Isabelle Jade's Birth Novel....

[Beach Mama]

Isabelle Jade, born 19th May 2007, 9.35am
8lb 13 oz

At my 40w 6d appointment it was decided that I would be admitted to hospital to be induced on Friday morning at 41w 3d. We arrived at hospital at around 7ish and headed to the team that I had been seeing the entire time during my pregnancy only to be told that they were full and I would be looked after by the other maternity team. Sounds a bit silly but straight away I was a bit taken aback as I knew I wouldnt be seen by any midwives I had seen during my prenatal care.

After filling in papers etc. I had my first lot of gel at around 9pm. DH and I watched TV, and other than some mild period pain nothing really happened. I was offered some sleeping tablets at around 1pm1 and didnt take them, but as the pain in my back became worse I decided to take 1 tablet at 230am in order to get some sleep. The next morning at around 8am was the first of many VE to take place over the next day I've lost count actually and had a second lot of gel at around 9 oclock. By 12 oclock I was only 2cm dilated so I had my waters broken. DH and I walked around the hospital knowing that I had 2 hours to go into spontaneous labour or else I would end up on the drip.

Well nothing happened so at 2pm I was put on the drip. Between 2pm and 6pm all I could feel were regular period like pains in my back, and the midwife kept saying “ are you sure you cant feel that "as the monitoring was showing very strong contractions. By 6pm I was having intense contractions and was around 4 cms dilated. I breathed through these contractions and tried the shower “ but the intensity of the water on my back was too much, so I stuck with breathing and rocking on the fit ball. Being hooked up to monitors and drip etc. meant that I shouldn?€™t have been allowed to get in the bath “ my number one pain relief option “ Im such a water baby and knew that I would find it bliss, but had prepared myself for not being able to do so. At around 9 o?€™clock my midwife briefly disappeared only to reappear with a mobile monitoring system and ?€œpermission?€? to put me in the bath!! Yes ?€“ bliss!

On the way I threw up ?€“ just making it to the sink in the bathroom luckily but once I was in I knew this is where I wanted to be. Another VE told us that I was 7 cm ?€“ so good but slow process. I got back in the bath and things started to get interesting. At around 1030pm I started to get an uncontrollable urge to push ?€“ and being told by DH and the gorgeous midwife that I really had to try and stop, didn?€™t really help, when I say uncontrollable that?€™s what I mean! This was then backed up by pain between my contractions in my lower back due to Isabelle?€™s posterior position. I breathed through contractions and then breathed through the pain between them which was exhausting and the pain was just upping in intensity all the time.

Not sure what time ?€“ but another VE (!!!) showed that I was still 7cm dilated. During this one I was contracting and managed to vomit all over the bed and poor DH.
I didn?€™t get back in the bath as I was still pushing and actually during each contraction went and sat on the loo for some reason. So back and forth with a drip was fun (by the way ?€“ why don?€™t the wheels work properly on those things ?€“ the amount of times DH or I nearly tipped the whole b*** thing over!!)

By 1.30am I was literally beside myself in pain having breathed through contractions and no relief in between contractions that I called for an epidural, something that I thought I would never do, but I physically and mentally couldn?€™t do it any more. If only I had a break in between the contractions I?€™m sure I could have done it.

So, terrified but beyond it I have the epidural and DH and I try to sleep a bit before my next VE at 6am. During this exam I?€™m told that I am 9 cms dilated ?€“ great news, and that at around 8am when the Dr arrives I might be able to start pushing. By this stage I?€™m so positive that this will work and although I couldn?€™t feel it, I was sure I knew how to push as I had been doing it for three hours!!

Another VE by the Dr at 8am confirms that I am still 9 cms, but baby is posterior, I have an anterior lip, my cervix is posterior and my cervix is swollen from pushing so I will have to have a C/S. I was so upset ?€“ this was not in my birth plan and I was so sure I would be able to push so I asked the Dr if I could try and then go for a c/s. The answer was that due to all the factors above that we were going for a c/s and now.
Before I knew it I was getting briefed by the anesthetist about the spinal block etc. I asked the recovery nurse if I could have the baby with me in recovery and she said that was fine! Another small triumph!

Next thing I knew I was getting a spinal block ?€“ it really is terrifying to get a needle in your spine, plus they sat me up and didn?€™t realize how well the epidural had worked and I nearly fell off the bed ?€“ amusing now!!!
Feeling nauseous and terrified I?€™m finally in the OR with DH and my midwife and the lovely anesthetist talked me through the op, while topping up my drugs because I felt like I was going to either pass out or vomit. So 36 hours after being induced I heard someone say, ?€œlower the screen?€? and then they held up my gorgeous screaming baby and asked ?€œIs it a boy or a girl Tanya???€? The umbilical cord was in the way plus I didn?€™t have my glasses on, so I just remember saying ?€œIs it a girl?....it is, its my gorgeous girl!!?€? and then she was gone with DH to cut the cord and get cleaned up. Amazing how the nausea and fear just disappeared while I lay there looking at my beautiful husband holding my baby next to my face for 45 minutes while they stitched me up!

We went to recovery for an hour and my miife made sure I was able to breastfeed within about 5 minutes of being there much to the recovery nurses annoyance of getting in her way ?€œMy priority is the mother not the baby right now!!?€? Pretty funny watching them spar actually and she was annoyed with me as I kept bending my BP arm to hold Izzy!! I?€™m so glad she pushed though because this time with her skin to skin was amazing.

The few things on my birth plan that went to plan were the way my induction proceeded (although not my number one choice) being in the bath and shower, having DH cut her cord and having Iz with me in recovery. Although the entire process didn?€™t go to ?€œplan?€? the end result is so rewarding and as tired, sore and emotional as I am our little girl is the most amazing thing in the world.

Incidentally, Iz was born on my girlfriends wedding day that I was meant to be bridesmaid for ?€“ a date I?€™m sure none of us will ever forget!

Isabelle you are an angel and we are so happy to have you in our lives, we hope we can raise you to have a joyful and happy childhood and teach you to be an independent, happy and strong woman.