Little miss at 1 day old
I still can’t quite get my head around the fact that our little girl is here already. I was supposed to have pre-op today in readiness for my C-Section on Thursday. Instead I am sat at home having just fed our cutie.
Because this little girl did not want to wait to make her grand entrance! My waters broke in the early hours of last Tuesday morning, at 38 weeks pregnant, and as I was not contracting and baby seemed happy, the Drs decided we should keep her safely inside for a little longer. I had steroid injections to help develop her lungs and quite a good rest in the hospital on the Tuesday, with the promise that our little baba would be born on Wednesday morning.
Overnight that night the trickle of waters became a gush (sorry if TMI) and every move I made led to a flood. I also had my first ever contractions. At least I am 98% sure they were contrations. it started as a pain in my lower back with spread round to tighten my tummy. Sounds like contractions to me but the Drs weren’t convinced as the trace monitor didn’t pick them up. I am no Dr and obviously they know what they are doing but the positioning of the sensor didn’t seem to take into account my bicornuate uterus. In that it was placed at the top and centre of my tummy…. right where the dip in my uterus is and not at all where I was feeling the contractions.
Even I could feel that the contractions weren’t regular though and they stopped, so maybe they were only Braxton Hicks… I literally have no idea. How would you if it isn’t something you have ever felt before? Or again since? Anyway they decided to put me on a drip, but as the Dr double pricked my vein (and gave me a lovely big bruise on my hand) she then changed her mind and said it could wait until my surgery. I was allowed no food after midnight and only small sips of water to take my anti-sickness tablets at 6am.
Hubs in his scrubs
I managed to get a few hours sleep and then was transferred back to the delivery suite to prep for my surgery. Hubs arrived at 8 and then at 9.30, fully prepped we walked round to the theatre. We sat there for a few minutes and then were told that there was an emergency section needed so we had to be bumped back. As they don’t normally do elective sections on Wednesdays they only had one surgical team available and I needed to go back to the recovery room and wait.
We were a bit gutted but understood, and thought an extra hour or so to wait wasn’t the end of the world. Though by now I was getting very dehydrated and had a nasty headache, but was allowed a couple of small sips of water and then just tried to doze as much as possible and get through until it was our turn.
The new mum arrived and we were told it would be us within half an hour. We were so excited and relieved…. then there was a flurry of activity, our midwife disappeared and someone else came and said that there was another emergency section so we were bumped again. They said that I would have my surgery at some point that day, but they couldn’t tell me when. We were gutted to be honest. My head was pounding and was so thirsty so hubs got me some water and asked if I could have a paracetamol. I was no longer leaking fluid and baby was hardly moving so I was back on the monitor.
We of course understand that they were emergency situations but having your hopes lifted and dashed again and again was gutting. I was clearly unhappy about the turn of events and was told by two midwives (who I had never seen before and who didn’t know anything about me) that I should be happy because my baby is fine and I should see it as a positive. I’m sorry but telling a heavily pregnant hormonal woman who hasn’t been allowed to eat or drink anything for over 12 hours, who is worried about her baby, when you haven’t read the notes and know nothing about her situation, that she should be positive…. bad idea.
They made me feel like an awful pathetic person. It was like there was an assumption that because my c-section wasn’t an ’emergency’ that it wasn’t necessary or important. I wasn’t stamping my feet or kicking off but I was upset, and I think I was allowed to be!
We were pretty much left on our own for the next few hours, so I carried on drinking water even though I wasn’t supposed to, because I needed it. The paracetamol kicked in and baby started moving more which improved my mood a lot. Then a nice midwife popped her head in and for the first time actually showed a bit of empathy and said that it was a rubbish situation. Honestly that was all we needed, for someone to just agree that it sucked!
Another 2 emergencies came in and they called another surgical team in as there was too many for the original team to handle. This meant that eventually at about 2.30 in the afternoon we were told that we would be next.
My first C-Section with Monkey, being a fully planned elective, was a really, really, calm experience, and I have to say I am glad I had that experience first. This time, though just felt very disorganised. In theatre while the aneasthetists were doing their jobs and getting me ready, there was people in and out “have you done this yet?” “Well no because so and so isn’t here yet” “Has anyone paged them?” “I don’t know” “who’s doing this? has anyone paged someone to do that?” Honestly it was a bit barmy, they were all very nice and I had no doubt they knew what they were doing, but it was all so disorganised!
