Leo Christopher Ashton's birth Story
Well, took me a little while to post the birth announcement, but with a new baby and a 2 year old who is feeling a little precious about the whole thing I haven't had much time!!!
Is not a very edge of your seat birth story seeing as it was a scheduled c/s, but I can honestly say it was the most wonderful day of my life. Some of you know my story, that I had a c/s with Jackson and it was an awful cold sterile environment, husband was forgotten about in the theatre, and I was separated from Jackson for a long time after, It was a terrible experience, and I did feel robbed of the whole birth process and developed PND while still in the hospital.
So I wanted to try for a VBAC this time, but it did not work out so I just accepted it and wanted to make the most of the situation. I was booked into have Leo on 5/6/2007 and I woke up feeling pretty wrotten - nausea and diorrhea, just nerves I guess, was pretty anxious about the surgery part of it! So we got up, had our showers and said goodbye to mum - She had stayed the night because we had to leave at 6.30am and didn't want to wake Jackson up at this time because he would have been a total grump for her.
We put out bags in the car and went to start it......nothing, later discovered that DH has left the light on all night and flattened the battery! Was all a bit much for me and i just burst out crying and yelling profanities at DH!! We ended up having to take his tin can of a car with no car seat for Jackson to come home in later, so mum had to unhook the seat and bring it with her (DH trying to set it up again was another story!!)
We got to hospital at about 7am and I went into a mad frenzy trying to keep busy by setting up my room perfectly, was a tiny space in a 2 bed room which I wasnn't happy about seeing as I was having a c/s and they had put me in a room with a young girl who had a vaginal labour and was on the methodone program with a verbally abusive husband and a screaming newborn who she wouldn't wake for at night, and I had to keep calling the midwife to come and get her, and she has been given the biggest side of the room!!
Anyway, I chose to have the catheter put in in the ward, even though there is no anaesthetic at that stage, it is just a bit more private and dignified, and I felt more comfortable that way. Then I had to to have that awful bitter drink they give you and I was wheeled down into surgery. There was either a midwife or an orderly or someone else with me the whole time, I wasn't left alone for great periods this time, and the OB performing the surgery actually came to have a chat to me first which really put me at ease. Already I knew the process was going to be the way it was meant to be.
I had the epidural put in, only felt the sting of the anaesthetic, then nothing, so that was great!! I hate the feeling of losing the feeling in your legs and then being moved around it is really the oddest feeling, and makes you feel so useless!!! DH was bought into the room and everything was started. I had to have oxygen because my chest felt extremely heavy and my blood pressure was up a bit, but it made me feel better right away.
Leo was right up under my ribs and I could feel a man right on top of me trying to push him doen, and another down by my side trying to push him from that way, my body was bouncing allover the place and it was freaking me out a little, but DH was great, held my hand through the whole thing, and told me how great I was doing the whole time!
Leo cried and did 2 massive wee's as soon as he came out! and then he was held up ove the curtain for us to see, NO RED HAIR!! I couldn't believe it, not even a hint of it - he looked so much like Jackson though, I couldn't belive it, but a lot fatter!! He was passed to me for a cuddle and then they did the weighing and cutting of cord etc. right next to me so I saw the whole thing, that was great!! Then he was given back to me and put straight on the boob, and the little gutz fed the whole time I was in recovery with Chris by my side. His apgars were 9 and 9 and he weighed 7lb 12oz.
On the way upto my room my boob was still out and Leo found it all on his own and just latched on and started sucking away, was pretty amazing. The whole experience was just beautiful, vag labour or not, I wouldn't have changed a thing about it.
I am home now, and aside from stuggling with breastfeeding still, feel wonderful and on top of the world - I adore our new family!
