Dulwich Born And Bred

My week gets better and better, after the nightmare birth, and my concerns that my stitches were not done properly, I spent the week in agony, it got so bad I could not sleep, I was crying like a baby, so an emergency doctor was called out, he checked my stitches and said not only was it one of the worse stitchings he has ever seen but that I had a really bad infection in some of them. I went to my GP who also confirmed this and I was sent to Kings Labour ward in the hope that they can redo it properly, but as the infection is so bad they cannot re do it in case it pushes the infection deeper inside, causing major problems, I had to stay in overnight and I had courses of antibiotics by drip. I have been sent home with various antibiotics, painkillers, etc, and trying to wee, poo, walk,sit etc with an infected open wound by one's anus is not fun. Kings have been absolutely awful for me since day one, never ever again and to botch up my stitchings too...the icing on the cake. I have yet to go out with my son, have visitors, etc,I can safely say apart from having my son, it has been the worst week of my entire life, I need a holiday after all of this is over. Here is hoping this week things improve! I had my epidural 8 days ago, but my left leg and foot is still numb in some places, is this normal? Oh and my poor darling son is tongue tied, i was the one who spotted it when he was struggling to feed, no one at Kings did, they confirmed he is tongue tied and he is having it snipped on Tuesday

Kenzo I am really sorry to scare you, that is not my intention. Please ensure you have a qualified midwife, not a trainee, I will PM you the names of the two women who did me and avoid them if you can. I am going to pursue this as the whole experience has left my mum and OH and myself in shock, They broke down in tears quite a lot, simply because the staff, especially the nice staff just didn't care and the whole attitude was a shambles, saying that there are lots of women who gave birth there without problems, they seems to be ok and nothing like me, it is just my luck that I had all the horrible staff, I thank my lucky stars for that one midwife who took notice of me and helped me, even though the damage had been done. I am just one part of a story, thousands of people pass though kings and have different stories, I am sure yours will be a positive one, Keep strong, make your voice held and make sure you birth partners speak on your behalf, dont accept any less than you deserve, otherwise scream and holler the place down, which I had to do because I was in THAT much pain and they could not igore that. My friend is being induced today and is having an ok time, she is not in pain, and she is doing well, so you can have that positive birth story too! xx

Thanks Mellors for updating! Thank you all so much for asking after me, for your advices, well wishes and so forth. It was lovely to be thought of, especially after everything that has happened! I have posted my story on a different thread! xx

Baby is currently sleeping after I have mastered the breast feeding from two days ago. Hard going but only because I am so sore and in pain that staying mobile in a comfortable position for hours on end to feed my hungry son is hard work but I like that he has taken to it and it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I went into Kings on Friday around 2pm when a bed was available to be induced. From the moment the trainee midwife inserted the pessary I knew she did it wrong, it was absolutely agony from the minute she inserted it. I was just 2cm at that time. Throughout the whole time until I gave birth, my son's heartbeat was going sky high and very low, I was constantly on the monitor and his heartbeat was not consistent. Shortly after the pain increased in intensity, it was unlike any pain I had ever experienced before, and it was just from the place she inserted the pessary, come 5pm, I could not cope with the pain anymore and could not believe that I was just suffering that from the first pessary and how would I cope if I had to have another pessary inserted and then a drip on top of that and that I could suffer like this for 48 hours. I thought I had a high pain threshold so I could not believe how hellish the pain was. I demanded painkillers, I was given around 8 painkillers in a few hours, they did nothing, the pains got worse but with horrible back pains too. I was cracking up, I could not sit down, lay down, or stand up, so every couple of minutes I was moving from standing, to sitting to laying position, each making me cry and wince in pain. I tried to walk but the pain was so bad in my stomach that I could just about drag my legs anywhere. My mum and partner tried giving me massages etc but I was so zoned out with the pain. In the end i could not cope with it anymore and demanded the pessary gets removes or someone checks it, they refused, saying once it is in they could not remove it and i have to endure it for 48 hours unless I go into labour before. I was shocked, confused that in 2009 I was going through this. The pain became so bad that I screamed the place down, I was given a shock of pethidine to the thighs... it did nothing but make me see doubles, so in between seeing doubles, wanting to die, and trying to deal with the pain, I was yelling out for someone to please do something, another shot of pethidine was given to me, again nothing.... one midwife started taking note of me, and saw that everything she was going, massage, swiss ball, etc was not working, she noticed my pain, and gave me gas and air to help, she noticed that none of it was having an effect and knew something was wrong, she said she will remove my pessary for me even though she was not supposed to, she did, and she confirmed what I knew all along, it was in the wrong place. Once she removed it, the pain died down a little but not enough, about an hour late or so, I was screaming and screaming that I needed to push but it felt like I should not push because it was the wrong time and the wrong type, I was rushed to the labour ward, I was 8cms dilated, I had an awful midwife who did not want to give me anything and said I could push as I was only 2cms away, I said no, I wanted an epidural or c section, she tried forcing my legs open to make me give birth naturally but each time I felt the urge to push I had to force my legs shut because I knew I could not give birth like this, instincts! What is more upsetting is no one comes to check how dilated you are or anything, so you had no idea of any kind of progress, it was a case of leaving you to it and having to demand to get attention when you felt things were happening or not happening. After yelling, demanding my mum comes down, and she did, and demanding an epidural, I was finally given one, and despite being topped up twice with the epidural, using gas and air and not to mention ALL the other drugs i had beforehand, I felt all the pains and contractions though my legs were numb, the pains in my stomach area were awful and my back. The baby was still in distress, and I just could not birth him naturally, it was good that I demanded an epidural as myself and baby got into distress that the theatre was on standby, I had the whole emergency surgery team, from the top consultants to the trainess, all rushed into my room to perform a cut and deliver my son by ventouse, I lost a massive amount of blood, it was pretty scary hearing the guy shouting out " We have a massive bleed" and everyone running around like mad putting on the oxygen mask on me, reassuring me and my partner and mum trying not to look scared, my placenta got embedded in me also and fell apart so I could not dontate the cord and I have lots and lots of stitches down below. My son was plopped onto me at 15.39pm on saturday 5th September weighing a healthy 7lbs and 11oz, he was clearly overdue as he had very dry skin! I absolutely love him to bits. I am still suffering terribly now, can barely walk, I still have not regained all feelings in my legs due to the drugs and my son and I are still pretty drugged up and spaced out. I cannot wait to start healing and being able to be mobile, at the moment as my cut is pretty bad I am unable to get about much or change his nappy or lift him out of the cot. Agony! I don't know how women do it more than once. I have a lovely midwife who has informed me that I need to complain about what happened and I shall. I am still in shock about the whole thing. Thank you all so much for your advices, well wishes and so on. ( apologies for any mistakes!) Here is my little trouble maker!

