My due date came & went without a hint of labour starting. I wasn’t surprised though as my first child was eight days late.

When I was two days overdue I had a long appointment at the hospital, where I had a stretch & sweep done & found out I was 3cm dilated, so at least things were happening. That afternoon I had heaps of braxton hicks due to the stetch & sweep so was getting ready for things to start happening. Two days later (40 weeks 4 days) I lost my mucus plug.

Next I had my 41 week appointment & it was quite a non event, basically I was given an appointment two days later to go to the Feto-Maternal Assessment Unit (FMAU) to be checked over & see what we were going to do next. The next day I had acupuncture & an acupressure massage done to start labour, I had one contraction walking back to the car but that was it.

My husband & I went to the FMAU ready to fight for our VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Ceasarean). I was told essentially I would be allowed legally to go to 40 weeks + 12 days at the maximum & I was already at 40 weeks + 9 days. Essentially the appointment concluded with me being booked in for ARM (Artificial Rupture of Membranes) at 7am in a few days time. Everything was favourable. I was still at 3cm, but my cervix was “very thin” and bub had moved a bit so was now only 1/5 engaged.

10pm that night, only a few hours after my ARM was booked I walked into my lounge room & felt a small gush & told my husband “Either I just wet myself & didn’t realise it, or my waters have broken.” For the next hour and a half every time I moved there was a small gush of fluid. I went to bed at around midnight, but managed to only sleep for an hour before contractions started.

I got up and paced the house. I had a hot shower that really helped with the back pain for a while & then got out to pace some more. At around 3.30am I felt like I wasn’t able to cope on my own so considered waking my husband, but decided to wait until 5am so he could get some rest. The contractions seemed to be coming pretty close together but I was too busy concentrating on getting through them to actually do any timing.

I ended up waking my husband at around 4am, as I couldn’t cope on my own anymore. He said the contractions were coming every 5-6 minutes and I didn’t believe him! He called the hospital & they were convinced I was close, even though I wasn’t convinced. In the end we decided to go to the hospital at around 5am. We called my parents & dad stayed at home with our son (who was still asleep) and mum came to the hospital with us. They almost called an ambulance for me as I was struggling to get in the car. I didn’t want to sit because walking & being upright felt so much better, but the thought of being taken by ambulance convinced me to sit for the 5 minute drive!

When I finally managed to get to the delivery suite (stopping every few minutes to breathe through the contractions) I was checked and still only 3cm dilated. I was devastated that I had done all that work to be at the same place as I started. Bub was checked & had a fetal monitor thingo put on her head & I as left to labour for a while. I varied positions, on all fours on the floor, kneeling in the shower/bath with water running on my back, walking, leaning against my husband… I started to struggle with the pain & not getting a break between contractions so had a shot of pethadine (which did nothing) and was told I was now at 4cm, almost halfway there!

An hour & a half later I convinced everyone I absolutely had to have an epidural, as the back pain was now intolerable. The anesthetist arrived & I had another internal to check dilation & I was at 8cm. I just knew that it was too late for the epidural, so this was it, 8cm and I had to do the rest on my own without drugs.

I had another internal a while later as I was badly needing to push but was only at 9cm. After another hour I was bleeding more than the nurses were happy with so it was decided that it was time to head to surgery for another ceasarean.

Off I went to theatre….. I was given the anti nausea meds and taken in for the spinal, all the while still contracting & feeling a huge urge to push.

At 12.06pm Juliette Catherine came into the world, with her hand on her face, a big dent in her head & looking very purple. She was kept by my side until she started coughing but then had to be taken down to the SCN (Special Care Nursery) to be put on oxygen. I was put back together & sent to recovery. My blood pressure was too low so I was kept in recovery for almost two hours until it stabilised. I was then taken back to the ward & told that I had lost just over 1.5L of blood so would need a blood test the next day to confirm if I’d need a transfusion (which I didn’t in the end).

I was then wheeled in bed down to the SCN & got to meet my baby girl & feed her for the first time when she was around 2.5 hours old.

Get your baby gifts noticed with a unique gift from BabyBuds - lots of gifts for the new baby, new Parents, Grandparents and Siblings.

Related posts:

1. Real life birth story: a posterior baby
2. Giving Birth by Caesarean Section

My first twinges, like period cramps, started around 3am one day about two weeks before my due date.

I had an appointment with my obstetrician that morning. I was glad to hear from him that things were progressing, I was fully thinned out, and to go home and wait for things to “crank up”.

Fake labour

By 3am the next day I was on the couch, taking a break from pacing around the backyard unable to sleep. The cramps were worse and about six minutes apart but didn’t seem to be fully fledged contractions. By dawn I was losing my patience.

