Birth Announcement and Story
Rosanna Charlotte
Born at 7.58am on Friday 3rd October 2008
Weight 9lbs 10.5ozs
Gestation 41 weeks + 4 days
Born by emergency Caesarean Section following an induction.
I stalled at 9 and a 3/4cms and the doctors realised at that point that Rosanna was back to back and facing the wrong way and although it was considered, it was felt too risky to attempt a forceps delivery.
Wednesday 1st October 2008
Our story begins a couple of days before. I was booked in to be induced on Wednesday 1st October. My father in law was due to take us in, but 2 days before we got the call to say that our sister in law who was terminally ill with cancer didn't have long to live. My father in law was torn re which son to be with so we arranged for my best friend, Dana to take us to the hospital. She was to be my birth partner along with my husband anyway.
Everything went wrong that morning....my husband (Kev) and I had planned a nice last breakfast together and it got burnt...the cat needed a bath which he didn't like....I hadn't slept for worrying about my sister in law and the family.... and Kev and I both just had different agendas to get out of the door (me to pack and Kev to get us a good meal before we left for the hospital) and so were at odds with each other....and we had an argument for the first time ever and by the time Dana arrived I was in tears. It wasn't a good start but Dana cheered us up and we headed off to the hospital. En route we couldn't work out why the car in front was crawling along until Kev asked what the red flashing light inside the car was.....and I had accidentally knocked on Dana's demonstration blue flashing lights (she sells them to the police, ambulances etc.) and they had been flashing for several miles!!
We arrived on the ward at 10am. The matron thought Dana was my mum!! She's younger than me!! I had been given a lovely room (which isn't usual here in the UK) so I was very chuffed. We made ourselves at home and Dana left us for now. I had basic checks, the baby got monitored for an hour and I got my first Prostin tablet (apparently they cost £30 each!). I was told that the plan was to only try one tablet and hope that I went into labour that evening but that they wouldn't administer the second dose then until the next day because they didn't want me going into labour overnight because the plan was for me to be cared for by the best team possible who came on duty on Thursday. In some ways I was a little disappointed as I wanted things to just get moving and also it gave us logistical problems as Kev was now an hour from home with no transport home so needed to book a hotel for the night if I didn't go into labour.
I was always deemed high risk but the doctor suddenly mentioned shoulder dystocia which I knew a little about as I had read up pre my GD test, but no one had mentioned it up to this point. The doctor gave us a big talk re what would happen etc. and it really scared me. Later the head of the labour ward came to say “Hello” (we had met previously) and she explained all the protocols, risks etc and calmed me down.
Anyway nothing happened that day and it was arranged for Kev to stay in a local hotel and at 9pm I sadly said goodbye to him and he said he would be back for 5.30am as I was due to have my second Prostin tablet at 6am. We had been waiting all day for news of our sis in law who was expected to die at any moment so emotions at parting were high...
Thursday 2nd October 2008
I had a bad nights sleep and so did Kev (the hotel was horrible, scary and noisy). The nurse did my checks again and gave me the second dose of Prostin at 6.30am. Apparently my cervix hadn't changed - I had been a fingertip dilated for a week. I was convinced at this point that even a third dose wouldn't change anything. Meanwhile I started to develop pre-pre-eclampsia with high blood pressure and protein in my urine and blood pressure tablets were begun. So I waited for the doctor to come back at 12.30pm to give a verdict re another tablet or whether anything had changed and they were able to break my waters. I was passed into the hands of the Obstetrician, Mr Tyrrell, whom my Ob had designated for me (she was on holiday) and apparently he was the most senior Ob and she wanted me left in the best hands. I was to thank her for this decision later. Mr Tyrrell examined me and said I was only 2cms dilated but he took the decision to move me to the labour ward at 2.30pm and he would try and break my waters. He wasn't sure if he could do it....but again later I was to understand why he took this decision.
