Drip drip drop III

I cannot believe this.  I am still here.  Welcome to the ongoing Saga of the Labour that Apparently Will Never Begin.

So, we go up to the hospital as planned at 2pm. The traffic is terrible.  It takes over 45 minutes to negotiate our way through town.  The waiting room is  busy and we wait an hour and a half to be seen. The staff appear completely frazzled and when we finally get a room, the midwife is just a little bit short with me.  I explain the situation as she straps on the fetal monitor on me for the third time in the last 40 hours.  I tell we've had enough, that we are increasingly concerned about the lack of progress and the possibility of infection, and that I want to be induced.  She raises her eyebrows and mutters something about the labour ward being "heavingly busy".  Then she goes away leaving me and E. with the steady pitterpatter of Botany's heartbeat.

At long last, a doctor comes to see us.  She carries out the basic checks, confirms the baby's head is well engaged. She agrees with me that it would now be preferable to move things on, by means of a oxytocin drip to get the labour going. Later I see the notes seem to describe this as "augmentation", which seems sort of apt.

But there is a problem.  There are no beds available in the ward, not a single one. It's chockablock. All the women in there are fairly early on in their labouring, and it could be quite some time. OK, we say, we'll voluntarily go to the Other Hospital- which is where the city maternity overflow is usually dealt with. After all, it too is 45 minutes away but that's equidistant, no? 

Ah. But there is a further problem- there is not a single bed available there, either.  No room at the inn.

She apologises. Botany gets the hiccups, a series of rhythmic blats on the monitor.  I try to stay calm for the baby's sake.  What are we meant to do then?  How long are we meant to wait?  If there are no beds now, then when will there be a space for us? 

The answer is, apparently, tomorrow morning.  We have an 8.30 am slot to come in to be induced, which is 56 hours after my waters breaking. Somehow a bed will have magically opened for us, because at that point I will become a priority case. As opposed to just a basket case, which is what I am at the moment. The doctor also gives me the direct number of the labour ward, and tell us to ring later this evening to see if things might have quietened down and if there is a bed for us- but she warns us it is very unlikely and not to count on it. She apologises again and tells me not to worry, Botany looks to be doing very well and all will be OK. I am untethered from the monitor, we pack up and we go home. 

I may ring the ward later, but it's been such a long day already, and we are both pretty tired. Part of me is inclined to try to get some rest and then head up as fresh as possible for 8.30 am.  But I am just a little worried- worried that when we get there, we will somehow be delayed again, turned away, that there is no escaping the dreaded 72 hour time limit or god forbid, beyond.  So if there is a possible space, I am tempted to grab it. 

Either way, I know Botany's birth must come soon. But I feel like we still have such a long way to go and we can't even seem to get out of the starting gate.

Comments

[Pamplemousse]

Oh, honey! You must be feeling totally unwanted. Try and get some rest.

[carosgram]

This has got to be hell for you. The anxiety alone is terrible. I do know a woman whose water broke and she went 30 days before delivery and everything was fine. Obviously she was very premature to have her waters break and the baby needed the extra time in the womb. But infection is not automatic so try not to worry too much. Best wishes.

[Dead Bug]

Unbefuckinglievable.

Waiting on tenterhooks!

--Bugs

[Amyesq]

Good LORD! This is ridiculous!! I can't bloody believe it! Uh, still good luck!

[BrooklynGirl]

Naturally this part would be difficult too!

Thinking of you.

[Gracie]

Is that what healthcare is like in the UK? I had a stillbirth about 3 months ago so I personally would INSIST on being induced and not put you and your baby at risk of infection. Things can go badly and very quickly ! I don't mean to send this to you to upset you but out of concern.

I hope to hear of your successful birth soon.

Best of luck.

[Beth]

Oh I am so sorry.

On the other hand, it is very good news that everything looks well with Botany, and you are still making amniotic fluid, after all, and some labors are simply quite lengthy. I know how difficult it is, and how anxiety producing it can be to take a long time. With my eight year old I was in active labor for 56 hours before she deigned to emerge.

Try to get some rest, stay well-hydrated. And hopefully you will be actively laboring several hours before 8:30AM!

[anon]

You know, at least they're not putting a 24 hours clock on you. I know that stress you're feelign, though. when I decided to go in and be induced, we arrived at the hospital around midi=night, and they assured me they'd start me but they just had this c-section to finish up. FIVE hours later I woke up, realised the time and buzzed them. They wanted me to wait two more hours until shift change. NO! This was in the US.

But another vaginal exam? Morons.