On my next call to the hospital they said to come in for them to check me out. My husband and I headed in grateful for some activity. After testing the pad I had been wearing for amniotic fluid to see if my waters had broke, monitoring the baby, and warning me this could go on for days we decided to head home. Apparently I was in “spurious labour”, a fake one, which could even disappear altogether!

All about backs

Luckily that was not to be. I stood up and fluid leaked out. The waters had broke afterall! My obstetrician came in and declared I was half way already, 5cm dilated.

It was quickly decided my baby was posterior – head down but facing the wrong way, with the back of her head against my spine. All I could remember reading about a posterior birth was the word “excruciating”.

Being posterior meant her position was stopping the labour from progressing. Since the waters had broke action was taken. My labour was “augmented” with a drip of some concoction to get the contractions cracking and hopefully flip her around.

Getting through the contractions with gas

Before long I fully understood what people had been trying to tell me – you can’t talk through a contraction. The waves of pain washed over me as my husband clung to the read-out of them from the monitors to help him understand what was going on.

Eventually I asked for some gas. I had decided to avoid the drugs if possible. The gas really saved me; it kept my breathing measured, gave me a nice little head spin and got me through until my obstetrician declared it was time to start pushing.

A manually manipulated birth

Baby was still posterior but doing well according to the monitors. My obstetrician hoped to flip her around manually on the way out. I later understood it takes a particularly experienced and skilled doctor to do this.

With his hands up there and me pushing like mad we succeeded. After about 33 hours of spurious labour, 5 hours of all out contractions, and an hour of pushing Maggie Joy was born.

It is kind of common

I later learnt my brother was born in the posterior position. Two other mothers I met through my mother’s group also experienced a posterior birth. The end results varied, one had a emergency cesarean and the other delivered with the help of forceps. My sister-in-law later had a posterior birth as well. So, it seems kind of common to end up with a posterior baby. Happily, all babies and mothers are doing great.

Get your baby gifts noticed with a unique gift from babybuds - lots of gifts for the new baby, new Parents, Grandparents and Siblings.

Related posts:

1. Real Life Birth Story: Attempted VBAC
2. Birth Centres & Other Options
3. Sex Life During Pregnancy

"Seeing Isabella for this first time outweighed everything I’d ever done; opening nights in Sydney, parts in shows, there’s nothing like it - its incredible".

I had a prolonged pre-labour. So much so, that at times I felt as though I was making the whole thing up.

For the three weeks prior to the birth I was having labour pains nearly every night. I was still working a 30-hour week instructing pilates. I’d come home from work and from about 8pm onwards, it was as though I was in labour. My husband and I were counting the minutes between contractions and although at times they were getting closer and more intense, nothing seemed to be progressing. I was thinking, yeah right, this is never going to happen.
Then I had what I thought were my waters breaking. It was some form of release of fluid but as it turned out my waters were still in tact. My obstetrician thought it might have been a release of "hind water," the fluid that sits outside of the amniotic sac within the womb.
At this stage, the baby had not engaged, even though she had been positioned head-down since 26 weeks. I could feel the pressure of her head against my cervix as though she was trying to move into position. But my cervix hadn’t opened.

Weight Gain

I was huge. I had put on 18 kg. My normal weight fluctuates between 50-55 kg. Just before the birth I was 77 kilos - quite something considering my small frame - and 7lbs of this I gained within the last 10 days. I was told that once you reach gestation, it is common to put on weight rapidly.
Most of my extra weight was fluid. When I went to have scans they had trouble getting a clear image of her on the screen.
When I first went to hospital I spent the night attached to the foetal monitor. I was registering contractions but they weren’t close enough, or at a high enough interval, to be considered full stage labour.
My obstetrician was concerned that my baby had a big head thought to be in the 90 percentile. I have such a small frame yet my baby was expected to weigh between 8.5 – 9 lbs.
Because of this, they decided to book me in to be induced the next week leaving me the weekend to go into labour. I never did. Still my baby hadn’t engaged.
After the first induction at 9am, nothing happened. I was walking round the maternity ward feeling like I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The following induction at 1pm triggered the second stage of labour. It was three hours before I went into full-on contractions.

