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I had been niggling for a couple of weeks and had had a show on the Thursday before. I was keen to give birth on Monday 24th January as my named midwife Maureen was on duty at the hospital and I always felt the baby would be early plus I had due dates ranging from 24th January to 4th February! Maureen runs the self hypnosis classes and she said that maybe a bit of positive thinking would mean that I would have the baby when she was on duty. Plus my Mum had said it would be good if she was born on 24th as then DS and her would be born on same date 2 and a half years apart which would make it easier to remember when she got old and senile!
Definitely had the nesting instinct in the days running up to the birth. So much so that on the Sunday when we went to Tesco and DH was loading car I was cleaning the car out (something I am ashamed to admit I hadn’t really done since we bought it 3 years before!) As we were driving out of the car park I said well that’s it baby can come now. Decided to take the car for a long drive to make sure it started in case we needed it. However unfortunately a pheasant smashed into car and windscreen was a mess. Assumed that would mean I wouldn’t go into labour as I had lost the relaxed feeling I had earlier especially as the car wouldn’t be fixed until Tuesday!
At 12.30 Monday morning I went to toilet and had a further show although this was smaller it was blood streaked but I still assumed I wouldn’t go into labour for a wee while. At 2.30am the contractions started but as I had been niggling didn’t think it was real labour. At 3am I got up to time them and whilst they were short they were very frequent 3.11, 3.15, 3.17, 3.20, 3.22 and 3.25 so I phoned labour ward for advice and they suggested I come get ready to come in as I had to arrange childcare for DS. DH woke at 3.30am and we decided to phone SIL to come and look after DS. Although I was still worried at this point worried it was false labour. Put my TENs machine on. She arrived at 4.45am and we headed off to the hospital in our car with a smashed windscreen. I was scared it would smash all over us so I decided to wear my sunglasses although it was pitch black which has to one of the funniest moments. DH said he didn’t know if he was driving a celebrity Mum to be!!
Arrived at the hospital remembering to take off my sunglasses so they didn’t think I was mad!! Was strapped to monitor for 20 mins and trace was fine. Found pain really horrible and TENs wasn’t cutting it but didn’t want to switch to Gas and Air too soon. Told DH to operate TENS but never to tell me I had reached max and to lie to me if I asked. At some point started on Gas and Air .Was examined at 6.30am expecting to be a couple of cms so was thrilled when I was told I was 5cm. As I was so far on they set up the antibiotics for the Group B Strep however m/w struggled so had to get a Dr to do it who had same name as me which I thought was a good omen!. Maureen came on duty and my consultant also popped in to say hello.
At 9.30am I was examined and told I was fully dilated and could push had been giving involuntary pushes before that. However I didn’t feel that the pushing was working was telling m/w to get consultant. At one point I accused her of lying that she was getting her when she wasn’t!! Pain was really bad and was struggling with it which I was really disappointed with as with DS I felt I coped really well with a much longer labour.
Finally consultant came and decision was taken to take me to theatre put a spinal in and see what the story was. Got to theatre and once spinal was in consultant examined baby head was wrong way round. She tried to turn it but that didn’t work. She asked if she could try ventouse and I agreed. However that didn’t work and she said that baby was nearly there but she could get her out with forceps but would mean an episiotomy. Was not keen but as I had my m/w there and it was a consultant I knew and trusted I agreed. DD was born at 12.10pm.
I have to say whilst forceps wasn’t ideal I feel so much better than after having DS. I guess it proves how important continuity of care is as if it had been a strange m/w and consultant there would have been no way I would have agreed to forceps!