This isn't actually Dawn typing, I think that you'd refer to me as "DH".
Anyway, Dawn gave birth to a gorgeous girl at 01:24 on Monday 05 April. Megan Patricia Marguerite weighed 8lbs 3oz.
The gory detail (apparently you like all this stuff)
Mild contractions started late on Saturday night and Dawn's waters went at about 00:30. Dawn wasn't sure if they were contractions, but obviously the waters going confirmed it.
We went along to the labour ward at about 01:00 and through the night and Sunday morning Dawn worked her way through a fair amount of entynox and two shots of pethedine. I was tempted to have a go of the entynox, but resisted because I was knackered and didn't think she'd appreciate me crashed out beside her whilst she is having major contractions......
During the course of the day on Sunday the pain got progressively worse. Dawn tried to keep moving round and even had a bath, but it didn't really help (the second shot of pethedine had no effect on the pain at all). At around 14:30-15:00 Dawn had an epidural. This really had an effect and she started smiling and chatting again.
Unfortunately she wasn't making great progress on the dilation front and from early Sunday morning to mid Sunday afternoon had only progressed to 3-4cms, so the midwife put Dawn on a drip to help things along.
This did the trick and by 22:30 Dawn was 9cms. We were both tired.....Dawn obviously moreso than me.....and between 22:30 and 23:50 we managed to both grab a little sleep (the epidural really was that good).
At 23:50 the mid-wife came in and calmly said "right, now it's time to start pushing". We both looked at each other with wide open eyes "OH MY GOD". Before this point it had all been a bit surreal, not anymore.
Dawn being Dawn took this in her stride and about 10 mins later she's giving it all she's got with me saying stuff next to her (can't really remember what). Not a lot was happening and after a while the mid-wife went and got another mid-wife....they chatted...Dawn puffed....I got excited and worried.
They decided to help Dawn out a bit and a doctor was called to have a look. The doc decided that vonteuse (I have no idea how you spell that) was the way forward. In the blink of an eye the room was transformed from a delivery room into a mini operating theatre.
The doc explained what was going on and the next bit was truely amazing. The suction cup was put in place and the doc asked Dawn to push, she duly obliged. The doc then said that she was going to ask Dawn to stop pushing and just puff, which Dawn did. At this point I did something that I said I wouldn't.........I looked down the business end. A HEAD, I CAN SEE A HEAD.......The doc asked Dawn to push again and out popped a body. As they placed our baby on Dawn I managed to see what we had.........A girl. It is giving me goose bumps typing this. What an amazing moment.
Dawn had just gone through 25 hours of fairly painful labour and manged to deliver in two pushes (with some help). Five minutes after giving birth Dawn said she could happily do it all again (which I find amazing).
We are now lucky to have just got home with Megan. I daresay Dawn will add to this (or at least give her version of events) at a later stage.
Congratulations on the birth of your daughter Megan. What a beautiful name. The labour sounded long and hard but well worth it.
Have fun staring at her as i am sure you find it hard to believe she is finally here.
Helen
Age 27
I.V.F started in 2001. 1st cycle +ve mc nov 2001 at 12 weeks. Fet mar 2002 +ve then -ve.
2nd cycle +ve eptopic oct 2002 6 weeks.
fet mar 2003 -ve. 3rd cycle over stimulated embies frozen. Fet nov 2003 +ve due 11/8/04.
Welcome to Megan. What a lovely name for your beautiful daughter. It sounds like Dawn had quite a time of it, but I'm sure that Megan's worth it.
Enjoy all the watching your little girl. Two years on, I still adore watching my two sleep so the novelty doesn't go!
Jules
TTC 5 years. Daniel & Charlotte born 22.03.02, 1st ICSI treatment. TTC for 4 further years. 2nd ICSI cycle abandoned, 3rd cycle BFN. Looking forward to being a happy family of 4.
Congratulations to you both and big gentle hug to Dawn
I think you did jolly well typing it all up and remembering it all - I can sense your excitement.
What beautiful names and far better than a huge choccie easter egg.
Love to you both and enjoy
Tracey
xxx
ttc 9 years. 38 yrs old, dh 8 hrs younger!First IVF in Aug 2002 and had ectopic.2nd IVF neg.3rd FET and negative.4th FET and positive but sadly lost our little boy at 20 weeks.5th FET and Alice Isobel and Emily Charlotte born 5th Aug 2004!
Congrats to you both and welcome to Megan. I know what Dawn means though - I said the same to my dh 5 minutes after the pushing. We women eh!! There is no better present.
luv Bertie x
Dear Dawn - I'm absolutely thrilled for you and Kevin on the birth of little (or not so little really!) Megan. Wishing the three of you all the very best for your new life together as a family.