So I got settled into Room 4 on the labour and delivery ward. Mr Tyrrell tried to break my waters but nothing appeared to happen. They began antibiotics for Group B Strep and they started me on a Syntocin drip at 2.30pm.
At 6.30pm Mr Tyrrell turned the Syntocin up to 6. He decided he needed better monitoring so the first of fetal scalp electrodes was attached. The electrode worked so we knew the amniotic sac had been pierced but my waters hadn't gone. I was only 2cms dilated. I had backache mainly from being sat to one side to monitor the baby manually, so we decided to attach my TENS machine. As the Syntocin levels were slowly raised I began to get regular pains in my back and the TENS machine really was worthwhile in helping alleviate that. I started to have a bloody discharge and eventually what I presume were bits of my mucous plug. Eventually the medics decided the baby needed better monitoring and to my disappointment I was confined to bed.
At 9pm Dana arrived on the Labour and Delivery Ward. We expected more to have happened by this time (the midwife gave us a time she thought I would have made significant progress by) but I was still having no proper contractions.
Because I was deemed high risk I had had several discussions and meetings beforehand with consultants, anaesthetists, midwives etc. etc. because everyone wanted to try and avoid me having a C-Section because it was literally life or death with me. The main crux was that a general anaesthetic had to be avoided at all costs and ideally because of the infection risks they would do anything to avoid a C-Section but if we ended up there then the best team would be there and they had plans for the operation and care. I had also been well briefed re other possible interventions like forceps and ventuose and although we had had these discussions I felt very happy and reassured that everything would be done before we got to any of those situations.
So the plan was always to get an IV line into me early and also an epidural line. The plan was initially to not put any anaesthetic down the line. My anaesthetist had put my IV in for the Syntocin and he had said he was going home but would come back in to do my epidural. So with one eye on the clock I requested he came back in again before it got too late and I got too uncomfy and at 9.15pm the anaesthetist arrived back. We had been prepared for a difficult insertion but I believe the epidural went in fairly easily. I was about 2 thirds of the way through my TENS machine by this point and was more uncomfy so I took the decision given I was confined to the bed anyway, to have the anaesthetic put down the line. It was one of the best decisions. I was also given more antibiotics.
At midnight they lost the baby's monitor so they examined me and I was STILL only 2cms dilated with the Syntocin almost at maximum level. I still was feeling no contractions at the front. They inserted a catheter at this point and attached the second fetal scalp electrode.
Friday 3rd October
My epidural began to wear off just before 1am. It was only a short time before it was topped up but boy it hurt for that short time. I was amazed how quickly it wore off. I remembered this for next time!!!
By 1.45am I was getting strong contractions however I was feeling them after the monitor had registered them. They were all in my bottom / lower back and everyone was bemused at the time lag between the monitors reading and me feeling the contractions...I was given gas and air to help. Apparently I hogged the gas and air for 15 mins plus but I have no recollection of this. I thought I only had gas and air for the last two hours so its been interesting reading the notes Dana took for me.
At 2am some of my waters went - but not much.
I was examined at 3am and was suddenly 7cms dilated.
However there was concern for the baby because as I had contractions the heart beat was dropping. The syntocin I know was turned up and down several times in these few hours to try to balance things out. My blood pressure was also going up and down.
At 3.25am a fetal blood sample was taken from the baby's head. There were 5 members of staff in the room rushing the samples around. The doctor invited Kev and Dana to view the baby's head and hair through a tube!!!! I was in no position to argue!!! The result was borderline (7.20) so they decided to examine me again at 4am. By the time the examination had finished I had dilated to 9cms. Everyone got very excited. Dana has written in my notebook “Yippee! All systems go!!”
At 4am they repeated the blood test (poor baby). It was just over the level needed to let me continue labouring (7.24). I was still 9cms dilated. It was decided to monitor me and the baby and hope a natural delivery would be possible. There was a debate re when the onset of labour was because of the rapid dilation and it was decided it would be recorded as midnight.
