My birth story :)

It's been 3 months since DS was born so just thought I would post my labour story   even if no one reads it it's something nice I have saved to read again  

I went into labour on my due date (Friday 6th July), the contractions were very mild and irregular, about half an hour apart and only lasted up to 30 seconds. I just had a bath and tried to eat and sleep a lot but damn i was so excited!
On the Saturday I went for a walk around Asda (a supermarket in the UK for all mommas in the states.) My contractions were still only every 20 minutes or so. We walked around and I had to hug the occasional clothes rail while people were giving me funny looks huffing and puffing!
By the evening they were getting more and more intense and closer together so I went to the hospital to be examined. I was only 1cm but my cervix was soft and forward, so she gave me a sweep and sent me home.
I tried to sleep that night but I was so worked up and excited, plus the contractions were getting stronger, in hindsight I should of slept but I wouldn't listen at the time!
On the Sunday my contractions picked up and were lasting about a minute every 15 minutes but my midwife said I was still only 2-3cm stretched and gave me another sweep to try and move things along.
Sunday evening I was so tired the midwife admitted me to hospital so i could have some diamorphine and managed to get about 5 hours sleep. I was given another sweep and was only 4cm in the morning and discharged home.
On Monday my contractions picked up loads and were very strong. They were lasting 2 minutes and every 4 minutes. I waited it out until Monday evening, the midwife came out again and I was 5-6cm. She gave me another sweep and I went and got my hospital bag, I was so relieved!
I was so happy, I went to the hospital at midnight and had some Entinox (gas and air). It was bloody brilliant stuff. I remember dancing around the room in my bra to my music I had bought with me. I had a student midwife who was an ex sports masseuse which was amazing as I had loads of back massages, they helped so much, especially as DS was back-to-back.
I bounced on the birthing ball and carried on, my waters went at some point but they don't know when as I was constantly in and out of the bath and peeing lots. I had some diamorphine and carried on.
Tuesday morning my contractions were very strong and regualr and I was about 8cm. Unfortunately my contractions slowed down so much they practically stopped and I stopped dilating.
I was given an IV and hooked up to Syntocin (same as pitocin.) After that my contractions were very strong and pretty much non-stop. It was really painful, especially as DS was pushing down on my cervix before I was fully dilated, when I was examined the midwife said he has bruised the back of my cervix.... ouch!!
I continued on the gas and air and finally by about 4pm I was fully dilated! I tried pushing on the birthing stool but it wasn't really working so I got up on the bed and got strapped into stirrups.
I was pushing and pushing for a while and the pain relief had worn off, the midwives were going to use a vontouse to help me along but I was determined and Zack was born at 5.10pm on July 10th  
Unfortunately he took two breaths and stopped breathing. I remember him being whisked away and the midwife pulling the red emergency button and loads of doctors and midwives running in. She resuscitated him and he let out the biggest cry, I was so relieved. He was given to me and placed on my chest. OH had a cuddle to while I was cleaned up, luckily I didn't tear too.
DS was weighed (8lbs 5oz) and checked over then given back to me, OH dressed him and we had our first breastfeed although he wouldn't latch properly as he had tounge tie. We had it clipped and we are still breastfeeding 3 months on. He is now a chunky 16lbs so has pretty much doubled his birth weight.

Thanks for reading.... now for pictures  

Awe! Congrats!

Quoting Chuck Finley.:" Awe! Congrats!"

Thanks  

Precious! Congrats mama!

he is too sweet! I can't believe they gave you THAT many sweeps though. Ouch. Seemed like you were progressing just fine without them

Congrats he is beautiful and he was also born on my SO birthday, I cant wait to have my little boy!

Quoting CRSx2Mommy:" he is too sweet! I can't believe they gave you THAT many sweeps though. Ouch. Seemed like you were progressing just fine without them"

Thanks  

I was in labour from the Friday to the Tuesday evening, I had four sweeps over the 4/5 days so I guess one a day.
I think they did it to speed things along as I was so stubborn and wouldn't/couldn't sleep and didn't want to eat either.
In hindsight I was progressing well but I was anxious and didn't know labour would be so long. The midwives asked me before the sweeps whether I wanted them and that it would still be a while, if I had known labour was such a drawn out process I probably would have refused but I was just too stubborn to listen at the time.

Quoting ßεχ™:" Thanks   I was in labour from the Friday to the Tuesday evening, I had four sweeps over the 4/5 days ... [snip!] ... had known labour was such a drawn out process I probably would have refused but I was just too stubborn to listen at the time."

sheesh when you put it that way that IS a long labor. I got 2 sweeps and the first one wasn't bad but the second hurt like a bitch. I couldn't imagine getting them WHILE in labor. You're strong !

Quoting CRSx2Mommy:" sheesh when you put it that way that IS a long labor. I got 2 sweeps and the first one wasn't bad but the second hurt like a bitch. I couldn't imagine getting them WHILE in labor. You're strong !"

Yea they weren't the most comfortable thing to have done, especially as a contractions started building through one of them and she had to stop and try again!
I think they were actually worse than the pushing part lol.