Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/15/2009 6:17:14 PM
Author: fabienne

OMG Pandora!!!!! I can''t wait. My doc says to call as soon as water breaks so that the baby can be delivered within 24 hours....what''s this about 48 hours? OMG..this is exciting! Have smooth and speedy delivery....if you see this before you have the baby! LMAO A DH''s dilation comment!

I was told to call as soon as waters break, but as long as there is no black/green colouration or loads of blood, there is no need to rush in.

We went in about 2 hours after they broke - then I had to do the amniostrip test which is a pad thing you have to wear for 20 minutes, then takes 10 minutes while they do something else to it, and then they have to wait for it to dry. Only at that point do they actually call the midwives - apparently a lot of women can''t tell the difference between water''s breaking and peeing themselves...

and they don''t like to examine you if it isn''t necessary because of infection risks. So having arrived at 2pm-ish, I didn''t see the midwife till 4.30 and the OB till 5.45 - always take a good book to all medical appointments in the UK!

On the induction, different hospitals here have different policies. Here, if your temperature goes up, your amniotic fluid changes colour, the baby''s movements change or lessen or you start to feel unwell then they want you straight in. Otherwise 36 hours is the normal wait although they will let you go to at least 48 if you want and the fetal monitoring is looking good. The OB I saw has just moved hospital and her last one they started induction at 24 hours.

The reason for waiting is that only 5% or so of women''s water''s break before labour starts (unlike the movies) and most will spontaneously go into active labour within the 24 hours anyway. If you start induction earlier than you need to then you greatly increase the changes of an instrumental delivery or a c-section.

There''s not the same situation with litigation over here, so the OB''s probably tend to be more hands off and ''lets wait and see'' about things - however, if you ring in to say that there is any kind of problem then they see you super-fast and will have the baby out pronto.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 5/15/2009 7:43:47 PM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 5/15/2009 6:17:14 PM
Author: fabienne

OMG Pandora!!!!! I can't wait. My doc says to call as soon as water breaks so that the baby can be delivered within 24 hours....what's this about 48 hours? OMG..this is exciting! Have smooth and speedy delivery....if you see this before you have the baby! LMAO A DH's dilation comment!

I was told to call as soon as waters break, but as long as there is no black/green colouration or loads of blood, there is no need to rush in.

We went in about 2 hours after they broke - then I had to do the amniostrip test which is a pad thing you have to wear for 20 minutes, then takes 10 minutes while they do something else to it, and then they have to wait for it to dry. Only at that point do they actually call the midwives - apparently a lot of women can't tell the difference between water's breaking and peeing themselves...

and they don't like to examine you if it isn't necessary because of infection risks. So having arrived at 2pm-ish, I didn't see the midwife till 4.30 and the OB till 5.45 - always take a good book to all medical appointments in the UK!

On the induction, different hospitals here have different policies. Here, if your temperature goes up, your amniotic fluid changes colour, the baby's movements change or lessen or you start to feel unwell then they want you straight in. Otherwise 36 hours is the normal wait although they will let you go to at least 48 if you want and the fetal monitoring is looking good. The OB I saw has just moved hospital and her last one they started induction at 24 hours.

The reason for waiting is that only 5% or so of women's water's break before labour starts (unlike the movies) and most will spontaneously go into active labour within the 24 hours anyway. If you start induction earlier than you need to then you greatly increase the changes of an instrumental delivery or a c-section.

There's not the same situation with litigation over here, so the OB's probably tend to be more hands off and 'lets wait and see' about things - however, if you ring in to say that there is any kind of problem then they see you super-fast and will have the baby out pronto.

I like that approach. Here when my water broke, they kept me and put me on pitocin... I wish I could have gone home like you and wait it out a bit. I did have a C section. I'll never know anything different... But do wonder had I been left to go a bit more, maybe it would have gone a tad better?? I was told you have to deliver within 24 hours after your water breaks, or you risk the chance of infection...
How are you doing now??

 

[Mrs]

Pandora, you sound great!! Best of luck!!

 

[Jas12]

Pandora--GOOD LUCK. Sounds like you are staying (relatively) calm and occupied

I think it''s great that you can stay home and let thing happen naturally. The ''time limit'' thing was the reason i waited at home (and then lied about exactly when my water broke--bad, bad, jas

)--ended up getting a single dose of induction drug anyway, but i really do think i bought myself some much needed time. Such a huge variation in normal labor. From several days to just hours--ya never know what your body needs.