My epidural was topped up again at 4.30am although we delayed for some time because everyone expected me to deliver imminently. Gas and air was my friend at this point. I can remember this hour and the following one being the hardest because I could feel the baby moving down and it was very uncomfy, the pain was much worse and the doctors kept coming back and saying to wait another hour....and I just wanted it all over by this point.
Another fetal blood test was done at 5am (7.21) and I was told they would re-examine me in an hour. At 6am Mr Tyrrell returned. He examined me and found I was 9 and 3/4's dilated but I had a slight lip. He asked me to try pushing but I was tired and disorientated and I couldn't work out what to do. At this point....they finally realised the baby was back to back - hence me not getting contractions in my tummy but in my bottom - which meant the baby was facing the wrong way up. I wasn't allowed to push but had to wait another hour. I remember this hour being the worst...it was painful and I had had enough. My epidural was topped up again at 6.40am.
At 7am Mr Tyrrell examined me again. Nothing had changed. We had a conversation then re what to do. I was to be taken to theatre where they would try to turn the baby and do a forceps delivery but I was warned that this may well not be possible and a C-Section was probable. At this point I remember being very rational. I read the consent form calmly and signed it. I knew I had no choice and I felt very confident about the hands I was in. I was told later that both Kev and Dana left the room in tears because they understood how serious this was. I was told there was no rush to get me to theatre but it did only feel like 5mins before I being taken there.
At 7.25am I was given the 2 doses of the epidural needed for the operation. Up to this point I had been able to feel and move my legs.
At 7.30am I went to theatre leaving Dana crying in my room...
After this its all very hazy for me. I remember being wheeled down the corridor and feeling suddenly very sick. I was sick when I arrived in theatre. Kev was shown a room to change into scrubs. I got moved onto the operating table. They put me on a tilt but I heard someone say that they weren't going to do that for me and I was put flat again. I remember seeing a whole host of familiar faces. I understood later that I had hit the change over time for staff and all the staff who I knew from meetings etc. had scrubbed up and were in theatre with me and all the staff who had been with me all night had committed to staying late to be with me too. Having so many familiar faces was very very reassuring for me. They examined me fairly quickly and I was told that forceps was not going to be possible. I remember Kev being brought in after that and he sat to my right. They put the screen up. After that I remember being told they were about to start the operation. The next thing I can remember is Kev saying its definitely a girl (we had been told by 4 sonographers that it was a girl). Then Rosanna was brought to Kev. He was told she has a slight birthmark to which I remember thinking “well we should have expected that” because Kev has one - I later discovered its a cluster of red veins on her chest rather than a brown birthmark like Kev's. I was shown Rosanna. After that I remember being sick again and people joking because Mr Tyrrell had apparently run off with the baby (Kev was apparently panicking as I had drilled into him at all times to stay with the baby). Mr Tyrrell apparently took Rosanna to Dana and asked her to look after her! Kev says he flew down the corridor and skidded past the room in his hurry to find her!!
I was really very very out of it for the whole experience. Kev says I was given morphine in the epidural which I didn't realise but will explain why. I remember being back in the room and Rosanna was put next to me on my bed briefly before I fell asleep.
So Rosanna Charlotte was born at 7.58am in Theatre 5. She was born in meconium - apparently my waters didn't go because the baby's head was in the way but her Apgar scores were 7 and 9 and she was fine but even now, a week on we are still fishing meconium out of her ears and nose!!
We discovered the next morning that Rosanna's Aunty had died just before midnight on the same day that Rosanna was born. For days she had hung on and on and for her to die on the same day as Rosanna was born I have found hard. I don't know how this will affect the family in years to come as she left 4 children behind who will move to be near us here.....and I just hope they see Rosanna's birth positively and not negatively.
