Sunday 23 January 2011

Baby Update: Saturday

It was bliss waking up to an empty room. Ok, not 100% bliss since the blood testing vigilants come and wake me at 6:00am with their syringes, searching for yet another vain but it was bliss not hearing the cry of other peoples babies.

The day started well. I was visited and then sent once more to the delivery rooms for my next dose of stimulation. This was to be our day, or so bel fidanzato and I tried to tell the baby. Bel fidanzato visits me when he can, by that I mean that here they have odd visiting rules. It is common, if not practically expected for a pregnant woman to be accompanied by a female - a mother or sister normally. This female brings with them a beach chair of sorts, something comfy that they can sleep on. They are then by the pregnant persons side from morning to night, with the exception of 2 hours that they are forced to leave during the doctors rounds. This female is meant to help with the new born, cater to the pregnant persons needs, keep her company, help her wash, what ever. I have no female with me, as for the moment especially I don't need any assistance, but honestly I think I am the only person on the ward without a female chaperon!

The visiting hours are technically 13:00-15:00 then 18:30-19:30, but this being Italy means that this is just a guide. It really depends on which nurses are on duty, who you know and if you manage to sneak through the doors. Normally if women are strolling around outside of visiting hours there are no problems. Often if it is a man then he will be asked to leave, or at least not to stay in your room. Being a law abiding citizen, and not wanting to anger the nurses since I practically live at the hospital now, bel fidanzato comes and visits me when he can. Now that they know me since all the other patients are normally in and out in 2 days, they are becoming a little more lenient with my sole male visitor!

So, on this day, Saturday, bel fidanzato and I gave baby a pep talk. convincing him to come. My first dose of stimulation did nothing, so 6 hours later I was back in the delivery rooms for what was now my 5th dose of stimulation. I went back to my room, and was sitting at the little table using the internet (bel fidanzto bought in my lap top since the room was again all mine!) and I was just searching the web at about 9:30pm when I felt this gush from my legs. Had I peed my pants? No, surely not...my waters must be broken!

I scurried to the toilet and sure enough my waters had broken. How did I know? Well if you've never had the pleasure of waters breaking before then let me tell you it is just like a kitchen tap that won't turn off. I was in shock, and buzzed for the nurse, whilst trying to decide how to make it from the bathroom to my wardrobe without wetting the entire floor.

I practically skipped down the corridor to the delivery rooms to tell them my good news. I was hooked up to the monitors, given an internal check, and didn't need to be told that I had constant slightly strong contractions since I could feel them!

That night I went to bed in a little bit of happy pain.

3 comments:

Claire said...

Oh Leanne, I am so so so excited to hear that your labour has started......stay positive, remember that you can do anything! Your a strong and amazing woman and you can do this. I am thinking of you and hoping that you avoid not only the vacumm but especially the forceps, and the C/S. Can't wait to hear how it goes. Well done.

Claire
Midwife- qualified as of Today!

LindyLouMac said...

Thanks for the updates, but surely baby must have arrived by now as this was posted Sunday and you were in labour Saturday. Thinking of you.

The Italian Job said...

hello fellow expat- what a lovely blog. I will come back for another read soon, but for now, notte!