Your babies birth stories

I woke up around 1am on a sunday morning and my waters had broken (I thought at first I'd wet myself) went to the toilet and realised my PJ bottoms were full of fluid with bits of mucus in it. I woke my OH up (he'd just had a sleeping tablet an hour before, bless him!) phoned the hospital as I was 36 weeks. They told me I had to go in as I wasn't quite term, so i washed and straightened my hair and OH drove me to hospital. Had a VE, they said I was 1cm and the machine-thingy was picking up some tightenings. They took blood tests and gave me anti-biotics and I was told I had to stay in the antenatal ward. I couldn't sleep so had a bath at 5am just after my OH left. I was having mild contractions throughout the day on sunday, they just gave me paracetamol and I carried on having anti-biotics. Contractions started to get really uncomfortable towards the evening, I was walking pacing the corridors and trying to get into comfy positions before going back on the CTG and being asked to mark on the sheet everytime I had a contraction. I kept getting in and out of the bath, and falling asleep between contractions. I eventually burst into tears as my OH had to go home and everyone was asleep and I couldn't find a staff member. A MW came to see me and said they couldn't perform a VE as I was early, so they were waiting for an obs to come out of theatre. Obs eventually came down and did everyone else first! Had a VE at around 1.30am and said I was 4cm (!) she gave me a big sweep and gas n air, I phoned my OH as I was being moved upto labour ward. He came straight in then we walked upstairs, I asked for an epidural but they said they had to put a clip on his head first. I eventually got an epidural after 5 attempts of getting it in, i calmed right down after. At 5.55 I said I could feel pressure in my bottom and needed to push, MW did a VE and said I was fully dilated, so I began pushing and he was born 15mins later. He was in shock a bit as he'd come out so quickly, and was a weird blue colour.
That was all ok, I gave him (what I thought) a good breast feed, we were all transferred down to the PN ward. MW checked his blood sugar level around lunch time, it was only 0.9, they tried to cup feed him some milk but couldn't wake him up so he was taken upto SCBU and had an NG passed. He spent the next few days there, had treatment for jaundice and tried to get his blood sugars under control. He eventually came back down on the thurs, but we had to stay in hospital til the sat. I was sooo glad when we got discharged, I was determined to be discharged as soon as I'd had him!

Aww, they are both such lovely stories!

Riffraff I hope he's got better nice and quickly x

I'm new here so thought i would get involved in the threads.

Heres my two birth stories.

I was 36+4 with my first and had gone in for my 3rd and last growth scan (i had a small fundal height) they took my bp and it was raised with slight protein in my waters so i was kept in for observation. After spending the night and being monitored they decided to induce me as my bp was still raised. i was petrified!
I was given a pessary at 1.4 and began to feel tightening at 2.30(ish) this carried on all day but as this was my first i thought they were just pains and didnt realise this was it. i was examined at 7.45 and was 4cm they broke my waters and i was fully at 8.15 with Gas and Air. i spent an hour pushing and at 9.10 my beautiful baby girl was born weighing 4lb 12oz. i then spent the next 3 days in labour suite with catheter in and was not able to do a thing for my new baby. my bp finally stabilised and i was discharged.

With my second i got to 39+5 and i started getting tightenings at about 8, these continued so i went to get some sleep. i was woke up at 2.30 with contractions every 6 minutes was told to have a bath, this did nothing i was finally told to come in at 5, i was examined and was on the verge of being fully dialated. by 6.30 i was fully and ready to push after pushing for 1.5 hours with no success they realised my son was stuck. with a lot of begging from be they helped my baby out with ventouse at 8.27 weighing 7lb exactly!

Thought I'd join in

My first was born at 39+2. At exactly 5am I woke up with an odd sort of niggly pain. Got up to go to the toilet and started to dribble liquid with a slight show. Called MW who advised us to go in to hospital. I was hooked up to the monitor and was found to be having mild contractions and FH was good so we were sent home. Spent the day walking around the house tidying up and making beds. Wales were about to win the 6 nations (rugby) on the telly and I refused to go into hospital until after the match despite strong contractions When I did go in to MLU around 5pmish I had a big gush of fluid. Unfortunately that was my last strong contraction as they seemed to fade away to nothing. At this point I was 10cm but unable to feel contractions found it hard to push. To be honest I wasn't really sure what to do. MW said baby's head was right there and almost out. The dr was called in and my son was born with Ventouse at 10.30pm weighing 6lbs 9 3/4oz. Ended up with an episotomy and the stitches were the worst part of the whole birth. I found them so painful I was trying to worm my way up the bed to get away from the dr. I only used gas and air when the dr catheterised me (oo that was sore) but I didn't like it as it made my feet go numb. My son was a bit jaundiced but we both went home a couple of days later.

