Memories of the birthCreated By foleys03 on 10 October 2008

Hiya girls

I am probably writing this for therapeutic reasons if I am being honest. After reading all of your experiences it has made me want to share mine.

My first and only child is soon to be 3 in November.

I had no major fear of labour or delivery and like one of the other girls said, I just saw it as something that had to be done.

The date my baby was due I went to see my community midwife who immediately knew I had pre-eclampsia, to cut a long tale short I was sent to hospital, monitored and found to have 3+ of protein in my urine. The labour & delivery suite was busy, as were the other local hospitals and therefore the monitoring continued. Three pessaries were given and 3 days later I was induced, waters broken and syntocin drip attached.

The contractions came at lightening speed, but felt I could manage with gas and air. I was told to lay on the bed despite feeling I needed to keep standing/squating to get my baby out. After pushing for just over one hour I felt like the walls were closing in I did not have an ounce of strength left. I never felt like I was moving my baby down at all.

A health care assistant told me if I did not get my baby out it was going to be a c-section. I like to think I am not a wimpy sort of girl and believe you me I pushed for England.

Next thing, the midwifery team were changing shift and as they were handing over at 8pm to the nightshift, the nightshift midwife charged over without notification and performed an episiotomy, resulting in a 3rd degree tear and rectal dammage. The pain was excrutiating, I never once screamed, cried or shouted until that point. (Midwifery team did not communicate or encourage one bit)

Baby was delieverd and left with her Daddy and my Mam came with me to theatre, where a spinal block was given so they could repair the dammage. (Theatre team were fab)

I had no bonding issues (thank goodness) but looking back, it was such a sad scenario, that of course brought me the best thing in my life, my little girl.

Thing is I am so confused as to what to do about the possibility of having a second child. There was no real explanation as to why things went the way they did and the Consultant said that if I wanted to have a c-section in the future he would be happy to do that.

I am not afraid of the pain, more that I underwent loop excision for pre-cancer cells a year after she was born. I worry that I may have an incompetent cervix as a result of this and have to go for consultation at the end of October with my GP to see if I require any investigations into this.

It is never straight forward girls. My family are terrified for me, even considering having a vaginal delivery again. I would do it in a heart beat, though there are many uncertainties at the mo. Will I need a cervical stitch, if I do manage to conceive do I return to the same hospital, do I opt for a vaginal delivery or would this result in an even worse state than before or do I risk major abdomial surgery. So many questions (I feel sorry for my GP who is gonna be listening.

I know there are no definites in pregnancy/birth we've just gotta hope for the best. Fingers crossed if I am blessed with a 2nd babe, I will be praying for a safe and smoother delivery. xxx

when i was pregnant i wasnt really too bothered about the birth bit, i just saw it as something that had to be done!ive ended up having two very different experiences of birth.

my first was awful, i was 10days overdue when my contractions started at about 5pm, by midnight i couldnt handle the pain myself anymore so i went into hospital. the midwife was a right old cow and didnt think was in proper labour so she didnt examine me far a further hour and half! when she finally did i was 8cm dilated, i was given pethidine which made me fell completely disorientated! at about 3am (so my ex tells me) i was in angony and they broke my waters. as baby started to move down the birth canal she kept turning her head up (to almost look where she was going!)so i had to have a doctor keep turning her back. in the end they decided to use ventous and forceps, which tore me to bits! i had three cuts, a 3rd degree tear and all sorts of minor (but bloody painful!)scraps inside me.baby weighed 9lb 8oz and luckily i didnt have any trouble bonding or anything like that. afterwards i was petrified of falling pregnant and having to go through that again, and so didnt have sex for over yr!
however i then met dean, and fell pregnant. i was scared of giving birth again, but more scared of a c section! so i decided to try naturally again! and im so glad!
with my second my waters broke at midnight 2days early!i went into labour within the hour and by 5am had to go into hospital, i never made it into the birthing pool though, and baby was born at 06:54 weighing 7lb 11oz. i was so proud of myself, giving birth felt such a wonderful achievment! i had some slight tearing but nothing like the first time round!
and next yr i hope to fall pregnant again!

when i was pregnant i wasnt really too bothered about the birth bit, i just saw it as something that had to be done!ive ended up having two very different experiences of birth.

my first was awful, i was 10days overdue when my contractions started at about 5pm, by midnight i couldnt handle the pain myself anymore so i went into hospital. the midwife was a right old cow and didnt think was in proper labour so she didnt examine me far a further hour and half! when she finally did i was 8cm dilated, i was given pethidine which made me fell completely disorientated! at about 3am (so my ex tells me) i was in angony and they broke my waters. as baby started to move down the birth canal she kept turning her head up (to almost look where she was going!)so i had to have a doctor keep turning her back. in the end they decided to use ventous and forceps, which tore me to bits! i had three cuts, a 3rd degree tear and all sorts of minor (but bloody painful!)scraps inside me.baby weighed 9lb 8oz and luckily i didnt have any trouble bonding or anything like that. afterwards i was petrified of falling pregnant and having to go through that again, and so didnt have sex for over yr!
however i then met dean, and fell pregnant. i was scared of giving birth again, but more scared of a c section! so i decided to try naturally again! and im so glad!
with my second my waters broke at midnight 2days early!i went into labour within the hour and by 5am had to go into hospital, i never made it into the birthing pool though, and baby was born at 06:54 weighing 7lb 11oz. i was so proud of myself, giving birth felt such a wonderful achievment! i had some slight tearing but nothing like the first time round!
and next yr i hope to fall pregnant again!

I was so scared of giving birth after all the stories that my friends had told me, but it was'nt that bad. I started getting conractions when i went to bed on the friday night but ignored them coz they were quite far apart. By 7 in the morning they were down to 5 mins so i rang the hospital and went in, by 1 o'clock my waters still had'nt broke so they did it for me. At 4 i was only 6cm dilated and thought that i was gonna b there forever, by 4.35 it was all over. My partner asked me an hour later if the pain was worth it i told him that i would give birth again tomorrow, but i had no idea how i was going to get a baby in there.

With my second baby, (2005) i was 10 days late... The day i was supposed to be going in to get induced i went myself, I went into the hospital and was put onto the monitor where i was then told it was hix. I was then told i was getting a drip in to kick start me off... I asked to go to the toilet which was right down at the end of the labour ward.. I was allowed to go by myself where i ended up delivering my daughter on my own.. My third child who was born last year was a brilliant birth just like my first but afterwards about 5 mins after delivery i bled out and lost 4 ltrs of blood.. But well worth it :D