When I found out that I was pregnant, it was a cocktail of emotions. I was happy but sad...I thought it would mean the end of my life. I was only 21 and although I had been with my partner for 5 years I was really worried. However within a few moments of knowing I became elated and soon really began to look forward to being a mum. My partner also felt the same. My first scan was amazing, I suppose I never really expected to see much but at only 11 weeks I could see the baby moving, it was amazing. Then at my 20 week scan I discovered I was having a little boy....I just couldn't wait. He was due on the 17th september. I had a really good pregnancy except for swollen ankles and a lot of water retention! I watched my due date arrive and pass....it was awful! Every day felt like a year and I had gained sooo much weight and was so big I could hardly even move. When I was 10 days overdue I went to the hospital to agree on a date for induction. When I got there they examined me in hope of doing a membrane sweep however although the baby's head had been previously almost fully engaged, the examination showed that he had moved out of my pelvis and was very posterior meaning they couldn't even attempt to do a membrane sweep! It was really disheartening. They, then gave me a date to come back three days later for induction with the gel...so I went back at 2:30pm in the afternoon on the 29th september. After another examination they gave me the first lot of gel at about 4.00pm. Straight away I started getting strong pains in my tummy and round my back very similar to period pains. At first I felt fine, but eventually, the pains were making walking impossible. I was then examined again at 10:00pm and told that the first lot of gel had actually made the babys head move down and although I wasn't in labour the second lot of gel might help. After about an hour after the second dose I was hooked up to the monitor and it came to light that the baby was in a bit of distress. His heartbeat was very irregular and was a bit too fast for comfort. I was then monitored closely. The doctor then came in and examined me and felt that a c-section may be the only option if I didn't deliver quicky....It was then that she made a decision to break my waters. My waters were broken at about 2 in the morning and I went into shock....I started shaking really badly and was being sick everywhere. My partner was holding my hand and was really comforting. Then the moment my waters broke I was in quite intense pain. That was when the midwife gave me some gas and air for the pain...It really did the trick to make me feel like I was having an 'out of body'experience. However I was still in a lot of discomort so I was given some diamorphine and as I had previously been given some sleeping tablets I was actually feeling quite wooozy. Even though I was in pain I was also quite relaxed. I lay on my side throughout the whole thing and my eyes were closed througout. I actually think I may have slept through tiny bits of the birth. Then as I was lying there I realised that after a wave of pain I was making a heaving noise....I remember thinking why am I making these noises? And then I realised that I was pushing!!!! I just felt as though I was actually going to poo myself and I remember having a moment of panic that I might do so...(I didn't though thank god!!) Then I started to feel the babys head down below and I remember being too scared to push however my body really did take over and I was just lying there letting it do its thing . One push later and the whole of the baby was born. It didnt really hurt that much just a burning feeling in the vagina. I still had my eyes closed and it was 4:43am. I had only been in labour for 2 hours 40 mins. The midwife was saying things like he is massive and she was trying to guess his weight and guessed at 8lbs but he was actually 9. The midwife was amazed as she hadn't even seen his head till 4:42am and then one minute later all of him was born!!!!. However he had to be rushed to special care after a couple of hours as it was thought he may have had an infection caused by being in the womb too long. He stayed in special care for three days which was hard for me and my partner, however he is fine now and doing very well. we decided to call him William James Tweddle...He is a lovely baby....although these sleepless nights are hard to deal with! lol This story was written by Vix. |
| William's Birth Story |