The last week
To cut a long story short, I was determined to escape hospital quickly but I was told more or less to expect a long stay. They even ordered me 2 special beds for mobility and pressure relief. However I proved the midwives wrong and I was out of bed by that evening and walking around. I even had midwives coming in to see and to congratulate me!!! The next day I had a shower and packed my stuff as I had to move to the postnatal ward. They couldn't find a wheelchair and my dad and sister were coming for visiting time at 3pm so I decided to walk down to the ward. It was about 500 metres and I did it and amazed everyone! I had an even bigger room back on the ward which was bliss. I had just arrived when my dad and sis arrived. It was lovely to see them. Visiting time was only an hour but I was shattered by the end of it.
From here I ran in and out of problems with my blood pressure. It kept going up and up until by Monday evening they were sure I was developing a form of post natal pre-eclampsia. I was gutted as I had hoped to go home on Tuesday and it was now looking unlikely. I felt totally fine. It had been incredibly hard caring for a newborn in hospital alone all night following a C-Section and wanted the help from my husband. I also had to wait 2 hours for pain relief at one point which drove me mad. Thankfully I had packed my own Paracetamol. Rosanna wouldn't settle one night which was hard and left me exhausted. On top of that Rosanna had flatly refused to nurse from me...she fought it the whole way and just pushed my nipple out underneath her each time. I wasn't producing any colostrum either...we tried with syringes etc. to get something off....so in the end I gave her formula from a cup for several days before finally giving her a teat. I had always been very laid back re breastfeeding or not and I ideally wanted to mixed feed so that Kev could feed Rosanna too especially at night. I was told there was no breast feeding counsellor available (that turned out to be rubbish) but eventually I got hold of a breast pump and began pumping on Monday when my milk came in. I was amazed to find I was producing a fair amount but Rosanna still flatly refused to latch on. I had several midwives try and fail. So getting home to express properly was a big motivation - the ward could store milk but they had no means to give it to Rosanna which drove me mad....
I am now expressing most of Rosanna's milk and having several days with no pumping / irregular pumping seems to have made no difference to my supply and I am producing more than she currently needs.
Anyway by this point on Monday I was desperate to go home and at 5pm my Ob came to visit after her holiday. She took one look at me and saw how well I was doing and asked if I wanted to go home!! She said I could as long as I promised to take a good handful of drugs each day including daily injections for 4 weeks. I could have kissed her.....because I was sooooooo ready to go! As soon as she left we were packed and we hassled our midwife for the paperwork until we finally were given it at 8.45pm. Because of the family situation we had no transport home. But Kev had used a lovely taxi man the night before and he came back and picked us up. I was soooooo relived to be home.
The last days have been hard. I think I have coped very well with my C-Section but its been very frustrating not being able to bend etc. I have been more or less put on bed rest by my midwife to stop me doing too much. However yesterday my wound began bleeding profusely and I got taken by ambulance back to the hospital. Leaving my husband behind with my baby was one of the hardest things ever. My mind was racing en route re whether I would see them again. Dana had agreed to meet me at the hospital to which I am eternally grateful. After hours of twiddling my thumbs I eventually got checked out and we got home at 1am.
It's still pretty touch and go with me but all my stitches have now been removed and we just have to hope the bleeding doesn't occur again (I had special stitches put in to allow the wound to weep).
However to go back to why I was thankful for the team I had. I had a couple of senior members of staff comment on how I had every top member of staff present during the labour and C-Section. I knew my Ob had purposely set me up to deliver on the day I did because of the members of staff on duty. The anaesthetist for example came in twice from home to see me. It was only the day after the Section that a doctor sat me down and told me how lucky I was. I knew the risks were high I didn't realise exactly how high until afterwards but when my doctor sat me down and said I was fortunate to be sat having a conversation with her because the team when they took me into theatre didn't know whether I would make it through the operation or whether they would have lost me that it really sobers you up. It's something I keep revisiting and reflecting upon and is probably why I was so scared going back into hospital again last night.
I had THE MOST amazing team with me throughout my labour and C-Section and I can see now how carefully everything was managed to make sure that I delivered whilst they were still on duty. I feel very grateful that I am here today with a positive outcome and with my husband and beautiful baby daughter.
Cross Posted to September Babies, Pregnant, Big Mother and my LJ.
