Well after an interesting 9 months here we are with the ending story of my reproductive / birthing life. Mia is our third cherub. She has a brother aged 8 and a sister aged 5. Its been 5 years since my last pregnancy ..... how soon you forget. Both bubs were born with induced syntocin births, vaginally.
I guess things became interesting for me from 31 weeks. When I had a little problem called Atrial Fibrillation where my heart decided to beat at 175bpm and not go back to normal. With intervention and a drug called amiodorone it went back.
Following this my BP was found to be high when I went to the Drs. Over the coming weeks I spent at least one night a week in hospital having my BP monitored. Finally last Wednesday I was 40 weeks, and at my final checkup.
BP was found to be high again, but it was the CTG which raised eye brows. She was having what they called D-cells, and was a very sleepy tracing baby. A scan Wednesday afternoon found she was in low Amniotic fluid, and was still measuring at 2.7kg. Considering I am tall, and my previous bubs was 3 & 4 kg, I think we all knew something was up.
So Thursday morning came my first internal and lot of prostaglandin gel. Spent most of the day on the CTG machine again watching her heart go up and down, drinking cold water and eating ice to wake her up. Thursday afternoon I went down to the suites for review and nothing had happened so I got a second lot of prostaglandin gels. Sadly I returned back to the wardm and back to another night on the CTG machine....which by now had become my new best friend!
Friday midday, it was review time again, and no change in the cervix. Welcome the third lot of gel. Her head was still very high out of the pelvis. From here all sense of prostaglandin pain, or little tightenings left. I knew it wasnt working. The Doctor said that tomorrow "Saturday" was D-Day or Ceasar day....depending on what came first.
I was fasted from midnight just in case. About 4pm Saturday the midwife came to collect me for my final review. By now with all symptoms disappeared I had resided myself to the fact that I was bound for a ceasar.
The doctor did an internal, and I knew it wasnt favourable. He did break my waters but nothing came out. Her head wasn't even in the pelvis, and was quite high still. So off he went to phone theatre and I was hopping up to begin to be prepped for theatre...when there were a few drops on the floor. This was exciting except it was green....I knew that it was think meconium liqour and definitely not a good sign. They reassured me that bubs was ok. My dr came running back in after hearing me say "Oh ****!"
It was decided at 5pm I would begin on a slow dose of Syntocin. Yay!! No ceasar just yet. Contractions were 5 minutes apart, quite mild. Bubs heart was so far so good. Then at 6.30pm her heart massively dropped to 62bpm. The syntocin was stopped. The drs came in and tried to put on a scalp clip. Luckily she had long fingers, and there was barely 1cm to get it through...but we got there. The midwives had actually held bubs through my belly, and pushed her down to help the clip reach. With a heart rate of 143 bpm we were through another crisis.
Syntocin started again at 7pm. And I kept going to the loo, and was using hot packs to cope with the pain in my back. Here I started to doubt myself. I couldnt remember the pain being like this. I think I was stressed to having to constantly watch her heart rate go up and down.
So lets cut to the chase....this is the good bit. After reading Belly belly constantly over the months I decided laying in bed was not the answer. So I spent from 730pm - 830pm standing, and rocking.
Just after the lotto draw things became interesting. I wanted back on the bed, and I needed the gas. First contraction with gas...was full on. Second contraction with gas....I began to feel pressure in my butt. I did manage to see the midwife getting the trolley, and opening the little blue birthing kit. Next contraction I said to the midwife I have full pressure. So she said Ok give a little push.....and I did but that was all I needed. Next thing you know I had had a baby!
Mia Rose arrived into the world at 8.50pm. She spat out all the ghastly meconium immediately and had a big cry. With an apgar score of 9 & 9. Apparently I had come close to being an emergency caesar had she not been born then.
I had a bleed following delivery, and got a cathedar for my troubles. But the main thing was Mia Rose was here and everything was perfect.
She breastfeeds like a champion, and we are having good success with it.
She did weigh only 2.7kg/ 6 pound 2 ounces. So I had to forget about the 000's and find some 0000's. But I made the doctors and midwives weekend by delivering a healthy bub without a c/section. They even all came to visit Sunday morning.
I guess I will never really know how close I came to having a c/sect. But I feel like the luckiest mum. The Gold Coast hospital midwives and doctors are definitely to be commended for giving me the opportunity to deliver vaginally!
So if you have lasted this story...CONGRATULATIONS. Its been great telling it and I hope that it gives you an insight that there is always hope!
Congratulations Jaqui. Well done on not needing a c/s.
I know what you mean about having to quickly buy some 0000 clothes. My DD was one month early, so all the clothes we had for her were far too big (she is just beginning to fit them now at 10 weeks). DF had to quickly rush out and buy some 0000 (and one 00000) outfits before we came home from the hospital.
Jacqui - what a great story! It definatley sounds like your team were really supportive. I know a lady who had a C section just because bubs head wasn't down. It is great to read such a positive story when mostly all I seem to hear is OBs rushing for the knife. Well done, and little Mia is a gorgeous bub.
Congratulations Jacqui on perservering with your VB. Glad your troubles were definately worth it. Your story was a great read for me as I am a bit worried about the whole unknown first labour thing!
Gorgeous pic and by the way my niece is also Mia Rose, also a third child after boy then girl with similar age differences... Weird!
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The Birth of Mia Rose 25th August 2007
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