"Birth of my son"

I went in for an induction on the Monday morning. I was nervous and excited, felt quite positive although a little sad to get induced. All the midwives and care staff that took care of me on the induction ward were so lovely, I got quite upset when my partner had to leave for the night (not a hospital fan) and the staff were so lovely and reassuring and helped calm me down. 

The next afternoon I was taken upstairs to have my waters broken, this wasn’t the most pleasant but the midwives and doctors kept everything light-hearted and we got through it. I then went to the birthing suite for a couple of hours in hopes that I’d dilate on my own… this didn’t happen.

I went back to the delivery unit and was taken care of by Emma and Kacey. Both really lovely and helpful! Then I got the hormone drip. My midwife switched over to Fiona.

Overnight I tried to keep things happy and lighthearted knowing happy hormone is key! Unfortunately I was pretty tired by this point and the drip was getting cranked up regularly. In the early hours I started struggling to cope and feeling a bit like a failure, like pain relief wasn’t an option because I’d get judged. I tried pethidine and it took the edge off but didn’t really do anything for long enough for me to rest. Fiona reassured me that the hormone drip was hardcore and getting an epidural wasn’t a cop out. She made me feel so much better so thanks for that! It was so hard to be thrown into the middle of a birth that was not what I really wanted at all.

Not long after I got the epidural my midwives switched to Millie and Kacey (back again). Kacey was a student who I encountered twice and I think she’s going to make an amazing midwife!! I was feeling much better post epidural and the drip was cranked up as far as it could go. The midwives laughed and joked with me and my partner and I felt very at ease.

Unfortunately the epidural then failed down one side. I had it topped up and later on failed down the other side. I then had it repositioned and then later it failed down both sides. Mille and Kacey were great at dealing with me losing my mind a little. I really struggled to deal with the pain of the fully turned up drip. Unfortunately at this point the anaesthetist was stuck in theatre so there was a lot of discomfort that I needed through each contraction. Shortly before my last check my midwives switched to Leanne and Beth, at this check I had not dilated as much as hoped. Only 1cm instead of 2cm. I hadn’t really slept since the Sunday night it was now Wednesday. I hadn’t eaten since the Tuesday lunchtime.

I was exhausted, c section came into it and I decided to go for it. I immediately requested that the drip then be turned off which it was. I was scared but mostly just felt relief that the ordeal would be over soon and I’d meet my baby. Leanne and Beth were amazing and keeping things happy and light-hearted in theatre as was all the staff. The anaesthetist took photos of my boy coming out and I even found a few happy selfies from the staff on my phone! I couldn’t have asked for a better team. We all laughed that my son came out to the lazy song by Bruno mars. I felt a little queasy afterwards and I was immediately reassured and meds corrected.

In recovery the staff were great at leaving us have our golden hour with the son but also making sure I was happy with breastfeeding and topped up with the magical tea and toast! Unfortunately due to the time when I went down to the wheel fortune ward my other half did have to go home but we did need bigger clothes for our boy as he was larger than we expected and longer! I stayed in for the next day (left Friday morning) and again all the midwives and care workers were amazing at helping with breastfeeding just helping to lift baby when I wasn’t able to and I got lots of great advice before going home. I really could not have asked for better midwives (and I encountered a fair few over the 5 days) to help me through an unexpected journey.

They really were all so caring and lovely. I felt completely safe in their hands. The staff are all so so lovely and helpful there and as much as the hormone drip will never enter my veins again I do still feel like it was a positive experience and will 100 percent have any subsequent children at Treliske.