Born at 7.58am on Friday 3rd October 2008
Weight 9lbs 10.5ozs
Gestation 41 weeks + 4 days
Born by emergency Caesarean Section following an induction.
I stalled at 9 and a 3/4cms and the doctors realised at that point that Rosanna was back to back and facing the wrong way and although it was considered, it was felt too risky to attempt a forceps delivery.
Wednesday 1st October 2008
Our story begins a couple of days before. I was booked in to be induced on Wednesday 1st October. My father in law was due to take us in, but 2 days before we got the call to say that our sister in law who was terminally ill with cancer didn't have long to live. My father in law was torn re which son to be with so we arranged for my best friend, Dana to take us to the hospital. She was to be my birth partner along with my husband anyway.
Everything went wrong that morning....my husband (Kev) and I had planned a nice last breakfast together and it got burnt...the cat needed a bath which he didn't like....I hadn't slept for worrying about my sister in law and the family.... and Kev and I both just had different agendas to get out of the door (me to pack and Kev to get us a good meal before we left for the hospital) and so were at odds with each other....and we had an argument for the first time ever and by the time Dana arrived I was in tears. It wasn't a good start but Dana cheered us up and we headed off to the hospital. En route we couldn't work out why the car in front was crawling along until Kev asked what the red flashing light inside the car was.....and I had accidentally knocked on Dana's demonstration blue flashing lights (she sells them to the police, ambulances etc.) and they had been flashing for several miles!!
We arrived on the ward at 10am. The matron thought Dana was my mum!! She's younger than me!! I had been given a lovely room (which isn't usual here in the UK) so I was very chuffed. We made ourselves at home and Dana left us for now. I had basic checks, the baby got monitored for an hour and I got my first Prostin tablet (apparently they cost £30 each!). I was told that the plan was to only try one tablet and hope that I went into labour that evening but that they wouldn't administer the second dose then until the next day because they didn't want me going into labour overnight because the plan was for me to be cared for by the best team possible who came on duty on Thursday. In some ways I was a little disappointed as I wanted things to just get moving and also it gave us logistical problems as Kev was now an hour from home with no transport home so needed to book a hotel for the night if I didn't go into labour.
I was always deemed high risk but the doctor suddenly mentioned shoulder dystocia which I knew a little about as I had read up pre my GD test, but no one had mentioned it up to this point. The doctor gave us a big talk re what would happen etc. and it really scared me. Later the head of the labour ward came to say “Hello” (we had met previously) and she explained all the protocols, risks etc and calmed me down.
Anyway nothing happened that day and it was arranged for Kev to stay in a local hotel and at 9pm I sadly said goodbye to him and he said he would be back for 5.30am as I was due to have my second Prostin tablet at 6am. We had been waiting all day for news of our sis in law who was expected to die at any moment so emotions at parting were high...
Thursday 2nd October 2008
I had a bad nights sleep and so did Kev (the hotel was horrible, scary and noisy). The nurse did my checks again and gave me the second dose of Prostin at 6.30am. Apparently my cervix hadn't changed - I had been a fingertip dilated for a week. I was convinced at this point that even a third dose wouldn't change anything. Meanwhile I started to develop pre-pre-eclampsia with high blood pressure and protein in my urine and blood pressure tablets were begun. So I waited for the doctor to come back at 12.30pm to give a verdict re another tablet or whether anything had changed and they were able to break my waters. I was passed into the hands of the Obstetrician, Mr Tyrrell, whom my Ob had designated for me (she was on holiday) and apparently he was the most senior Ob and she wanted me left in the best hands. I was to thank her for this decision later. Mr Tyrrell examined me and said I was only 2cms dilated but he took the decision to move me to the labour ward at 2.30pm and he would try and break my waters. He wasn't sure if he could do it....but again later I was to understand why he took this decision.
So I got settled into Room 4 on the labour and delivery ward. Mr Tyrrell tried to break my waters but nothing appeared to happen. They began antibiotics for Group B Strep and they started me on a Syntocin drip at 2.30pm.
