birth of my 1st son - a "silent" labour (i.e. couldn't feel contractions at all)
Just thought I'd paste my story here... it's not the average birth story at all, as I was one of the lucky ones who couldn't feel a thing and didn't know I was in labour. Had they not told me, I wouldn't have known, and I was still feeling perfectly normal and comfortable at 7cm dilated. I only felt things after that when my waters were broken by the MW and the baby started to descend!
Before I begin, I just want to outline my ideal (planned) birth: a birth centre birth, water birth and active birth, using hypnobirthing techniques... so a calm birth for my team yellow baby!
I did a hypnobirthing course because I was afraid of hospital births, and I was worried the baby would get stuck during birth. I'm only 4'11 and UK size 6 pre-pregnancy, and my cousin had had to have a c-section when her baby got stuck. The hypnobirthing course gave me huge confidence in my body, and I spent most of my pregnancy feeling very excited about giving birth without fear. It was money very well spent.
Thursday 9th December : 38+0
I was feeling impatient! Over the last week I'd tried loads to induce the labour. I'd had my show 12 days before, and had since tried a very hot curry (the hottest the Indian takeaway sold - ouch!), self-accupressure, pineapple, nipple stimulation, and long walks. I was feeling a little emotional, and had noticed a difference that way. The one thing left to try was DTD - something we'd avoided during much of the pregnancy due to MC/loss fears. TMI: we gave it a try, and it was slightly uncomfortable at first, but not painful, and then we noticed the red blood everywhere... and freaked out! I called the DAU who told us to come in for monitoring, so my DH drove us there and I hardly felt baby move... On arrival, I went in and they checked my blood pressure which was quite high, and they stuck me on the monitor for half an hour. Baby was doing fine in there! I was relieved, but the hospital wanted to keep me in for monitoring of the blood loss and to wait for my blood test results to come back. They asked for a urine sample, which was still bright red from hte blood and I heard the MW fretting about that.
I was sent upstairs to the antenatal ward to be examined while my DH went to put more money in the car parking. While he was gone, a young male doctor and a MW examined me with the specculum - they couldn't see any cause for the bleeding and the doctor asked to do an internal. I said OK, and he then announced that I was 5cm dilated and "coping remarkably well!" I didn't believe him, and told him that if I was in labour I was sure I would know about it! He told me that this was a silent labout which was unusual, especially with first births. Because of my blood pressure and bleeding, I was told that a birth centre birth and a water birth were off the menu, as I would need monitoring and likely medications too.
So I was sent over to the labour ward and my DH was shocked to find my bed empty when he returned! A MW escorted him to the labour ward telling him that we were having a baby (he thought - "duh - I know that!" not realising that she meant imminently!). My mum was called who was to be my 2nd birth partner, while I was again put on the monitor but also to monitor contractions. This showed I was contracting irregularly (4 in 15 or so) but I couldn't feel a thing. Not only were my contractions painless but they were not even noticeable.
6hrs later at 5pm I was examined again - I was now 6cm. I still couldn't feel contractions and was comfortable, so was sent back to the antental ward because labour ward was hectic and they needed the room. They told me that they'd check me in the morning and either induce me or break my waters. I was given a tablet to control my high BP, and tried to get some sleep which was near impossible with the excitement of the birth to come, and the noise from the nearby postnatal ward full of alarms and crying babies. Overall I got about 3hrs sleep, my baby was going mental and kicking/stretching me like never before!
Friday 10th December, 38+1
The next morning my husband arrived, and we spent the morning waiting for a consultant to come and talk to us who seemed to be constantly in theatre. When she did finally arrive after lunch, she implied that she thought the doctor and midwife who had examined me yesterday might have been wrong. This frustrated me because I felt like we'd already been ignored most of the morning!I had a cry after she left, thinking that I might not even be giving birth that day and I was already so tired!
My mum arrived in the afternoon, and finally at 4pm I was taken over to labour ward again. I was put back on the monitor, and after half an hour they gave me the examination. I was now 7cm (although still hadn't felt even a twinge), and so they broke my waters. We put on the hypnobirthing music CD we'd been practicing with, and before long things intensified VERY quickly! I had severe cramps that sent me hobbling to/from the toilet (sadly I wasn't in an ensuite room, so had to keep going into the corridor). I just couldn't keep still, and the pressure was constant. After about an hour I was put back on the monitor and told to stay on/near the bed. Frown No position was comfortable, and sitting down on the gym ball was awful - a position I'd thought htat I'd probably like during labour. I moved around the room feeling uncomfortable and upset as I was quite shocked at how suddenly it had all kicked in. The MW kept trying to force me into accepting the hormone drip, and I refused... but all of that prevented me from being able to relax and do my hypnobirthing. I eventually settled kneeling over the back of the bed, and my blood pressure continued to rise. I was given another tablet for this, as the bottom number went up to 126!! However, by then I was going more within and the anxiety/panic was lessened. I accepted G&A to try and lower my BP, and to help me focus on my breathing and to try and relax seeing as I hadn't had the time to gradually relax more and go within like you normally would with the hypnobirthing techniques. I felt frustrated and distressed as water kept leaking out with contractions that I could now feel around my tailbone. I hadn't expected waters to be so slimy and disgusting feeling, and my legs were soaked. Contractions weren't really painful just horrendously uncomfortable, and I thought the MWs were mad when they kept offering pain relief to me! However, I did get in the zone and managed to do my hypnobirthing breathing which really did help.
Then I started pushing. I have no way to really describe it, as it took me by surprise when my body just took over and I started bearing down. Both MWs were out of the room at that point, and when I told them when they returned they didn't believe me. I put my hand down and could touch the head just inside, but it was also slimy which freaked me out more. Eventually a MW examined me and told me I was fully dilated and that the head was right there! I don't know if I said it, but I certainly thought "well I know that!"
At that moment the monitor on the baby fell off, so I was more or less manhandled onto my back and I was so distraught at having to move because I wanted to give birth in the position I was in, NOT on my back! I physically didn't feel like I could sit down, but they "assisted" me in doing so. My mum kept trying to reassure me that soon I'd have a baby in my arms, but I just wanted it to be over so I could go to sleep as I was exhausted. Part of hypnobirthing is about breathing out the baby and not forced pushing, but I was told that the baby's heartrate was dropping and I needed to actually push the baby out! I did so, and pushed so hard.. even though it hurt as the head crowned, I pushed through it. Incidentally, I'm told I was silent when I was pushing but was a bit too zoned out to rememember. Now I know what that ring of fire sensation feels like!! In just 12 minutes the baby was out and placed on my chest! I can't describe the feeling of that. He didn't breathe instantly, but I didn't notice... I was in shock! There was a baby in my arms! It can only have been seconds before he started crying a gargly little sound, and my husband found out that we had a boy! My DH got very emotional and welled up when he realised that, and he cut the cord.. and then we had a chat about what to call him as we hadn't decided on a boys name.
The birth itself took less than 3hrs from when my waters were broken, 12 mins of pushing, and just a little tear and 2 grazes that required no stitches. For most of that time my eyes were firmly closed as that felt more comfortable for some reason!
My little boy, William, weighed 6lbs 12oz and I couldn't have imagined that birth if I'd tried!
Half an hour after he was born my mum asked me if I'd do it again, and I said absolutely yes! I can't wait to have another baby. I love him so much and he's fantastic, and it was the most amazing experience of my life! I feel very fortunate for the birth I had even though it didn't go to plan. The only "painful" bit was crowning, mostly I just experienced severe cramps/pressure that were very uncomfortable, but I didn't feel a thing up to 7cm dilated at all.
