The Birth of SuperBub

This story has been over two months in coming, as I have been so busy with my lovely newborn that I haven't had time to write it up properly beforehand. Still, better late than never I suppose...

Here is the story of the birth of my daugher Diana Lidia (aka SuperBub)

SuperBub was due on 19 July 2007. She was my first pregnancy, so many people told me that she was most likely to arrive after her due date. As very few babies in my family had ever gone overdue I figured that she was likely to come on time or a little early. Still, I wasn’t prepared for how early.

On Monday 18 June, when I was 35 and a half weeks pregnant, I went to bed thinking - wow - tomorrow it will be one month until SuperBub is due. SuperBub had other ideas though.

At 1:30am on Tuesday morning I woke up with a cramp and a need to go to the toilet. I barely made it to the bathroom before a whole lot of liquid gushed out of me. I thought nothing of this at first, but it just wouldn't stop. I started to panic and quickly read all the information I had been given at birthing classes to see if I could find out what was going on. It seemed that perhaps my membranes had ruptured, so I rang the hospital, described my symptoms and asked what to do. The midwife I spoke said that it was possible that I had ruptured my membranes and to call her back in twenty minutes. If I was still "leaking" I would have to come in to the hospital.

I got off the phone and quickly started to pack my bag, (which I hadn’t even started packing prior to this) thinking that even if I didn't have to go in today, I would be going in some time soon, so I should be prepared. Twenty minutes later I was all packed - dressing gown, nightie, slippers, underpants, maternity bra, as well as a water bottle, book, etc. I also packed all my birthing class paperwork, some nappies and some baby clothes. I was still leaking so I rang the hospital and they told me to come in straight away. I woke up my fiancé Stan, who had gone to bed early the previous evening with a horrible flu and fever, saying that I needed to go to the hospital NOW and was he able to take me. He got up, we got dressed and were on our way. It was a 10-15 minute drive, and once or twice during it, I got a period like cramp. I didn’t realise it at the time, but this must have been the beginning of my contractions.

On arrival at the labour ward, I was ushered into an examination room. Stan, who was still sick with the flu, dropped off my bags and told me to ring him when I was ready to be picked up. We both thought that I would be observed an hour or so, then they would let me go home. But it turned out that my membranes had indeed ruptured, but because I was under 36 weeks (35 weeks, 4 days), they were going to admit me and I would have to stay in hospital until the baby was born! What's more, I had been getting more contractions and they were becoming more frequent. I was in labour! Eeek!

I was asked if I wanted to take part in a trial for women whose membranes rupture early. They would assign me randomly to either a) wait and see what happens, or b) to induce labour. As I had no birth plan, other than trying to do it as naturally as possible, but going with the flow if need be, I agreed to take part, and was assigned to be induced.

I was having contractions about 5 mins apart at this stage. They were uncomfortable, but I was breathing through them. At about 5:30am, they then put in an oxytocin drip to induce the labour further and left me to it. I called Stan and told him that we were having a baby today and to come back to the hospital. By the time he arrived, the contractions were getting really painful. I tried to breathe through them with gas, but it wasn’t really working. Still, I didn’t want either pethidine or an epidural, so I persevered. By about 9:00am or so, I couldn’t handle it anymore. I was 3-4cm dilated and they estimated that it would take another 4 hours or so for me to dilate fully. So I asked for an epidural. It didn’t hurt going in at all and the relief was fantastic. I could still feel the peaks of the contractions, but they didn’t hurt. I could also still move and feel my legs, which was something that I had been afraid I wouldn’t be able to do, so that was good. (I later found out that oxytocin is known to make contractions more severe and more painful – if I had known that earlier I wouldn’t have waited so long for the epidural.)

By 10:00am, I was fully dilated. They turned the epidural off and I started to push. This was the most difficult part so far, as even though I felt the urge, because of the epidural I felt that I couldn’t do it. Gradually the feeling started coming back, but despite the midwives telling me that I was doing well, I still felt that I wasn’t able to push hard enough. On inspection, it turned out that SuperBub’s head was turned the wrong way, which is what was making it so difficult. By 11:30am, I was still pushing but getting tired. SuperBub was getting tired too so one of the doctors asked me if I wanted some help getting the baby out (meaning suction or forceps). I agreed and they decided to use forceps to pull SuperBub out. I needed an episiotomy (one of the things I had really been hoping to avoid), but by this point I didn’t care. After some more pushing from me and some serious pulling from two doctors, SuperBub (aka Diana Lidia) was born at 11:49am on June 19, exactly one month before her estimated due date.

They let me hold her and have some skin to skin to contact while Stan cut the cord. It was the most unreal moment of my life. After a while they weighed and measured her (2485g, 47.5cm), then gave her back to me. I was then told to put her on the breast. I was a bit worried that she wouldn’t suck, as she was premature and apparently some premmies find this difficult. I needn’t have worried, as she latched on almost straight away. I couldn’t get over how beautiful she was. I mean I knew she’d be cute, but she was so much prettier that even I had imagined. I had never seen a baby as beautiful as her before. It was complete love at first sight and I feel that we instantly bonded.

congratulations on the early but safe arrival of your beautiful little girl :confetti:
She must have wanted to be a june baby instead :)

Starfish what a wonderful story.
You did so well - congratulations!

Congrats on the arrival of your little girl ... what a journey for you both xx

congratulations on the birth of your little girl

Congratulations! She is indeed a beautiful looking bub,

Well done.. CONGRATULATIONS on the safe but early arrival of your little girl.. ;)

Awesome story Zofia...you did so well to manage given that Diana decided to come so early!