At 6.30pm Mr Tyrrell turned the Syntocin up to 6. He decided he needed better monitoring so the first of fetal scalp electrodes was attached. The electrode worked so we knew the amniotic sac had been pierced but my waters hadn't gone. I was only 2cms dilated. I had backache mainly from being sat to one side to monitor the baby manually, so we decided to attach my TENS machine. As the Syntocin levels were slowly raised I began to get regular pains in my back and the TENS machine really was worthwhile in helping alleviate that. I started to have a bloody discharge and eventually what I presume were bits of my mucous plug. Eventually the medics decided the baby needed better monitoring and to my disappointment I was confined to bed.
At 9pm Dana arrived on the Labour and Delivery Ward. We expected more to have happened by this time (the midwife gave us a time she thought I would have made significant progress by) but I was still having no proper contractions.
Because I was deemed high risk I had had several discussions and meetings beforehand with consultants, anaesthetists, midwives etc. etc. because everyone wanted to try and avoid me having a C-Section because it was literally life or death with me. The main crux was that a general anaesthetic had to be avoided at all costs and ideally because of the infection risks they would do anything to avoid a C-Section but if we ended up there then the best team would be there and they had plans for the operation and care. I had also been well briefed re other possible interventions like forceps and ventuose and although we had had these discussions I felt very happy and reassured that everything would be done before we got to any of those situations.
So the plan was always to get an IV line into me early and also an epidural line. The plan was initially to not put any anaesthetic down the line. My anaesthetist had put my IV in for the Syntocin and he had said he was going home but would come back in to do my epidural. So with one eye on the clock I requested he came back in again before it got too late and I got too uncomfy and at 9.15pm the anaesthetist arrived back. We had been prepared for a difficult insertion but I believe the epidural went in fairly easily. I was about 2 thirds of the way through my TENS machine by this point and was more uncomfy so I took the decision given I was confined to the bed anyway, to have the anaesthetic put down the line. It was one of the best decisions. I was also given more antibiotics.
At midnight they lost the baby's monitor so they examined me and I was STILL only 2cms dilated with the Syntocin almost at maximum level. I still was feeling no contractions at the front. They inserted a catheter at this point and attached the second fetal scalp electrode.
Friday 3rd October
My epidural began to wear off just before 1am. It was only a short time before it was topped up but boy it hurt for that short time. I was amazed how quickly it wore off. I remembered this for next time!!!
By 1.45am I was getting strong contractions however I was feeling them after the monitor had registered them. They were all in my bottom / lower back and everyone was bemused at the time lag between the monitors reading and me feeling the contractions...I was given gas and air to help. Apparently I hogged the gas and air for 15 mins plus but I have no recollection of this. I thought I only had gas and air for the last two hours so its been interesting reading the notes Dana took for me.
At 2am some of my waters went - but not much.
I was examined at 3am and was suddenly 7cms dilated.
However there was concern for the baby because as I had contractions the heart beat was dropping. The syntocin I know was turned up and down several times in these few hours to try to balance things out. My blood pressure was also going up and down.
At 3.25am a fetal blood sample was taken from the baby's head. There were 5 members of staff in the room rushing the samples around. The doctor invited Kev and Dana to view the baby's head and hair through a tube!!!! I was in no position to argue!!! The result was borderline (7.20) so they decided to examine me again at 4am. By the time the examination had finished I had dilated to 9cms. Everyone got very excited. Dana has written in my notebook “Yippee! All systems go!!”
At 4am they repeated the blood test (poor baby). It was just over the level needed to let me continue labouring (7.24). I was still 9cms dilated. It was decided to monitor me and the baby and hope a natural delivery would be possible. There was a debate re when the onset of labour was because of the rapid dilation and it was decided it would be recorded as midnight.
