Connor's birthday story

Taken a while to get round to writing it but here we go..............

Tuesday 22nd May 2007.

I started the day as usual, childminded baby (7mths) was dropped off at
9.30am and we popped her and my DD2 (2) into the car and headed for my anti
natal appointment at the hospital. Everything went ok, bp a bit high but doc
was happy for me to go home and see them in a weeks time.

Normal day, playing with kids and baby went home at 2.30pm and my DD2 was
popped to bed for an afternoon nap.

5.30pm DD2 was awake and playing up, I realised I'd missed lunch and my
belly was rumbling, so I asked DH to pop me to co-op to get ''something
nice'' for tea.

I'd had a chest infection all week and was wearing a sanitary towel as every
time I coughed I'd leak. Any way I walked in the front door of co-op and
felt this ''gush'' and thought ''bugger I've wet myself''. I told DH to pop
to cash machine and get some cash out whilst I nipped to the loo to clean
up.

I used the disabled toilet ,as there is more room, and found it wasn't urine
but blood and it was everywhere. It was down my legs, my trousers were
covered and the pad was soaking. I kept calm, filled my pants with paper
hand towels to stem the flow and headed for the car. I told DH to pop me to
the hospital. We swung by the house, threw my hospital bag and notes in the
car, knowing I'd probably be kept in over night and headed for the hospital.
I rang them on route to let them know to expect me.

We arrived at 6pm.

I went straight through to the maternity suite. I explained to the midwife I
was still wearing the pad and same clothes and she said ''good as we'll need
to see the pad''. I removed my bottom half clothing and they gave me a sheet
to cover me whilst I waited for the doctor. It was estimated I'd lost 500ml
(1pint) of blood.

Usual range of tests were done and doc said we can wither keep you in for
obs overnight or do the c section we'd planned for the 6th June early. I
asked what she thought was best and she said she thought it best to deliver
baby as she thought I'd bled again overnight. I agreed.

Usual paperwork filed in, cell saver was ordered, bloods taken for cross
match, shaved, 3 drips fitted and we were ready for theatre.

In theatre they gave me a joint epidural and spinal anaesthetic and then
inserted the catheter so I wouldn't feel it going in. I must admit it was
the weirdest sensation not to be able to feel your legs.

Everything went according to plan, Connor was born at 8.30pm and as I'd
opted for sterilisation at the same time, so they did that and stitched me
up. All in all about 40mins from start to finish. My anaesthetist was great
she kept me fully informed throughout, kept asking if I was ok, even stroked
my hair when I started shaking uncontrollably, (normal at apparently). I
made a point afterwards of thanking her personally for that, without her I'd
have been in the dark as to what was going on.

It was estimated I lost another 800ml (nearly a pint and half) of blood
during the op but no transfusion was needed.

Basically that's it........I was in bed for 24 hours with the catheter in,
on pain relieve including morphine, and baby took to breastfeeding very
well.
I had some ''sexy tights'' on to prevent DVT along with a daily injection,
have to keep monitoring my blood sugars for the next 6 weeks as they are
still higher than normal, Am on iron tablets as that's low, and bp is back
to normal.

Connor was a little orange so I asked for a jaundice test for him to see if
he needed treatment. He had to be below 360 on their scale to not need
treatment and he was 256, so he has his lovely ''suntan'' but is fine.

I came home on day 4. With my ''tango-ed'' baby boy !!

He is breastfeeding lovely, cord clip has now fallen off and he's a pleasure
to be around, alert and happy baby.


--
LG

--
Please sponsor my childminding toddlers for barnados big toddle 2007
http://www.justgiving.com/cliftonchildminder
--
Need a childminder in or around NG11 Nottingham?
http://www.freewebs.com/cliftonchildminder/index.htm
--

congratulations again Karen, you make it all sound very calm, if you really
were, good for you!

Had you been warned that something like this could happen? I'm not sure how
common it is, but I know in some places they admit some women with placenta
previa from about 36 weeks because there is a risk of bleeding, I don't know
how high it is though and it does seem to be going out of fashion, as is
admitting women with transverse presentation babies.

Cheers

Anne

Anne Rogers wrote:
congratulations again Karen, you make it all sound very calm, if you really
were, good for you!

I thought the same thing!

Oh dear there's blood everywhere, honey could you pop me over to the
hospital :c)

Congratulations Karen, welcome baby Connor.

lol. Yes I did stay calm, amazingly. I'd been warned I might bleed so wasn't
a complete surprise. I figured they'd keep me in overnight and only grabbed
my bag not the baby's bag. Poor child had to wait till next day to have a
proper nappy on.


"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
. ..
congratulations again Karen, you make it all sound very calm, if you
really were, good for you!

Had you been warned that something like this could happen? I'm not sure
how common it is, but I know in some places they admit some women with
placenta previa from about 36 weeks because there is a risk of bleeding, I
don't know how high it is though and it does seem to be going out of
fashion, as is admitting women with transverse presentation babies.

Cheers

Anne

Weird I know, I even surprised myself. The look on DH's face was enough
panic for both of us !!


"Boliath" wrote in message
...
Anne Rogers wrote:
congratulations again Karen, you make it all sound very calm, if you
really were, good for you!

I thought the same thing!

Oh dear there's blood everywhere, honey could you pop me over to the
hospital :c)

Congratulations Karen, welcome baby Connor.

Great job, Karen! Congratulations.

The amount of blood you lost during the section
was in the normal range, so that's why they did
not transfuse. It's good they inserted the
catheter after you were anesthetized. My obgyn
told me to make sure the nurses did that in that
order, because inserting a cath hurts. ;(

As to the jaundice, DS#1 did need to be put in
the bili lights, but with DS#2, the pediatrician
just told me to breastfeed next to a window.

Connor sounds like he's doing great!

-- Anita --