The day my twins were born..
by Michelle Alldridge
December the 11th started pretty normal, not much sleep again due to the big bulge in front of me and the uncontrollable itching. We woke up early ready to go to our first appointment at day assessment unit, where I had to go and be monitored due to the itching.
We arrived early to be meet by a very bouncy and excitable woman, she informed us that the room was freezing due to a broken window. Hmm, I thought. Being stuck on a monitor for half an hour with COLD gel squeezed on my belly didn't sound very inviting in a freezing cold room!
Anyway we started and she noticed that maybe I was having contractions. Well I can feel tightenings I said, and oh I lost some mucus last night (nice). This interested her and she decided to keep me in for the night to monitor me. Oh no I thought, not really looking forward to the prospect of staying in hospital yet again, but as it happened it turned out to be the best place for me!
It got to 10.30pm and I went to the toilet noticing some discharge (nice again!), told the midwife and she said probably nothing but wear this pad just in case. I climbed back into bed at 10.55 and ......POP.
It felt a bit wet, so I got out of bed and managed to get to the toilet, drip, drip, drip, oh dear, better wipe that off the floor, then GUSHHHHHH! More paper towels, then another GUSHHHH. I looked a complete idiot, knickers soaking on the floor surrounded by floods of water when I called the nurse to say I think my waters have broke!
("No you don't think!")
I clamber up on to a wheelchair, hold a pad between my legs and am wheeled through the corridors for everyone to see, into the labour ward to be met my 2 eager midwifes.
Hooked up to monitors I laid waiting, and waiting and waiting, whilst my husband gave me water and reassuring words. The midwife thought I could do with some pethidin as it was hurting slightly. This seemed to chill me out whilst we waited and waited again.
Hurray - I was ready for epidural at last, but this didn't turn out to be the great stuff I'd been lead to believe. After 7 top ups I still felt all the pain in my back, and well now it was time to PUSH, no shouting or screaming I pushed and pushed (with 11 people watching!)
Out came Hannah weighing 4lb 5.5, I watched as they took her for some air, she let out a small cry yay, she's ok, but my job was not over. 2 more people arrive, I'm up on stirrups and thrown down to a laying position. She's in trouble, the heart beat's gone down, PUSH Michelle push. This was the hardest part of all I sat up and grabbed my husband as I felt the pain. Isobel arrived 26 mins later pulled out by one leg, weighing 4lb 6oz. I got to hold them both before they were taken to scbu.
Later the same day after 11 hours in labour, my girls are taken to St Peters hospital, whilst I'm left waiting to be reunited with them the next day, this was the longest night ever!
But after 1 wk in trans care we were home safe and sound ( well not sure about the sound part right now)!
Now 7weeks and 4 days on Hannah weighs 7lb 11oz and Isobel weighs 7lb 7oz, and they definitely have a good pair of lungs on them.