My epidural was topped up again at 4.30am although we delayed for some time because everyone expected me to deliver imminently. Gas and air was my friend at this point. I can remember this hour and the following one being the hardest because I could feel the baby moving down and it was very uncomfy, the pain was much worse and the doctors kept coming back and saying to wait another hour....and I just wanted it all over by this point.
Another fetal blood test was done at 5am (7.21) and I was told they would re-examine me in an hour. At 6am Mr Tyrrell returned. He examined me and found I was 9 and 3/4's dilated but I had a slight lip. He asked me to try pushing but I was tired and disorientated and I couldn't work out what to do. At this point....they finally realised the baby was back to back - hence me not getting contractions in my tummy but in my bottom - which meant the baby was facing the wrong way up. I wasn't allowed to push but had to wait another hour. I remember this hour being the worst...it was painful and I had had enough. My epidural was topped up again at 6.40am.
At 7am Mr Tyrrell examined me again. Nothing had changed. We had a conversation then re what to do. I was to be taken to theatre where they would try to turn the baby and do a forceps delivery but I was warned that this may well not be possible and a C-Section was probable. At this point I remember being very rational. I read the consent form calmly and signed it. I knew I had no choice and I felt very confident about the hands I was in. I was told later that both Kev and Dana left the room in tears because they understood how serious this was. I was told there was no rush to get me to theatre but it did only feel like 5mins before I being taken there.
At 7.25am I was given the 2 doses of the epidural needed for the operation. Up to this point I had been able to feel and move my legs.
At 7.30am I went to theatre leaving Dana crying in my room...
After this its all very hazy for me. I remember being wheeled down the corridor and feeling suddenly very sick. I was sick when I arrived in theatre. Kev was shown a room to change into scrubs. I got moved onto the operating table. They put me on a tilt but I heard someone say that they weren't going to do that for me and I was put flat again. I remember seeing a whole host of familiar faces. I understood later that I had hit the change over time for staff and all the staff who I knew from meetings etc. had scrubbed up and were in theatre with me and all the staff who had been with me all night had committed to staying late to be with me too. Having so many familiar faces was very very reassuring for me. They examined me fairly quickly and I was told that forceps was not going to be possible. I remember Kev being brought in after that and he sat to my right. They put the screen up. After that I remember being told they were about to start the operation. The next thing I can remember is Kev saying its definitely a girl (we had been told by 4 sonographers that it was a girl). Then Rosanna was brought to Kev. He was told she has a slight birthmark to which I remember thinking “well we should have expected that” because Kev has one - I later discovered its a cluster of red veins on her chest rather than a brown birthmark like Kev's. I was shown Rosanna. After that I remember being sick again and people joking because Mr Tyrrell had apparently run off with the baby (Kev was apparently panicking as I had drilled into him at all times to stay with the baby). Mr Tyrrell apparently took Rosanna to Dana and asked her to look after her! Kev says he flew down the corridor and skidded past the room in his hurry to find her!!
I was really very very out of it for the whole experience. Kev says I was given morphine in the epidural which I didn't realise but will explain why. I remember being back in the room and Rosanna was put next to me on my bed briefly before I fell asleep.
So Rosanna Charlotte was born at 7.58am in Theatre 5. She was born in meconium - apparently my waters didn't go because the baby's head was in the way but her Apgar scores were 7 and 9 and she was fine but even now, a week on we are still fishing meconium out of her ears and nose!!
We discovered the next morning that Rosanna's Aunty had died just before midnight on the same day that Rosanna was born. For days she had hung on and on and for her to die on the same day as Rosanna was born I have found hard. I don't know how this will affect the family in years to come as she left 4 children behind who will move to be near us here.....and I just hope they see Rosanna's birth positively and not negatively.
