On Monday, the 20th of September 2010 at 7:40 in the morning, my darling husband Gavin and I set off to the Hospital in England so that our baby boy can be born using the induction method. Our baby boy was 1 week and 5 days over the defined due date and it was advised by my consulting doctor to book for induction at this time.
They gave me the 'insertion' type of induction and nothing really happened by 11:00 when I told Gavin to go to work as there is no point in both of us just sitting around waiting for '1 to 3' days (the length of time it can take as we were informed) if there is no real reason for him to be there. The reasoning was that we'd rather save his leave to be with us after our baby boy's arrival. All went well until about 13:30 when excruciating pain started kicking in, which I would imagine was contractions. It is a pain that one cannot describe. Just after 14:00 Gavin sent me a mobile text to ask how I was doing and if I would like him to come back, I replied that I would love him back. He arrived back around 16:00 where the pain somewhat subsided as the 'insertion' fell out around 12:00 and the chemical was somewhat worn off. Gavin arranged for them to replace the 'insertion' type so that the process of induction that the doctors advised can continue. I asked for Gas and Air pain relief and the midwife said she will fetch the mobile unit they have... we asked later again, same answer, but the Gas and Air never arrived. All along these stages I was only 1.5 cm dilated and couldn't be moved to the labour unit as one needs to be 4 cm dilated before going there. At 4cm only is one in 'labour' according to them.
Again the excruciating pain kicked in and the only pain relief they could offer in the antenatal ward was pethidine... I didn't want to take pethidine as I was unsure of the effects being drugged like that, but the pain was too overwhelming and I gave in and took it. With pethidine, I was unable to really move but still had the sensation of pain, but I suppose it made it more tolerable. Once the pethidine wore off, I was screaming blue murder again as it felt like my bones were being pulled apart.
All this continued until 21:00 in the evening when I was eventually 3 cm dilated and they were probably tired of my screaming by this time. I went into the labour ward, first thing took the gas and air while they were preparing the mobile epidural, which was a real relief for me at the time. Once the mobile epidural kicked in it was bliss!! I could sit up, crack jokes with Gavin and the midwife, Katie who was looking after me. There was a student nurse as well, who together with Katie sat in the room monitoring me. Now they switched over to a different induction method that I got through a drip which continued the entire time. Throughout the night all was calm. Poor Gavin had to sleep on the floor next to my bed! I'm not sure how much sleep he did get, though. I got a bit dehydrated and they gave me another drip with fluids.
At 10:00 am the Tuesday morning things started to go wrong. I was still only 3 cm dilated. Gavin and I asked for an elective C-section as it was clear to us that things were starting to go downhill as I was becoming more and more weak. The doctor on duty came and kept being stuck on the fact that I'm only 3 cm dilated and therefor not technically in labour she wanted to keep me on the induction drip for another 4 hours. She ignored all other systems. Gavin was insisted that we wanted an elective C-section, I was the one that compromised and said that we'll do it for another 2 hours and if there is still no change in the dilation, I want to go for a C-section. The 2 hours passed and at 12:00 pm I was still only 3 cm dilated and this time Katie said that it felt like Liam's head was starting to get swollen. When the doctor came she again ignored all symptoms, was stuck on the 3 cm dilation and wanted to induce me for a further 4 hours as there is no medical reason for a c-section, according to her. By this time I was extremely weak but remembered thinking that I wanted to hit the women through the face for being so narrow minded. Gavin was livid but tried to stay calm for my sake. Nothing we said or did helped as she left and no C-section was being arranged.
At 14:00 my body went into 'system shut-down' mode. My blood pressure shot up, I had a fever all while I had cold shivers. I was also turning blue. At this point Katie stormed out to fetch another doctor. The doctor came to check, lifted my urine bag from the catheter and noticed it was a brown colour. I remember thinking this is my last moments, I'm dying. Later speaking to Gavin he was thinking he would have to chose between me and Liam and also thought it was the end.
Things started moving fast. They got the theater ready and started to prepare me for theater. They stopped with the mobile epidural top-up and I started feeling the excruciating contraction pains again. I used the gas and air, but this time it wasn't as effective. Being weak, I think I might have mistimed it - gas and air only kicks in 20 seconds after taking it and only for a little while, so it's meant to just take the top-end contraction pain away. There was some confusion with Katie giving me antibiotics and the doctor also wanting to give me antibiotics in the theater. At least I overheard this and could say (or mumble rather) to the doctor that I already got antibiotics that Katie gave me. I sensed the slight irritation from the doctor that I received antibiotics without her knowing it.
In the theater they first tried to try the mobile epidural top-up to numb me for the Cesarean. I could still feel the prick, so the narcotics doctor asked me if I want to go spinal block or try another top-up of the epidural. I asked for the spinal block. Unfortunately it did not seem to work fully as it was still quite painful for me when they started pushing and pulling to get Liam out. Liam's head was stuck in my pelvis - there was no way that I would've been able to give birth to him naturally. Thankfully I did not feel any pain when the made the incisions. I remember the expression in the midwives and nurses faces when, after I got stitched up, I could lift both my legs high up in the air. I gathered that I was not suppose to be able to do that with a spinal block!
Gavin and I were both teary eyed when we got to hold him... there was one more shock left for us and that was the blood that shot out from me over the cover and landed on Gavin while he was holding Liam. They never explained what the reason of this was, but it still haunts Gavin a bit.
That was the trauma we went through, but the joy is that our son, Liam Bruce Stephens was born on 21 September 2010 at 15:10 weighing a healthy 4.55kg / 10.1 pounds. Liam is shortened from William, Gavin's dad's name and Bruce is Gavin middle name as well as his grandfather's name. So we gave him family names! He is a gorgeous boy and we are very blessed!
