# My Birth Story



## mmackay20040 (Jun 1, 2011)

Living in Stornoway, my pregnancy was a 'shared-care' journey with Stornoway dealing with the 12 week and 20 week scans and all my diabetic and other obstetric care being looked after by Glasgow.  I was always due to deliver in Glasgow and was meant to be based in Glasgow full time from 06th May (due date 03rd June) and they were planning on delivering me around 20/27th May.  

27th April and I got my flight from Stornoway to Glasgow for my final Antenatal Clinic before moving down to await Baba's arrival.  When I got there, the midwife did my BP and urine samples etc and noticed quite a lot of protein in my urine and my BP was up at 155/95.  She got the consultant and he came to speak to me.  Given the situation and the geographical challenges of my situation, he explained that I would have to be admitted there and then as it looked as though pre-eclampsia was on its way.  That was the Wednesday. I found myself on the ward surrounded by women who were all in the throes of being induced. This in itself was an experience!! Given that I had gone to Glasgow for a day trip, I had no clothes, no cash, no access to a cash machine and by the end of the day, my mobile battery had died! It's frightening how much we rely on our phones in times of need!!  Over the next 48 hours my BP couldn't decide what it wanted to do, it went from 128/78 to 161/101 and the protein was going from trace to 3+.  It seemed that my body couldn't decide if it was going to go into pre-eclampsia or not.  However, on the Saturday afternoon, I was discharged on the condition I stay in Glasgow and return to Maternity Assessment on Monday so that they could check my urine and BP.  Thankfully by now, I had managed to get a phone charger, clean clothes and money for the phone! 

On the Monday, having spent the weekend with my Mum who came down to help, we headed into the hospital.  The protein was back up to 3+, my BP was back up and my insulin requirements had dropped rapidly from 110 units a day to 75/80.  I was readmitted and they were talking about pre-eclampsia and the possibility of my placenta beginning to fail.  

Tuesday morning and the doctors on their round told me that they would be delivering the baby on Thursday/Friday of that week (05th/06th).  I was given steroids to help develop Baba's lungs and they assured me that they would speak to the consultant and decide whether I would be induced or sectioned. Having witnessed around 20 different women now being induced, hearing their screams, cries, moans and swears, I was terrified of what lay ahead! 

Wednesday morning and the consultant came to see me to tell me that I would not be delivered until 13th/14th and that I would be induced.  I'd have to spend the next 10 days in hospital so that they could keep a close eye on the situation.  I'd woken up at 5am on the Wednesday morning and had the usual braxton hicks tightenings.  As the day went on, they seemed to get more often and more intense.  Along with this, a pain started in my lower abdomen, like a very intense period cramping.  I, having always been afraid of bothering anyone, didn't mention this to anyone, assuming it was completely normal and I would be laughed at! 

Paul, my partner, was due to fly down from Stornoway on Wednesday at 1330 as we thought Baba was coming Thursday/Friday.  I called him to let him know the change in situation and that we'd be waiting til the end of next week but he'd already gone through security at the airport so he was en-route. 

By lunchtime, the pains had increased and I was very uncomfortable.  I eventually mentioned it to one of the nurses.  She hooked me up to the CTG monitor and within minutes, a doctor appeared.  She looked at the CTG reading and asked when I had last been examined internally.  I explained that I hadn't been at all as I wasn't induced or anything at this stage.  She asked if she could and I followed suit.  She said that my cervix was more or less closed but to lay on my left side on the bed.  The nurse had reappeared by now.  From my glued viewing of 'One Born Every Minute', I knew that lying on my left side was beneficial if the heart beat was playing up.  The Doctor explained that Baba's heartbeat was causing concern and that I'd be taken to the labour ward where they would monitor the situation.  

Feeling ridiculously calm, I went to get up off the bed, not realising the situation.  I was told not to move and within a minute, they were wheeling me down the corridor towards the lifts.  As the lifts opened, Paul and my Mum were inside, heading up to see me.  The look on their faces was one I'll never forget!  I explained that we were going to the Labour Ward but that I wasn't in labour (as far as I knew).  Mum gathered my things from the ward and Paul accompanied us down.  By the time we arrived in the Labour Ward, it was all a blur of surgical stockings, signing consent forms, being asked a zillion questions about medical history, allergies etc and suddenly Baba was about to make an appearance.  

They took me into the theatre while Paul got scrubbed up.  It took them 5/6 attempts to get the spinal in the right place and by that time, I'd started to feel uneasy.  As soon as the spinal was in, panic filled the room as Baba's heartbeat plumetted.  The anaesthatist said 'She's not completely numb but she's numb enough for you to start' (which isn't a phrase I want to hear again!) and I asked where Paul was. They had to lay me on my left side, lay me on my right side and then on my back to try and get Baba's heartbeat to come up but nothing was working.  I could tell that they were all panicking by this stage.  Things got very tense.  They had to start before they got Paul in and he got an eyeful of my insides (which isn't a sight he wants to see again!).  Within seconds, I was told that the head was out.  Seumas was born and instantly my head filled with the panic of 'Why isn't he crying?'  It took what seemed like an eternity to hear any noise from him.  When he finally let out a little whimper, it was amazing.  The nurses were dealing with him for some time before they took him over to me.  They had to breathe for him with the inflation bag for the first 2 and a half minutes of his life and he was what they call 'grunty' which means he was making a noise when he was breathing out (apparantly it means that they're struggling with breathing out as it's an effort etc).  