That is a good idea Fuschia, thanks for the tip. I know my bishop score was only 2 last week, and I don't feel I have progressed. If it comes to the point then I need the drip then I will probably insist on a c section since I don't see the point of going down the route of drip, epidural etc if labour is not progressing naturally and I am not spending two days in labour like my friends who were induced! I have my mum and partner there so I am sure they will make sure things go ok and make decisions for me if I am out of it! Only four days to go, I cannot wait for it all to be over!

When I went to Suite 8 last week, my midwife informed me that they do not use the drip anymore as I was extremely worried about that as I had heard it is painful. She said they have a great success rate with this pessary gel, she showed me it, it was attached to a white strip/cotton. She informed me to ring the labour ward on friday at 7.30am in the morning to check what time they will have a bed for me, to bring my bags because once they start my induction they have to finish it off. She said baby and I will be monitored prior to the pessary being inserted and then again after the pessary is inserted and then I will be allowed to go off for walks, to eat and so forth until labour starts in which case I head straight to the labour ward. Mum did say to me that I should just go for a C section since most inductions tend to end up with a C Section but my midwife said they cannot do that, that I have to try and deliver naturally first, which I am fine with but I am quite aware that I will probably end up with C section as my baby is so active and just not wanting to come out. I will be 14 days overdue on Friday so I will be 42 weeks and I just want this baby out now, even if it means by C section! They said that he is probably an 8 pounder now also, I just get the feeling his head is just wedged in my pelvis because he does put pressure there, he just does not seems to be able to get any further and so far three of my friends who have been induced this month and have endured two days of labour had to have an C section and all three of them had their baby's heads wedged in their pelvis hence nothing was working! Is it true that an induction means no waterbirth?!

Thank you KatsuQueen, I have replied back. Still no baby, so that is August almost over! Does anyone have any experiences with the induction? she said to bring our bags but I don't see the point as we would not need them straight away since it is the Willian Gillat Ward I go to first to be induced, and then I am told I can go off and do what I want until the contractions start/water goes etc in which case I head to the labour ward. So I am guessing, leave the bags at home or in the boot of the car, have the pessary inserted, then go home for a meal, walk and then when I am ready go straight to the labour ward. I don't really fancy hanging around the hospital if it is going to take hours to happen!

Thanks ladies! The sweep does not seems to have worked. No pains or anything at all. Baby is still wriggling away, and hiccupings away. Been walking as much as I can bear, bouncing and rolling my hips on the swiss ball too but the little man is not budging. Since there is only one day left in August, it is very unlikely he will be here so I am just counting down the five days (4th September Friday) for my induction in which I know for sure I will be meeting my son next weekend! I cannot wait for it all to be over!

reetpetite Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Have you tried Sudocream I always think whats safe > on babies must be ok for us girlies. I did indeed, it burnt like hell!!