Fabienne--My italian grandfather has yet to say my son''s name properly (and he rarely says it in general) so i get you on that issue. It was actually not something i thought about much until after he was born. My grandmother hates his name (she apparently hated mine when i was born b/c it is not traditional italian--same with half our cousins

) but they came around eventually. Names are so tricky. just know you will never, ever please everyone so go with what you like.

 

[Pandora II]

Sorry to hear that Kaleigh, there does seem to be a lot of differences between different countries - I was talking to a friend in Italy this morning and she was in active labour for nearly 40 hours, they would never let you go that long here, and almost zilch offered in the way of pain relief.

It''s now nearly 3am and I''m getting quite tired - I tried going to bed, but the ctx slowed down to every 7 minutes but got a lot more intense, so I''d just start to drop off for a lovely snoozle and bam...

DH is happily sleeping away...

and I''ve just caught my pythons DTD

- baby snakes would be very cute in a few months!

Am trying to decide whether to pace the corridor and get things going faster or just trog along for the night. I think tomorrow is going to be tough on DH, I think it''s often easier to be the one doing things rather than the one having to offer support and watch - especially as you have a different concept of time. I was really shocked to find out that contractions were 45 seconds as I''d thought they were about 20 seconds for example. So I''m tempted to let him get some rest and not make him get up and drive me to the hospital at 4am...

Painkillers are doing sod all, but I''ve taken them just so I can say I have. I''m just too used to them, and this kind of pain is very different to chronic pain or nerve pain.

I''m feeling pretty calm at the moment - I think taking each bit step by step and not thinking too far ahead is feeling like a good plan. I was more scared of painful contractions when I had none at all. Now they are at the nasty but bearable stage and I''m coping - although I have told DH several times mid-contraction that I don''t want to do this and I''ve changed my mind about the whole idea - so I''ll tackle the ''get me that xxxxxxxx epidural now'' type ones when I get to them. Probably gradual build-up helps you prepare mentally and physically... I will however cry if I go in tomorrow and they say I''m only 1cm...

The online contraction timer thingy is a godsend - no way I can do adding up from clocks right now. It''s also nice to see when you get to 30 seconds or so and you know the worst is over - what I hate is the first few seconds when you know what''s coming...

Anyway, thanks for all the support and good wishes - they are greatly appreciated!

 

[Kaleigh]

My gut is to say conserve your energy now, you will need it later. But as soon as they are close together, and regular, I''d go to the hospital. Can you calll them and give them an update??

I hope the other ladies chime in. It''s been ages since I went through all of this. I would hope you could call your doc...

I am not going anywhere, so will be here if you need support etc...

 

[Mrs]

I''m here too and am sending you good vibrations from California! I imagine it might be kinda rough to be laboring alone in the middle of the night. We''re here for you!

 

[mrssalvo]

pandora, I agree with Kaleigh that if the contractions start getting regular it's time to go back in. My water broke with my first around 3;00am in the morning. I waited about an hour and a half and then went to the hospital. I didn't want to wait to long b/c I'd seen too many movies and worried the labor would progress so quickly that I wouldn't have time for the epi

Anyway, I got checked in around 5:00am. here in the states they want the babies out within 24 hours of the water breaking. I was having painless regular contractions but not dilating so I got pitocin around 8:00am. I think they may have increased it once. Got my epi around 9:30am and had the baby at 5:00 the normal way. I actually had pitocin with 2 of my 3 kids (jake was a pure induction) and they were all VB's so try not to worry too much. The delivery will be what it is and no matter if it's a VB or a C-sec you still end up with a baby which is the most important part

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/15/2009 10:32:21 PM
Author: Kaleigh
My gut is to say conserve your energy now, you will need it later. But as soon as they are close together, and regular, I''d go to the hospital. Can you calll them and give them an update??

I hope the other ladies chime in. It''s been ages since I went through all of this. I would hope you could call your doc...

I am not going anywhere, so will be here if you need support etc...

Thanks Kaleigh!

I have my OB friend at the end of the phone till 9am - she''s working nights - although she''s doing a c-section for the next hour! I spoke to her about 30 minutes ago and she just said to hang in there for now and stay at home rather than get stressed in hospital. Although she''s not MY doctor and works in a different hospital, I think I''d rather call her than the duty midwife at mine as she does care about me as a person not just as a patient. My father has also said to ring him anytime day or night.

