THEO'S BIRTH STORY

As you may of seen, our little baby boy sprung into the world a week ago today on New Year's Eve and it's been a bit of hectic one since. He is finally here and a today we were finally allowed to come home - But how did this little bundle of goodness enter the world I hear you ask. Well as all good birth story's start, grab a cup of tea and you'll find out!


In my post Pregnancy Talk: 35 Weeks & Counting I said the below.

So the countdown is on! T-MINUS 8 DAYS UNTIL INDUCTION!

Oh how wrong I was! Our little monster has been in the world a whole week today! And it's been one I won't be forgetting anytime soon. But more on than in another post.

So where did it all start? After avoiding spending my Christmas day on the antenatal ward I trotted back to our Daycare Assessment Unit on the Wednesday for the usual bloods, blood pressure and urine checks. In the back of my mind, I half expected to be admitted so had readily packed mine, babies and Kieran's hospital bags and dumped them in the conservatory for safe keeping. Sure enough, after a few hours of waiting for the blood results my consultant looked at me and said "We've reached the end. It's time!" My blood pressure was starting to destabilise again even with medication, my protein was stupidly high and there just wasn't much point waiting. So off I popped back to the antenatal ward to get ready to be induced that afternoon.

Later on, I was whisked down to the Labour Ward for a few hours so they could monitor baby and for them to insert the pessary and gel. I was ready! It was time! I could do this! After weeks of watching tons of other women be induced, I knew what I was in for and I was going to do this.

Or not. The hours ticked by and although I felt a little bit sore - although I'm pretty sure that is from the way they insert the pessary and the examinations previous to that not the actual labour hormones! - nothing was happening. I'd seen women writhing in pain within half an hour, where was my pain I'd prepared for? The 24 hour window approached and I was actually getting a little bit hopeless about the fact that I didn't really feel any different. The midwife tried to reassure me that everyone's body is different but unfortunately my doubts were correct. After 24 hours my cervix was still high, still closed and still stubborn as hell. I was then also told that my pelvic arch was very narrow. This is when I drew the line and chose to cut my loses and have a section. The odd's just weren't in my favour. I was suffering and I wanted to avoid any risk of little one suffering. The following day I signed the consent form and was given a gown and stockings with the outlook that unless there was an emergency I would be seen to on the Saturday in the afternoon.

First thing on the Saturday I was woken up by the midwife around 8am with my medication and was just about to head back to sleep when in walk the anesthetist and a doctor. They explain that they've had a spare slot to get me in so we were going down to theatre now! I then quickly rang Kieran telling him to get his but into the hospital early whilst packing away my belongings and tugging on my gown. Half an hour later and I am sitting in theatre, having my back used as a pin cushion to find the right place for the spinal block.

By 9:45, I am lying on the table, numbness spreading through my legs and stomach and we are ready to rock and roll. Although I won't go into too much detail about the c section - partially because as soon as you lie down your completely oblivious to what goes on behind that screen and I think it might be better with it's own post - I recall feeling random waves of sickness which were then followed by the anesthetist chap pumping my cannula full of something, hearing that all mighty baby scream coming from the other side and then promptly puking bile all down myself - isn't birth beautiful.

At 10:00, Theo was born - very loudly may I add! He obviously wanted to make a dramatic entrance! - and by 10:45 I was stitched up and in recovery having major snuggles whilst various bits and bobs were being organised in the background.

So there he was. My beautiful little bundle of joy. All 4lb and 9oz of him all snuggled up in my theatre gown. Unfortunately once we were wheeled up to the postnatal ward he was struggling to keep his temperature and ended up in a incubator for a few days. He was also a little bit jaundice so had to have some light treatment. Thankfully, 7 days after birth we've now been sent home to start our little journey as a family. And I can't bloody wait!