip was put in place, and then quite suddenly, I felt the real
pain. I can vividly remember the most excruciating backache, I just could not
get comfortable at all. I kept thinking, "oh well, I can deal with this,
the epidural will kick in soon", but it never did. Wave upon wave of seriously
painful contractions washed over me, and soon I realised that I was one of the
unlucky ones for whom the epidural doesn't work properly. I was only numb down
my left side.
I can remember the contractions getting closer and closer together until it
seemed like they were on top of each other, I couldn't tell one from the next.
It was so painful, but I didn't shout out once. I couldn't speak from the pain.
Finally, at 5.00 am, the midwife said that she would examine me and if I was
less than 6 cm dilated, she would call back the anaesthetist to see if there was
anything else he could do for me. However, it was unnecessary, I felt so lucky.
She performed the examination on me, and informed me that not only was I fully
dilated, but she could feel the baby's head really low. She told me I could push
when I felt the need.
I was really excited at this point, but I was full of trepidation too. Would it
hurt? Would I tear and need stitches? And I have to admit, my first attempt at
pushing were pretty half hearted, as I had absolutely no urge to push, and I was
terrified of ripping. Then I thought about it rationally, the baby had to
come out one way or another. That's when the real hard work began.
Like I said before, I had no urge to push, I can only attribute that to the
epidural taking the urge away even though it didn't take properly. I have had
another baby since without the epidural, and let me tell you, the urge to push
was so strong and painful it took my breath away, I had no choice but to push!
I gripped on to the rails at the side of the bed. I really had to bear down
every time I felt a slight contraction and hope that it was working. I really
felt like the baby wasn't moving down at all, however the midwife assured me
that the birth was progressing normally and finally she said that she could see
the baby's head.
I was told to concentrate, and to pant so the baby's head could be born slowly,
but I couldn't feel her coming out at all. I had no stinging or burning
sensations. I had no idea how quickly her head was coming, but I think I did
well because there was no tearing at all. I then heard the midwife say "one
more push and you will have your baby". I can also remember her saying that
the baby had a head full of dark hair.
I pushed one more time, and she slid out of me. I heard her cry and the midwife
cut her cord and handed her to me. She was beautiful, all 5 lbs 8 oz of her. She
was so tiny, I was petrified of dropping her at first so my father, who came for
the birth took her from me and held her for a while. My mother was also there
and took her turn too.
Christina had Apgars of 9 and 10!!! I was so proud of my little, beautiful, dark
baby. And I still am to this day.
from Jessa xxxxx
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