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Finlay Lawrence made his way into the world with a bit of help at 2:14am on Saturday 1st November, weighing 8lbs 3.5ozs......and he came out the way nature intended, with a little help from the lovely Ed
things started happening on Thursday evening with an almighty bowel evacuation and then nothing more. Friday afternoon saw my usual 5minutely BH contractions stepping up a gear, with every fourth one being just that little bit more painful than the others, then there was another evacuation late Friday afternoon.......
6.15pm....I called my doula telling her I thought things were starting, but not sure whether it was just a UTI. she said she would call back in a couple of hours to reassess.
8.00pm.....doula called back by which time, the big sore ones were every 10-15 mins and I was struggling to talk to her. she said she would come straight over.
8.20pm doula arrives, goves me some arnica and some rescue remedy and sets about timing me/seeing how I am. I am running up and down staris to the loo as no sooner do I wee than I need to go again. every time I sit on the loo I have a huge contraction.
9.00pm....call the hospital kneeling on the floor and amgripped by an almighty contraction where I feel something coming out of my bits then woosh......waters break. I'm only now convinced that this is it......cue mad panic as DH rushes to get everything organised and get our friend over to stay with the DCs.
9.40pm...make it to hospital in one piece after singing my way through the contractions in the back of the car. Have four contractions between getting out of the car and getting to the ward.
9.45pm finally get to the good stuff and am sucking on the gas and air when the MW arrives to examine me. My VBAC care plan isn't in my notes yet, so we have to explain about the monitoring...thankfully the head of OB had put something in my notes. Much tooing and froing of MWs/OBs etc as they take this in. Anyway, examined at 10.15 and I'm 6cms dilated, but my body is doing some involuntary pushing at the height of the contraction. I spend the next 30 mins on my hands and knees on the back of the bed while the MW struggles to get a decent trace and I can hear baby's heartrate dropping.
11ish, tell the MW that I really can't help the pushing so she examines me after telling DH that there are "external signs of full diation" which I clarify for him as "my arse is turning itself inside out" . She tells me I'm fully dialted and good to go.
It all gets a bit fuzzy after that as I let my body do it;s thing and the MW stays very hands off throughout, but is there with me giving support and encouragement; as is my doula and my DH (I can still hear him droning breathe in and out, in and out, in and out).
babys heart rate keeps dropping and because I keep moving she can't get a decent trace so we discuss the pros and cons of our next step and decide to go for a scalp clip. this tells them that the baby is actually fine, but is just not liking certain positions. We settle on me kneeling on a mat using the bed for support.
1am ish....After two hours, baby's head still isn;t descending so we try and do some guided pushing. After four contractions it's apparent that my energy reserves have run aout and I just don;t have the strenght to keep going. We discuss options and decide between us that we will get the doctor in to have a look and assess what our next step will be. Doctor Ed has to do a fantastic contortion to get in a position to exmaine me but can't quite get it. He is very understanding of my plight when I tell him it;s too painful to move my legs....I tell him "how the F do you know, you don't have a f'ing fanny?" he tells me he's seen a lot though, and he needs to see mine or it'll be straight to CS......so I pool all my last reserves to lift my leg off the floor so he can sort of get underneath me. He tells me that baby has descended a bit further than they had thought but is in an awkward position. due to the fact I'm exhausted we decided to try for an issisted delivery.
2am I'm taken into the anaesthetic room and given a partial spinal block, I can still feel something of the contractions as I'm only numb to halfway up my bump, but blessed relief the pain is all but gone the theatre staff have agreed to keep things as low key as possible and we have some nice soothing music and the overhead lights are dimmed....first time in the history of the unit that they have agreed to do this <preens>
Once i'm hooked up, two contractions and four pushes and baby's head is crowning. DH has a look (brave man). My body stops for a rest then and we all make small talk waiting for the next contraction......five mintues later, another contraction and another three big pushes and Finlay enters the world at 2.14am and is noisly plonked on my chest. I fooking well did it
We have immediate skin to skin and he is rooting desperately but we don't get feeding till back in the delivery room where we stay until morning. He is a natural
He had a few issues with his temp and blood sugars so spent a bit of time in the incubator before being transferred to transitional care where he bounces back like a trooper (inspite of my refusal to give him formula, backed up by the MWs, much to the annoyance of the paeds).
thay are concerned about jitteryness, but that calms down too. I narrowly avoid a blood transfusion and we came home just before teatime today.
