Birth Story

So, whats with the story of Isaks birth? Well it just goes to show that nothing ever goes to plan..... Having spent Tuesday night with growing discomfort I decided on Wednesday morning that this was 'it' and time to head off to the hospital. Now Hexham has a really nice, new and quiet midwife led unit which seemed ideal as I had my first son in 5 hours with no problems whatsoever. What do they say about the second one being quicker? We arrived at about 10am and I was well on my way, such that his ETA was about 2pm. Great I thought, home for tea at this rate! In order to aid the whole thing they like you to stand up as much as possible or failing that be vertical if you can. So I had a good hour in the bath and then spent some time getting into various supported positions with the help of my husband. However I hit a couple of snags, the main one being that my back was starting not to hold up to the contractions and I just had to lie on my side for a while, and when I did this the contractions started to vanish. By 2pm, they realised that the contractions just weren't doing the job and that I was no farther on than when I started, so the midwives made the decision to transfer me to 'bloody Newcastle' as I grunted through contractions.

Half an hour later an emergency ambulance arrived and I was strapped to this teeny tiny stretcher and whisked off with my husband sitting in the front. I'm amazed at just how uncomfortable ambulances are. I mean you would think that given the number of life threatening illnesses they would make them a bit more padded. I had a tortuous trip lying on my side with paramedic sticking needles in me, and boy do I have some great bruises, my husband had a fun ride with blue lights and sirens ll the way. So I know who had the better ride.

Once we got there things sort of swung into action. We had let me see, 3 midwives, a junior doctor, the consultant, the anaesthetist and even a professor popped in to say hello. It seems to me that no matter how many times you put things in your notes they still have to ask you about your medical history regardless of the circumstances. In between excruciating contractions they want to know about my bladder function, state of my spine, how it all happened and how it affects me. Hmmmmm its in my note I thought. Funnily enough I was completely drugged on gas & air , and could only manage shakes and nods of my head and a few grunts, yet remained mentally lucid. Why put it all in my notes if you don't read it?!!!!

Anyway I begged for an epidural as I felt my spine was being ripped from my body and they procrastinated. I realise now that its a ploy to avoid giving it to anyone with a spinal injury, as by the time they decided to do it, the baby was born!!

I couldn't help a few tears, not of joy, but of some sadness I suppose. We had planned such a nice birth and it wasn't supposed to be quite like this. But having said that we are all well and at home so nothing is lost and its all for the best.