The last week
To cut a long story short, I was determined to escape hospital quickly but I was told more or less to expect a long stay. They even ordered me 2 special beds for mobility and pressure relief. However I proved the midwives wrong and I was out of bed by that evening and walking around. I even had midwives coming in to see and to congratulate me!!! The next day I had a shower and packed my stuff as I had to move to the postnatal ward. They couldn't find a wheelchair and my dad and sister were coming for visiting time at 3pm so I decided to walk down to the ward. It was about 500 metres and I did it and amazed everyone! I had an even bigger room back on the ward which was bliss. I had just arrived when my dad and sis arrived. It was lovely to see them. Visiting time was only an hour but I was shattered by the end of it.
From here I ran in and out of problems with my blood pressure. It kept going up and up until by Monday evening they were sure I was developing a form of post natal pre-eclampsia. I was gutted as I had hoped to go home on Tuesday and it was now looking unlikely. I felt totally fine. It had been incredibly hard caring for a newborn in hospital alone all night following a C-Section and wanted the help from my husband. I also had to wait 2 hours for pain relief at one point which drove me mad. Thankfully I had packed my own Paracetamol. Rosanna wouldn't settle one night which was hard and left me exhausted. On top of that Rosanna had flatly refused to nurse from me...she fought it the whole way and just pushed my nipple out underneath her each time. I wasn't producing any colostrum either...we tried with syringes etc. to get something off....so in the end I gave her formula from a cup for several days before finally giving her a teat. I had always been very laid back re breastfeeding or not and I ideally wanted to mixed feed so that Kev could feed Rosanna too especially at night. I was told there was no breast feeding counsellor available (that turned out to be rubbish) but eventually I got hold of a breast pump and began pumping on Monday when my milk came in. I was amazed to find I was producing a fair amount but Rosanna still flatly refused to latch on. I had several midwives try and fail. So getting home to express properly was a big motivation - the ward could store milk but they had no means to give it to Rosanna which drove me mad....
I am now expressing most of Rosanna's milk and having several days with no pumping / irregular pumping seems to have made no difference to my supply and I am producing more than she currently needs.
Anyway by this point on Monday I was desperate to go home and at 5pm my Ob came to visit after her holiday. She took one look at me and saw how well I was doing and asked if I wanted to go home!! She said I could as long as I promised to take a good handful of drugs each day including daily injections for 4 weeks. I could have kissed her.....because I was sooooooo ready to go! As soon as she left we were packed and we hassled our midwife for the paperwork until we finally were given it at 8.45pm. Because of the family situation we had no transport home. But Kev had used a lovely taxi man the night before and he came back and picked us up. I was soooooo relived to be home.
The last days have been hard. I think I have coped very well with my C-Section but its been very frustrating not being able to bend etc. I have been more or less put on bed rest by my midwife to stop me doing too much. However yesterday my wound began bleeding profusely and I got taken by ambulance back to the hospital. Leaving my husband behind with my baby was one of the hardest things ever. My mind was racing en route re whether I would see them again. Dana had agreed to meet me at the hospital to which I am eternally grateful. After hours of twiddling my thumbs I eventually got checked out and we got home at 1am.
It's still pretty touch and go with me but all my stitches have now been removed and we just have to hope the bleeding doesn't occur again (I had special stitches put in to allow the wound to weep).
However to go back to why I was thankful for the team I had. I had a couple of senior members of staff comment on how I had every top member of staff present during the labour and C-Section. I knew my Ob had purposely set me up to deliver on the day I did because of the members of staff on duty. The anaesthetist for example came in twice from home to see me. It was only the day after the Section that a doctor sat me down and told me how lucky I was. I knew the risks were high I didn't realise exactly how high until afterwards but when my doctor sat me down and said I was fortunate to be sat having a conversation with her because the team when they took me into theatre didn't know whether I would make it through the operation or whether they would have lost me that it really sobers you up. It's something I keep revisiting and reflecting upon and is probably why I was so scared going back into hospital again last night.
I had THE MOST amazing team with me throughout my labour and C-Section and I can see now how carefully everything was managed to make sure that I delivered whilst they were still on duty. I feel very grateful that I am here today with a positive outcome and with my husband and beautiful baby daughter.
Cross Posted to September Babies, Pregnant, Big Mother and my LJ.