"Your liver is failing... we are going to have to evict your baby"
Thought it was time I got around to posting my birth story... but firstly a bit of background information!
Friday 31st July 2009 (32 weeks, 6 days) Noticed slight swelling in my feet after a very busy day at work. Didn't think much of it. Tried to rest with my feet up as much as possible that night and drink lots of water.
Saturday 1st August 2009 (33 weeks) Today is the day of my baby shower. First though I went to the hospital for the breast feeding and sleep settling class at the hospital that was offered as part of our parenting classes. Then onto pick up one of my friends and her son then onto the baby shower. My sisters and best friend had organised the shower and it was held at DPs parents house. It was a great time with friends and family - great food and entertainment! The girls did a great job organising everything. Lots of people told me I looked slightly swollen but I didn't think much of it at the time. I felt fine? my feet were still swollen but I thought it was because I had been on my feet pretty much the whole day. I was still drinking water like it was going out of fashion in an attempt to shift the water, yep I thought the swelling was water retention.
Sunday 2nd August 2009 (33 weeks, 1 day) We drove my sister and niece up to Cowra with my other sister and my Dad. It may not have been the best solution to try and reduce the swelling in my feet, yep the long drive does absolutely nothing to reduce the swelling. When we get back to Sydney, my Mum suggests I put a pair of Dad's pressure stockings onto my feet. I can't reach that far so Dad helps me to get them on. I leave the stockings on for a few hours and see if it will reduce the swelling. Not sure this is just water retention anymore but I feel fine and think it is probably because I was in the car for such a long duration today.
Monday 3rd August 2009 (33 weeks, 2 days) Back at work today. My feet still have not gone down completely but are much less swollen than they were over the weekend (thankfully!) I sat with my feet up on the desk and then on a box and alternate between these during the day. I have drunk so much water it is not funny! A few people at work comment again re the swelling so I ring the Obstetrician?s office to get their advice. The Receptionist thinks I should see the Obstetrician and asks me to go in that afternoon. I get to the office and the Receptionist comments on how swollen my feet and face are. I go into see the Doctor and tell him the "history" of the swelling and that I think it is probably just water retention but thought I should get checked out just in case. He asks me to give a urine sample. There is protein in my urine. He checks the baby and all is ok, nice strong heartbeat and lots of movement. He asks me to do a 24 hour urine collection and he will see me again on Friday for our normal appointment. So I get the pathology forms and go into the pathology place to get the information and bottles etc. I ring work on my way out of the Obstetrician's office to update them on what is happening and to get tomorrow off work because I have to do the urine collection and it will be much easier to do it from home!
Tuesday 4th August 2009 (33 weeks, 3 days) I wake up at 5:55am and start the urine collection. Each time I go to the toilet today I am to collect my urine, it is an interesting experience to say the least! I am very glad that I organised the day off work, there is no way this could be done outside of the home.
Wednesday 5th August 2009 (33 weeks, 4 days) I went to work today and went to the pathology place at work to submit my urine collection and have the bloods taken as well. The pathology place said the results will be back by Friday in time for my normal appointment with the Obstetrician.
Thursday 6th August 2009 (33 weeks, 5 days) Not much happening today, feet still swollen, I can only wear my thongs as they are the ONLY shoes that fit me and even then they are starting to leave indents in my feet!
Friday 7th August 2009 (33 weeks, 6 days) Had my appointment with Obstetrician this morning ? results from the tests the other day are not good. He talks to me about admitting me to hospital for the weekend at least for observation. I have pre-eclampsia (PE) and my white cells are elevated as well as my liver function... Obstetrician advises me to finish work that day... he strongly advises me that I should not return to work. I ring DP as the Obstetrician also advises that I may have to be induced this weekend! I am trying not to freak out. I end up in tears on the phone to DP and he calms me down, nothing is definite yet and hey I might only be in for observation and allowed home at the end of the weekend. I went across to my old departmebt (I work at the hospital I will birth at) to see a friend I affectionately call Mumma. I talk to Mumma about how I am feeling and end up feeling much much better. I go to HR and change my maternity leave to start from Monday and today is taken as an ADO. Obstetrician's office rings at 12.30pm I am being admitted and I need to be at the Admissions Office at 3.30pm that afternoon after I pick up some papers from the Obstetrician's office. I also need to go home and pack a bag, it hits me, I have NOTHING for my hospital bag! I haven't washed anything from the baby shower, actually it is likely none of the stuff from the baby shower will fit a baby born this early!! Panic sets in momentarily. I ring a friend, V, and she talks me down off my ledge. I go to Target and get some 0000 clothes? the baby might not be born this weekend so they should fit? they seem small enough! I try to get as many things as I can except the Coles where I am is out of maternity pads? they are OUT! Panic starts to set in again and I again overcome it. DP comes home from work and we go into the hospital together. The admission process takes a lot longer than they said it would and DP is waiting outside as he got a coffee whilst I went into Admissions and now their office is closed and he can't come in and sit with me. I am finally finished in the Admissions Office and we walk up to the Maternity/Ante Natal Ward. I get settled in and spend some time with DP. We are both a little freaked out at the prospect of having a baby this early. We still have six weeks to go! I get the first of two injections of steroids tonight in case the baby has to be delivered this weekend.
