My Birthing Story & Our First Week

I said on Twitter whilst I was pregnant that I wouldn’t be sharing my birthing story as I wanted to keep things private once George had arrived. However, it’s been one heck of a week and I wanted to share with you all my story. It’s going to be a long one, so grab a cuppa and a mince pie – now it’s December EEEPP!

My contractions started at 6:40am Saturday 28th November, they were coming every 10 minutes or so and were quite uncomfortable. By midday I couldn’t stand up whilst a contraction happened and I kept coming over dizzy and nauseous. The midwife suggested I come in and off we went! I had my own room with a birthing pool but I never planned on using one, I just stayed on the weird shaped bed that was super uncomfortable. I opted for just gas and air, not because I was trying to prove a point and show how “strong” I am but because I didn’t want any medication that interacted with my baby or myself. Once I was in a routine, I felt as though I didn’t even need anything more than gas and air anyway. It really takes the edge of each contraction and I will use it for every birth.

I started to actively push from just gone 6pm and by 8pm I was still going with nothing happening. George had been in the perfect position all throughout the pregnancy but decided that on his way out he would turn sideways which is why he wouldn’t budge. Once a first time mother has been pushing for over 2 hours, Doctors have to intervene and so I was moved to a delivery suite where I had at least 6 people in the room all gawking at me, telling me to calm down etc, it’s all a blur to be honest, I only remember bits and bobs.

Just as the topic of an emergency c-section cropt up, George finally arrived and all I remember is Brent saying “You did it, he’s here, he’s here” and kissing me. George didn’t cry at all, they laid him down in the incubator and he just looked around the room curiously whilst hiccupping.

After the birth I started to shake uncontrollably, I felt freezing and couldn’t stop shivering. So they got me some blankets, said my temperature had spiked and them pumped me with antibiotics.I was given three IV drips of antibiotics incase I had an infection, resorting in the temperature spike. After I had calmed down they transferred me to the ward and went home the next day.

Sunday night a rash started to appear on my arms that was really itchy, I knew what it was straight away as I had been there before. I was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. Last time I had the reaction I was told it was because it was interacting with the glandular fever I had at the time and that I wasn’t  allergic at all which is why I didn’t mention it.

Monday morning I went to the doctor and she prescribed me antihistamines to help with the reaction and it did nothing. By Monday night my throat started to swell up and my brother rushed me to A&E whilst Brent stayed at home with George. I was prescribed steroids and more antihistamines and sent home.

By early Wednesday morning my hands had swollen up and the rash was unbearable. I couldn’t even lift George up to feed him as it hurt my arms too much. Come Wednesday morning I went back to the doctor who rushed me through to the hospital, again.

So it’s now Sunday night, I came home from spending 3 more nights in hospital yesterday. After a lot of face swelling, body swelling, all over body rash and a huge bag of medication, I can finally start enjoying my time with my newborn son. I feel awful that Brent’s first week of paternity leave was spent running around after me and doing everything for George alone. I couldn’t hold him as his body heat made my skin burn, my hands where so swollen I couldn’t even hold a bottle. I wasn’t allowed to breastfeed as I was on steroids and will be on them for 6 more weeks so that is completely out the window.

The worst part wasn’t the pain I was in, or the uncomfortable mess that I became, it was looking over at George and not being able to hold him or comfort him when he cried. I should have been at home with my new little family and enjoying our time together, instead I was sat in a hospital bed resembling a Shrek/Lord of the Rings Orc love child and feeling utterly miserable and useless.

Today we were able to start settling into out new life of being a parents. It is hard but everyone knows being a parent is hard but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Brent has been so brilliant, doing everything himself. I always knew he would be a great dad and he really is. My mum has also been great, sitting at the hospital with me for hours and hours, don’t know what I would have done without them.

The thing that kept me going is the idea of Christmas shopping with Brent and George, buying gifts for our little baby boy and preparing for our first Christmas as a family, I honestly can not wait.

Thanks again for everyone’s lovely comments, it’s brightened a miserable week for us all. Can’t believe George is already 8 days old, I feel like I’ve missed out on so much but we have the rest of our lives together.

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