About Madeleine

Friday’s child is loving and giving

Name: Madeleine Elizabeth

Date of birth: Friday, 1st August 2014 at 6.58pm

Birth weight: 7lb 14oz

Hours in labour: 1.5

Madeleine was born on a Friday evening and her story is short and sweet! I was due for a sweep on Sophie’s birthday as all my growth scans showed Madeleine weighing far too much for her gestation. This was never to be as at 38weeks gestation, she was born!

On Thursday 31st July, I woke at 2am and had four hours of steady contractions 2 minutes apart. At 6.30am I went to hospital to get checked out and discovered I was at 3cms, so the midwife gave me a sweep. At 11.30am, I went home, because the contractions had stopped. To say I was pissed off would be an understatement!!! I had slow labour with Sophie and everyone had told me that second labours were faster, so I now believed them all to be liars!

Nothing else happened for the rest of the day, and I spent most of Friday 1st August in a mood because it had all stopped. I woke up Friday morning to the entirety of my bloody show (yeah yeah too much information and all that) and I was still skeptical anything would happen. We got to 1.30pm and I began to have mild contractions again. Mild because I could walk around and carry on as I was without interrupting my day. After three hours of these, each 2-3 minutes apart and lasting 40 seconds, I called the hospital again. I had a lot of pressure in my lower back and the triage nurse said to come in.

I got in the taxi at 4.45pm and was at the delivery suite at 5pm. While in the taxi I felt a pop, but no water came so I thought it was my back popping while I was bounced around. The contractions had got quite painful now, and I had gone to hospital by myself because we needed someone to look after Sophie, so the plan was that I would go up and get seen to and if it was necessary Husband would follow on. There was every chance I would get sent home so we made a good plan.

I met the midwife, Lorna, who funnily enough delivered Sophie! She recognised me and gave me a hug, and handed me a cup to give a sample in. As I was getting my bag sorted out she said the triage nurse reckoned I would deliver within two hours of arrival – yeah right…I said…! I did the sample, stood up and felt and heard a huge POP, and bang went the waters all over my leggings and the floor. Well. That happened at 5.26pm and immediately the contractions kicked up a gear. I was examined, and still only 3cms so I resigned myself for the long haul and Husband called his mum to come and watch Sophie and he could get to me. Her train was at 6pm.

Lorna said we would see how they go before handing me the gas and air and after two contractions where tears were running down my face, she handed me the gas haha! I have to say, I may as well not have had any gas this time. There was no time for the entinox to build up in my system and take the edge off! At 6pm, after 30 minutes of very intense contractions that had me biting the tube for the gas and moaning rather loudly, Lorna gave me a quick check and I was at 6.5cms! So bear in mind I started at 3cms which isn’t even established labour, and Husband wasn’t going to get to me until earliest 7.30…I was very panicky! There was every chance I would be doing this alone.

At 6.30pm, I had to push, the most uncontrollable feeling came over me. I was in tears with the intensity of the contractions and the fact I was by myself with no one to punch (ha!) and now I had to push! I flipped over and asked Lorna to check me just in case I was pushing when I shouldn’t…which sounds crazy because as she said, I should trust my body, but I was in a bit of shock with the speed of things I think! I was at 10cms so the wonderful wonderful Lorna kept talking to me, kept me calm and held my focus so I could breathe and push. I honestly had no choice – I was going to push whether I wanted to or not.

28 minutes and seven big pushes later, Madeleine Elizabeth slid out screaming her lungs out and was passed immediately to me! Her Daddy didn’t make it in time, I did it all by myself and I was extremely emotional. I cried and cried with happiness that she was safe. Lorna told me that I had only grazed, whereas with Sophie I was 2nd degree tear and stitches. I got on the phone immediately to Husband to tell him his second baby girl had arrived MUCH faster than anyone had anticipated. Lorna let me hold her and cuddle her close for a good hour before taking her away to weigh her and check her over. She weighed in at 7lb 14oz, and considering how little she is I was expecting her to be within the 6lb range like Sophie was!

I called my Mum to tell her the news, and in walked Husband who was besotted instantly. Much as it’s a shame he missed her entrance to the world, we reasoned that he kept one of our children safe and I did the other.

So far, Madeleine has fed (formula) like a champ and slept 90% of the time. We could have gone home the same night but after chatting decided it was better for me to stay a night on the ward just to be sure all was okay before going home. Best decision ever! So far, Sophie is not too impressed with the new arrival, but can’t stop peeping at her and saying ‘Maddie pretty!’ before walking away.

No more babies now! This is it; our little family. And it’s perfect.