Saturday 8th August 2009 (34 weeks) DP went to golf today, he checked in with me just after the Obstetrician visited, no baby today!! Bubs has another day of baking to do! Obstetrician was annoyed that there were no bloods taken on me yesterday/last night when I was admitted. Another shot of steroids (ouch!!).
Sunday 9th August 2009 (34 weeks, 1 day) - DP rings in the morning. He has pennants (golf match play) today and wants to know if he should go. I tell him the Obs hasn't been in yet but to continue as normal and I'll let him know if anything changes. Obs comes in to see me at 10:00am. Bloods show further decline in my liver function... it is over 300 (normal is less than 40) and my white cells have risen since Friday. My Obs says to me words that scare me "your liver is failing, we are going to have to evict your baby". Even though I knew there was a chance of having to be induced I am scared!
I ring DP to tell him he best do an about face - it has only been about 30mins since we last spoke. He doesn't answer... ring again... no answer... argh!!! I ring about 20 times - no answer. I ring my parents and ask if they know what golf course DP was going to today - my plan is to ring the pro shop and ask them to go and get him or pass on the message. Mum isn't sure what the course was called. Panic!! Dad rings me back and he knows the course name. I ring directory assistance and they put me through. I have a very pannicked conversation with the person who answers the phone... I am scared and I think I have now scared the man on the end of the phone. DP comes to the phone and I tell him he needs to get to the hospital - I am being induced. I sms my doula to let her know what is happening. She replies and asks if I want her there (we hadn't even had our last appointment yet) I write back yes, yes please. My Obs comes back in and asks if he can do a VE to see if I am favourable so we can talk about what induction method he will use. He tells me he is thinking gels. The VE is done. I am already 3cm dialated... he asks me how the contractions have been. I tell him I haven't been having any contractions just BH. Obs discusses breaking my waters as the gels would probably only get me to where I am now anyway. I agree to the induction and I start packing up my stuff to go to the Birthing Unit.
I get to the Birthing Unit and I am shown to room 12. I am alone (ie DP nor my Doula have arrived yet), I am nervous... I am going to be having a BABY! I know the baby is the usual end result of a pregnancy but it is like I have realised this for the first time... this is happening! Midwife & Obs come in and they discuss what is going to happen with me, ask me if I have any questions, thoughts etc. I tell them that I do not want to be offered pain relief - I want to ask and I would like to have no timeframe for when things should be happening. Obs says that because I will be on the synto drip and monitor if something is up with Bubs we can cross that bridge if it arises and to stop worrying about what might be and take it one step at a time. My waters are broken at 10:50am. The synto is on 40.
My doula arrives at around 11:15am and asks me how I am feeling. I tell her I feel a bit crampy and am wondering where DP is... he should have been here by now. I ring, ring and ring - no answer. DP arrives at 11:30am - he went home to get the video camera and camera. He looks nervous. The synto is now dialed up to 80. I feel period cramping but it comes and goes. I am walking around and chatting with both my doula and DP. I drink my water and just stroll around.
DPs parents call to see how I am doing and how it is all progressing... they have called on DPs phone because I turned mine off the minute DP arrived! I thought he had done the same. He says "oh we are in room 12" I shoot him a glare - why is he telling them that. He gets off the phone and I ask why he told them the room number. He said they just wanted to know in case they had to make enquiries. DP gives me a back massage with lavender oil and it is very soothing. The midwives come in and I tell them everyone is here now and if anyone rings with enquiries they are to be told NOTHING! I had feared that DPs parents would want to be there and we had often joked about them rocking up to the hospital. There are midwives coming and going, knocking each time they come in. We hear a knock knock then the midwives come on in. This knock knock is different though... there is the knock knock then nothing... the midwives is already in with us so maybe it is another midwive who needs our midwive to go to the door? DP turns towards the door as it opens and it is DPs parents... ARGH! I shoot DP another look and tell him to get them out of there! I am so angry - we had discussed with them that we did not want any visitors to the hospital whilst in labour and that we would contact everyone once the baby had arrived... DP tells me I am overreacting and that they just wanted to know how I am. I am not sure how much time had passed since their phone call and them arriving. I give the midwive a few words about just letting any old person in and to check with ME first. My best friend had also rung DP to tell him she wanted to be at the hospital... just at the hospital, she said she knew I was having the doula and DP and she doesn't want to be in the room etc, just at the hospital. I love her for that.
DP is watching the contractions on the CTG and making comments about the numbers as they rise. At 12:10pm the synto is again raised - this time to 120. It starts to get very hurty. I can hear the babies heartbeat on the CTG and it is soothing... I reinforce to myself that this pain is productive and the end result is our baby. At some point I ask the midwife about pain relief - she goes through the different options and I decide to decline them all... one may slow the breathing, I am not 'far enough' for another (or something to that effect) I would wear myself out with the other so I decide I can get through this without them.
