My birth story…by Cat Prigent
Mine started off on the 10th March 2003, when I went to docs with my leg swollen (suspected DVT). I spent most of the day at our local hospital to be told that they couldn’t be sure, but to let my consultant know the next day (having a 28 +week growth scan).
I went to Jessops (Sheffield) where I was going to have my babes, to have my growth scan and see if everything was ok. Fortunately, it was! The consultant decided that he wanted to check my leg and admitted me, but I had to go home (via Asda- no jimi jams) and get some bits, they told me that the DVT scan would be done the next day.
I was feeling a bit off in the morning, but thought it was because I was in hospital, after lunch the midwife told me that the scan would be done, if it was ok I could go home afterwards, so called DH and told him.
Thought I had better go to the loo before I went, so there I am having a nice little wee, when I hear a pop and a bit more came out than I was expecting ! So I called the midwife who told me to lay down and see. Well the porter came soon to fetch me for my scan, so he wheeled me down, and I was sat outside waiting to go, and the nurse came and sat with me, she turned to me and said you aren’t going to go into labour on me are you??? So I said “No I’m only 29 weeks !!! ”
She wheeled me into the room, and I stood up and………. WHOOOOOSSHHH my waters went everywhere!!!!!! I’m stood there like a complete spanner going oh my god oh my god, the nurse calmly said “shall I ring for a midwife?”
That was about 2.15pm, midwife said they would call dh, but by 4.45pm he still hadn’t come, so I was in state. The midwife on labour suite said she would call, and discovered he hadn’t received the 1st call. Let’s put it this way, it only took him 1/2 hour to get from our house, parked and on the labour suite in Sheffield, which is pretty impressive.
Maisie had decided that she was bored with her surroundings and went for a move around, Oliver had other thoughts about it and gave her a kick, (she had the bruise on her face for about 2 weeks)
She started to go into distress, so they took me into theatre. I only saw her for about 2 seconds when she was coming past me, and I didn’t really see her, it was the same with Oliver. They were born at 21.51 & 21.52 and I didn’t see them until 2.15am. When I saw them, they were connected to machines and had CPAP on. I can’t deny it was frightening.
I can always remember when Maisie had the CPAP removed and the cap was taken off, I thought she looked like a little chimp (not very maternal at all) but she was our little chimp!!!!
They were transferred to the hospital in Chesterfield, and they stayed in hospital for 10 weeks.
The first night they came home, it was really really weird as they were 2.5mths old, dh and I just looked at them and went right what do we do now !
Cat, Mum to Maisie & Oliver 12.03.03