My second son was born at 38weeks. It's likely that my water broke a few days before and his head plugged the leak anyway at a routine appointment I mentioned to my mw that I had a discharge and she suspected it was meconium stained so sent me into hospital to be induced. I was examined by 2 mws and they could barely reach the cervix. That exam was the worst part of the whole birth and I was pretty heavy with the gas and air. The MWs were excellent as despite being attatched to a drip and having to be monitored continuously they encouraged me to move around. The induction was started around 5pm and around 3.30am the contractions were very strong and very close together. I had a hysterical moment when I thought I couldn't carry on and I felt sick. Then I pulled myself together and felt I was close to the end. I felt I needed to push but everyone told me not to until the dr came to examine me at 4.45am. I thought to myself it will be all over by then and sure enough involuntary pushes pushed my son out into the world by 4.24am weighing 6lbs 13oz. He was fine after birth however by the next morning he was having real problems breathing so was taken to SCBU where he was given oxygen and put on antibiotics. Fortunately I was given a private room and great support allowed me to express breast milk. After an emotional time we were finally allowed out after 10days. He's now a happy, noisy, busy, healthy 17 month old who's still breastfeeding and I'm very grateful to all the staff at our maternity hospital.

I was 41+5 with my first, and had been having pains all weekend, i had a sweep when i was 4 days over but the baby wasnt even engaged so nothing happend! My pains finally started to get a bit worse on the monday night, so i had a bath and took a hot water bottle to bed with me. Id already lost my plug through the weekend, so i was certain something would happen!! Anyway i woke up on tuesday morning about 3.00am ish, and i couldnt cope with the pain anymore so I rang the labour ward and they advised me to come in. i got there about 5.30ish after making sure i had everything ready!! They sent me to the anenatal ward. I had a VE and was 3-4cm. I wasnt very impressed! They advised me to get some rest and I tried! I was the only person on the ward who was in labour and all the other women were asking me if i was ok :-$ they gave me cocodamol. which didnt help alot and i had 3 baths in the 6 hours that i was on the ward!! They FINALLY sent me to the labour ward where i was still only 4cm, so they told me to go for a walk-it was so embarrasing! i got back and asked for more pain relief. i had entonox at first and things were ok, then there was a handover and i had a midwife with 25 years experience, who told me i wasnt in labour and i would know if i was. i had another VE and was 6cm, she then told me that they would induce me so i would progress, it was around 3ish. and at the same time they gave me an epidural. I was shocked when it didnt work! i had to get it topped up 4 times and after the last time i fell asleep for an hour at about 12am wednesday morning. then by 2.30am (after waking up and throwing up everywhere! ) i was ready to push, i had a lovely student midwife who was very small compared to me, and i had to pull myself up during each contraction as it seemed to help me, she had to give me a hand though because of the epidural! i started pushing, and it was decided that i needed an episiotomy. so i had one and after half an hour my baby was born at 2.08am weighing 7lb 13oz she needed some suction because there was meconium in my waters ( they were broke for me the day i went into labour ) but she had an apgar of 9 the midwife dressed her, as i wasnt allowed to get up, and my birthing partners had to go! and cut her cord. i was moved from the labour ward after 3 attempts to stitch me at about 6am and had a good rest! shes now a healthy happy 9month old

I was 39+4 when I woke up with a sharp pain at 4.30am, went to the toilet and saw I had had my show, got really excited and woke hubby up to tell him and insisted that he rang my mum (other birth partner) to tell her. She came straight round (lives next door!) for a look and got excited too as first grandchild! Decided I couldn't sleep so left hubby in bed and went downstairs to find our Michael Jackson had died, so watched BBC news on a continuous loop! Kept having niggly pains and then about 6.30 hubby got up and asked about him working - long story which I won't go into - so I rang birth centre and they said he was fine to go in but to make sure he was contactable at all times. Mooched around house with mother present, took paracetamol and slept. Around tea time (5.30pm) pains increased and felt more like contractions and were more regular. 10.30pm my back became very painful so rang birth centre who invited me to come in, on examination I was 3cm's but baby was laying back to back. I was asked to go home (live 15 mins from hosp), warm bath and to lean foward to encourage baby to turn. Did this but by 2.30am I could'nt speak and my mum could hear me crying through the wall so she rang birth centre as my back was still in agony, invited to come back in. Was still only 3cm so offered to be kept in on antenatal ward, have pethidine but birth partners had to leave. Given pethidine at 4.00am, mum and hubby leave. Manage 1 and half hours of drug induced sleep when woken with urge to push. Walk to midwife station told maybe I needed a wee, given fresh pad and left to walk unaided to toilet, no urine passed so walk back in a lot of pain. Sat on bed and text hubby asking him to come, he rings birth centre who say no he can't, he begs them to check on me, eventually they do, approx 6.00am now. Midwife realises I might be right when I say I want to push, examines, I'm 9cm's, my temp has risen and baby's heart rate has dropped, whisked up to labour ward by a new lovely midwife who gets me on bed, on ctg and on gas and air. Hubby and mum arrive at 6.45am, waters go spontaneously at approx 7.00am 2nd midwife arrives, am ready to push so encouraged to do so, 6 mins later my beautiful daughter is born at 7.14am weighing 7lb 2oz, straight onto chest and needs no suction yay! Given injection to deliver placenta but it won't come out, catheter put in to empty bladder and I'm put in stirrups to deliver placenta, 40 mins to deliver placenta and then needing stiching as I've torn vaginal wall. Taken down to post natal ward, baby breast feeding well and allowed home the following afternoon. Daughter now a cheeky, adorable, beautiful 2 and half year old! Contemplating another one!!

