10 days later..... don't read if you don't want the gory details....

Well I imagine that by the radio silence, and the twitter/FB updates its pretty obvious that things have progressed. I did decide to go ahead with the induction on monday, my blood pressure was slightly raised which, whilst not disturbing, gave me the trigger to go ahead, as Paul and I had decided that if there were any medical issues we wouldn't hesitate in going forward with the induction.

Lets face it, things were never goign to be easy on the basis that I had had absolutely NO signs baby was coming, and, as one midwife put it "some people are born to carry babies, others to deliver them - you clearly fit into the former!)

After all other non-invasive attempts failed they tried 3 doses of one method, which didn't bring on contractions but still caused me to have painful cramps during Monday through to early hours of Wed. We spent a lot of monday and some of Tues walking about, hanging around, hoping..... Tues night was difficult and it meant that by Wed morning I was pretty knackered even before anything had happened.

Sorry if this too much info but then they broke my waters - which they had to do with me on gas and air as I wasn't getting anywhere and it was v painful. We'd been watching Midsomer murders and the experience of gas and air turned it into a bit of a kaliedescope of John nettles, plus for some random reason I had huey lewis and the news singing in my head. I was trying to tell Paul that Midsomer was much better with gas and air but couldn't get the words out for giggling.

Sadly the water breaking ALSO didn't work, so a few hours later they put me on a drip which kick starts the contractions - big time. That HURT but a few hours later I was still getting nowhere. at this point they offered me a C section - in all honesty I woudl have happily done it myself with plastic cutlery from the hospital canteen at that point! Things improved vastly from that point on - they whisked me in, spinal injection thingy, Paul kitted out in a silly hat and our beautiful baby boy was safely prised out of his warm comfy home into the wide world at 00.38hrs on 3rd Dec - 16 days overdue.

Benjamin (Ben) Noah Ellis - he was 7lbs 2oz and bloody perfect in every way :-).

I'd like to say that the story ends there - but ..... all went fine, by 5am Paul went home for some kip, 8am i had texted the world our news, had tea and toast and at 10am was wheeled down to the post natal ward. As I was moved into a bay, I had serious cramp, and I had what i now know to be a postpartum haemmorage. Scariest moment of my life so far. I could feel my face go pale white, I started to shake violently and sweat as about 10 medical people surrounded me prodding me, jabbign in needles like they were sticking cocktail sticks into pineapple and cheese and basically trying to sort me out, They stabilised me and we went straight back upstairs to surgery where they put me under a general anasthetic and sorted me out. I had to have 3 units of blood put back in (have since checked and you generally have about 12 units in your body. Probably shouldn't have googled that!).

ANYWAY....anough fo the gory stuff, everyone has their labour tale, that's mine. the important bit is Ben is here, he is gorgeous and beautiful and paul and I are knackered but coping, Its been a week of firsts - first nappy change, first feeding challenge, first night of no sleep, first night of fairly decent sleep, first trip outside, first trip into town, first hour away from him at the hairdresser.... the list goes on! I'd love to write more but I am nodding off tyoing this so will stop for now and hopefully come back soon with pictures and boasting :-)

well I put it off, but it wasn't particularly easy as they were pretty insistent that we consider our options. It seems to be more of a logistical issue given that they expect to be busy by the end of the week and "don't want me to regret not having the induction earlier this week". Well as far as I am concerned, its surely difficult for them to plan these things anyway, and if I were to become a risk medically I assume I would go up the priority list than a "normal booked in" induction. So once I established that they were ok with me medically we left the hospital. That said, it still took a good 4 hours for them to do that, which i think may all be part of their master plan - in that you hang around for such a long time you end up thinking, well hell I may as well have the bloody induction and get on with it seeing as I am here.

I have to go in every day for monitoring which will drag, so can see that there is a chance I crack tomorrow. I've been having the odd cramp but truly nothing to write home about and nothing that makes me feel hopeful this will happen naturally any time soon. This is so annoying, if it was purely up to me I know I would want to keep waiting a good few more days, but its not just me, its Paul, my parents, his parents, everyone else waiting and waiting..... and I'm starting to feel seriously pressured.

The ongoing saga of a baby not willing to enter this world...

Ey up.
Well its 4am on Sunday 29th nov. Or to be more precise in terms of this baby 40 +12.
This means its eviction day in theory as 12 days late is the date they induce in Cheltenham. So I have to call the hospital in 5 hours time, however our intention is to refuse the induction unless there are medical problems to give me a few more days to try and do this without kicking it off unnaturally.

I'm not sure what this will mean, I think they will get me to go in to be checked over but then again they may just leave me to it for a few more days. Ideally I'd like at least till Tuesday, the only problem is poor Paul not knowing whether to go into work or just give it up for 2 weeks now, I think the uncertainity each day has really been doing his head in, - know how he feels!

now I have toothache and earache. I think there is every chance this is all psychosomatic and I am simply feeling sorry for myself :-(

baby its grim outside

I cannot blame this little one for not wanting to come out at the moment, its really grim out here with the wind and the rain. I'd stay in if I had the choice! Had some reflexology today which wasn't comfortable (it wasn't meant to be!) in the aim of encouraging some movement, but so far no impact. Went to the pub for tea and a glass of wine as consolation.

i take that back

Joe was spot on. thank goodness my faith is restored.

maybe its just me...

but nearly all the x-factor singers seemed to be singing flat this evening?