Miss Claire's Birth

I am new to the forum and after reading a few other birth stories, i thought i would try and recall mine a year later, If i am luckily enough to have a #2, it will deff be put to paper a lot earlier!!;) And i do apoligise if it dosn't make sense, lost memory and 13 month old helping to type, makes things a little confusing lol.



This story takes place after a LONG battle of 6 years of TTC. After finally being told I could have help with some drugs ( after discovering I had PCOS and given 2% chance to conceive naturally) it turns out I was apx 2-3 weeks pregnant NATURALLY when I went to the specialist, still unaware that I was pregnant.
And as I was apx 10 weeks preggers when I found out it is hard to know the exact dates for my pregnancy. So the dates are judging from the scans …..

40 weeks come and went. Every day was a tearful one as I had people telling me the whole way that I would go early (I should have learnt then not to listen to people!!). I had a midwifes app where the did a stretch and sweep and said if that does no good, then we will look into induction, that scared me a little as this was my first bubba but I had faith in my midwifes and went with the flow. At 40 +5 they called to say, can you come into tomorrow to start the induction, as I said before I was a bit naive on the whole process so hubby and I said Yep!

Thursday 16th June – We head in to the Hospital (an hours drive away – another reason I didn’t mind being induced) where they administered the Gel and said that sometimes this part doesn’t work, so we’ll see how you are in the morning. Hubby checks into the motel and I try to get some sleep.

2am 17th June – I start to feel some pretty intense cramping and back pain at about every 10 mins or so. Get the urge to get up and walk around where the pains were more manageable but was told to go back to bed to get some rest.

6am – The cramps/pains were now about 4-5 mins apart, had the midwife on duty come in and ask some questions about the pain etc. Couldn’t eat could hardly talk.

8am – contractions are now about 3- 4 mins apart so up to the delivery ward we go to “have a look”.
I believe my waters were broken sometime around now just as hubby arrived from his good nights rest.. (Luckily as it turned out was going to be a long day!!) There was meconium in the waters and from memory I was about 4 cm dilated. Offered Gas (as I had wanted to try for drug free) which I felt didn’t do much for the pain, but seem to help with breathing through the contractions.

From 10 – 3pm are all a bit of a blur of contractions still being 3 -4 mins apart, still only using the gas. At some stage in this time I was check and found to be about 6 cm dilated. At about 3.30 I feel the urge to push and am starting to feel that I can’t do what we are designed to do. I was offered Pethidine to help with the pain. Not long afterward I was throwing up and dry reaching as I hadn’t eaten much. Oh and did I mention that Bub was posterior? So was on hands and knees over the end of the bed trying to get bub to turn, throwing up and still contractions where 3-4 mins apart! Doc comes in for another look to find out that the peth has made me close up to 5 cm, this had me in tears. I felt that all the effort of the last few hours had been for nothing and was very upset, and then was even more upset that I was crying in front of the midwifes!! OH the strange things that go threw our minds at times like these!!!! At this stage I was offered an epidural which with guilt I accepted, I felt like I was cheating by taking it.

Epi in (how scary is it to have a needle coming for you when you are contracting!! Didn’t discuss this in antenatal! Lol) and I settle into a much needed rest, could still feel the contractions but they weren’t anywhere near the pain I was having before.
After this stage I am relying a lot on DH for what was happening as I was just exhausted. At some stage I was administered a drip to help speed along the contractions. At about 7ish they decided it was time for me to start pushing. Un be known to me (as I said I was simply too exhausted to take in what they were saying) Bub’s heart rate started to go thru the roof. A vacuum was then bought out to help get her out. DH said this took quite some time and there was mention that if she did not come out with the next pull I would be going to surgery. Next thing I know my legs are being pushed up to my chest and the midwife is pushing down hard on my stomach, am later to learn that bub had Shoulder Dystocia. At some stage I was also given an Episiotomy, but it was all “for a good cause” so to speak as 2 hours after the pushing I was given a beautiful 9lb2 Bubba girl to put up on my chest.
I remember thinking just “wow”. She was then weighed and measured and then bought back over to see if she would suckle. She took to it like an old pro, right there on the table. (and is still feeding well, 13 months later). Luckily for me there was a flying Ob in town on that night (we live in a remote area) who came and stiched me up both internally (another thing not really talked about in antenatal!!! Ouch!!!!) and externally.

Althought this didn’t go anywhere near my birth plan, I thank my little bubba for the way it unfolded now I just cant wait for number 2 to come along so I know a little bit more of what I would like, how to manage it and a little bit of what to expect.

I would also like to mention that our little girl was born on DH Aunts birthday (who always held a very special “favourite Aunty” spot in DH heart) Who had passed away 15 months earlier to Cancer at 49. I still feel that there is a special bit of Sharon in my little Claire Bear xo

Thank you so much for sharing your story :)

Thank you for sharing your birth story.

Massive :hug:...quite the eventful journey! (going back to 5cms musta been tough man!).

Glad to hear that she loved her booby when she was born...my DD after her birth where i had peth was just waaay too sleepy: caused a bit of ruckus with the hossy lol.

You did so well :)

Thanks for sharing :)

Awwww another June Bug, mine arrived 6 days later!! Well done on birthing your baby girl!

I too felt guilty when I took the epi.. Weird huh?

Thanks for sharing your story. I hear you on the internal stitching, still makes me cringe when I think back.
I also had a very not to plan first birth (still great though), my 2nd birth could not have gone better though and I think my first birth helped make that happen.
I hope #2 comes along soon for you and you have a great birth.

Thanks so much for sharing your story! Well done xxx