Ok here goes - now this is long, but I find it hard to condense something that took over 23 hours! So to start - here is a pic of the smiling happy Ryan :)
Now the birth Stats:
DOB: 15th September 2007
Length: 54cm
Weight: 3500g
Head Circumference: 35cm
Now the LONG story:
Ryan was due on the 3rd September 2007, but his due date came and went with not much more then a little twinge here and there. I was then booked in for an induction on the 14th September at 5pm. On the 14th I spent the day trying to relax – but that morning I noticed that my Mucous plug had started to come away, so I was pretty sure things were on the move. I was also noticing a few tightenings throughout the day that were a little different from my Braxton hicks, but still nothing substantial.
About 3:30pm I was getting ready to leave for the hospital and I noticed at this stage the tightenings were getting stronger and making themselves more noticeable. As we were driving to the hospital I started to notice that they were about 10 minutes apart and started to think… hmm labour might just be here on its own! After being checked in and hooked up to the CTG machine the midwife confirmed that I was indeed in labour!! A couple of hours later a check by the obs confirmed that I was in labour and I was fully effaced and 2cm dilated! I was so excited as this meant that I didn’t need to be induced after all. At this stage all was going well and contractions were fairly regular and gathering intensity which was all positive. I was remaining active and doing all the exercises to help things along, I was feeling pretty good about it all but then suddenly the contractions started to hurt in my back – it was a terrible pain, it turns out that my little munchkin had turned into the OP position and was now compressing on my nerves in my back. The worst thing about this position was that when my contractions eased the contraction that was in my back stayed! I tried every which position to ease it and to help the baby turn – I also tried a hot shower for the pain, squats you name it. I then tried the gas and hated it – I thought that I was going to fall off the bed it made me feel so light headed and dizzy.
The pain by this stage was so immense in my back and I was having some pain coping issues – apparently I had completely gone in on myself at this stage and my hubby said that I pretty much did not talk at all and kept my eyes closed most of the time. I communicated by grunting and a few single syllable words here and there. After trying to help the labour progress by walking (with a lot of support) the halls, leaning over the bed, drunken style dancing with hubby (picture me basically hanging off him looking wasted while he tried to make me move around!) I started to beg for more pain relief! I wanted morphine, an epidural, whatever … I could not bear it anymore! At this stage I had been in labour for about 10 or so hours I have no idea how long, but it was a long time. I should also mention that about 1:30 in the morning my waters broke and it was completely meconium stained – very green and old green apparently.
The midwife I had at this stage was not doing a lot to help with getting me the drugs I was asking for and eventually another midwife came along and they started doing some more fetal monitoring and noticed that the baby was having huge heart decelerations during my contractions. From that point onwards I was stuck to the bed with monitors on me and every contraction was scary as the babies heart rate would drop to about 50 – 60 bpm and to get it up I would have to roll over even though this was causing me so much pain with the contractions that were all around my back and front and down my legs. Once the babies heart rate dropped so low and stayed there, the midwife hit the emergency button and about 5 people came bursting into the room. My hubby later told me that this was the most frightening moment in his life as he didn’t know what was happening and was scared that there was something very seriously wrong with me and/or the baby. Luckily after they got me to move around and suck on some oxygen his heart rate came up. After this I was then under constant supervision and had regular obs checkups. I was also still in pain at this point with no drugs as yet! After some more begging and my mothers constant pestering they gave me some morphine for the pain while I waited for the epidural. I also had someone come and take a heap of blood and hook me up with a canula for a drip and eventually after 18 hours in labour I got my epidural!! After about 20 minutes the relief in my back was so amazing and I managed to fall asleep between contractions for a short time! It was the best feeling at this stage of labour! I also ended up getting a catherter inserted (this is such fun) and they put the electrode on the babies head to monitor his heart rate more reliably. We were still getting the decelerations during contractions where I needed to move and suck down the oxygen to help him out. I found that if I breathed the oxygen deeply and slowly just as a contraction started and moved about we managed to keep the decelerations to a minimum and he bounced back from them a lot quicker (most of the time).
As they were concerned they then had to do some blood tests on the baby as they thought that I should have a caesarean but they were respecting the fact that I didn’t want one. They do the blood tests by inserting a funnel and scratching his head and taking a blood sample. To be sure they take 2 at a time and check the oxygen levels of the baby. The results came back that his blood oxygen levels were ok and still in range (but at the low end of normal). I was then asked what I want to do as I was only 6cm dialated. I asked to continue to labour and the obs said as long as I progressed in the next few hours they would check his blood oxygen and my progress and make a further decision then. After a while (again no concept of time here) I was checked out and was 9cm !!! Woo hoo! They tried the blood tests again and after 4 attempts (and 4 more cuts on my little boys head) the machine kept on breaking and they had no results. It became the call of my obs and after some discussions he sided with me and we got to go naturally and after the birth they would test the cord blood to ensure that there was adequate oxygen.
It was decided that I would be given syntocin to bring on the contractions a bit stronger, but I had to wait about 2 hours as they were concerned that the syntocin might cause the decelerations to get worse in which case I would need a ceaser pronto and my obs was in the middle of performing another one! Anyway soon enough my midwife (who may I say was the loveliest person ever) gave me the nod that I could start pushing and with her help and hubbies help I got to start pushing! Another great thing at this stage was that with all the rocking and rolling my little baby was in the best birthing position!!
The pushing was amazing, I felt like I was achieving something finally. After 2 hours we were getting close, but no baby as yet. I now had a room full of people – there was my midwife, my student midwife, hubby, my mum, my obs, his intern obs, the paediatrician, head NICU nurse and I think there was another midwife in there too… My obs told me he was going to use the ventouse and explained to me what it was and how he was going to use it and what my role was in all of this to ensure a quick and safe delivery of my little boy.
So vacuum attached I pushed through 3 contractions and felt Ryan slide out, but sadly at this point he was taken straight to the Intensive care nursery where I was told he was doing well, but I wasnt able to get to see him for over 2 hours. He was initially on the CPAP machine to help him breathe as he spent the first hour throwing up meconium, but after an hour he was doing really well and came off that. He spent the next 2 days in the Special Care nursery on anti-biotics and being monitored but he did so well I got him back and we went home with a lovely healthy baby boy!
Also I ended up with stitches from some tearing - which has healed nicely! I cant express how gratefull I was to have an experienced Obs who respected our wishes and tried to stick to them the best he could given the circumstances and explained fully if he had to do something different and why. I also had the best midwives who helped and encouraged me so much and re-assured me when it was not looking so good that I was in the best place I could be for it and that they would do all they could to ensure both of our safety.
I also have to say that I am completely in love with my baby boy - he is the most perfect thing that I have ever done in my life and if possible I am more in love with my husband then I could imagine. I now feel this amazing connection with him and the help and support that he gave me through labour - he encouraged me every step of the way and never once did I feel I was going through it alone, he was there at all times and I could never have gone through it without him.
In total I was in Labour for just over 23 hours with 2 hours of pushing!!
Finally! Here is Ryans first picture just before being taken off to intensive care:
Ryan sitting on Aunty Laura's lap watched closely by his big cousin Caitlin! - Boxing Day in Melbourne 2007.
Ryan Enjoying his first swim :) with Mummy! Can you believe that it was about 42 degrees in Melbourne on this day (and pretty much every day we were there!!!)
bath in great-poppy's laundry sink in Hervey Bay
enjoying some nappy free - nudie time at home :)
this one was in the hospital :)
Ryan in his bouncinette!
Here comes trouble :) !!!!
what a cutie he is - but I am biased!
Ryan on his way out to dinner!