Since becoming pregnant I have incurred swollen lady bits, I had a UTI a few weeks ago, antibiotics cleared it but then it gave me errr the other common problem that ladies get , especially pregnant ladies and i have never had it before! So I used the cream and the pessary, that worked but now my lady bits are just so tender and sore and dry! My midwife said there is nothing more they can do because pregnancy does that but i really don't relish the thoughts of pushing a baby through my sore bits. I am thinking of popping to the health shop tomorrow and buying something like dead sea or epsom salt to use in the bath to hopefully help soothe and heal my lady bits, is that safe to do? I know tea tree and witch hazel is meant to be good but I don't know if it is safe and researches online are conflicting! The natural yoghurts just don't do much nor do the cranberry fruit juices. I cannot even go for long walks anymore because my bits just cannot handle the rubbing...too much information, I know but after being violated with latex gloves having my cervix swept, I just don't care anymore!!

He does not want to come out at all. I went for a sweep today, only scored two on the bishop score. My cervix is closed. My son is too bloody comfortable in there. She asked if I wanted to have another sweep if this one today does not work, I said no, so the earliest she could book me in for my induction is the 4th September. So an additional whole year of nursery fees to pay since he will not be born in August! And I don't get my summer August baby. I have endured nearly a whole month of birth announcements and stories and baby photos from my August birth group and I am one of a very few whose babies do not want to come out. Despite the sweep being painful ( which it would be with a posterior cervix and a closed one) I have had no period like pains, no BH, no discharges, no leaks, no show, no contraction...nothing..infact my son is hiccuping away right now! So I have resigned myself to the fact that he is not coming out so the 4th of September it is when he will be dragged into this world kicking and screaming! Least I don't have to endure any curries, sex, nipple tweaking and so forth. Think I will just go to the cinema and to some nice restaurants and make the most of my last week of freedom!!

The video shop ( near to Dulwich Cafe etc) was the bedding shop, I remember because my mum used to pop down there and pay off for a bed!

I am desperate to get baby out but I would not try castor oil, the thought of getting the runs, cramps and baby getting the runs also does not appeal to me but a few women on my birth club have given that a go, some went into labour, some didn't. I am one of those believers who thinks nothing can make a baby come out before it is ready, when people try the remedies their bodies were obviously in labour already. That is my thought anyway. He'll come when he comes, and if he doesn't, then he'll be force out by the hospital! xx

My baby has not come out yet, he is actually due today but is showing no signs at all of wanting to come out. I guess 40 weeks of baking him is not enough. I thought pregnancy was nine months?! They lied! Never mind I have elephant ankles, toes and fingers and spent hours and hours at the MAU last week being monitored due to high blood pressure, a UTI and baby's heartbeat dropping and lack of movements ( though he decided to make 99 movements in one hour, the most ever! and his heart was pounding away like he was on fizzy drinks whilst he was being monitored just to show me up!). My son is quite contented to wind me up by wriggling his bum non stop as if to say " Look mum, I am still here, aren't I clever?!" No son, it would be clever if you followed the exit sign and make your appearance now. Can you tell that I am keen to get him out of the big mother house?! Hopefully he shall be here shortly, and I am pleased to say he still has his head down, but he keeps engaging and dis-engaging his head, I can tell he takes after his father already, not willing to take a risk! Ohh hummmm, I shall go and add an additional 14 days onto my calendar since they let you go overdue by that amount. If anyone sees a very frustrated grouchy woman around Lordship lane waddling and frowning, that will be me, trying to encourage gravity and exercise to start labour! I shall post my birth announcement and a photo of my mischief maker when he arrives ( though I am starting to think I am just fat and not pregnant!). Thanks for asking after me. Heidi x

Thanks Lorraine for the link! I have noted it down for future reference, yep, I shall be spacing out my vaccines with my little one. Personal choice.

Thank you ladies!! The other half was in shock after expecting to have to sit there and watch me and bump undergo a ECV, he was pretty much dumbfounded and asked the consultant a few time if he was sure! Even the midwives came in and congratulated us! I think my little man is a mischief maker rather than a thoughtful little boy! Now everyone keeps asking me if baby is here yet....I am trying!! I felt quick sick after the curry, pineapple, and bouncing on my swiss ball last night:-S Think I shall just stick to walking everywhere.......

