Niki
If you’ve been a Fuzzable reader for the last 9 months, you may recall our Fuzzabump diaries series. Where I (Niki) took you along the start of my pregnancy journey. Well, the journey of pregnancy has concluded and *spoiler alert* it’s ended with Theodore the Fuzzababy. He’s currently 7 weeks old, and thriving at home with me. However, things haven’t been easy for our journey here especially labour .
* Discussion of pregnancy related topics below*
At 36 weeks and 3 days pregnant, I’d had to go to the doctors just for my annual asthma check. I decided to walk to the doctors as it’s only a 15 minute waddle from home, so I did as normal. I got back home, and sat on the sofa watching Loose Women, a Maternity Leave favourite, and my mum passed me an ice cream as it was a hot day. Halfway through my ice cream I felt a sudden pop from my lady area. With that pop came a gush of fluid, so bad I thought that this isn’t me wetting myself, I couldn’t hold this much wee! My mum who obviously has had kids and been through this before came running, and looked at the fluid, called my other half into the room and we phoned my best friend. My hospital bag was half packed, mine and Theo’s clothes and some toiletries we’re all in tow, enough for 2 days.
My best friends mum drove us to the hospital. In the back of the car we’d laid plenty of towels because despite what I’d thought, waters come out for hours (over 24) after breaking.
One we arrived at Poole Maternity Hospital we were taken to a delivery room for examinations, monitoring and checks, and just as expected my waters had broken and I was having mild contractions. As I hadn’t made it to 37 weeks, Theo was classed as premature until we’d hit that. The initial decision was to wait until I went into natural labour with Theo, as the majority of the time after waters break baby is out within 48 hours. However with contractions coming and then going again and labour not progressing, the decision to induce me was made.
Saturday night a bed was finally ready on the delivery suite, so I was taken down there with my mother and other half, (my big brother was able to come in and be with us for a few hours before the push- however at the head end, I did not want him to see down there!). I made the decision to have an epidural, as I’d been since the Thursday with no sleep. The hormone drip and epidural worked wonders (at first) and I felt pressure but no pain whilst contracting. I was high as a kite on gas and air, singing and going on about ducks (allegedly- I remember nothing) until around 5am on the Sunday, suddenly pain like nothing before hit me. My epidural had stopped working, my cervix was 10cm dialated and it was time to push my baby out. (That bit of labour SUCKED)
I pushed for 54 mins, exhausted and in agony, with monitors here there and everywhere. Until suddenly the midwife hit the panic button, and told me not to worry, but she needed some help as baby was stuck, and his heart rate is dropping rapidly. My heart felt broken. I hadn’t even brought him into the world and already I was failing. The next thing I know is I see my mum and John (baby daddy and partner) looking terrified. Their hands that comforted me held me tighter. I had an episiotomy (a cut from lady garden to let baby out- mine goes from Theo’s birth hole to my butt) and he was pulled out. I got to hold him for 32 seconds my birth record says.
My precious and perfect Theodore was born at 6:04 weighing 6lb 11oz.
His little lungs where in shock from all of this, and so he was rushed up to the neonatal unit. I was rushed into surgery. The most heart breaking time of my life.
There is a lot more to our journey, we had a rough ride to get to be here-home. Keep tuned to @Fuzzable to hear about the Theo’s bravery and struggles we faced together in hospital, our first week at home and also my battle with Post Natal Depression and Birth Trauma Induced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I can’t wait to share with you all the best bits of parenting!
