By 9am I was having 4 contractions every 10 minutes and was happy that things finally appeared to be moving in the right direction.
I was listening to the monitors and suddenly realised the baby’s monitor had dipped and the midwife asked me to shift to my left side again. The heart rate picked back up but I was now listening like a hawk, paranoid that something was up.
My contractions were getting stronger, but nothing I couldn’t cope with, but having been relaxed listening the baby’s heartbeat it was now all I could concentrate on and I could hear it slow down with almost every contraction.
By now the midwife was also glued to the monitor too and she even tried to turn the sound down as I kept turning my head to read the trace, but I knew she was concerned.
She went to find the senior midwife on duty, who came in and they made the decision to turn down my drip and ask the consultant to come back in.
The consultant took what felt like forever to come in and in the meantime Danielle turned off my drip completely, which slowed the contractions right back down. When he finally arrived he carefully examined the trace and explained that baby wasn’t coping with the contractions and was taking longer and longer to recover from each one. As I wasn’t yet in established labour he wasn’t prepared to risk leaving me any longer and advised I have an emergency Cesarean section.
Having had 5 children naturally before you can imagine what a shock this was – hubby went white and what happened next went into a blur. They explained exactly what would happen and I remember them saying to me “Don’t look so terrified” to which I promptly burst into tears.
We went through the risks and concerns and then I signed a form to agree, met the anesthetist and was whisked through to the operating theatre where I was prepared whilst hubby got changed and apparently phoned his mum in tears – you don’t plan for this and it was a real shock.
It was bizarre being in a sterile room surrounded by so much equipment. I can’t thank the staff enough, who talked me through everything they were doing – even making me laugh. The anesthetist was fabulous although when she said she was applying something cold to my back she wasn’t kidding – I jumped both times.
She applied a local anesthetic to my back which bloody hurt and then proceeded to insert a spinal block which was a horrible feeling. I have to admit I was shaking with fear and it’s only when they started to test the feeling in my legs and lower body with a cold spray that I relaxed slightly. Not being able to feel your legs is bizarre though.They continued to prep me and I had to not think about what they were doing and seeing as I think it would have sent me over the edge. They did explain what was happening though, so I knew what was going on.
Hubby came in at that point, I was worried he wouldn’t come in as he hates this sort of situation. He sat stubbornly with his back towards everything until they had set a screen up (not that I blame him), at which point he turned around and held my hand.
My anesthetist explained that I’d feel a bit woozy with different drugs they were giving me, but if I felt sick I should tell them as its meant my blood pressure was too low and she would give me a drug to bring it back up. She kept me informed of what they were doing every step of the way too – I have to say she was amazing.
I felt constantly sick and my blood pressure, which is naturally low anyway, meant she was constantly giving me the medicine to bring it back up, but before we knew it they were in. I could hear a suction machine which was apparently removing amniotic fluid, felt a little bit of pressure and baby was born safely at 10:57am – screaming well!
Never have I felt so relieved and I have to admit crying again. Baby was taken away to be examined and hubby summoned over to cut the cord.
It felt like a long wait until baby was brought over to see us, but when he was I was so relieved!
Once they’d finished stitching me up I was taken through to recovery where I got to meet baby properly and give him his first feed, which he thankfully took to straight away.
I had to stay in there for an hour as my BP was still low, but our care was fantastic although we did miss the photo opportunity of his weigh in – 6lb 11oz…….. and they thought he’d be a big boy!!
I have nothing but praise for the team at Poole Maternity Unit – they were all amazing!!
That made me cry! How traumatic! So pleased everything went well in the end and you have a beautiful baby boy. x
Thank you……not something I ever want to repeat!
Lovely that you have such a gorgeous baby boy even though it wasn’t quite the birth you’d anticipated.
Thank you….still in shock really, but he is so good!
ow! This is exactly what happened with The Boy’s birth, everything. Apart from the fact that although they prepped me for an emergency c-section they made me labour with an epidural and forceps. And people wonder why I haven’t had another one yet!
I’m glad that Sebastian was born safelt, and that you’re pretty much ok.
Oh lovely, no wonder you are so traumatised…….forceps is my worst nightmare xxx
You totally had me in tears there, so glad it all turned out fine in the end, I’ve been following all your birth story instalments.
Glad all went well int he end! I had a very similar experience this time round only I went into premature labour in a snow storm 50 miles from home! lol! In the end I got to my hospital and baby’s heartbeat too started dropping and leveling out. I too was rushed in and know what a scary experience it is. It’s so good to feel comfortable and safe in the hands of people caring for you though and I am glad you felt they did such a good job x