Today has been a very long day!! Went to the antenatal clinic, I was asked why I didn't want to do the ECV, I explained that I am worried about any problems and it does not feel right. He said there is only a 1% risk with an ECV, that I should not endure a c section if I can have a natural birth and that he feels I can have a natural birth. He felt my son and said that he is laying transverse, his bottom is not in my pelvis as before and that it would not take much to move him head down. He talked me into it, I agreed. ( maybe all the moxibustion, spinning babies exercises etc freed his bum from my pelvis?!) Booked my ECV for 2.30pm today, I had not eaten or drank since 10am, my partner came down to keep me company. We were getting tired, stressed and worried. I was getting horrible back pains and pressure on my groin area. My son was moving a bit, but not as much as he normally does. I was so hungry and tired and asked if I could have some water, nope, because I am having an ECV and I have to wait for a free bed. we didn't get seen for our appointment until 5pm. The consultant came, felt my stomach and said " He has moved head down!!" so out came the scan machine and sure enough my son head is 3/5th in my pelvis now! So happy, after refusing to move in any position but breech and transverse, and having his bum wedged in my pelvis, it was amazing at the 11th hour he moved head down! so in between seeing the doctor in the morning to the appointment in the afternoon, my son obviously got wind that mummy was starving him and was about to do something that will rock his little world and decided to get his head in position! I am so happy! I was worried because when the consultant was just feeling my pelvis, it bloody hurt so I thought there was no way I could cope with the pain of an ECV but luckily I didnt need one. They are making me come in every week for a scan to ensure he remains in the head down position, I have been eating pineapple, curry and bouncing on my ball tonight to try and induce labour and get him to stay. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR WELL WISHES, I AM SURE THEY HELPED!! Now, just got labour to get through!! xx

Well, The moxibustion, and all the exercises did not work at all!! I went in today to book my C section but the consultant said to me that my baby is transverse and that he moves easily and he really wants me to have the ECV because he thinks it will work on me and he does not want me having a C section so I have to go back in an hour and half and see if the ECV works, fingers crossed it does, I shall update later! x

Claribel, no need to be sorry, it is lovely to share my experience with someone else, and lovely to hear so many views. Thank you EVERYONE for taking the time out to read my posts and reply. I am so sorry to hear the ECV did not work, how was it? I am very nervous about it. Still not made my mind up, my OH has told me to we will go along and just do what we feel is right on the day. When is your C section booked for? when you hit 40 weeks or beyond? I really hope that your baby will move for you, I am hoping the same too. The moxibustion I must say does work in that my baby does move lots and lots, but he is just not moving in the right direction but I will keep it going until Tuesday and will update with the outcome. Good luck Claribel, not long until our little troublemakers are here!!

My mother just informed me that you ladies who did not go to the park today missed Colin Farrell and Ray Winstone filming today! She said lots of women were swooning!!

My placenta was low yes and they said it has moved, the only reason I went back for another scan after the good news about my placenta was because my little man lost weight around his stomach and now it is his breech position and drop in FL measurement. Lots of people are encouraging me to try the ECV but the fact that it is posing a big problem for me might be my instincts telling me not to do because of the fact that he is going in any position BUT down now.

No worries about hijacking the thread, a bit of healthy debate is good for the mind! Would be a shame if anybody decided to leave because of differences in views, we all see things differently and we all hold different ideas and views. We just go along with what we feel and know is best and that is all that matters. Everything has been very informative and has given me a lot of food for thoughts. So many different viewpoints. I have to say I do find it kind of disheartening when people who have not had C sections ( friends etc) telling me that it is not that bad and it will be fine, I do sit there teeth gritted and think " What do you know? you had a natural birth!" but everyone is just trying to reassure me. Still in two minds about the ECV purely because my man IS moving lots but for some reason he just is not heading to the exit sign and I am worried that maybe he can't because of the cord etc because he was ALWAYS head down before and I am just worried that doing the ECV could just make more problems. If he is moving then obviously he has some room, he does breech or transverse now but he won't go down....

I don't know really Fuschia. I don't like the idea of stressing my son out via a ECV, in fact I am starting to get second thoughts and thinking maybe I should just have the C section if the moxibustion is not successful. Everything has a risk, I just don't want to cause my unborn son distress, because nothing is guaranteed, it is hard to know what choice is the right one. I am told that I am allowed to ask for the screen to be lowered during the C section and for baby to be placed onto me for skin to skin contact, assuming he is well.

Thanks Mellors! x Had my meeting with the consultant. I have to attend the labour ward next week to try a ECV. My OH has booked moxibustion for me tomorrow, I am hoping that will work. All the risks have been explained to me at the hospital regarding ECV, C section and Breech Delivery. If the ECV does not work, I agreed to a C section. As it is my first baby, I really don't want to risk a delivery because I have no idea what to expect or how I am going to deal with it, and the last thing I want is to stress myself out and end up having an emergency C section but fingers crossed the moxibustion or ECV will be successful, I suppose it was only natural my son was going to be stubborn judging by myself and his father!

I have my consultant appointment today at 10am...*exhale* I shall update later today. Fingers crossed all the techniques from spinning babies paid off!