My Labour Story

Wednesday 20th March

9:00am - I distinctly remember waking up with the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong....

I'd been in Hospital the week prior for a growth scan and to check that the fluid I was passing was not my waters and thankfully my results came back clear however here I was, one week later, rushing to the toilet with the sensation that my knickers were soaked through. 

I got to the toilet and was shocked to see a great deal of blood. I froze for a few seconds before panic overcome me and I shouted to Rory that he needed to get out of bed and get me to the Hospital ASAP! For how scared I was Rory was amazingly calm (He told me afterwards he wasn't but he didn't want me to worry more than I already was). He jumped out of bed, quickly freshened up and started to get the Hospital bags packed into the car whilst I called the Delivery Suite and explained what had happened. They advised for us to make our way to the Hospital as quickly and as safely as we could and told me they'd be ready for me on our arrival.

Luckily the drive to the Hospital from our house is only about 10 minutes however I remember sobbing on the way there as I hadn't felt any movement that morning and I was so scared of what the bleeding meant for the health of our Baby.

After shuffling from the car, up the stairs and down the corridor we reached the Delivery Suite where I was taken into a room and was told a Nurse would be coming to check on me shortly to give me an internal examination to see if they could locate where the blood was coming from and to monitor Bump.

I wasn't expecting the examination to be completely pain free however it sure was more uncomfortable then I imagined!!!!! (OUCH!!! 😩)

After the 'check' was finally over (and breathe!) we were told that it appeared I had a blood clot and I would be sent for a scan to see if they could pinpoint the location of which. Unfortunately after the scan had taken place shortly afterwards they still couldn't find any further clues as to where the blood was coming from so the Nurse decided that as I was 38+5 weeks pregnant (and classed as Full Term) it would be safer to deliver my Baby sooner rather than later. So I now had 2 options...

• Emergency C-Section 

• To be induced

I chose to be induced and was advised due to the bleeding I would be in Hospital now until Bump made an appearance so they could keep an eye on us both. I knew we were in the best place and would be well looked after but I just HATE Hospital's and the thought of staying in overnight filled me with dread. Especially after my last overnight stay when I was 12 weeks pregnant (I cried all night as I missed Rory and the Cat 😂😂😂)

Rory was brilliant and stayed with me all day and a Midwife advised us that on Ward 11 birth partners could stay until midnight however we both agreed that if tomorrow was 'the big day' he would need as much rest as he could get, to be the best support to me as he could be. So we had a romantic meal of Chips and Beans from the Hospital Cafe (😂👍🏻) and said our goodbyes around 19:30.

Due to visiting hours being so bloody late, and all of the lights still being kept on, I think I eventually managed to dose off at around 23:45 for all of 5 minutes when I was woken up to have my last lot of check ups for the day...

"LET ME SLEEP!!!" 😭

Thursday 21st March
I think in total I got a full hours kip (whooooo! 🎉) before the lights came back on around 7:00am.

I had been experiencing pains every 10-15 minutes or so (on and off) for a few hours now and I stupidly remember thinking "This labour malarkey is going to be a piece of piss" ....Little did I know!!!! How naive!!!! 🙈

I had a few toilet trips during the night, and like with the next morning, I still noticed I was bleeding. I let the Midwife know and again I was strapped up to a machine and Bump was monitored throughout the day.

**Please excuse the mismatched socks 🧦😂**

My mild contractions stopped in the morning and when Rory cane back to the Hospital to be with me at 9:00am we were convinced I would need to be induced a 2nd time **cries at the thought** However we were soon proved wrong when after lunch my contractions kicked back in again!

By the time visiting hours rolled around at 15:00
and my Mum came to visit the contractions were definitely getting stronger. I bounced on my birthing ball whilst Rory timed the length of my contractions and the time between each one and it was clear by this point that we were soon to be meeting our Little Lady! 😍🎉

As it reached 17:00 we decided to have a walk to the Cafe so we could all get a little something to eat however after only being there for about 10 minutes (and me doubling over a table in pain) we decided it was time to make our way back to Ward 11. At this point my contractions were now coming every minute and were getting more and more intense!

When we eventually got back (and after a few stops to get through the contractions!) the Midwives decided it was time to be checked to see how dilated I was. I remember saying to Rory and my Mum "If I'm any less than 4-5cm I'll cry"

Midwife: "Congratulations! You're around 2-3cm"

2-3CM?! I MEAN COME ON!!!! 😭😭😭

By 19:00 my contractions were coming thick and fast. The back pain started and I started feeling extremely nauseous. I asked for some form of pain relief and the Midwife came back with 2 paracetamol. 2 paracetamol I thought?! Isn't this for helping ease the pain from a headache?! I'm in bloody labour, get me to the Gas and Air!! 🙊😂

After a wait that felt like a lifetime, I was finally sent from Ward 11 to Delivery Suite at 19:30. Somehow I just about managed to shuffle down the corridor myself, whilst having to stop what felt like every 15ft to focus on getting through another contraction. I remember I hadn't even closed the door behind me on the Delivery Suite when I pleaded with one of the Midwives "PLEASE get me an epidural!!!!" 😂😂😂

I had written a birth plan a few weeks prior and it was already going out the window - I couldn't have a water birth due to bleeding and now I was getting hit by the news that I also couldn't have an Epidural because the anaesthetist was in emergency surgery and they didn't know how long they were going to be (😖).