With Monkey’s C section hubs had to wait outside until I was fully prepped and then he was brought in, I am so glad that this time he was in the theatre with me throughout, as it was a bit dsconcerting seeing everyone flap about like headless chickens trying to sort things out! At least I had his hand to hold!
Eventually all was ready and the registrar arrived along with a senior consultant. My blood pressure dipped on the table (due to the spinal anaesthetic) and I felt quite woozy and sick at one point, but they soon corrected it and we were off. The surgery took a lot longer than Monkey’s had, because obviously this time there was more scar tissue to get through and they had to go a little slower.
There was one slightly concering moment where I heard the registrar say “uh oh” and I don’t know about you but “uh oh” is not a hugely reassuring thing to hear being said by the person operating on you. I guess it could have been worse, at least it wasn’t “oh s**t!” This was followed by a lovely burning smell so obviously they had to cauterise a bleeder or something!
Cuddles with our girl while I am still being operated on!
Eventually our little miss was born and we got to have lovely cuddles while I was being repaired, which again took a lot longer than with my first c-section. Whereas with Monkey I had disposable stitches internally and then just glue on the outside layer, this time I had to have staples, which I wasn’t exactly thrilled about, but apparently because my waters had been broken for a couple of days, my risk of infection was higher and apparently staples allow any infection to come out.
I was wheeled round to recovery where Daddy and Little Miss were having skin to skin and she was desperately trying to eat Daddy! I was apprehensive about breastfeeding after having such a difficult time feeding Monkey, but honestly it was the easiest thing in the world this time. We had a cuddle and she latched on immediately, like an old pro, and basically camped there for hours.
Our girl is safely here!
5 days on all is well, I have had my staples removed today (not as painful as I thought it might be, in fact I barely felt some of them come out) and Little Miss is still feeding brilliantly. In fact she has only lost about 1% of her birth weight, which is nothing and a lot less than Monkey did!
Such a different experience to Monkey’s birth and with all the drama I am just so relieved an grateful that she is here safe and sound. Plus on the positive side, I now know what it feels like for your waters to break, and what contractions feel like. When the VBaC was taken off the table I thought I may never know what that felt like and while I will probably never know how it feels to actually give birth, at least I have had part of the experience.
Oh Caroline! Congratulations! She is gorgeous and you look SO well! I’m so glad that despite the rather chaotic birth, she is being a dream. She looks like a little darling! Look after yourself and your precious little miss!xxx
Thanks lovely, she is so lovely and very happy to have her here nice and safely! 🙂 xx
Ah Caroline it sounds all a bit stressful all that ‘bumping’! You must have been beside yourself and I agree, why do midwives have to be so rude sometimes when it doesn’t take much to show a bit of empathy! Your comment about the surgeon – what he said and didn’t say made me laugh! So glad Little Miss is doing all the right things – honestly i do believe second babies are so much less trouble 🙂 Xx
It really was a bit of a rough day and honestly a little empathy really was all we needed! Well she seems to be at the moment but I worry she is lulling us into a false ssense of security! 🙂 xx
So pleased that you’re doing so well and that Little Miss is feeding well, too. I had to wait a while for my elective C Section, and it is off-putting, and you do start to feel rough as you’re starving! I’d agree that an ‘uh-oh’ isn’t something I’d like to hear either! Take care xx
Caroline, congrats on the birth of your little miss. Sounds like a stressful birth, but she is worth it. I too had a stressful birth with my daughter 3weeks ago, she arrived 5weeks premature and I went through most of the Labour before an emergency section, which was scary! She spent 2weeks in special care but is home with us now and already ruling the house! She was really breeched and was totally squished in my bicornuate uterus and needed to get out! I will be looking forward to reading your blogs about your baby daughter, I might even return to blogging myself, now that I’m at home! Xxx
Thanks Fiona and congratulations on the birth of your little one too! Glad to hear she is home and doing well and let me know your blog site if you do return to blogging, I would love to read how youa re both doing! xx
Hi – congratulations! It is amazing how the midwives can totally affect how you feel during a labour/section – I really think they should have more training on how to deal with women in labour – I know to them it is what they do day in day out, but they need to remember that to the women they’re dealing with, it is their entire world! I’m glad all went well once they eventually got round to you and that she’s feeding well. Make sure you look after yourself – it’s even harder to do with no. 2, but you need to look after you so as to be able to best look after them. xxxxx
Thank you and you’re so right, I understand that it is their job and must seem so mundane but to us it really is so important! xx
Congratulations Caroline – she looks so adorable and it’s fabulous to hear how well she’s getting on with Breastfeeding – every cloud and all that.
