Birth story - Stacey and baby Noah

I was 13 days overdue and induced on Sunday 11th October using the pessary (tampon) after previously having 3 membrane sweeps.

After choosing to go home and be an induction outpatient, I was up all throughout the night with what I can only describe as unbearable period pain. Sore back, a dull ache in my uterus & spent the night refilling hot water bottles and trying to sleep upright on the sofa as it was the only way I could get relatively comfortable!

I had a phone call at 3am from Nottingham city hospital to see how I was doing & if there had been any progress. I stayed at home until 7.30pm Monday evening, after having slow contractions throughout the day.

We then made our way to city hospital to bring our baby in to the world!

Upon arrival my husband and I were given our own room. I had my pessary removed, and was examined.

My cervix hadn’t softened at all from the pessary, and once it was removed I immediately stopped contracting.

I then had another pessary inserted, to soften the neck of the cervix once more. Luckily it wasn’t painful and we both got a good nights sleep!

5.30am came and we had breakfast and I was examined once more.

Nothing had changed.

8am and I was started on the oxytocin hormone drip to start my labour.

Contractions came thick & fast, painful & extremely uncomfortable!

I was then examined again 4 hours later, I was 2 cm dilated so they broke my waters, I was convinced there was about a gallon of ‘waters’ inside me, as with every contraction after the initial ‘gush’ more and more water kept coming!

I continued on gas and air for the rest of the day, with the immensely painful ‘forced’ contractions, until I was examined 12 hours after being put on the drip. To which the midwife told me, I was 3cm dilated! I cried so hard, my body just didn’t feel like it was doing what it should have been!

I asked for more pain relief, to which we decided on an epidural, having the spinal needle inserted during contractions was difficult! The anaesthetist stopped every time I had one to ensure my safety. At this point I was contracting 4 in 10 minutes.

After having the epidural I felt like a new woman, the contractions were still strong so I did still need to use the gas and air but it was 95% more comfortable!

The midwife then whacked the hormone drip up to the strongest level, with my pain relief, my body could handle it. I then, strangely, started contracting less! To 3 in 10 mins. We had a chat with the surgeon and decided on a cesarean section. I am extremely open minded and was never opposed to a section. As long as my baby was ok, I didn’t care how they came into the world. They were extremely thorough and kind and went through everything with us so well.

At 9pm I was wheeled into theatre given the full spinal block, my husband got his scrubs on and at 9.34pm Noah George graced us with his beautiful presence!

The hospital staff, midwives, doctors, surgeons, theatre staff, cooks, cleaners, everybody at city hospital, were absolutely wonderful, I cannot fault a thing and I genuinely enjoyed my 3 night stay in hospital!

Midwives helped me every step of the way, from showering for the first time, to getting breastfeeding down to a tee.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone there xx