My birth story..

On Sunday 20th November 2016 at 06.20am my waters broke, called hospital they told me to go up to be checked but not to rush as I hadn't had any pains... I arrived at crosshouse maternity unit at 13.30pm to be examined, I was 1-2cm dilated and my waters had definitely 100% broke. Little one hadn't moved much that morning so I got admitted with fetal reduced movements. I went up to the ward and was told they were going to take me to labour ward to induce me at 22.30pm as I was already booked in for inducement on the 22/11/16... shift swapped and nightshift came on and I was then told that I wasn't going to labour ward until next morning due to emergencies. Connor and I spent over night in hospital and at 6am on the 21/11/16 I got woke up for breakfast and to get monitored before I went down to labour ward. All seemed fine so off we went... walking into labour suite really did hit that at some point that day or next day I was gonna meet my son... once I was settled down at labour ward I then got a canular inserted for some fluids & hormonal drip to bring my contractions as I still wasnt in labour yet. I also got put back on the monitor to listen to our boy throughout the process. Day shift then came on and I got s midwife called Frances. She then got the ball rolling, gave me another examination and I was still 1-2cm. She also tried to connect a monitor to baby's head so I could get up and mobile to help bring on labour, unfortunately the neck of my cervix was too high up still so I couldn't mobile much as I had an abdominal monitor placed. At 09.30am Frances started my hormone drip, mild contractions started within the hour but was bare able. Sitting watching t.v around 12 mid day and another midwife called Cathy came in to let Frances go for her lunch.. we ended up chatting about the monitor that attaches to baby's head and I explained Frances couldn't get it so Cathy offered to try and yes she succeeded!! I was then up on my feet and within minutes the contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes lasting around 45/50 seconds! Feeling I needed the toilet I went in but couldn't pass anything so back up on my feet and felt I had to go again... I sat on the toilet as it took the pressure off my bottom half... after sitting there about 40 minutes with the gas and air I then got up and asked to lie on the bed as I was in agony. I looked at Connor and my mum and said I cant do it, I was only 1-2 cm and I felt myself I couldn't carry on another 8cm like that. I decided to go for the epidural. Within 5 minutes the anethnatist was in with the epidural. Epidural went ahead and I lay down, started working basically straight away but I still felt some pain on my left side when I was contracting, I then had to get the epidural re done. It then worked I felt absolutely nothing it was amazing.. stayed with the gas and air as that seemed to keep me calm.. I then got examined again around 15.30pm and I was 2-3 cm.. not much was happening. At 4pm Frances went off shift and I got the lovely Cathy taking over. Cathy then noticed on the monitor babies heart beat kept dipping. Cathy paged a doctor straight away and she came in. Gave me and examination and said to turn off the drip to see if that was causing baby to be in distress. Babies heart beat regulated but my contractions totally stopped. They decided to give my body 20-30minutes break from drip... they put it back on and same again happened baby didn't like it. I then had doctors in taking blood from babies head to check he was ok.. it came back normal. My contractions started again but were mild and happening 2 x 10mins and that's way it stayed.. doctors and consultants were keeping very close eye on his heartbeat trace and really weren't happy about it. I was starting to get really anxious as I knew it wasn't going as planned. At 19.10pm the decision was made I was to go for an emergency c-section, topped myself up with gas and air and off we all went. I was a nervous wreck. In to theatre I go epidural topped up but I stared to get feeling again on my left side. She gave the epidural top up 10mins to work and if it wasn't we would have to do something alternative.. Connor then came in and my side with this scrubs on.. his face was lighting up with excitement.. after 10mind went by I still had feeling.. the anethnatist said I would have to be put to sleep. Connor had to leave the room as well which I was gutted about but they wouldn't have done it if not needed. I fell asleep at 19.45pm and our beautiful boy Freddie Connor Kerr was born 19.46pm weighing 7lb 6oz..

My labour wasn't what I expected in the slightest and has scared me for life.

My son is worth every bit of it though and would definitely do it all again 💙

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