The VBAC Birth of Levi- Dets story- LONG!
Our georgous son was 10 years in the making.
Every since i was a a teenager i always knew that i would have twins and then a boy. We were lucky enough to have our twins with medical help 6 years ago. They were born 10 weeks early and were given little chance of survival. Although their birth for me was realatively easy- it was a very medically controlled situation, and i almost felt like a spectator, rather than a participant in the whole event.
We then tried for another 6 years to add to our family. A year before i got pregnant with Levi, we did another cycle and i fell pregnant. Unfortuantely we lost the baby at 12 weeks in a missed misscarriage and when that baby was taken from my body, so was part of my heart. Although i was keen to try again, my DH was emotionally spent and was not up for another rollercoaster ride that goes along with each cycle. I left the decision to go again totally in his hands, as I did not want to pressure him into a situation that he was not fully into.
In the meantime I started have actupuncture from a TCM practictioner. His answer why we hadnt been able to conceive on our own was that I was ovulating and fertalizing my egg, but the lining of the uterus was not thick enough until a few days later for implantation, and hence they were both missing each other. He worked on increasing my blood flow through my reproductive organs. He also said that if it was going to work, to give it six months.
Six months later, out of the blue, last June, my DH came home from work and told me that he was ready to try again. Life was too short, so lets give it ago. I was so happy to be doing something more than just what came naturally, that I rang the clinic the next day and booked in for my next cycle. I was told to ring the clinic when my AF next arrived. At this stage I was day 21.
Well day 28 came and went, and next thing i knew it was day 35! My DH suggested at this stage that I do a pg test. I was hestitant, because why after 10 years of nothing, would all of a sudden it happen on our own! To amuse DH, i did a test- and it lit up like a Christmas tree!!!! We had done it on our own!!!
I had b/tests to confirm my HCG and my level was extremly high. A multiple birth was suspected again! OMG how was i going to do twins again!! I was soo sick when i was pg last time, and soo scared of having prems again! We had to wait until I was 9 weeks and my first OB appointment to find our that there was only one in there!!
My OB was the one who said it was OK for me to attempt a VBAC before I had even mentioned it. His only proviso was that he would not induce me and bubs had to be in the correct position.
My pregnancy went along very uneventfully. Besides downing over 1,000 rennies and enough milk to keep several cows going over the course of the pregnancy, I felt pretty good and enjoyed feeling our bubs moving inside in.
With each week, and as we reached new and unchartered weeks in my pregnancy, we crossed off more and more milestones.
At 34 weeks i was given the all clear that bubs was indeed in the optimal position for a vaginal birth, but bubs was going to be big- over 9lb if i went full term!
All of a sudden, my OB had doubts if I would be able to birth bubs on my own- he was worried that he wouldnt engage - I wasnt!
A friend of mine was studying midwifery, and is a qualified doula so when I knew that a Vag birth was definately a possibility- I asked her if she would help me with the birth. I was so glad that I did, as she was an absolute angel and was on the exact same plan as we were!
At 37 week 5 days- the first day back at school for the kids, I took my twins to school. At 8.45am whilst hearding my twins to line up with their new teacher, I had my first cx. I told no one. They started coming 2 mins apart and were lasting about 45 seconds.
I had arranged to go for coffee/milkshakes with the girls and after a long school holidays, nothing was going to stop me going.
It was soon apparent that yes i was in labour. As i was drinking my milkshake, the girls were timing my cx and they were coming quicker and quicker. I still had to go to the supermarket and the butcher before i even considered going to hossy, so i finished up with the girls, got my shopping and drove home. By this stage the cx were coming every 90 seconds. I then thought it was a good idea to ring my DH for him to come home from work and ring the OB and my doula. It was 10.30am by this stage.
My OB's office told me to call an ambulance and they were worried that i was going to birth at home by myself lol- i wasnt. I had a shower, got myself organised and waited for DH to come home.
By 11.30am i was at the hospital, and my doula arrived just after us. They were really busy and i ended up with an older Midwife who we will call nurse ratchet and a male nurse who was a student midwife. The nurse was OK, but as soon as i got there he wanted to rupture my waters and attach a scalp electrode- NO WAY thank-you.They also started pushing pain relief at me. I declined and told them I was coping fine and that if this changed, then I would let them know. Mind you at no stage during labour did I even consider pain relief. I was adament that this was my only chance to VBAC, and i was going make sure that i felt and savoured every moment of it- good and bad, and did not want to feel out of it, for anything!
