Birth Story

Well, I’m back and we are now also blessed with a precious little baby boy we have named Diaan.

In my previous posts I have spoken about natural birth etc. Well, let me tell you that nothing went according to plan. *shy smiling face*

I have decided to write out my birth story from start to finish – I hope you enjoy it and that it helps at least a few to-be-mommies out there.

Our Birth Story

I remember waking up on the day I gave birth to my precious boy all excited and positive that I was finally going to keep steady contractions and start dilating. I was also completely exhausted after having three gel inductions over a period of 24 hours. The first gel induction did nothing, the second one, a much stronger one, brought on contractions but they only lasted a short while. I also kept the thought in mind that my dream of having a natural birth might not happen, but yes – I still had my hopes up.

I remember looking out the window from the hospital room which had been my home for almost a week now – and for a whole week before that – and seeing that it was a beautiful warm day outside. It was nice and cool inside my room and I was calm. My husband was also on his way and so were my mom and granny. The doctor had told us that if I didn’t go into labour “naturally” today he will have to do a caesarean as my amniotic fluid was very low. I felt happy and calm any way – I couldn’t wait to meet my baby boy!

The doctor came in for his normal morning check up. The monitor showed that baby’s heart beat was perfect but I had only dilated half a cm and the inductions were not working. He broke my waters which was very very little. It was about five minutes later and the contractions started. PROPER contractions! My husband was right there with me though and he held my hand through every one. It was painful but it was a good pain! My mom was waiting outside and I went to sit with her, standing up each time a contraction started and swaying through them. The morning went by with me and my husband pacing the halls ways, getting through the contractions….. and then they got slower. The monitor showed they were also not strong enough… and off I went to the labour ward.

They hooked me up to a drip with a stronger type of induction and back onto the foetal heart monitor and flat on my back. A minute later I felt the contractions again – much stronger and MUCH more intense! My poor husband looked like he was feeling each one of them with me. After an hour or so of that I opted for some pain medication which helped for about half an hour. At 1pm the doctor came in to check on me and I had not dilated at all! He however respected my decision to have a natural birth and gave me the choice to carry on for another few hours on this induction. After he left my husband broke down – he could not watch me go through anymore pain. He called the doctor back as he was getting in his car to leave and so was the beginning of my caesarean birth!

The nurses came in to prep me and my mom came in for support. My husband was not handling anything very well and had been crying for quite a while. He could not handle watching someone cut me open – he said his protectiveness over me will cause him to do something irrational and so my mom came with me into surgery. Hubby was right out side the door – all tear stained and anxious. I on the other hand felt all calm and relaxed. I was trying very hard not to freak out, I am very scared of needles but I could not imagine giving birth unconscious and so I was going to have an epidural.

They wheeled me in to surgery and explained all that was going to happen. I sat up and waited for the anaesthetist to give me the epidural. He was a soft and kind doctor and I think the emotional and mental “pain” was sorer than the actual giving of the epidural – I actually didn’t even feel a thing - physically.

My legs and hips went numb and as I was about to panic I saw my mom’s eyes through the hospital mask. I calmed and I felt ready – I didn’t say a word.

The next thing I knew I heard my mom saying that she could see him and his little pink feet appeared over the screen and then his whole body! He was so clean, there was very little blood – I don’t remember any blood actually and he was pink all over! My beautiful baby boy! I remember the doctor saying that he had cheeks like his mommy. I couldn’t help but laugh. They took him to the side to do the tests. He scored 10 out of 10 for both his apkar scores! They brought him to me and I stared into his beautiful dancing blue eyes for what seemed a life time and then he went to spend some time with his daddy while they sewed me up.

That vision of my baby boy will forever be a part of me – his beautiful dancing eyes – the most magical feeling in the world.

After leaving surgery they took me to my room where I was able to spend time with family but all I wanted was my baby. They brought him to me and I breast fed him immediately! He was such a hungry bub and he latched on perfectly straight away and had his first bowel movement a few minutes later. My husband just couldn’t stop taking pictures and I will forever remember that proud look in his eyes.

Our lives have been changed forever and you really did take our breathes away when you were born my special precious boy. We are so honoured that you have chosen us to be your parents and we promise to love and care for you for as long as we live and to cherish every moment spent with you. Thank you Higher Power for bringing this wonderful baby into our lives.

So in the end nothing went to plan – but let me tell all the mommies out there who are also planning to have a natural birth but are worried that they might have to have a c-section – its not all that bad. The after pain and recovery is not something to laugh at though but it is worth it. A c-section is not the end of the world. In fact we are lucky to have had one as we found out later that the cord was wrapped around our baby’s neck and a tiny bit of his skin had also been cut open a little bit on his head from the pressure. In the end it was the right decision!

ESPAVO!