I've had 4 children, but will only tell of the last one, as its the one student midwives could learn from most. Although I will say that the 1st (a boy) was epidural and forcepts (26 years ago now), and all 3 girls were drug free vaginal deliverys. My last child was born in May 1991. I woke in the early hours of the morning after her delivery date, having contractions. They weren't bad but were uncomfortable to wake me. While doing a bit of "cleaning up" the contractions became regular, and I decided to go into the hospital about 3am. They had me lie down and put monitors on me, and decided that I wasn't in established labour as the contractions became irregular and further apart. I told them that when I stood up they changed and were getting painful and were in a regular rhythm, but I wasn't believed. They gave my husband a blanket and told him to get some sleep and they left. I was walking around the room and the contractions continued to get stronger and closer, but the midwife wouldn't examine me. I tried to tell her that I'd had 3 other children and I could tell that I was getting close, but she had decided only to follow the monitors, which she would put on me when I lay down. During the whole labour, the contractions became very mild and irregular whenever I lay down. I was in terrible pain, but the midwife thought I was being a sook and was becoming very impatient and I would even say a bit mean. By 6am, my husband asleep, I was very distraught. My waters were still intact, but I suddenly (and very embarrassingly) pooped myself. Again I was buzzing for the midwife who was very slow to come, but finally agreed to examine me. I was in so much pain that I couldn't climb on the bed, and had to be lifted, only to find that my daughter had already started her descent into the birth canal. It was of cause a big panic then to prepare for the birth. The waters burst just before she crowned, and she was born at 6.45am weighing a healthy 7lb 6oz. Of all my births, this one was the most traumatic as I felt unheard, and I felt that I had to go through it alone as no-one believed that I was actually in established labour. I was very faint afterwards, and to add insult to injury, I had to clean up the mess in my undies after the baby was born. When I become qualified, I will always give my patient voice, particularly if they've been through it before.

gracieshoo, I see echoes of what happened to you happen to me. I felt unheard whilst I was put on the antenatal ward and it is a terrible feeling to feel alone and scared whilst in labour. If I get to be a student midwife and subsequently a midwife I too am going to ensure I listen to all my women and to the best of my abilities never make them feel alone. x

I didnt experience this whilst in Labour myself, however as a Nursing Student while on a 2 week Maternity placement I did see something similar happen to another woman. I was on the ante-natal ward and observerd a lady admitted with a temperature and in early labour, her partner was sent home as it was 10pm. I passed her bay around an half and hour later to hear tears and heightening panic, I entered, introduced myself and offered to rub her back while I waited for a Midwife to answer the buzzer I had pressed. An exasperated Midwife soon entered, clearly about to complain about the buzzer being pressed... then she spotted me.

I was 12 weeks post natal myself at the start of my placement and could see that this lady was in transistion. She refused to let me leave her side and we rushed her to Delivery suite. Her birth partners; husband and Sister who was a qualified Nurse made it to the Hospital in 15 minutes and were extremely grateful that she had at least had me with her while they were not.

I was present for the birth, there was mec and a paed was called, but all was well. It turned out fine but could have been better managed. I have used this experience to heighten my awareness of all women in Labour, it cannot be predicted and you should always be aware that situations can change very quickly. Like some have already said, once qualified I aim to give very women centered care.

I have a lot of regrets about my sons birth, it has spurred me on to read and learn and want to support others.

I was 18 when I had him and booked in to my local mlu. At a home check at 38 weeks I had slightly raised blood pressure and some protein in my wee. I was sent to the consulting unit 50 miles away to be monitered, was made to stay overnight and came home the next day with antibiotics for a urine infection, on my due date I was again sent to the consultant unit. The radiator on my car broke on the way to get my bags home. Nightmare. A friend drove us to the hospital where I was monitered, bp up and protein again, but only slight and bp came down when the midwife used the right size cuff. They said since I was term I may as well be induced. 3 pessarys later no change so taken to labour ward to be put on the drip.

It took a while to start contractions, but they were awful. I hated being strapped to all the moniters and spent a lot of time trying to hide from my mw in the toilet! Gas and air made me sick so I had a shot of pethidine, just felt wasted! After about 8 hours I still wasnt dilated at all despite the drip being maxed out. They gave me 3 more hours and then called doc in who wanted me to have a c section. Nothing wrong with me or baby, just failure to progress. I was still woozy and cant remember consenting to it. So jake was born at ten past eight. He weighed 9lb 2oz Post natal care was horrendous, luckily I transferred back to the mlu for a few days of amazing care. I was able to bf for 6 months until shocking hv advice persuaded me to give up.

So now I am passionate about education, choice, and good care. and avoiding hosp like the plague with the next one!

So overall left with an unecessary c section due to unecessary induction for a healthy baby who just wanted to cook a bit longer.

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