My waters were gone for 60+ hours before I gave birth.

[Sue]

I too am concerned - I would head to another hospital or ring back your own & not wait any longer.

I would also ask them to consider giving IV antibiotics whilst inducing you - which the baby will receive. I had this during my induction - just mention it to them PLEASE.

Sue

[Toni]

Gads...I hope that they find a bed pronto - otherwise tell them you'll deliver right here on the floor. That'll be a mess to clean up!!!

[Lut C.]

Oh boy! And you haven't thrown a fit yet? I think I'd be in hysterics.
I'm glad you're able to keep your wits about you though.

[mm]

Geez Louise, as my mother would say!! I cannot even imagine how frustrated you must be. I've been checking on you like mad and will continue to do so until Botany is here. (And then lots more after that, too.)

[Kirsten]

Yikes! So sorry! You know, I knew someone who had a homebirth and her membranes had been ruptured for close to a week with no signs of infection... Not that you should go a whole week! Just to say that it's great news Botany looks good and your body is handling things well. I just maybe wouldn't let them do ANY more internals until labor is well established. Just my piece of assvice. GOOD LUCK!

[susan]

Praying up a storm for you and Botany and E and your sanity. Just think of the re-telling of this....I can see her now, at 13, rolling her eyes..."mom!! i've heard this a million times!"

Wishing all the best things for your delivery.

[cass]

So the question is, what happened 9 months ago that made so many people be due right now? Or what happened yesterday that made so many people go into labor? Answer either question, and you'd make a fortune.

Waiting anxiously...

[Margaret]

GiddyUp Botany ...!

[May]

Drink LOTS of water!!! Good luck!

[Jen]

Oh, what torture. Hope you both stay well & all is a go sooon.

[Lynnette]

ok, I'm starting to freak a little...definitely ask for the IV antibiotics. Did you test positive for Group B strep? I had to make sure I was receiving an IV antibiotic within 12 hours of my water breaking, (I had it within 4) because of that. Then, they only gave me 12 more hours to progress with cervidil (sp?) and a pitocin drip before they threatened a c-section (twins). Luckily my cervix was a rock star (unlike the rest of my reproductive system) and I was fully dilated during that timeframe. I rode the birthing ball like it was a horse! I took Stadol to take the edge off and to prolong the inevitable epidural (twins) that would tether me to my bed, but I wouldn't do it again. To spacey. Good luck sweetie, its almost time...people all over the world are on the edge of their seats!

[Kellie]

I understand the stress you are under and how you just want this to be over with, but, hopefully your body will kick in and and you won't have to be induced. I've been induced once and natural twice and I choose natural. Both my natural babies breasfed and my induced one refused...he never nursed...ever...so sad. They say the epidural can cause major issues with nursing...just a thought....

[jenn]

Okay, I'm going with Bugs on this one. Unbefuckinglievable indeed! I also can't believe how calm you sound. I would be going insane to say the least. Now I'm doubling my efforts for international kind wishes and a speedy delivery.
jenn

[Jill]

Hoping you are able to get some rest before morning. And looking forward to good news tomorrow afternoon.

[Sam]

Holy Mary Mother of Crapola Hospitals and stupid people that don't understand that the WHOLE INTERNET is waiting for this birth and we tend to get a bit riled up about this type of thing. What the hell?

[Chaya]

I'm so sorry! My baby is 4 weeks old today, and we had a very similar story- water broke and no regular contractions, and I also had Group B Strep. Because of the GBS I went to the hospital 18 hours after my water broke, but at that point I didn't want to be induced. The doctors were pretty insistent on it after I spent a night in the hospital (getting penicillin every 4 hours), and made it sound like a big emergency. I agreed to an induction, then waited 8 hours for a bed. When we finally got a bed it wasn't even in the labor ward, but in the "pre-labor" ward. I had pitocin without an epidural for 12 hours (and oh my god do not do that, it was awful, but I couldn't get one in the beginning because I was still only 1 cm dilated), then finally got transferred to the labor ward when they had a free bed.

Anyway, from my water breaking to the baby being born was 64 hours. If you're at home and worried about infection, you could take oral penicillin. But you and your baby will be fine, and even though I know it sucks so much, but she'll be here soon. Take pictures, and remember how impressive it sounds to say smugly (albeit slightly inaccurately) that you had a 3 day labor.

[Tonya]

Holy crap, this is SO not the beginning of an ideal birth story now is it? I wish you didn't have to keep waiting, and I hope they have a bed for you soon. Once it kicks in-- and however it happens-- I am wishing you an easy and safe labor.