u/a-liquid-sky

Hi lovelies! I found it so helpful to read stories on this subreddit during my pregnancy, so wanted to contribute my own in the hopes that it's useful to someone. While it wasn't anything like what I had planned/hoped for (quite the opposite, actually), there were positive aspects and overall I feel like I had a good experience.

My original birth plan was to use the Midwife Led Unit when I went into spontaneous labour, as I was keen on having a water birth. Induction was not high on my list, and I was keen to avoid a C section at all costs until it became an absolute necessity. The consultant midwife and consultant both agreed to this at 37 weeks. Once I went past 40 weeks, we had a call together and I got it agreed that I could delay induction for as long as possible. I had been doing everything possible at home, but as we got closer to 41+6, it became more apparent that induction would be our way forward.

41+6

3pm - Arrived at hospital

4pm - Propess put in. I had a discussion with a midwife and registrar about what the process would be if we chose to stop the induction and go for a C section straight away, so that we had a bit more information. Chose to continue with induction. A long sleepless night!

42

4pm - propess checked and I was 1cm dilated. Had a discussion with midwife to try the second propess and then make plans based on the outcome. Second propess put in

8pm - I notice a large amount of pink liquid on my pad and mention it to one of the Maternity Care Assistants who said she'd pass it on to my midwife (they were all in their handover meeting at the time). No one comes to discuss so I assume all is fine.

11pm - we get a new set of roommates from hell (being dramatic, I know). I have a bit of an emotional wobble that there is still no progress.

42+1

1am - Midwife comes to do CTG monitoring. I mention some cramps and the liquid on the pad - the message about that definitely hadn't been passed on and so they sprang into action. Did an exam, took a swab to confirm if it was my waters, and it was! So the propess was removed, and within 10 minutes of the result we were packed up and settling into the labour ward downstairs. I am still only 1cm dilated at this point but I'm excited that things seem to be kicking off!

2am - a registrar examines me and breaks my remaining waters to see if that would make things pick up, with plans to start the hormone drip at 6am. Baby is a menace for the monitoring and keeps wriggling away as soon as they get the probe into a good position.

5am - Midwife sneaks us both a big stack of toast as I would have to fast on the drip and hadn't eaten a proper meal since 5pm the previous night.

6am - there's been no further dilation, so the hormone drip started. Contractions do eventually start but are manageable without pain relief. Baby continues to be a menace for the monitoring, so it's hard for me to change positions even slightly. Day shift takes over, including a student midwife.

9am - the doctors do their rounds of the ward. We ask a few questions.

10am - drip paused, exam done by midwife and student midwife. Only 1.5cm dilated! Only 0.5cm progress in 4 hours! We decide to go for another 4 hours, at a higher titration. The contractions got more intense so I started using gas and air - I thought it wasn't working for me until my husband made a great joke as I was puffing away and I nearly wet myself laughing... The midwives are a great team. Baby continues to be awful for monitoring - there's at least 4 straps now very tightly strapped around my belly to try to consistently pick up the heartbeat, I'm limited to certain positions, and contractions are all very low in my pelvis. I spent most of this stint sitting on the amazing adjustable bed/seat like a throne with just a crop top on.

2pm - the drip was paused again and I had another examination. I was now 2cm dilated, so another 0.5cm progress in 4 hours. The midwife does a sweep to check there are no waters left, there aren't. We discuss with a doctor what the options are now - straight to a C section or do the drip for another 4 hours in hopes that it will work much better this time, but the general feeling is that I would still end up needing a section. I'm exhausted by this point from 48+ hours of no sleep and increasingly rough contractions, and feeling very emotional. My husband is a great advocate and asks for a few minutes so we can discuss things privately. I have a little cry as I'm a big mess of emotions - frustrated that I haven't gone into labour spontaneously, exhausted by the recent lack of sleep on top of the general pregnancy exhaustion, in pain as the gas and air has stopped being effective on the intense and quick contractions, admittedly some disappointment because I really didn't plan to have a section, bit scared of the major operation... Nevertheless, we choose to go ahead with the section.

2.30pm - I sign consent forms. Now it all becomes a whirlwind. Everyone is VERY nice but it's still a bit scary to have 12 people suddenly asking you things at once and poking and prodding. I found it very frustrating to be asked to stay as still as possible so the spinal could be put in, at the same time as someone was pressing a CTG very afirmly all over my stomach to find baby's heart rate, and I was really worried that it would cause some side effects if I accidentally moved. My midwife and the student came in which I was very happy about as they had been so supportive and we had a great bond. Everyone was so lovely and tried to make it a positive experience for us, despite it being unplanned - they offered music, chatted to distract me, took photos for us of her coming out at multiple angles, took photos of my husband cutting the cord, took photos of the placenta (even going so far as to shape the cord into a heart for that one!).

4pm - baby girl is born! Husband cuts cord etc, I can see her little hands and feet waving from the table and do get a big lump in my throat because it's so weird to finally see the limbs that have spent months touching my insides. Eventually I get skin to skin but it ended up basically just being Baby lying on my neck due to space. She ends up latching onto my chin, hehe. My husband notices some of the team mouthing things to each other as he's been shepherded off to the recovery ward; we don't find out until the following morning but I lost a lot of blood (over 1.5 litres). In retrospect, I appreciate that they didn't make a song and dance about it, because I don't think I'd have taken it very well at the time.

5.30pm - husband and baby are waiting for me in recovery. Baby latches on like a limpet as soon as she gets within wriggling distance of my nipple, and away we go! Our midwife managed to wangle a private room for us overnight so we could have a bit of privacy to decompress and regroup, which was really appreciated.

We were discharged 24 hours after the C section. It's not been easy, especially as I hadn't really planned towards or prepared myself for a C section and the subsequent recovery. But, it's only been a few days! I am feeling confident that things will continue to get better.

Just need a whinge really. Being induced tomorrow at 41w+6 (so it can't really be put off any longer), and I've spent all day with a sore throat and a sniffle! :( I've been resting all day, drinking like a fish, paracetamol, all the usual stuff, but I still feel pants.

Anyone had similar? I'm hoping that once we get going tomorrow, I'll completely forget about my tickly throat...

I'm 41+1 (and sooo ready for this baby to come!.

However, I just rang Triage as my waters are possibly very slowly leaking, and they asked me to go to one of the other hospitals in my trust, as my hospital isn't accepting patients for some reason.

I'm now feeling really anxious about going to triage and potentially ending up having to stay in to be induced at an unfamiliar hospital, where there aren't the same facilities (ie Midwife Led Unit).

Can I ask to go home from triage until my hospital is accepting patients again, rather than being admitted at this one? Presumably it is just staffing that has closed it (there's been bad flooding in the area today due to the torrential rain). I know if my waters have started going then I'm on the clock a bit 🫤

Edit - as an update, my waters haven't gone! No induction today. It's pencilled in for sometime between Sunday and Tuesday, so hopefully my hospital will be accepting patients again by then :)

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