Birth story - Debbie and baby Spencer

*Trigger warning* - Episiotomy, forceps, theatre, ectopic heart beat, increased monitoring

Pregnancy

I found out we were pregnant at around 5 weeks due to being a few days late (I worked like clock work) and extremely sore boobs. The pregnancy wasn't planned but we were delighted with the news once the shock had subsided. Due to my own paranoia we had a private early scan at 8 weeks for reassurance. I look at my pregnancy positively, I had nausea up to around 16wks and then again from 30wks with food aversions rather than cravings. Typical symptoms of tiredness from 30 wks onwards, swollen feet etc. I actually managed to carry on training with my Personal Trainer up to around 30wks.

At my 12wk scan I was told my placenta was anterior and that I would need an additional scan to check it moved later in my pregnancy.

At 16 wks we paid for a private gender reveal scan as my partner was impatient and found out we were expecting a little boy

At my 28wk midwife appt she heard an ectopic heartbeat. I was referred back to hospital for a scan which showed everything to be fine. Due to this however I had weekly check ins with the community midwife, I didn't mind as this increased monitoring meant I got to hear his little heart beat every week.

In total throughout the pregnancy I had around 8 scans - 2 planned, 2 private, 2 Due to growth concerns (too big then too small), 1 for my planceta check & 1 for the ectopic heartbeat check. I tried to remain positive but did worry each time I was told of a new concern.

Labour

I went to bed around 11pm on the Monday night with bad period like pains. I woke up around 2am with my first strong contractions. My hair was greasy so I thought I'd best have a shower so I looked presentable if I had to go to hospital any time soon I also hadn't printed my birth plan out yet so did this and popped it in my hospital bag. I came downstairs got comfy on the sofa and managed another hours sleep. I woke with stronger contractions and let my partner know labour had definitely started and I'd wake him if I needed anything. I sat on my pregnancy ball in the living room with the Freya app on timing my contractions and listing to the positive affirmations. I found these really helpful. I was sick a few times but nothing too dramatic.

Around 6am I woke my partner as I was in established Labour. We called the hospital and they advised as it was our first to stay at home and see how I go. I carried on bouncing on my ball til around 9.30am and called back, they said for us to go in so I could be checked. My partner got dressed and packed the car. The hospital was about a 20minute drive away. The journey was fine, I had my sunglasses on and carried on listening to the Freya app. Hospital parking was a nightmare so we actually ended up parking on a grass verge with a note in the window.

I went through to the triage ward and was checked over, I was only 2cm & very disheartened. The midwife said I would have to go home, I think she could see on my face that I really didn’t want to have to leave. I accepted a sweep & she said to keep upright and she'd be back in 1 hour. She also gave me an anti sickness injection as Id been sick a few times. I paced the room the whole time, adamant I wasnt going home, I nipped to the loo and had my show.

The midwife came back 90 minutes later, I asked to be checked again and much to my delight I was 5cms! The midwife called the birthing suite and they prepped the pool for me. We got to the birthing suite at around 1pm, I got in the pool and it was so peaceful and relaxing. Fast forward to 5pm, using just the gas and air, and I was now fully dilated. 2 hours of pushing and he wasn’t budging. By this time I was exhausted and hadn't eaten, the midwife tried to encourage me to eat for energy but I struggled and managed to have half a kitkat chunky. The decision was made that I would now need to be transferred to the Labour ward for a possible forceps or c section delivery as pushing wasn’t progressing.

We arrived at the labour ward where a consultant checked me over and advised baby’s hand was up hence why he wasn't for moving. I agreed to a forceps delivery with an episiotomy. During this time I was still contracting with only gas and air. As the babys obs were fine we weren't an emergency delivery. The operating theatre had 2 emergency sections to perform before we would be seen. Of the whole labour this is the only part I deem "negative/difficult" as the wait for theatre ended up being 2hours, I was advised not to push and couldn't have any pain relief.

Eventually we were whisked off to theatre, I had a spinal block which was heavenly and instantly felt at ease excited to finally meet our boy. As his obs were still fine theatre was really relaxed I was chatting away to the gynaecologist as she performed the episiotomy and delivery. All the staff were lovely and I remember laughing and joking with the nurses. At 10:24pm our baby boy arrived I was stitched up and taken to recovery to have our first cuddles.

I look back on my Labour as a positive experience and couldn't thank the hospital (North Manchester General hospital) enough. Yes we waited 2hrs for theatre but it meant that 2 women with babies at risk got the emergency treatment they needed & I'd do it all over again to keep those babies safe. We stayed in for 2 nights and came home on the Thursday ready to start our new life as a family of 4, can't forget our first born Betsy, our cockapoo.