I was due the 22nd May, so my midwife came out the 23rd to see if she could give me a stretch and sweep, checked to see if my daughter was engaged and she was 1/5th engaged (my midwife did it as she could feel 4/5 of the head) so she was only just engaged, but my midwife managed to un-engage her, so I was not allowed my stretch and sweep.
She came out again on the 30th again to see if I could have a stretch and sweep and yet again she managed to un-engage my daughter. I was booked in for an induction on the 4th of June. I’d been contracting for 2 weeks before I was due but was a no go.
The morning of Saturday (4th June) I was up before the blinking birds. I was told to ring the delivery suite at 8am- 7:59am the phone was in my hand and I was ready. Finally got through at 8:15am and was told to go in at 11am. Fair enough, gave me a chance to get a shower, relax a bit and pack my bags.
When I arrived at the hospital I was hooked up to monitors for nearly 2 hours as she kept moving and disappearing off the monitor. I was finally allowed to go to the toilet after waiting nearly 3 hours as I was told ‘someone will see you shortly’ or ‘you’re the next one to be seen’. At about 2pm I was given a pessary (I was 1-2cm dilated) and finally allowed off the ward so I wondered down to the cafe bit to get some hot chocolate that was half decent.
My mom and my daughters dad was with me but when we returned to the ward we were told that they would both have to go as visiting hours were over. So I was in bed reading my magazines and listening to my music. Finally visiting hours opened up again and they were allowed back on the ward, so we went downstairs and waiting for my dad to arrive from work and my mate and his girlfriend, sat down there for a bit but a nurse came down and told me I had to go back up as it was tea time.
The food was rubbish I ended up giving my daughters dad most of it. Anywho visiting hours ended again and I was left alone on the ward with people who didn’t mutter a word to me and a midwife that might as well have a neon sign above her head saying ‘I’m going to ignore you’.
Saturday night I was up all night being sick, having contractions, in the bath and I had about an hours sleep. Sunday my mom and daughters dad arrived again, we did the usual.. talked, listened to music, and I had unpacked and packed my bags god knows how many times making sure that I had everything (a bit late now).
I was given some Diamorphine so I could get some sleep. Apparently I was talking about a unicorn in the corner of the room and goose fat? Don’t ask because I really don’t know. I had my pessary taken out at about dinner time and was left to carry on without another form of induction. Sunday was pretty much the same as Saturday, I spent most of the time in the bath if my daughters dad wasn’t there I had to have a midwife with me as it was the only place I could sleep.
Sunday night I was again left by myself with people that didn’t acknowledge I was there and again the midwife from hell. I asked her for some Paracetamol and some more sick bowls and got told ‘she’s too busy’ so me being me, bit my tongue for a bit and asked again to be told the same thing. The lady in the bed next to me asked and got it straight away I felt like screaming at her ‘YES I’m here, YES I am 16, NO there is no need to ignore me’ at the end of the day I was in her care. Finally I was given some bowls and Paracetamol that didn’t stay put and checked, I was only 3cm.
Monday morning, my daughters dad came to see how I was, he only stayed an hour or so as he had to get back for an exam (he lives in Manchester, I live in Leeds, we were both doing GCSE’s) So he left and about 15 minutes later my mom arrived and within half an hour I was up on delivery ward with my mom. (10:30am) I had a lovely midwife there, she told me about her daughter-in-law that had just had a little boy and stuff. When she checked me I was 8cm dilated (no bloody wonder I was up all night).
My contractions had slowed right down so I was given the drip to speed things up, that didn’t work for at least another hour and half. So we sat chatting while my mom went and got me a drink. I was SHATTERED. I had not eaten since Friday night, I had not slept in god knows how long, I wanted to go home.
Suddenly literally out of nowhere my contractions started picking up, there was hardly any gap between them and they were all in back and my bum. My daughter was back to back. I asked if I could change position on the bed as it was painful to stay on my back and was told no I couldn’t move because I’ve had the drip.
My mom asked if I wanted her to call G (daughter’s dad) I said no let him have his exam then come back after but the midwife said she doesn’t think I’ll last that long, so my mom went to go out to room to call him and I started crying saying please don’t leave me mom (god don’t I feel pathetic now ) she the midwife let her ring him in the room.
From Manchester to Leeds is over an hour and from the train station to the hospital was half an hour. I was really scared that he wouldn’t be there for her birth. I had some doctor who hasn’t even had children telling me that ‘I wasn’t pushing right’.
If I could have climbed out of that bed I’d have ended up smacking her. I was pushing for over 2 and a half hours and my daughter had to have a clip in her head as again she kept disappearing off the monitor and they were worried about her heart rate.
At about 2:30pm my daughters dad ran into the room (luckily it was me in there lol) I could finally half relax, after more pushing and no pain relief my daughter arrived at 2:56pm, 15 days overdue and weighing 8lb 3oz But I didn’t hear her crying, so I asked my mom and G and they both said she’s fine she’s fine she’s just quiet, 5 minutes later I was handed my daughter and she was perfect, 10 fingers 10 toes perfect button nose, it turns out she had her cord wrapped around her neck 3 times.
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