Complicated Delivery (Yes, this IS a new post!)

t all started on Thursday, December 9, 2004, when I went to the hospital for my overdue appointment. I ended up being admitted at about 3:30 p.m. because my blood pressure had risen to 130/90 (normally 120/70).

I had two CTG scans done, both with very good results. At about 6 p.m. my blood pressure had risen to 140/90 and an hour later it was 150/90. Doctors kept an eye on it till the morning.

On Friday morning my blood pressure was 150/95 so the doctor who admitted me came to speak to me about inducing me. At about 10 a.m. I had the first lot of prostaglandin gels put in, had a CTG scan, then was sent back to the maternity ward. I had a few niggling pains, but nothing major.

At 4 p.m. I had the second lot of gels put in and another CTG scan. Bubs seemed to be doing really well. I started getting mild contractions around 5 p.m., tried to sleep, but couldn't. My blood pressure was checked again. It had risen to 158/96 but bubs was still well. My waters broke at about 11 p.m. They kept leaking forever (or so it felt!). It felt like I had a swimming pool in there!

I fell asleep on a chair for a few hours after taking some sleeping tablets because lying down was way too uncomfortable and making the pains worse. I woke up at about 6 a.m. Saturday morning. I had breakfast at about 7 a.m. and at 9 a.m. I was taken to the delivery suite and given the Syntocin drip (which hurt like hell!).

Real contractions started around 10 a.m. They were getting a bit intense so I had a hot shower with the hot water directed under my belly (that's where ALL the pain was), which felt so great!

At about 1 p.m. the contractions were about one minute apart. They were getting a bit too much for me, so I had the gas. That took the edge off a bit, but was making me sick so I stopped for a bit.

Contractions were getting way too intense, so while sucking on the gas I had a shot of Pethedine, not that it made a difference at all! I think I actually fainted while sucking on the gas because there's a part that's just blank. In about 45 minutes I dilated from 5 to 6 centimeters to 10 centimeters. I was ready to push.

I was pushing for a good one and a half hours, but I just couldn't get her out. Her head was stuck under my pubic bone. So the doctor was called in and gave me three options: try the vacuum extraction, forceps or Cesarean section.

I opted for vacuum extraction. Her head had partly come out, but then her shoulders got stuck, so the doctor had to put his hands up there and grab her arms to pull her out. That was the worst pain I had ever felt, but now I can't really remember what it felt like.

She was put onto my stomach and I remember asking why she wasn't crying. The midwife said she was in shock, so they took her and gave her a bit of oxygen and then she started crying. I felt so happy then. I then got to give her a cuddle. DP gave her a kiss. Then she was taken to the special care unit so both of us could have a rest.

There was no time for an episiotomy so I had second degree tears, which all up gave me 20 stitches.

At about 7 p.m. I got to see her. I tried breastfeeding, numerous times, but she never took. So I ended up giving her formula, because when I tried to express, nothing came out! I would have preferred to breastfeed but in the end I'd rather have a feeding bub.

She weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces (and boy did I feel it!), was 50 centimeters long and had a head circumference of 35 centimeters. Her Apgars were 3, 8 and 9