Sensation

It was more pain than I had ever imagined. Nothing could ever have prepared me for this! I could dance on my toes for 12 hours a day with bleeding feet, but nothing compared to the intensity of what I was feeling. I couldn’t speak. I was completely in shock.
It was the biggest shock to find out that I could not control the pain.
Then I discovered how bad I was at breathing! As a pilates instructor having spent years concentrating on how to breathe and teaching other people how to breathe, I was unable to do it!
The sensation was as though I could feel my cervix and pelvis expanding. It encompasses you – your whole lower body is involved – totally all consuming.
Being watched while going through such pain was quite difficult. I am such a control freak and here I was with an audience at such a weak moment. Brendan (husband) went to massage my back but the sensation was tenfold – phenomenal.
When my obstetrician (who was lovely) tried to examine me, I was crawling away from him. It seemed a total invasion of privacy.
It felt completely uncomfortable and I was totally self-conscious
Then my obstetrician announced that I had only dilated half of what I supposed to have. He suggested an epidural.
We made a deal. He was to come back at 8pm to check my progress and we’d go from there.
For me the thought of having a needle in my spine and being numb was horrifying. I also knew some possible side effects could be lower back pain. I bawled.
When they tried to insert the needle in-between the contractions, I had to pull my knees to my chest. Normally this would be easy but with a huge belly it was near impossible.
Within two or three minutes, the epidural took effect. From then onwards it was party time. It was fabulous. I was yacking my head off and watching the tennis. Leyton Hewitt was playing. The graph was reading that I was contracting but I could only feel a minimal amount of sensation.
When my obstetrician returned, I was still only 2cm dilated. I should have been at least 8cm. It had been a long day. I was quite emotional and low in energy.

Caesarean

My obstetrician felt the safest and most positive option was a Caesarean.
He reasoned that I could have gone on like this for days and even then there was no guarantee that it would not culminate in a Caesarean.
Feeling momentarily defeated, I cried at the thought of having to hand over the control of my birth to someone else.
It was as though I didn’t get the chance to do my job. I had been set on having a normal labour. I knew a Caesarean was always a possibility but it definitely wasn’t in my equation. You always like to think that you are going to make it your own.
The biggest thing or me was that I wasn’t going to be totally present in the birth.
The three of us (my husband and mother) talked it through. The baby’s size, along with the failure to progress, was the determining factor.
My obstetrician called in his team and I was taken to theatre. During the Caesarean, I was aware of the movement and incision but it felt more like a finger stroking across my belly than a knife cutting. There felt no pain.

Isabella

Within 25 minutes Isabella was born. Brendan cut the umbilicial cord, the paediatrician carried out the Apgar test then yelled out that she was the most perfect baby.
She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Seeing Isabella for this first time outweighed everything I’d ever done; opening nights in Sydney and Melbourne, my first principle lead role, there’s nothing like it - its incredible.
A feeling you’ll never forget.

Hindsight

After the Caesarean, I thought, ‘what was I ever worrying about’.
The next day my obstetrician told me that if I had been giving birth before Caesars were an option, I definitely wouldn’t have survived and we would have been lucky if Isabella would have made it as well. She would have got stuck in the birth canal.

With hindsight my prolonged pre-labour may have been a combination of my muscles not wanting to give and my baby being a bit lazy or perhaps tired.
My theory is that having been a dancer for 18 years, and constantly having to draw up my pelvic floor muscles, maybe my muscles were so used to being contracted that they refused to give. It’s almost as though I should have spent the pregnancy working at relaxing these muscles. Ironic really.

Isabella Edwards was born at 11.25 on the 25th July 2001 weighing 8 1/2 lbs and was 48cm long.

Katy and Isabella

Recovering from Caesarean

Katrina’s Story

Katrina began dancing when she was four years old and has danced professionally for 18 years. She has appeared on stage in both Sydney and Melbourne in Phantom of the Opera, Showboat, Beauty and the Beast, My Fair Lady, West Side Story and was the principal role in Showboat. She is now a fully-qualified pilates instructor in Melbourne. Isabella was born by Caesarean Section when Katrina was 33.

The First 10 Days

For the first five days I was in a state of wonder, thinking, ‘Wow I have just given birth to a little human being’.
Somehow I was overwhelmed with happiness yet I could also cry at the drop of a hat. I guess my hormones were all over the place.
I spent a week in hospital before going home and was encouraged to move about and to not just lie around in bed.
Two days after the Caesarean I was up and able to have a shower. I needed help sitting up and getting in and out of bed. Bending down and picking things up was also problem.
I was taking panadol and digesics for ten days to ease the pain.
In hospital they give you a routine of Kegel exercises that are very basic pilates exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles. From the third day onwards I began gentle exercises two to three times a day. My abdominal muscles had separated which is quite common. The muscles pull apart and if you don’t do any recuperative work they will not mend.

