Birth story - Brea and baby Xy

*Trigger Warning* - mention of previous miscarriage/rainbow baby, the use of the word “contractions”, Obstetrician lead care, episiotomy, speak about Endometriosis and surgery

PREGNANCY/BACKGROUND:

We started TTC in March 2021 and after the vaccine (in April), I didnt get a period for 3 months. I was seeing a gynaecologist (who is my Obstetrician) and it was noted I had a large cyst on my left ovary. In June 2021, I underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove the cyst and was also unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage II Endometriosis. I fell pregnant the following month and we had a miscarriage at 8 weeks on the 6th September (the day my son was born a year later😭🥺). We had a dating scan the week before showing everything was okay and a week later I began bleeding. I was then diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis (an autoimmune thyroid disorder that was believed to be the reason behind issue’s maintaining the pregnancy). We weren’t actively TTC until January as I wanted to have a bit of a mental break from it all but in December we conceived when we both had Covid (before we tested positive of course).

I was an extremely anxious pregnant person, just coming off having a miscarriage I was constantly wanting reassurance scans and using the doppler just to get me through to around 17 weeks when I started feeling flutters and then movement, I was a mess. I had to be on baby aspirin and progesterone as well as my thyroid medication to ensure we passed the first trimester this time. I had some intense nausea in the first trimester but never vomited. However, working in the middle of COVID as a Registered Nurse having to wear an N95 with nausea was so hard. At around 17 weeks, I got hit in the stomach at work by accident and had a nightmare scan at the hospital I worked at with them saying there was something wrong with bubs heart, I had placenta previa and an abnormal cord insertion. I was transferred to another hospital by my obstetrician and by the 20 week scan all was found to be absolutely perfect. At around 32 weeks I fainted at work and was diagnosed with Gestational Hypertension and borderline preeclampsia so was ordered light duties by the Obstetrician and started Maternity leave a week earlier than expected at 33 weeks. I did some really intense labour/birth prep inclusive of this course, another hypnobirthing course and made a huge playlist for labour.

I did absolutely everything I could do to induce labour like a crazy person 🤣 -dates/pineapple from 34 weeks, raspberry leaf tea from 32 weeks, sex, three rounds of acupuncture, acupressure massage, walking/gutter walking, stimulating pressure points at home, did the miles circuit a million times, inserted evening primrose oil, forward leaning inversion, ball bouncing all day everyday, bumpy car rides and finally a stretch and sweep at 38+1. At 37+6, I thought my waters had broken but it turned out to be a hind leak and we were sent home. I ended up having 1.5 weeks of prodromal labour, waking up from 1-4am with contractions to fall asleep and have them die off by the time I woke up 😭

LABOUR/BIRTH:

At 39+1 I woke up at 8am, stood up to go to the toilet and felt a drop on the floor. I thought I was dripping wee 🤣 I said to my fiancé that I thought I had wet myself. Just due to being sent home last time, I put a pad on and called the hospital whom told me to monitor. I actually had asked my fiance to stay home from work that day even though I was being induced the following day. At around 12pm, I was bouncing on the ball and starting to feel gushing into the pad and was told to come in until we had a baby !!

When we arrived I was checked and was 3cm but no contractions as of yet. The midwife suggested we go for a long walk around the hospital. At around 4.30pm contractions started to become about 7-8 minutes apart and quite regular. We made our way back and they were 6 minutes apart so I started using the TENS. My obstetrician suggested to take a sleeping pill so get some rest for induction in which I declined. I fell asleep and by morning my contractions had died off significantly and were about 9-11 minutes apart and more irregular.

After discussing my birth preference with 2 midwives who were seeming to really listen and take what I wanted on board, the oxytocin drip was started at 9am and immediately I felt pressure as if he had dropped lower. I honestly thought I would want to be walking around the whole time but just due to the pressure it was extremely uncomfortable to be sitting upright in any form. I kept feeling the urge to go to the toilet but never was able to. I got through the first 1.5 hours on all fours leaning on the birthing ball with the TENS machine.

Things began to ramp up and I was needing more than the TENS so decided to go into the shower. I birthed at an older private hospital with only 1 wireless, water proof monitor in the whole of birth unit so was lucky enough to be able to use it. There were connection issues with the monitoring and the midwife informed me that if they couldnt get it I may need to rethink pain relief options but the shower was the BEST thing I could have ever done. Due to this, my fiancé stood there in the shower with me for the next 1.5 hours holding his arm out with the monitor on my belly. He was amazing. I used the up breathing I learnt in the course the entire time and believe it got me through.

I began to get extremely uncomfortable and agitated, moving back and forth from sitting to standing and the midwife asked if I could be checked and I screamed saying “fine but don’t fucking tell me how dilated I am” 🤣🤣🤣 I was 8cm and transitioning. At that point my waters broke and gushed out everywhere and by the time my obstetrician arrived 5 minutes later, I was fully dilated.

I found pushing SOOO uncomfortable. I was on all fours leaning over the back of the bed but the pain was unbearable and I was just screaming rather than working with my body 🙃 I was offered gas to help focus on my breathing and it took the edge off slightly. My obstetrician kept asking me to turn onto my back as he couldn’t get to me where I was positioned and I was refusing and kept telling him to fuck off, lmaooo. I eventually turned, with a lot of encouragement from my fiancé, and was crowning almost immediately. After 30 minutes of fighting pushing and an episiotomy, our son was born. My fiance and I were able to grab him under the shoulders and pull him out together to my chest. I had delayed cord clamping for 2 minutes and my fiancé cut the cord. He was a little mucusy and needed 5 minutes of CPAP just to clear his little lungs and then back on my chest.

It was the most surreal feeling in my entire life!! I was in shock, awe of my son, myself and the way my fiancé handled the situation. I was in disbelief that I actually birthed a baby with minimal pain relief since my mum had 3 c-sections. I felt high, like I was floating on a cloud!!

LIFE NOW:

The last 4 months have been absolutely life changing for us 🌈. Xy is the most chilled, go-with the flow, funniest, cheekiest, content, happy little baby I have ever met in my life. EVERYONE comments on his relaxed temperament and keen interest in everyone and everything (hence never smiling at a camera and studying it instead 🤣 such a virgo). He is smashing all of his milestones early. My relationship has changed for the better, he makes me a better person. I just love him more than I could ever put into words and life with him is perfect. He really was the light at the end of that dark TTC tunnel. I believe a lot of these feelings also came down to how he came into the world and has followed suit. Couldn’t recommend PBC more!!