The birth itself though? Not so impressed. You poor things. That is not nice to be made to wait so long and you are definitely within your rights to be peeved. I hope you’ve written this up to send in to the hospital!! Waiting AND the uh oh all when you just want to see your baby 🙁
I hope you’ve been having a restful week and little miss is sleeping lots for her special family 🙂 lots of love xxx
Thanks lovely, yeah it was all a but crazy and not hugely fun but thankfully all turned out well and it’s amazing how all the negativity just kind of drifts away after that! She is gorgeous and letting me rest lots which is lovely 🙂 xx
Congratulations!! She’s just adorable, and I’m really glad everything went well even if it was a bit chaotic at times! It’s so true that a really great midwife can make all the difference isn’t it 🙂
Thank you, yep you’re so right, it really makes so much of a difference! xx
Oh wow what a long long wait and I think I would have been upset too. I remember getting so hungry in my first pregnancy, I would have been at the hangry stage 12 hours in. So glad everything went well in the end, even with the staples (that made me wince a bit). And your little girl is just gorgoeus!!
haha I was definitely at the hangry stage! but yes thankfully all went well in the end! xx
Congratulations. I do think doctors and midwives have a habit of forgetting that each individual woman is there for a day that is very important and will always be remembered. Yeah, you might have had to wait for the emergencies, but there are ways of telling you and making you feel as if you are still important.
How’s the recovery going? I found my second c-section a lot easier recovery than my first.
Congratulations on your new beautiful daughter! I’m glad everything is going well at home. Such a special time!
Congratulations! Can completely agree with you being upset that you were delayed and whilst the staff couldn’t do anything, I completely agree that a bit of empathy and understanding can go a long long way. Glad your gorgeous baby has arrived safely x
The waiting in hospital is horrible isn’t it, I totally understand why but annoying all the same. I was induced and the following morning at 6.30am I was woken and my husband arrived for us to go down to the delivery suite for the next bit as we were told but we ended up having to wait until nearly 3pm before going down, so annoying.
Glad everything is going great and you are doing amazing feeding her, well done and congratulations again. x
Awww congratulations x
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Congratulations, she is adorable! I’m so pleased that it all went well and that you are all safely back home.
Dropping by from #Allaboutyou
She’s so gorgeous Caroline and you look fantastic!! Welcome to the world beautiful little miss!! Xx
Congratulations on your arrival! Hope all is well and you’re enjoying those first few days. I agree, hearing “uh oh” is the last thing anyone wants to hear 🙂
Oh congratulations, she is gorgeous! Well done you, it sounds like you did an amazing job – having had 3 emergency sections myself I can appreciate what you mean when you talk about the rushing and distracted nature of the staff. I am glad your little girl arrived safely, and I look forward to seeing more photos over the next few weeks! #MMWBH
Huge congratulations – your daughter is beautiful!
I too had a very relaxed section with my eldest daughter but with my youngest it was a bit of a shambles – we got ‘bumped’ too and then the staff were a bit all over the place (couldn’t get the spinal in, ouch!) theatre wasn’t even set up properly. Turned me into a bit of a gibbering wreak at the time but amazing how it all stops mattering the moment you get your baby out safe isn’t it!
Totally right when you said you were glad you had a positive section experience first though, enough to put you off a bit!
Enjoy these precious days with your new arrival!
Xx
Huge congrats on the arrival of your gorgeous little girl!
Congratulations Caroline! Kids, eh? They have no sense of time-keeping! Ours were 12, two and 19 days late respectively …
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Firstly, congratulations! what an experience you had to go through! so glad you are both doing well x
Congratulations she is absolutely beautiful!
Sorry to hear you didn’t have a nice labour but so pleased all is well now xx
Oh Caroline, I’ve been looking out for this post! Congratulations – I know it wasn’t the perfect experience but the result was and that is all that matters! Wonderful news lovely. Xxx #AllAboutYou
Thanks lovely and you are 100% right, all the negativity sort of drifts away when you have that perfect baby in your arms 🙂 xx
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Massive congrats again- sorry it didn’t go completely smoothly, I know all about the elective c-section saga myself. But she is here and congratulations! x
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