Mastitis

Two days after came home from hospital I got mastitis. My nipples were badly cracked. When Isabella was sleeping my nipples would scab but as soon as she began suckling, the wounds would re-open. The pain was excruciating.
It was so unbelievable to the point that I dreaded every feed. Her sucking rhythm was so strong but as it turned out, she was latching badly. Around the tenth day, my health nurse made a couple of simple adjustments.
I was put on a mild antibiotic to clear the inflammation and I took an herbal tea and naturopathic pills I had prescribed by a naturopath. The mastitis cleared within a few days. But I was achy, headachy and feeling very run down. I felt so raw.

The first 10 days were unbelievably difficult.
The honeymoon period was over, I had the bub and was on my own, feeling overwhelmed by the enormous responsibility. This baby in my arms was totally depending on me for its survival. Everything is so new. In hospital you’ve had nurses at your disposal and someone to say it is fine and help you put that baby to sleep. When you are at home by yourself and your baby is crying you think, I’ve rocked her, burped her, fed her and changed the nappy, and done it all over again and yet she is still crying.

If you can imagine that, combined with being post-op, post-Caesar, incredibly tired and run down, it’s a really difficult time. It all becomes a really sensitive issue. And often you feel you’re on he edge of postnatal depression. It’s also hard for the father because the first few weeks are very much about mother and bub.

After the initial 10 days, I began feeling that each day I was making progress. I was getting stronger and felt more on top of the situation.
You begin to trust yourself and feel a sense of independence.

Beyond the First 10 Days

From 10 days onwards I began walking a couple of times a day for 10-15 minutes with baby Isabella. This activity played an integral role in my recovery and regaining my strength. Within three weeks I returned to work.
At my six-month check my doctor gave me the okay to do everything.

Scar

My scar seemed to take ages to heal. It felt tender for a long time, as much as five or six months.

Weight Loss

I lost 11 kilos in first 6 weeks and I still had seven kilos to go. I breastfed for four months. When I returned to work I was night feeding only.

The process varies for everybody. I knew another women who just couldn’t budge the weight even though she was so active and disciplined about her exercise. She was still breastfeeding and it was as though her body was holding stocks.

Returning to Work

The first week back at work was demanding, as it was my weekend for certification. For the first time in my life I had no awareness or strength in lower body. It was frustrating - such a different experience.
I napped every afternoon while Isabella was sleeping. Rest played a huge part of my recovery process.
I am convinced the reason I recovered so quickly was that I started doing basic tummy work each day. As I was doing the exercises, I imagined that I was knitting my abdominals together from the outside in.
I had also swum up until the birth, alternating freestyle with kick boarding laps of the pool.

No related posts.

 Julia is 32 weeks pregnant with twins. At the age of 37, she already has two boys under five years. Her eldest Patrick is 4 1/2 and her youngest Marcus is just 22 months old. The fact that she is considered an "older" mum expecting twins places her pregnancy in the high-risk category.
The following interview highlights the various concerns facing Julia during her multiple pregnancy.

"To me it’s like going into a rodeo, you just have to hang on for the ride", says Julia, contemplating the prospect of being a mother to four children under the age of five.

Was choosing to have children later in life a conscious decision? Yes, it was a conscious decision. For us it was a lifestyle choice. We liked our lifestyle and were interested in travel and further study.

Have you a history of multiple births in your family?

No. However, being in the 35 – 40 age bracket increases the likelihood of a multiple birth pregnancy to 1/60.

Do you think there are any significant disadvantages in delaying parenthood?

Yes. I think you get tired more easily as you get older which makes it generally much harder. As a younger person it’s difficult to appreciate the risks associated with delaying pregnancy and childbirth. Issues such as infertility, disabilities and the prospect of a more difficult labour are of more concern to women in the 35 - 40 age bracket. These issues are not appreciated until one finds oneself in that particular circumstance, as has happened to a number of people I know.

How are you coping being pregnant with twins?

Not particularly well. I just feel so heavy and tired. I find getting around much more difficult.

Has your pregnancy affected your relationship?

I have felt really frustrated at times that my partner has not appreciated how hard it has been. Initially he didn’t realise how low in energy I was and the full impact of the pregnancy on my body. At times I even felt resentful towards him.

How has your experience differed from previous pregnancies?

The minor problems I had in my previous pregnancies have been worse this time around.
Women who are pregnant with twins can expect to gain as much as 20-25 kg. I’ve gained 12-14 kg so far with most of it going on in front, so it can be really awkward to get about.
The extra weight has also placed huge pressures on my pelvic floor and ribs, and I’ve suffered backache.
It’s like being hugely unfit, just walking up the driveway takes me a minute to recover. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Have you any significant worries or fears in relation to the health and birth of the twins?

