First baby - Placenta got stuck

by Nichola Pike
(Staines Middx england)

I was 5 days late with my first baby. I went shopping with my mum and around 11 am I felt something that I had never felt before, it wasn't painful but it just made me think, something might be happening. I carried on shopping and didn't feel anything else, a few hours later at around 3 pm I became aware of a very mild ache like a period pain at this point I was doing some gardening. All of a sudden I became aware that the dull ache was coming on a regular basis but it wasn't painful. I told my husband not too worry he went to work for his night duty as I thought that the pain could go on for days!! This was at around 6pm. An hour later the pain was bad and coming every few mins. I told my mum to phone my husband and get him to come home

He arrived home half an hour later and we left for hospital I was on the back seat in a lot of pain, it was all in my back and I felt like I was being stabbed.

We arrived at hospital at 8 pm at this point I could hardly walk I think it was because the baby was back to back. I was given gas an air which I loved. I refused an epidural and just stuck with the gas an air. I was bleeding a lot and the midwife told me that the doctor had to deliver the baby. Up until this point things were not too bad as I was on my hands and knees which really helped with the pain.

I was then strapped to a monitor but still managed to stay on my knees on the bed. I then starting pushing and remember them wheeling me into another room for delivery. The doctor wanted me on my back to push ( I think it made things easier for her) I kept trying to say that I had no urge to push like this and the pain was far worse, but its a bit difficult to communicate when your in a lot of pain. The doctor said to me if you don't push the baby out I will have to cut you!! If she have let me change position I might of been able to, but in the end she gave me an episiotomy and used the ventouse. George was taken over to the resuscitation area and was then given to me in a towel. I couldn't believe that I had a baby as I'd sort of forgotten why I was in so much pain. He was born just before midnight.

Then my placenta got stuck, they gave me the injection but after a few minutes the doctor was rummaging around inside me. She said that some was out but she had to get the other bit out. This was the most painful thing I have ever experienced far worse then the contractions. I was screaming and trying to push the doctor off me whilst my husband held me down to the bed!! In the end she gave me an epidural and it was taken out in theatre.

George was absolutely gorgeous with a mass of black spiky hair, I really wished that I could of held him after the birth rather than being taken away but I suppose you can never plan what is going to happen and the most important thing is that he was healthy.

If I could given anybody advice it would be make sure you brief your birth partner about exactly what you want when you are in labour, its hard with your first cause you don't know what to expect but I'm now pregnant again and have told my husband exactly what to say to the doctor if they force me on my back. Its easy to feel like you have to do what your told when your in hospital, especially when your in pain, but if your partner can speak up for you it will make things easier.