You don''t see an OB much here (I''m high risk and I saw one 3 times), instead you have a team of midwives - so, although I have the m/w team pager number, I don''t know who is on duty tonight. There are two I really like and I so hope that I get one of them as my one-to-one for the actual L&D. One of them told me last week that she''s hoping she''s on duty when I come in as she''d like to look after me for the labour which was very sweet of her (not sure she''ll think the same by the time she''s had to put up with a Pandora in pain!)

They have a midwife for every woman in labour plus 3 OBs plus 2 anaesthetists at all times on the high-risk labour ward, but the OB''s only do the tricky deliveries - breech, instrumental, c-section etc, and any checks the midwives ask for. Otherwise if everything is going normally it''s just you and the midwife!

In most of the UK it''s really frightening - when my sister gave birth to my niece, they had 2 midwives for 10 women and she was left completely alone for most of the labour. SHe had polyhydramnios which no-one had noticed and so the head wouldn''t engage and she was in labour for 32 hours. The baby was born with a cleft palate and no-one even realised for the first 20 minutes...

I must say that I am very grateful for PS and all of you tonight - it feels a lot less lonely than watching the weird looks the hedgehogs give me every time I have a ctx!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/15/2009 10:41:54 PM
Author: mrssalvo
pandora, I agree with Kaleigh that if the contractions start getting regular it''s time to go back in. My water broke with my first around 3;00am in the morning. I waited about an hour and a half and then went to the hospital. I didn''t want to wait to long b/c I''d seen too many movies and worried the labor would progress so quickly that I wouldn''t have time for the epi

Anyway, I got checked in around 5:00am. here in the states they want the babies out within 24 hours of the water breaking. I was having painless regular contractions but not dilating so I got pitocin around 8:00am. I think they may have increased it once. Got my epi around 9:30am and had the baby at 5:00 the normal way. I actually had pitocin with 2 of my 3 kids (jake was a pure induction) and they were all VB''s so try not to worry too much. The delivery will be what it is and no matter if it''s a VB or a C-sec you still end up with a baby which is the most important part

Ctx are regular, but they want them at 3 every 10 minutes before you come in - unless you are in too much pain, amniotic fluid turns black/green, bleeding, no fetal movements, high temperature etc - mine are only every 7 minutes lying down.

Unless there are problems, they won''t even start inducing me till 8pm tomorrow night (induction starts 36 hours after the waters break)... and I can''t have an epi till I get to 4cm...

Honestly, I don''t really care how she''s born - except it being as painfree as possible

. Objective is both of us alive and healthy and bits as intact as possible! Both ways have pros and cons - for the sake of my back I should be hoping for a VB - for the sake of my pelvic floor muscles I should probably hope for a c-section!

 

[Kaleigh]

Glad you have your OB friend, she gave you good advice. Try to shut your eyes and just rest. Your body will do what it needs to... HUGS!!

 

[TravelingGal]

Ha Pandora, I liked having PS around when I was in labor too. For some reason, men don''t seem to be as into labor as women, hee.

However, is there any way you can get some shut eye? Your bebe is going to be in your arms soon and it''s just so exhausting. Is it too painful to sleep? Or at least rest a little?

So exciting to be on the cusp of your new life. My brother took video (unbeknownst to me) of me leaving my apartment. I was the last one out and I was turning off all the lights and looking around. Just thinking, this is it. When I come back, it won''t be just the two of us anymore. It was interesting to see it on video, as I was pretty transparent since I didn''t think anyone was looking.

I think that is why we are always excited when one of the preggos goes into labor. It''s an amazing thing.

 

[snlee]

Pandora, sounds like you''re managing your contractions well now. I know it''s hard but try to get as much rest as possible.

 

[puffy]

pandora i hope you''ll be holding your little girl soon. try to get some rest, you''re going to need all the energy you have later on.

 

[luckystar112]

Thinking of you Pandora!!

 

[Pandora II]

I am getting close to ringing in - ctx have been steady at 7 minutes for about 6-7 hours now without a break at all, so sleep has been out of the question. They''ve been okay with much scrunching of toes and deep breathing but I''m starting to really think that I''m not coping too well anymore...

It''s nearly 6am so I''ll give my OB friend a call and see what she suggests...