I start to withdraw into myself. It is hard because I want to join in the conversations but I am tired. I sit on the fit ball but it is uncomfy and takes energy to sit on it (it was very rolly), I sit in a chair with my head against the fit ball on the bed so I can breathe better through the contractions. As I am withdrawing into myself I start to talk (in my head) to my grandfather (passed in 2002). I ask him for guidance and strength during the contractions. The contractions are getting much more intense.
At some point I have asked DP to stop commenting on the numbers during the contractions because I can tell they are getting more intense without him regailing me with details of numbers and comments such as "ouch that one was 100... does the 100 ones hurt more than the 80 ones?" I can't use the bath or shower because I am hooked up to the synto and CTG. I remember going to the toilet several times because I didn't want to have any poo experiences whilst in labour. Whilst I am in the toilet with my monitor pads still on and my friend the synto drip I reflect upon what my body is doing and anticipate meeting my bundle... we did not find out the gender during the pregnancy so I wonder whether a boy or girl will be birthed.
The last upage of the synto is done at 12:45, it is up to 160. These contractions are very much so more intense and I tell DP I may just have to kill him if he tells me ANY numbers.
I can't recall the exact order of things here but I remember getting off the fitballs, sitting on the chair, getting off the chair, walking around, I end up sitting back on the chair and remain their until around 2:00pm. At about 3:30pm I remember telling everyone I was tired and asking to get up on the bed to have a lay down - but I remember distinctly telling my doula that she wasn't to leave me on the bed because I didn't want to birth on my back. I lie on my side for a while. I try to nap - the pain is getting really bad now... I go through the pain relief options again with DP and my doula. DP suggests I have the pethadine but I remember that is the one that may slow bubs breathing. I tell him bubs has been through too much already - it is not their fault they have to be born early and that I can do this. I ask my grandfather for more strength. I feel so empowered each time I do this. I can see my doula and DP and smile at them. I can do this. A heatpack comes from somewhere (I later discover my doula brought it)... it is heaven on the crampy bit at the beginning of the contraction but I can't have it anywhere near me during the height of the contraction. It becomes my best friend again once the contraction passes.
I don't know when it was but I feel the need to push. The midwives tell me I am not ready to push yet because "you haven't been in labour long enough" I need to push! I think maybe it is a poo type feeling so I ask to go to the toilet again. I sneak pushes in sitting on the toilet it is so comfy. The midwives are asking where I am, am I still in the toilet, I am not pushing am I. I don't know how long I have been in the toilet for but it must be a while if they are asking after me. I go back out and lay on the bed. The monitors. I know I was supposed to have a VE at 3:00pm but they had said they would come back at 3:30pm to do it. They came in at 3:35pm to tell me they would do it at 4:00pm. It gets to about 3:50pm and I press the buzzer - I want that VE now because I am sick of being told not to push when that is all I want to do... I can't walk, I can't do anything, I am tired and I want to push!! The midwife comes in and gives me the VE... she looks slightly pannicked "Oh my, you are fully dialated... Doctor may not make it here in time, sit tight, I will be back in a minute". I take the cue that I am fully dialated and decide for myself it is ok to start pushing... the midwife had said on her way out that I was not to push until she came back so I try to do little pushes that no one will notice (yeah right!!). The midwife comes back and she is all gowned up now - or is it someone else? I don't care - I can push!! Another midwife comes in and she is on the left leg supporting. Poop, I am on my back... I don't want to be on my back. I tell them this and they reassure me I will be fine. The time is 4:00pm and I am allowed to push and I do... I ask my grandfather for guidance in this phase and concentrate on each push. Water is being sprayed/squirted on my perinium with each push and the midwives are giving counter pressure. I keep telling them I do not want an episotomy and they are not to cut me. It hurts but my grandfather is there protecting me and giving me a boost when needed. DP is at my head. He tells me later he started pacing the floor when they said I was fully dialated and he felt like he was in everyone's way. DP is stroking my head, and has cool flannels across my chest. I don't know what is going on around me I just concentrate on pushing, hearing my DPs encouragement and the words of my doula. My Obs arrives and is gowned up. He tells me he didn't expect to have to be back to me so quickly. Obs in on the right leg and good midwife is on the left leg. Next I am told that the baby has crowed and just to give one more push to get the last bit of the head out. I grunt through it like Obs suggests and the whole baby is born rather than just the last part of the head. OUCH! There is a massive sting in my left leg. I tell the room that something has bitten me... nope it is the oxy shot. DP had at some stage gone down to the business end... I didn't even realise he and my doula had swapped spots. DP comes back up to my head to tell me we have had a baby girl. I haven't heard her cry... DP reassures me she is perfect. DP cuts the cord and then we get to hold her for what feels like 5 minutes but I am told was much more like 2minutes... she is gorgeous. Caitlin Makenzi is born at 4:23pm on the 9th August 2009 and weighs in at 2.405kg, is 48cm long and has a head circumference of 29cm.
We have our baby... a baby girl! DD stays in the SCN for 15 days. She did not require any medications, treatments other than her nasal gastro tube for feeding whilst her suck reflex developed.
If you have gotten to the endthat was a long one... I hoped you enjoyed reading about how Caitlin entered the world.
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