I was booked in for a induction 2 pm Sunday 16th due to a K-Cell antibody that was present within my blood and bub’s anaemia, So it was my mission to naturally induce.
My waters broke naturally at home on Thursday evening after a day of slight anxiousness and tears about some ‘worst case scenario info’ we learnt at our Wednesday scan, i recouped myself about 3 pm and spent a few hours relaxing, accepting and went for a beautiful walk to the beach. Sat on the floor when I got home and wham! First of many puddles. We got down to Brisbane to the Mater by 11 pm and we started the long wait for active labour to commence. I was super hopeful as surges would come every 2 minutes if I was in a relaxed state - but if I was distracted they distanced to about 10 mins. Intensity was strong enough to not let you sleep but I knew bub had a plan for the long 50 hour pre-labour. Saturday night we booked in for a drip induction at 9 pm which I knew was a better case scenario than the original plan for sure, but was still frustrating to have had the emotional and physical rollercoaster of the previous few days thinking it was starting when it wasn’t. We also were told by a midwife on the ward that a bath wasn’t possible now because of the amount of time it had been since my waters broke... this was heart breaking because I knew I would have induced earlier if I knew there was a hospital policy. I let the tears of frustration flow and made a new plan of attack. Lord behold, when the drip started at 10:30 pm the surges increased in frequency. I doubted my progress as I hadn’t had an internal check since arriving on Thursday where I was 3 cm thick still. I wanted out. I thought I had too far to go and didn’t need to prove anything to anyone haha. In the midst of my essential oils, Harrison and Michaela's support and a belief that I physically ‘could do it’, I didn’t want to. I was suddenly deflated and tired - opting for an epidural. So I opted for morphine 3 hours in which was part of my escalation plan and the progress check then was 3 cm! It was the news I wanted. The lengthy practice labour and intense first couple of hours were worth it. I think the morphine helped kick some of the edge off that I needed and I was able to breathe between surges. Then I think my body kicked in and they stopped the drip (which I didn’t know until after), and it naturally changed my mental state. At 4 am we were told we could have a pool. That took three hours to change rooms. I was 7 cm at 7 am. 7:35 in the pool and then I starting bearing down immediately. Obstetrician told me I wasn’t eligible to have a water birth but I politely refused I could feel her head! 8:16 am after some gentle stretching she came out and into my arms and onto my chest - no one else could be in the pool cause of Covid. Then after a few minutes I lifted her up and i said 'It's A DAUGHTER', and my emotions got a hold! We got out of the pool slowly, as bleeding was the biggest risk for me. We got into the bed and had skin to skin, the hungry munchkin latched while cord blood was being tested. Then she had skin to skin with dad and then she went with dad to neonatal critical care while I birthed the placenta with the help of a hormone injection and had one internal stitch. She was 2.458 kg, born 8:16 am on the 16.08.2020. She is continuing to have positive test results and should be out of intensive care quicker than we were told. I wholeheartedly put it down to the calm pregnancy and love and support during the birth. H was incredible, he and Michaela were with me through each surge. Can't wait for you to meet her! Thank you for every bit of support along our journey xx Loren |
watch on youtubeOur very PERSONAL, high-risk and positive birth story is something I really wanted to share with the world, to add to the gallery of shared birth experiences from the women who have gone before me.
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