I had monitoring for 30mins, that i knew that my OB and i agreed upon, but as soon as the 30 mins were up, I insisted that they take it off and let me be free.
At 11.45am my OB came in just after i had finished this monitoring and re-iterated with the nursing staff that i was OK just to have intermitted portable monitoring. He examined me and i was in full established labour, waters were in tact and fine to stay that way, and i was 3 cm!
I laboured standing, leaning on the bed for about an hour with my doula and DH rubbing my back and applying a heat pack as the only discomfort I was feeling was in my back. It wasnt painful - i just had to breathe through each contraction. I figured that as they were worried that this was going to be a big baby, that i would use bubs weight and gravity to help things along!
After about an hour, I decided to get in the shower. The water on my back was bliss. I stood with one leg resting on a stool in the shower, which really helped open up my pelvis. My DH and doula made sure i was drinking plenty of liquids and nice and comfortable. My doula had dimmed the lights in the room and put our music on. The room felt so nice.
Around 2.30 pm i felt that i needed to get out of the shower. I went back to leaning over the bed standing on a yoga mat. All of a sudden, something hit the floor, and my doula and DH's feet were covered in water- my waters fell out and hit the floor like a water balloon- it was hilarious!!
No hospital staff were present at this stage, so my doula went and told them what happened. Nurse rachet came in and started moaning about the mess my waters had made- PLEASE!! She then tried to get me to put disposable undies on- what a joke- instead i told her that no i wasnt putting her undies on- i was going to start bearing down instead- could you please call my doctor!
Nurse rachet kept on cleaning up my damm waters so i told her again- " I need to push- Please call my doctor!" She didnt believe that i would need to push allready so she insisited that i get up for her to have a look.
Surprise surprise!! I am fully dialted- but apparently my cervix lip is still present so she told me not to push. Please- you can not stop that feeling! I asked her again but with a bit more urgency- please call my doctor!
After a few mins, she tells me that its OK to start pushing, so on all fours I start pushing. Mind you she has finally stopped cleaning up, and has decided she better start participating. The student midwife has stepped up to the plate and he is gloved up and ready to catch! Apparently he was shaking like a leaf and very pale- he had not attended many births- great! I say it again- call my doctor now!
In two pushes i have my bubs head out- and in one more push- he slides into the world and skids across the bed. I ask straight away if it is a boy- YES it is a boy!! I knew it!! I turn around and scoop my beautiful baby off the bed and straight into my arms! I ask them to wait till the chord stops pulsating, and then get my DH to cut his chord.
OMG! I had done it!!! We have our beautiful boy!
Two minutes later, just as nurse rachet starts to come at me with with an injection to bring on the third stage, and i am insisting that I want to do it on my own, my OB walks in. He was spent that he missed the birth- he was only three minutes away- hmm guess when bubs head was out, they finally thought that they should call him! I asked him if i can deliver the placenta on my own- he agrees- nurse rachet cracks it- lol. She then starts moaning about the amount of mess i have made birthing- PLEASE! Apparently because i birthed in a position that i was most comfortable, did it without pain relief, and had a natural 3rd stage- i made a bigger mess than unsual- what a joke!
Mind you my blood loss was only put down at 350 mls!
I had two 2nd degree tares that OB had to sew up with four stitches- perhaps if nurse rachet was as concerned with supporting me more , rather than the mess- i might not have torn at all- ah well such a small price to pay!
Thank good ness i had my own doula there to support me, and a DH that supported all my choices!
Levi was 8lbs- not bad considering he was born 16 days before my due date. His head was 33 cm and length was 53cm. He found my boob straight away and started feeding like a champ immediately!
His birth was one of the most amazing things that i have ever achieved! Not only did I do it exactly the way I wanted it to happen, but i never faltered in the belief that I had, that I could do it!
It was such an amazing experience to be able to hold our baby straight away, have him room with me, and to be able to successfully breastfeed without any issues or problems!
All new experiences for me. He is a true miracle from start to finish.
So much so that DH wants to know when the next one is coming . . . .. .
