Jett's birth story - Part 1 (LONG)
I finally have written my birth story. Well what I can remember! It is long, so I will post in 2 parts. The birth of Jett was very story was traumatic and would possibly be distressing to someone who has experienced birth trauma.
Jett's birth was very unexpected, not only because he arrived so early, but because with my twins I had a classical cut c section, so although I would have liked a VBAC, I never planned to have one as OB's don't generally support VBAC's after a classical. Apparently the risk of uterine rupture increases with labour. Jett was supposed to be a nice planned Cesarean at around 37wks and I never thought in a million years I'd have a baby vaginally... :lol: Things didn't quite go to plan!!!
PART ONE - Leading up to Jett's birth!
It all started Tuesday 27th September, when I was 25+3wks.. I had gone to bed early that night before waking out of a deep sleep to feel a trickle. I got up and there was blood. I sat on the toilet and blood was trickling out. Not a lot, but enough to make me wake Jett’s dad (who I’ll refer to as JD) and say I had to go to the hospital.
I called the birth suite at the hospital I was booked into, gave them a quick history and told them what happened. They told me to go to my local hospital instead of driving the hour to them, but I refused. I had a bad experience last time and knew if I went to my local hospital I’d probably wait an hour to be seen anyway, so off to Brisbane it was. It was about 11pm.
By the time I got off the phone and was ready to go I wasn’t bleeding so I figured I’d just go there get checked and come home.. I didn’t bother packing a bag, I wanted to get there fast..
We arrived at 12.10am on Wed 28th September. I hadn’t bled on the drive up to the hospital and upon being examined my cervix was still long and closed. I was having very mild contractions but not enough to worry about. I was admitted though and regretted not packing a bag.. I was warned if I haemorrhaged I would have to deliver but I went into denial. It was simply too early, this baby was staying in! I sent JD home to get some sleep as he had to work.
Throughout the morning I was still contracting mildly and was offered morphine. I didn’t want it for pain relief as the pain wasn’t that bad, but had it anyway because we were hoping it would calm my uterus. I am pretty sure I was given nefedipine to stop contractions at some point, but since I’m writing this 14wks on, I can’t remember when.
At about 11am I had a 500ml blood loss. Again delivery was mentioned, someone even asked if I’d signed a c section consent form. I told them I wouldn’t sign it. This baby can’t come. It’s too early!!! I was sent for an ultrasound and it looked like the bleeding was caused by the placenta. (I had already been told previously my placenta was low lying) My contractions had slowed since having morphine and I was told that the blood was causing an irritable uterus. I was also told I could possibly go on like this for a while. I was happy about that, I really hoped I would make it to 28wks.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in bed being monitored, my bleeding had almost stopped and I was hardly contracting. JD had come back up with some stuff and I told him I’d be staying in til Bub was born. (Which i thought would be a few weeks!) At 6pm I was given permission to eat. I knew once I was able to eat the Drs and nurses thought this bub was staying put a little longer. Later that night I spoke to a paediatrician from the Intensive Care Nursery to discuss what would happen if Bub was born. I also signed a consent form for a section. I had calmed down by that stage and honestly didn’t think the baby would come yet.
At around 9 – 9.30 Pm, the CTG was taken off, I was given some morphine and settled into bed. I’m not sure how long after that, but it wasn’t long, I felt that familiar trickle. I rang the bell and the nurses came. I had lost quite a bit of blood. About a litre. The Dr organised blood for me for a transfusion, but we were still trying to avoid delivery. Then my contractions started coming hard and fast. I was in agony all across the lower front and in my back. I had some morphine at about 11pm I think, but that made no difference. I knew. I knew the pain was in my back, I knew this was labour. I knew the contractions were getting worse, not better. I knew they were coming close together (I can’t remember now exactly how close they were or how long they lasted but they were really close and really long). I could see the Drs and nurses look at each other. The OB Dr B, asked if I’d signed the consent for a section. I said I had. The nurse gently asked me to take off my jewelry. I looked her in the eye and said “I'm having this baby tonight aren’t I” She held my hand and nodded “Yes sweety I think so” I bawled my eyes out “No, No, NO not yet, it's too early....."
Part 2 of Jett's birth story is HERE
