Spontaneous labour, Positive Emergency Cesarean - Steph
PREVIOUS TRAUMATIC EMERGENCY CESAREAN SECTION UNDER GENERAL ANAESTHETIC.
It was 10:30am the 13/7/21 in the morning, I had just picked my husband up from kickboxing training and bought my son a football for his efforts on the toilet after much anticipation. During the car ride home I had some unusual pains. I just shrugged them off as practice waves. My husband was on an afternoon shift and after deliberating I said I would be fine and he should go to work. His shift started at 2pm.
My son went down for his nap at 1230, I also decided to close my eyes that day and rest. My son woke from his nap at 2:10pm and came out to have a cuddle on the couch and some milk. We played for ten minutes with his new football on the couch before I told him I needed to go to the toilet. I stood up from the couch and walked 3 meters before my waters released, it was a huge gush and just continued to come. Fantastic moment for my son to witness and has helped tremendously for “going to the toilet on time”.
I decided to call my husband at 2:20pm and tell him that my waters had broken and not to rush home as I would be staying home for a while to sort my son out. I sat and played some more with my son and slowly packed his bag for a sleep over at his Aunts house. It was around 3-3:30pm when he arrived home. I was in the kitchen cutting some afternoon tea for my son, my contractions were not frequent, perhaps one every ten minutes sometimes two.
Around 530/6pm we decided to drop our son off at his Aunts house and grab some dinner on the way back home. I had craved honey chicken and rice as it was something I couldn’t eat my entire pregnancy having gestational diabetes. I decided now was my time.
When we arrived home we sat down to watch Superbad and have a good laugh. It took my mind off the waves that I was timing which felt like they were coming every 3-5 minutes. Some stronger than others. I decided to take a shower and come out and listen to rainbow mist while rolling on my ball with my aromatherapy diffuser going.
At 930 I decided I would call my midwife, I was under the Midwifery Group Practice, they suggested as I was a previous cesarean patient to come in and be monitored. I arrived at 10:10pm and was assessed and because my waters had broken moved straight to labour ward. With still no consistent waves I tried to remain in a calm state and close my eyes whilst rocking on the ball and rehearsing my birth affirmations in my head. My husband set my battery candles up, dimmed the lights and gave the midwife my birth preferences. As one of my birth preferences was a simply lit room, minimal noise and time to discuss options between my husband and I.
Throughout the night my waves did not pick up, still remaining at most two in ten minutes. My baby had meconium stained waters but other wise I could feel the baby moving and heart rate was stable. I rocked, lunged and used positions I had learnt during my classes with “The BirthNest”.
At 4:30am my midwife offered some acupressure while I smelt my clary sage and lavender sachet with my crystals I had packed in my bag. After this she offered me to pump and stimulate my nipples to help regulate some waves.
At 8am the shift change in Doctors occurred. I decided to call my second birthing support person, when she arrived I nearly burst into tears. Her support through my entire journey has been no short of work by a true fairy godmother. My hospitals policy was at the 18hr mark with waters broke to administer IV antibiotics. With still no regular waves the doctor suggested several medical interventions, because of previous experience with my first birth I declined any drips to speed waves up. This wasn’t a decision I made straight away it was with great discussion amongst many people.
Upon much information and emotions my husband and I decided by 9:30am with no consistent waves, meconium stained waters, risk of a delivery under general anaesthetic again it was our safest option to semi elect for a cesarean. After this decision was made my spermatic waves ceased, the mind is such a powerful tool.
My second support person suggested to put some hypnobirthing tracks on, close my eyes and allow my husband to use my affirmations whilst applying touch.
Whilst being wheeled into theatre the lights were dimmed and noise kept to a minimum. This was a birth preference I had written down in the event of a cesarean.
At 1:50pm on the 14/7/21 my baby boy entered the world. My birth preferences were all met with immediate skin to skin, seeding after recovery, minimal noise and light during the procedure, delayed cord clamping to my husbands watch, breastfeeding whilst being closed up, drapes lowered to witness me delivering my baby and my baby to remain with me during the first stages of recovery for our quiet golden hours.
I am truly thankful for the opportunity to be educated, guided on what a positive birth experience can offer a previous tainted experience. Words cannot express my gratitude towards “The BirthNest”.
