Chantal
Vic 1 kid in tow
I never expected pregnancy to be a walk in the park, but suffice to say, I didn't expect to be on such a myriad of drugs to control my vomiting and have been admitted three times before the little tike decided to make his way into the world.
Turns out his arrival was to be similarly unconventional. Due on the 7th of September, I was not expecting to have my water break on the 15th if July. It was the middle of the night when I thought I noticed a trickle of liquid, but decided I had dreamt it. It wasn't until later that morning, around 7am, turned over in bed and realised I had not. Thankfully I made my way to the toilet without creating too much mess. After sitting there for a few minute to gather my thoughts, I asked hubby to grab a pad for me, tidied myself up and called the hospital. As expected they asked me to come in to be checked over and have the baby monitored by CTG.
Up to this point, apart from the Braxton Hicks, which I had been experiencing for weeks, I felt no real contractions. The monitoring, however, told a different story. Despite this an internal exam later that morning showed that the shop was still shut, with no progression into labour.
So I was admitted for bed rest and put on antibiotics and nephedipine (to halt the contractions) and given steroid shots to ready his lungs. Everything was now up in the air - Was he going to come soon? How I long would I be in hospital (not the whole 7.5 weeks surely?!).
I spent 8 days in hospital on rest and, because everything was going well (no signs of infection and normal daily monitoring), I was sent home to continue resting there. After 1 full day at home (resting as instructed), I went to bed and slept for a couple of hours before waking to take my midnight antibiotics. I struggled to go back to sleep after this (not in itself an unusual thing for me) and I think the period-like cramping started at about 2am.
By morning the cramping had not ceased and was regular enough that we decided we should call the hospital. On returning, the CTG was again used to monitor potential progress, but no internal exam was initially done, so as to minimise infection risk if labor did not progress. After several hours labour did progress and the first internal in the late afternoon (the timing gets a bit fuzzy from here) showed effacement and dilation to 2cm. This was very demoralising. I thought I had been dealing reasonably well with the pain until then, with only a little gas. I was also told at this point, by the OB, that bub was facing back to back.
Unable to have pethidine due to allergy, I was offered an epidural. I had been reluctant to have one as I wasn't keen on having a needle in such close proximity to my spinal cord, but boy was I happy to see the Anesthesiologist when he came (some time after dusk). Once in, I was also started on a Syntocin drip to help move things along and encourage the baby to turn.
Several hours of labour later, he had still not turned and was stuck in the birth canal. After loading up the epi (I had a button to press but had not been using it enough!) baby was turned manually and delivered using forceps (at 1.10am). Having only slept 2hrs in the preceding 40, I was reasonably delirious by now, and it would be about 4 more hours until I was in bed (on the ward) and asleep.
It's worth noting, I was still sick and vomiting during the labour. However, when I woke up Thursday morning, having only had about 3hrs sleep - I felt better than I had in 6 months. Sweet relief from the hyperemesis and no more need to take antinausea meds or steroids!
On delivery, baby was breathing well enough to have skin-to-skin cuddles for around 10mins before he started to get too cold. Baby was then taken to the special care nursery for examination. Apart from needing an IV to control glucose levels, paediatrician reported that he was doing exceptionally well considering his gestational age (34 weeks).
He spent 4 weeks in special care, and I was sent home after 3 days. Almost 9 weeks later, he continues to do well and is making a serious effort at catching up. Born at just under 2.3kg, he's eating (mixed feeds) like a horse and is now just over double his birth weight.
