Gilera,
Even as 2nd time mummies, I had a very diffent pregnancy experience compared to #1. So I don't know what I would be expecting during labour this time round too. So personally I would rather play by ear (since I will not be in control), and leave it to the professionals to do their part.
Anyway, here is my #1 birth story:
I 'check-in' to the delivery ward at 12mn (as suggested by gynae) on week 38 for induce delivery due to my high blood pressure and I was asked to changed into the surgery gown. Afterwhich the nurse came in with a bottle and insert into my rectum (that's liquid used to clear our bowels, only took 5 mins or less to take effect). After bowels is cleared, I am hooked onto the ctg monitor and the nurse did a VE check and then inserted the pill (to induce) into my vagina. After 2 hours or so, I started to know how it really feels like to get contraction (feels like very intense tummyache to me). The was rather uncomfortable and I could hardly sleep while my dear hubby is already sleeping like a log, snoring away on the comfy chair.
At around 8 plus in the morning, my gynae came in to do a VE check on me and I was only 1.5cm dilated (sighz). And without informing, he use something to poke into my vagina and I felt warm water gushing out and my gynae told me that he burst my water bag. After that I told him I want epidural.
The anesthetist came in at 10 plus, ask me to curl up like prawn while he insert the needle to the back of my spine (I din even feel anything even though I was nervous), draw my blood from my left arm for stemcord blood test and insert induce drip since the pill is useless.
After that is just waiting game. So the nurse came in on and off to check on the ctg, my cervix dilation and BP. At 4 plus, the first tube of epidural is used up (1 tube last about 6 hrs and cost abt $300) and so 2nd dosage was given. Then at around 5 plus in the evening, she did the routine check and ask me to wear the oxygen mask and reduce my epidural. At 6 plus, she did a VE check and told me its 10cm, get ready to push and she reduce my epidural further. By then I was already very exhausted due to no food for the past 18 hrs and insufficent sleep.
After pushing for about 10 mins, my gynae arrived and he cut my vagina open (I can't feel it but my hubby told me, that my gynae cut alot). Then I push for another 10 mins, my gynae used vacumm to pull my bb's head out and viola, end of 1st round. Gynae cut the cord and collect the cord blood while the nurse pass me the bb for like only 5 seconds, then they bring bb to the side and ask hubby to check for eyes, nose, mouth, ears, the number of fingers and toes. Then after that weigh and measure her head, body length. But she keep crying non-stop! So the nurse contacted the PD and my gal was sent to the NICU for monitoring. LUckily, the PD concluded that she is alright after the check up (can't remember what reason the PD gave for her non-stop cry) and she was pushed to the nursery.
While the nurses were busy with my gal, gynae collected the cord blood, my side is up for round 2. Nurse injected some medication into my drip tube and with just a simple push, I can feel a big lump of stuff dropping out of my vagina (that's the placenta). Gynae begain to stitch the cut up but my blood could't stop flowing. So he has to remove the stitches and insert one roll of cotton gauze into my vagina to stop the bleed and stitch me up and I had to be monitored in the delivery ward until the next morning. Luckily my bleeding stopped by early morning and the nurse help to clean me up (must be a bloody mess!). My gynae came in again at 8 plus in the morning and gave a green light to transfer me to normal ward. But due to insufficient beds, I was only pushed into normal ward in the afternoon and so I did my first breastfeeding in the delivery suite!