These 2 things completely threw me. Me and Rory had been to Hypnobirthing Classes a few weeks prior and so afterwards I had visions of how I wanted my Labour to begin...I was going to slowly feel the contractions start at home, I would ring Rory and Mum at work at let them know to make their way home, I'd have enough time to run myself a nice hot bath, play my relaxation play list I had downloaded and just get myself into the zone before heading to the Hospital when I was ready and have a brilliant water birth. Hell, maybe I'd even have enough time for a little snooze beforehand...(WELL THAT DIDN'T QUITE GO TO PLAN! 😩)

Due to being induced my contractions were coming on quicker and more intense and my body just didn't have the time it would usually have to get used to the build up of pain. Within 10 minutes of being in the Delivery Suite my Mucus Plug and Waters Broke and the fun well and truly began....

I was given Gas and Air to help me through each contraction however I have to admit I don't think it really did an awful lot to help me personally. I used it more as a distraction and to grit my teeth into! Poor Rory always wanted to try Gas and Air however due to the situation there was absolutely no way he was going to prise this bad boy from my grip unless he wanted a fist to the face! 😆

From the moment I got into the Delivery Suite the intensity of my contractions were so strong and the frequency was so often that I remember thinking 'how would I ever be able to birth my Baby?!' 

The Midwife when I was on Ward 11 advised me when I was 2-3cm that women tend to dilate 1cm every hour however here I was 3 hours later being told I was now 10cm (fully dilated) and ready to push! (Oh and on a quick side note, who knew when you're fully dilated they take the Gas and Air away from you?! I DIDN'T! **Cue another mini breakdown**)

After well over an hour of pushing I was still no further along and baby was getting stressed and tired, not to mention so was I! 😴 The Doctor was called and he told me he would give me 30 more minutes of pushing and if I was still no further along he would be back to intervene. Unfortunately I never was given that 30 minutes, as around 10-15 minutes later the emergency cord was pulled...

I remember seeing Mum, Rory and the 2 Midwives when I shut my eyes to push through the next contraction and yet when I opened my eyes the room was suddenly filled with 8 new faces. The same male Doctor from earlier came into my line of vision and explained to me how important it was to deliver my Baby as quickly as possible, so he was going to help me by using a Ventouse. 

What is a Ventouse?

A ventouse (vacuum extractor) is an instrument that's attached to the baby's head by suction. A soft or hard plastic or metal cup is attached by a tube to a suction device. The cup fits firmly on to your baby's head. During a contraction and with the help of your pushing, the cup is pulled to help deliver your baby. A ventouse isn't used if you're giving birth at less than 34 weeks pregnant because your baby's head is too soft. It's less likely to cause vaginal tearing than forceps.

I had made it very clear earlier on that I did not want Forceps so this was now my only other option. So with that decided was all go, go, go!

Within 5 minutes my legs were placed in stirrups, my bladder was emptied, a large needle was used to numb me, a vaginal cut was made, the Ventouse was inserted and the Doctor started to pull my Baby out, with the help of me pushing with the contractions I was still experiencing. 

After a few more intense pushes the next thing I heard was;

"Here's the head!!!"

And with that, seconds later, my gorgeous baby Girl was placed onto my chest! 

That was hands down the most intense, amazing and overwhelming experience I have ever felt. That instant love and connection is just out of this world! Finally meeting the "Bump" I had been speaking to and interacting with via my belly for 9 months was a moment I will never forget 🥰

Although no sooner was she placed on my chest she was taken away from me again and taken over to the other side of the Delivery Suite to be checked over. The Midwives noticed she was making a wheezy noise when she was trying to breathe and so they wanted to take her to the Neonatal Ward to be checked over. Thankfully the wheezing eventually settled and she ended up not having to be taken away from her Mummy, which was a huge relief!

Whilst Little Lady was being checked over the Doctor gave me an injection to help the delivery of my Placenta and started stitching me back up. Although this was an uncomfortable time for me I was so happy that Daddy now had his chance to have his first cuddles with his Little Girl.

**Look how proud he is!!!! 😍**

Oh and Nanny too....

The Doctor happened to mention after I had been stitched up that Little Lady was also Back To Back which was another reason why things were a bit more difficult 😬

Once everything was over and I had a chance to gather my thoughts all I remember doing was saying "sorry" and "thank you" 500 million times to Rory and my Mum. They were my absolute rocks in Labour and both played such a massive part of helping me with delivering a gorgeous Baby Girl into the World!

Whilst it's everyones personal choice on who they have as their birthing partner, or partners, for me (especially with the rough experience I had) it was the BEST choice I have ever made to have both my Boyfriend and my Mum. I honestly don't think I could have done it without them both and they deserve a huge amount of credit in helping me deliver our Baby, safe and sound 🙌🏻💗

Monday 8th April
It's now 18 days since my tough Labour and I have to admit these past 2 weeks since giving birth have been equally as challenging. I've really struggled with moving/walking around and it's been very emotional however I'm pleased to say that today is the first day I finally feel that I have a spring in my step! 🎉

Huge amount of credit needs to go to my Other Half for the help and support he's given me! Don't know how I could've ever done this without him! 😘

Now, with all of that out of the way, everyone please welcome....

Name: Isla May Victoria Keeble

Date/Time of birth: 21/03/19 @ 23:42
Weight: 6lbs 8oz