Our family has grown from 8 to 9. Our seventh child, our fourth son, was born on Sunday August 25th.
Rory Thomas Stygle was born at 4:52pm, 9 days overdue, weighing 8lb 14oz.
I had given up hope of going in to labour naturally and had induction booked at 12 days overdue. I started getting pains at 11:03am and very quickly labour was in full swing. Our home birth looked like it was going to happen.
I had found the best place for me was standing holding on to the side of the wardrobe in our bedroom. Sitting or laying down was unbearable during a contraction. We phoned for the midwives to come out at about 12:30pm and they took their time coming out. I think they thought I had a while to go yet.
They got here and let me labour a little while they took pulse readings and listened to baby to make sure we were ok. I was then checked which was not an easy thing for me. I was 9cms already after just 2 hrs of labour. Baby was still really high so they let me get back to my wardrobe and said they'd check me again in a little while.
I was getting a lot of pressure in my bottom which was making me want to push. After an hour I was checked again and sadly baby hadn't moved at all. The midwives didn't feel comfortable breaking my waters with baby being so high as the chance of cord prolapse was too high and so they suggested transferring to hospital where they could break my waters safely. I agreed as I was getting concerned baby was stuck and needed help.
We waited for what seemed like ages for the ambulance to arrive and then we had a 12 minute journey from hell. Every bump set a contraction off and I clung to the gas and air for dear life just to get me through.
On arrival I was wheeled to the delivery suite and examined. Baby was still high but I was 10cms. They called in a doctor to give his opinion on what to do next. Do they break my waters or let them go naturally. He examined me and decided I should give a big push, which I did, and covered him in waters which seemed to pop everywhere. I was then told I could push. The relief from hearing those words was wonderful and I cried with happiness. I had gotten it in to my head that baby was stuck and I'd need help with either forceps or ventouse to get him out and the thought scared me.
I pushed for dear life and my word he felt huge. I now know why he felt huge as he had his right hand up on his head which had obviously been slowing his progress down the birth canal.
Rory arrived very blue but quickly pinked up. We waited for the cord to stop pulsating and then I cut the cord and not long after naturally passed the placenta.
Everything was fine for the next 20-30 minutes. He had his first feed which took a little while to do as he was very fussy and wouldn't latch well.
Then I had awful after pains. I knew these pains weren't normal and then felt a gush down below. A midwife was called and she took one look, cleaned me up, gave me paracetamol and suggested the injection to help pass the placenta which may help slow the bleeding. The pains weren't getting any easier and I ended up with co-codamol to help ease them. The injection didn't seem to work too well and I was then given an injection in my arm to help stop the bleeding, sadly this didn't seem to help much either. At 6pm I was then hooked up to a drip for 5 hours and had a rather painful clean out by a doctor which I can only say was nearly as bad as labour pains. I had lost a total of 1,200mls of blood.
Rory in his first outfit and his first cloth nappy
I wasn't allowed home that night which I understood so Darren made his way home at around 8pm and I was transferred to the maternity ward at just gone 9pm. I didn't sleep at all that night the ward was too noisy, Rory wouldn't settle unless I held him and he was feeding a lot.
Rory with Daddy
We eventually made our way home the next day just after lunch time.
Rory all set to go home