Once I was sewn up and shifted onto a trolley, I was wheeled through to High Dependancy.  Mum came through and we all had a wee cry/cuddle.  Seumas got to stay with us for about 2 hours before the Paediatrician came and took him up to Intensive Care (due to his breathing problems and to keep an eye on his BMs etc).  We had some skin to skin time and I tried breastfeeding but he wouldn't latch on.  The nurse said this was very common in premature babies.  He was born at 35+5 so was a bit early.  He weighed 8lb 1oz which was a deceiving weight for his gestational age.  

The first night, I was still in High Dependency as they wanted to keep an eye on my BM which had rocketed to 22.1 for some reason and wouldn't come down.  All night, I could only look at my photo of my son on my phone to know that it had all actually happened.  

The following morning, I was up and showered and the nurse took me up to the Ward where I would be staying.  I then walked up to Intensive Care and spent the day with my son and with Paul and I's families visiting him.  He was doing ok, his BMs weren't stabilising and he was on IV fluids and had a feeding tube up his nose.  He was in the incubator and it's a heartbreaking thing to see.  

That night, I was in a ward with women and their new babies which I felt was very difficult as it highlighted that my son wasn't with me.  That was a very weepy night! 

The next day, Seumas wasn't as bright, I didn't think.  He wasn't keeping down any of his feeds and kept vomiting.  They had changed his feeds to hourly and were seeing if he was able to digest them better.  By the evening, I had been able to express and took that up to him.  As soon as he took my milk/colustrum, he seemed to keep everything down.  After that, he seemed to come on well.  He was in Intensive Care from Wednesday night to Monday and on Monday he was moved to Special Care but was free from his feeding tube or drips etc and was in a cot.  I was expressing and giving him my milk through a bottle which he seemed to be fine with, although latching on was still a problem.  Monday night, I was given a Mother and Baby room in Special Care and finally got to spend the night with my son! 

We were discharged on Wednesday and headed to my parents house in Skye.  We spent the night there and then came home to Stornoway on the Thursday.  

Seumas is now doing very well and is putting on weight (almost a pound in a week this week!).  

It was all a very surreal/amazing/terrifying/joyous/overwhelming/traumatic experience.  It almost seems blurry as if it didn't happen but at the same time, it's unforgettable.  

The circumstances weren't ideal or as planned but Seumas is with us, safe and sound, and I wouldn't change it or him for the world.  I've finally realised what people always said about it being the most amazing this you'll ever do.  Motherhood is a miracle and the biggest honour anyone could be given.  

M xxx


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## Northerner (Jun 1, 2011)

What an introduction to the world! So pleased to hear that all are well, thank you very much for posting your very moving birth story - you are amazing!


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## Steff (Jun 1, 2011)

Wow what a story,thank you for sharing your story hun xx


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## teapot8910 (Jun 1, 2011)

Congratulations to you and your husband M! Sounds like quite an ordeal, glad to hear you're all doing okay now  xx


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## margie (Jun 1, 2011)

Congratulations on the birth of Seumas. So pleased that your OH was there with you - even though he did get to see more than he would have liked. 

It all sounds quite scary - but you and Seumas are doing well and that's what really matters.


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## rachelha (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks for sharing your story with us.  I am so glad everything is now going well.  You are so right. About motherhood being a miracle and an honour, lovely words.


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## am64 (Jun 1, 2011)

wow what a story welcome to the world seumas ...


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## Robster65 (Jun 1, 2011)

Huge congrats M to you, Paul and the star of the show, Seumas.

What a journey (physically and emotionally) you've had. Brilliant that all is well and I hope your BGs are stabilising.

Rob and Sarah


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## bigpurpleduck (Jun 2, 2011)

Many, many congratulations to all! Quite a difficult experience for you, but as you say it's all worth it now. Hope you're enjoying your time at home with him


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## newbs (Jun 2, 2011)

I'm and so pleased that things turned out ok in the end.  Congratulations!


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## smile4loubie (Jun 2, 2011)

Wow you've both been through soo much xxx Glad you are both ok now xxx


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## Twitchy (Jun 3, 2011)

So pleased everything turned out well in the end! You brought a lot of memories back - so so pleased you've got your little lad home safely, it makes such a difference to get out of hospital doesn't it?! 

All the best, bless you both! 

Twitchy xxx


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## grahams mum (Jun 7, 2011)

congratulations, very happy that everybody is fine  every birth story on this forum is an adventure we could write a book about it and they are all happy ending  all the best xx


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