I was booked in for an induction due to my baby slowing in growth and recurrent reduced movements. I went in for my induction at 1pm on 5/6/2021. I went with the cook balloon method for my induction. After monitoring and preparation the balloon was fitted at around 3pm. Soon after I began to get cramping as if it was doing something so had to lay down. I had 10ml taken out of the balloon as I was personally struggling with the weight of the balloon, but it soon eased with some paracetamol. After having 10ml out it was a breeze.
My partner had to leave at 8pm. So I began watching a film. I went to the toilet at around 9:30pm as I was preparing to get some sleep as I was due to be taken upstairs to have my waters broken at 3am. Whilst on the toilet my balloon fell out. I was checked and I was 3cm dilated and ready to go upstairs for my waters, but was told there will be a bit of a wait. Midwife came back 2 minutes later to let me know there was a room ready upstairs to go and have my waters broken. I rang my partner to come back, and by 11pm we were upstairs ready to have our waters broke. We were put on the monitor, to monitor baby before breaking my waters but the monkey was having a party and they wanted to get his heart rate down before breaking my waters. Fast forward an hour he had still not stopped partying in my belly… so the consultant came in, and agreed to just break my waters. This was around 12am and I was now 4cm dilated. Within the hour of my waters being broke mild contractions started, I managed with gas and air, but as they became stronger I requested something stronger so they administered pethidine. My most comfortable birthing position was on my exercise ball. I still had gas and air at this point. I was checked at 2:30am and I was 5/6cm dilated, so I stayed on the ball, with gas and air. By 5:30am the contractions were coming very frequent and strong. I was checked again and still only at 6cm. I requested the epidural due to the intensity of my contractions, and I wasn’t very mobile due to lack of sleep and the pethidine made me sleepy, but it’s awesome stuff!!
Anesthetist came straight away to administer the epidural which was done within minutes. So I was helped into a comfortable position on my side for a while to help with contractions. Epidural worked within minutes and I was then able to sleep during contractions. I was checked again at around 7am and I was 10cm dilated but they wanted to wait an hour for baby to make his way down further due to it being a bit harder to push with the epidural. Again, epidural was amazing, I still felt contractions, but the midwife asked the head midwife if I could start pushing as she had to go at 8am and wanted to deliver my baby! 7:11am I began pushing. I didn’t feel a thing and was guided through my pushes. I pushed for 21 minutes At 7:32am on the 6/6/21 my beautiful baby boy was born weighing 7lbs13oz at 38+1weeks. I only lost 150ml of blood which was brilliant! Had a few stitches on a graze to my labia but I recovered brilliantly with my perineal area. We were ready to go home that afternoon, however I stayed on postnatal for 2 more nights due to my anxiety. They were brilliant and we went home on the 8th June! Overall my induction process was fantastic, fast and a lovely experience despite being sleep deprived, I was smitten with my baby boy. Big thanks to all the midwifes staff PRH Telford!