Having a few latching issues, due to his mammoth suck and lazy boy refusal to open wide, but are getting there.
Thanks to everyone on MN who gave me support and encouragement for even attapmting a VBA2C and when my resolve got a wee bit wobbly a few weeks ago. I couldn't have done it without all of you, or without my fantastic doula who fought my corner when I was otherwise occupied, and my lovely DH who siupported my wishes every step of the way
I am wearing my piles with pride
the staff at LGI were bloody brilliant, especially my MW who was with us throughout, and the theatre charge nurse who cuddled me and helped me thorugh my contractions until the spinal was in and working.
and sorry this is an epic....but it's taken six and half years and three babies to get to this point
YEEEEHAH! Bloody fantastic, Daisy - made me feel all weepy for you. And what a wonderful advert for the LGI . Oh, I am just so pleased for you, it's made my day. And welcome to Finlay too - what a good boy!
2) the theatre staff have agreed to keep things as low key as possible and we have some nice soothing music and the overhead lights are dimmed....first time in the history of the unit that they have agreed to do this <preens>
3) I fooking well did it
4) I narrowly avoid a blood transfusion and we came home just before teatime today.
5) I am wearing my piles with pride
but my best bit is,
6) and sorry this is an epic.... but it's taken six and half years and three babies to get to this point
you let rip daisy
and give that beautiful boy a hug from me (and dd and ds1)
at the highlights snoop...that just about covers it.....except there was a moment where I told my DH that I couldn't fucking breathe in and out as I was bearing down with all my might and could he stop his droning or I was going to nut him . He tells me he understands it was the gas and air talking
<reminds self to be more succinct in future>
am off to get some kip before the next onslaught on my ragged nips
Congratulations and what a great story (I like long ones) How encouraging to read about all the medical team working together and co-operating with your wishes. My third birth was the best as well - it seems to take a couple of attempts to get your eye in as it were
Brilliantly executed tale of your VBA2C. Made me laugh, made we a bit weepy too. Ahh - amazing. You should be very proud of yourself woman . Hope your Farmer's aren't giving you too much jip.
Well done. What a lovely birth story. brought a tear to my eye. CONGRATULATIONS!
Gives me some hope for a VBAC at LGI now, will pick your brains in a few weeks when you've had chance to have a good rest and may also want the contact for your doula. xxx
Hi Daisy - what a fabulous story and welcome Finlay! Congratulations to your VBAC!! Yep, VB does come with piles but give it a month and you'll feel better. Do you remember me? DS is now 11 months and we are officially TTC #2. Enjoy the baby-moon!
I am very, very, very proud of you.. you put a lot of work into your VBA2C and i am delighted that you did it.. congratulations on the safe arrival of Finaly.. next time a HBAC, eh?
CongratulationsDaisy!! Fantastic birth story - love the detail! the long ones are definitely the best ones Lots of love to you, little Finlay and the rest of your family. Hope DS isn't too disappointed you decided against Virgil in the end!
yes make sure you give yourself time to recover - I gave birth just three weeks ago and feel relatively human again because I spent the first two weeks resting mostly in my bed or on the sofa. It does make a difference - rest now because you won't get the chance in a month or two's time!
What a fantastic story Daisy, I am quite teary but with a big smile on my face. You rock Enjoy your lovely new boy, and wishing you a speedy recovery from the devil's arsegrapes.
Congratulations Lacka, what a great, positive VBA2C birth story, bet you can't wait to get that bum into cloth now!
Re being pestered for sex, I made my DP do the deed with me when I was a week over due, he's not mentioned sex since, think i've scarred him for life (fingers crossed!! )
Many congratulations! Was on the june 07 ante-natal threads with you - great to see you finally got the vbac you wanted - he's a real cutie!
Our number 3 is due boxing day but being delivered on the 18th - pelvic disproportion means I've given up on delivering myself and am hoping that section 3 will be calm and a good experience.
Big huge congratulations from Fife Daisy! Well done to you and welcome to Finlay - what a lovely name. Hope your first week home has gone well - take it easy and don't let any visitors in without chocolate and a pair of Marigolds! Congratulations again and enjoy your gorgeous new addition to the family!
