Guest Blog: The Birth of Baby Number Three- By Hannah Dohoney

3rd baby (2 days late and planned pain relief)

I'm against the clock, it's christmas in less than a week and I have 2 toddlers. Both of my other babies were early so its typical that this one is late as I need it here before christmas.

Had a sweep a couple of days before due date by community midwife... not a thing. So go for one at the hospital at 10.30 am, my word she made my eyes water but nothing looks hopeful in their words 'unfavorable' so i head out feeling v.v.low.

spd and a possible prolapse have kept me in for over a month (never mind running after a 2 yr old and 3 yr old while heavily pregnant) and i am never in i like to be out about and busy. plus to add to the pressure my aunt has come over from guernsey to meet the new arrival-oops.

Anyway my Mum, Aunt, her hubby and My other Aunt come by the house in the afternoon to cheer me up as we sit chatting i get the normal tightenings but 'know' nothing will come of them as it's the same i had the week before. 

By 5.00 pm they are quite regular but deffinatly not close enough or strong enough to be labour i text hubby, nan and mum saying to pray it is the start of something speacial but don't hold their breath. at 5.30 i text hubby 'i think this may be the start don't rush home but be ready' (as he pulled up outside) 6 pm mum called by with dad they are doing the santa charity collect round my street that evening and call for a brew 1st. 

Told mum i think she may have to be called back but doubt it. at 7 hubby rings mum to come back its deffinatly the start, i dont think it will be any time soon but can she come put the older children to bed. she is here within seconds as she was only round the corner anyway, i tell her it will probably be hours and go in the bath, on getting out the bath i sit on the sofa and tell mum i will hold out until the children have seen santa on the sleigh (which i know will be 8pm) then speak to labour ward.

2 seconds later i feel a pop and know my waters have broke, on standing it's very clear they have so we rang labour ward and were told to come in.

My goodness once the waters had gone them pains came flying in and were strong. 8.15pm got to the labour ward and had to wait in the small waiting area there, gutted as there was another lady woman who was sat there for a check of some sort and i think i may have scared her to death scrunching up my face then getting on all 4's and having hubby rub my back, we went in to a delivery room and woo hoo 8-9 cm... oh no 'can i have a epidural' i couldnt as apparently the anesthetist  had to go to emergency surgery- hubby thinks this is a 'no hun your too far gone but i don't want to be the one to break your heart'- as i couldn't have epidural i did panic a bit and asked for the diamorphine which she gave me at around 9/9.30 I had been on the entonox until then and kept it with me to bite the tube through the birth. 

At 10pm my hubby was again left to announce we had a girl 8lb8oz of gorgeous baby girl and the best birth experience of my life...... so far.

By Hannah Dohoney


Thank you to Wikipedia links and dictionary.com for definition links. Thank you to Michaela, guest blogger and author.

Guest Blog: The Birth of Baby Number Two- By Hannah Dohoney

2nd baby (10 days early planned every form of pain relief as soon as possible)

There was no way I was going without pain relief for my second baby. After all I went through with my 1st i really felt silly for not having the pain relief available, just to keep up with others! 

I had a few pains but they were no-way strong enough to be labour so as I was due to see the midwife the day after, i held out. Upon seeing her She told me I had a mild water infection that can mimic labour but can also bring labour on so I must ignore any stronger pains.

So off i trott home.

That day the pains get worse and worse but im still unsure whats what.
the next day the pains started to come every 5 minutes apart so we went to labour ward but had to do the 'walk of shame' as was only 1 cm and babys head wasn't even engaged. 

We had planned to go to mum's for a take away that evening as Dad was on holiday, so we went for a indian.

I was in so much pain, I had a bath there and then went down and at 7pm had 1 bite of indian and the pain just was too much. 

I rang labour ward asking if i could take anything stronger for the water infection, they said to come in as they could prescribe something, so in I went with pains 15 mins apart. 

A lovely midwife asked me about the pains and went to get the stronger painkillers bringing the prescription back she said that before I go she will just check if i was dilating at all... 5 cm. 

I was so pleased i burst into tears, we rang mum and told her to look after our eldest as we were there for the evening, as soon as they started to walk me to a delivery room I asked for an epidural.  i think the midwife wanted to talk me out of it but i was so scared of the ordeal last time that i couldn't bear the thought of going without.

I had the epidural but could still feel mild 'pocket' contractions, but the labour and birth were so much more relaxed and i wasn't as scared as i had been with my 1st. i could even feel my baby being born but it wasnt painful. 

Again hubby announced the sex, a boy. 7lb13oz and 10 days early born at 2.45am we were both very tired but really pleased with our bundle of gorgeous-ness.

By Hannah Dohoney

Thank you to Wikipedia links and dictionary.com for definition links. Thank you to Michaela, guest blogger and author.

Guest Blog: The Birth of Baby Number One- By Hannah Dohoney

1st baby (7 days early planned for home birth - didn't have one)


Mum and Dad had been on holiday so as tradition (pre children) we went to meet them in the local old mans pub. (don't worry i was on cola) Anyway we were all sat having a chat and catching up when at 22.30 i had a mild but noticably different pain in my tummy, getting excited but not wanting to get ahead of myself we headed home, i only had 1 other pain before bed. At 1 am I woke for the bathroom and had another pain then another within 20 mins. I was so excited, this was the start of it and I knew it and couldn't sleep at all with excitement and nerves.

I can't remember how the times went exactly now but in the morning we rang Mum and told her to come up as she was a planned second birth partner. Then rang the midwife to let her know things were started and as it was homebirth she poped by to see how far along i was, she checked and i was 3 cm gone so i was officialy going into labour yay. 

I nipped downstairs to get in the bath but when i opened the kitchen door I had a medium sized bleed and i panicked, luckily the midwife was there to calm me but rang labour ward for me to go in. So off we headed then.

On arriving at the labour ward we went in the room, I remember being SO excited to be there. I had decided that I didn't want pain relief except entonox and wanted it all to be as natural as possible, at 7pm that evening I got the urge to start pushing but i couldn't get baby out, at approx 9pm the anaesthetist came in and I was preped for a section by giving me a spinal and taking me to surgery but they decided to try a full episiotomy and rotational forceps (as baby back to back).

Mum stayed in the room waiting and Gaz came with me. He said watching the doctor trying to get baby out was like watching the hulk. Hehe...anyway after lots of pulling (by doc) and pushing (by me) my little baby was eventually born, Daddy was quickly allowed to announce the sex, A GIRL, before she was whisked away and given a brisk rub as she had gone into shock, then we heard that first beautiful cry. 

She was brought over for our first cuddle which was just lovely. 7 days early and weighing 7lb12oz of perfection. 

By Hannah Dohoney
Thank you to Wikipedia links and dictionary.com for definition links. Thank you to Michaela, guest blogger and author.