Sophia's birth story part 2

So now we are to the morning of the 26th of March. It's about 4am and I've decided I need to wake Gavin up, I just can't cope alone anymore. I have a bit of a cry, need a cuddle and lay there, I think it was around 6am when gav decided to ring the hospital again, the midwife refused to talk to him only me, I said my contractions were still irregular but I was in quite a bit more pain and I couldn't sleep through the contractions. She again said I could go in but seeing as my contractions weren't regular I wouldn't be ready and I would be sent home, she suggested codeine and paracetamol. I came off the phone deflated and upset, I knew the pain had increased but it felt as though there was no end to it. My contractions were no different to 24 hours ago timing wise. To be honest this day is so much of a blur. I spent the day in and out of the bath, looking like a prune! Gav kept making me eat little bits where he could I remember chocolate and ice pops and a KFC!



Gav would put a towel in the warm bath water over my giant belly as it wouldn't go under the water. All day the pain was slowly increasing. The worst bit was my contractions were getting no closer together! All I could imagine was what will this pain feel like once I actually start in active labour, I was terrified, I was exhausted. Gav was tired and stressed for me. I told him to have a nap while I had another bath. I spent another hour in there the pain was getting to me. I got out id rang my mum countless times over the days, but rang her again. I went to speak to gav about what to do, he was still asleep so I rang his dad. His dad said what everyone else was saying ring the hospital tell them it's too much. I rang them again I said I still hadn't slept I was tired I was worried if this wasn't anything still there was no way I'd have the energy to push in a few days. The midwife was called Carol she told me yes there was a possibility I would go home if I went in. If I wasn't having regular contractions and nothing had happened I was probably still in slow labour but that I was welcome to visit, get checked out and she would make sure I had a room to go in.

I woke Gavin up, told him what the midwife had said, I got one more bath for half an hour, this time the bath had no effect on my contractions. This made me more certain that I needed to just go and get checked out, at least I would know if something had progressed. This time there was no make up no hair brush I looked like a homeless rat. I was half wet from the bath, my clothes were dirty, probably sweaty. To be honest I had convinced myself we were coming home. 

When we got to hospital it was about 7pm, I told Gavin to leave all the bits in the car, what's the point in bringing it in when we'll probably be going home anyway. I took my handbag and birth plan (just in case of a miracle) and headed in. When we got to the birth centre it was clear they were full. Every room but one was taken and they looked reluctant to give it to me. Well it was too late I was here and I wanted checking out before I left lol! It was the room right at the end of the corridor and it felt like miles away at my snails pace walking speed. A student midwife came in to take my blood pressure and check the baby. She told me the baby was back to back, when she left Gavin and I discussed using the ball at home to get the baby to turn last minute. We waited around while waiting for Carol to come and examine me. Gavin swung on the rope hanging from the ceiling which kept me entertained. Carol came and examined me, I explained I hadn't had a stretch and sweep because of having the chickenpox hoping she would do it while we were there lol! She did the examination, I was 5-6cm! She also did the stretch and sweep, hehe my plan worked. After that my contractions stepped up x10! They were much much more painful. The pain in my legs was unbearable, all I could think about was getting in the pool. Gav went to get all are bits, and the midwife was rushing about a bit. I think it was a shock to us all. My contractions were still irregular. The midwife was swapping between a few pregnant ladies. There was no way I was letting her leave before at least running the pool and showing me the gas and air. By the time I got in I think it was 8pm ish. I had gav in front of me with the gas and air and a drink and my student midwife who was case loading me was there just to help. This bits a blur I knew at 11pm I would have to get out to be examined. From around half 10 I was pushing, my waters broke in the pool it was the strangest sensation.

Everyone expected it to happen, they were gowned up and ready. It got to 11pm, I had to get out! I found it hard to walk from the pain in my legs I moved as fast as I could to the bed. I was examined and fully dilated, the midwife said a small part of my cervix hadn't thinned out and the baby's head couldn't get over this ledge. She said she would push down on this while I pushed, this didn't work. My waters were still pouring out and they were green. I had to stay out of the pool now and be monitored, I was devastated. Doctors started coming and going as I was still pushing. I couldn't pick them out of a room now, I just know the doctors kept changing over getting different opinions. The midwife explained her heart rate was going up and down and we had to get her out. I was to keep pushing while we moved to the labour ward. I kept swearing and then apologizing for swearing. A midwife was telling me not to scream and to stay silent, I wanted to punch her lol! I was asking Gavin why hasn't anyone given me the drugs. Apparently this was because the baby was in trouble and the drugs would have made her sleepy in there which could have caused more complications. If i'd have know this was the reason I would of stopped shouting for them! A doctor came in to talk me through the c section. I just said yes to everything, I honestly can't remember a word she said. Then I had to sign to agree. There was no way I was reading all that!! I signed. Then we had to wait 10 MINTUES to go to theatre. It was the worst 10 minutes ever. Even though I knew I couldn't give birth my body wouldn't stop pushing. The pain was unbearable. I was crying and asking if they were ready. They said they were taking the gas and air away again while they wheeled me to surgery. They said I needed to be still while they moved me. It was horrific haha! Gavin got dressed quickly and met us in surgery he helped me stay (kind of|)| calm while I got the epidural in. From then it was fairly quick and she was born. There was alot of talk of thick baby poo in me! Then she poo'ed on my legs and then the weighing scales! Gavin held her and all I could think was how beautiful she was! My little family.

Sophia Woodrow - 1.37am 7 pounds 15oz

Kirsty
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