 

[cara]

Good luck pandora!! You have done a great job thus far! Here''s to an easy labor (whatever that is) and nice recovery stay at the hospital after you have met Miss Daisy...

 

[Pandora II]

Going back to the hospital - have had enough...

Till later...

 

[Steel]

I hope you are doing ok Pandora.

 

[Pandora II]

My worst nightmare situation has realised itself...

No beds available - so they sent me to the Antenatal Day Unit to wait for one at 11am. Is now nearly 2.30pm and nothing available still.

Contractions now every 3-4 minutes and they have nothing available in the way of pain relief except codeine until you get to the labour ward. I've already had 240mg of my own and it hasn't touched it - they only offer 30mg at a time...

Am having seriously nasty time...

 

[Lorelei]

Pan, hang in there - it will be ok, soon you will be holding Daisy in your arms! Have you spoken to your consultant?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Pandora I''m so sorry that you can''t get a bed right away! Hang in there! YOU CAN DO IT! Remember it won''t last forever and the pain will end. Take one contraction at a time!

Then get that epi the second you get a bed!!

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/16/2009 9:26:24 AM
Author: Pandora II
My worst nightmare situation has realised itself...

No beds available - so they sent me to the Antenatal Day Unit to wait for one at 11am. Is now nearly 2.30pm and nothing available still.

Contractions now every 3-4 minutes and they have nothing available in the way of pain relief except codeine until you get to the labour ward. I''ve already had 240mg of my own and it hasn''t touched it - they only offer 30mg at a time...

Am having seriously nasty time...

Oh hell

.

I hope a bed comes up very very soon.

 

[Pandora II]

Ten past four and still nothing available.

We don''t have assigned consultants here and all the OBs on duty are in theatre - and so far there haven''t been any midwives available yet today, so have done a trace at 11.30am which showed that the baby was doing great (she still is), have no idea if I''m dilated or anything as there is no-one available to do an examination - mind you I will go nuts if I''m not at least 3cm...

So, stuck in the waiting room for the forseeable future - not the most fun place to be having contractions bad enough to make you cry...

DH unamused - especially as they promised me again and again that this never happens here. When I called in this morning I did speak to one of my favourite midwives and she was OMG, that''s not good news, we''ve no beds and they won''t have any pain meds for you, and was really sympathetic and worried, but nothing they can do - and there is NO WAY on earth I would to to any other hospital.

Right now, I''m just sitting as still as possible - I don''t dare walk around in case it speeds things up...

I so HATE the NHS at times like this!h

 

[pavelover]

Pandora Omg I am sorry to hear there is not a bed for you yet. I am thinking of you and crossing fingers and toes for you! You are a brave and strong woman and mommy! I did not have the courage to go past early labor with out help. Jas12 I think used visualization (think rosebud opening) and it helped her cervix to open. Maybe you could try it? Since you can''t get pain meds, can you get any person to try to lead you through relaxation techniques or give you some massage? At least it may be a distraction?

 

[fabienne]

Pandora...I''m so sorry! I logged on to see if you had had the baby yet only to find that there are no beds. I can see why you didn''t want to deliver on a weekend. It looks like your daughter is already off to doing the opposite of what you want!

I''m thinking of you and the baby and sending out vibes and dust for a smooth delivery and a friggin bed!!!!

 

[mela lu]

oh nooooo! I logged in to see if there was any news of Daisy''s arrival - and did not expect to see this! NO BEDS?! OMG! I''m so sorry to hear that Pandora! Especially considering the detailed prep plans for pain management that you had planned with your team. urgh!!!!!!!

Pave had some good suggestions for distraction. Is there anything available in the way of "distraction" to help you pass the time? I bet a massage would be amazing (between contractions). Oh honey hang in there!!!!

 

[Pandora II]

DH is being amazing and is starting the massage now.

Pave, I don''t dare do anything that might increase dilation or contractions - I don''t want to give birth in the middle of the waitin room and I want that sodding epi when I get there!

Some couple from a wedding came in a hour ago all dressed up and her husband is hopping up and down like a mad thing because they haven''t seen a midwife - DH and I don''t have the heart to tell them that we haven''t either and we''ve been here since this morning...

 

[Mrs]

I''m glad DH is being so great, Pandora! And I hope the massage helps!

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh geez you poor thing. I hope a bed becomes available soon and that you get your epidural. Hang in there sweetie!!!!