I’m a little less blasé than I was with Marcus (her youngest son). I don’t know what is in store - it’s a little more unknown. But I know I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to get on and do it.
Difficult labour is not something I really worry about.
I guess I’m mostly concerned about the first few days – how to cope, manage and adjust. Taking them home is extremely daunting especially with Marcus being so young. Marcus to me is still a baby, he still needs to be picked up and held, and that won’t change until he’s at least three. I’m not really looking forward to post-delivery; it’s bewildering.

Have you made any significant changes to your lifestyle?

Yes, my lifestyle has changed considerably. I’m not working at the moment and have moved home with my parents for the time being.
I consider the non-physical issues of this pregnancy to be as significant for me as the physical. I feel worried that people will see me as 'just a mother' with a tribe of young children and this implies to me that I somehow have less social value/standing. This is something I am still working on.

How are you adjusting to the idea of becoming a mother of four?

Changing your own perception of yourself, from career oriented/professional to 'mother', can be difficult.
I suspect that these issues affect older women more than many younger women, perhaps because they (older women) have more at stake both from a career and lifestyle point of view and perhaps because younger women often tend to be a bit more relaxed/laid back about things.
As well, there is such an enormous effort required in adjusting to the obvious lack of independence. You find yourself having less mental flexibility in coping with child-rearing issues and perhaps less confidence as you become more precious about things.

Have you got any strategies for managing post-delivery?

No real strategies. To me it’s like going into a rodeo, you just have to hang on for the ride. It’s sink or swim and you just have to hope you keep swimming.
I’m considering organising some paid help and therefore professional support. I’m really grateful to family and friends but I don’t want my family to feel obligated.

Have you any tips for women, especially older women, who discover they are pregnant with twins?

I would suggest to not have too high an expectation of yourself and to accept assistance when offered. I guess this time around I’ve been a lot kinder to myself. I don’t know whether it’s because I’ve had kids or whether it’s because I’m getting older - and somehow wiser.
I used to refuse assistance when offered – I would say, "I’m fine".
I didn’t want to be treated differently or like an invalid.

No related posts.

Discovering we were pregnant for the first time was the most amazing and exciting news we ever had!! My pregnancy was problem-free with no morning sickness, no fatigue, and no swollen ankles - I was very happy!

At 35 weeks, I developed a very bad itch, all over my hands, arms, legs and feet. It was so annoying, and it got to the point where I was scratching my skin off. I thought it might have been a reaction to the animals, and for the next couple of days, I tried every cream, to no avail. This itch was driving me insane, and keeping both hubby and myself awake all night.

I decided to call the hospital to try and get some tablets or at least something stronger! They asked me to see them as soon as possible as it sounded like pregnancy-related symptoms. I was immediately hooked me up to a ‘CTG’ – they put a belt around my belly. This machine listened to the baby’s heartbeat and tested movements in my womb. I had a Liver Function Test – a simple blood test. The whole experience was a bit scary, as we didn’t know what the urgency was. My Obstetrician then shocked us with the recommendation of induction within the next couple of days due to a condition called ‘Obstetric Cholestises’ (OC).

OC is an extremely rare condition that showed a high level of bile salts in my liver. It hasn’t been proven what causes it, no one knows. One theory is that the liver finds the extra oestrogen produced during pregnancy difficult to deal with. There is a rise in the level of bile salts in the blood and some babies cannot cope with this. The unborn baby needs to be delivered at 37 or 38 weeks to help prevent stillbirth.

I was shocked when I found out how dangerous it was. OC could have been fatal for my baby and dangerous for me because you are more likely to hemorrhage.

Due to my Obstetrician being quick off the mark, Ella Louise, now 3 months, was born at 36 weeks, and was a healthy 2.84kgs.

If you’re pregnant and find yourself scratching your feet on the doormat, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Your baby could be at risk.

No related posts.

Sarah’s pregnancy was categorised high-risk from sixteen weeks onwards. Her symptoms included oedema, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. Sarah was the fourth person in Australia to trial the Atard Ripening Device designed to promote dilation of the cervix.

Sarah and Jasmine

 It was a difficult pregnancy with terrible morning sickness beginning at 5 1/2 weeks until 12 weeks then off and on until 22 weeks.
I was vomiting daily and nausea was constant. All I could stomach was vegemite on toast. At 16 weeks I began bleeding and my pregnancy was categorised high risk. By 18 weeks my blood pressure was 150/90. I was given medication immediately. Further tests detected protein in my urine, my first signs of pre-eclampsia. I had scans at 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 20 weeks and 24 weeks. It was scary. My symptoms got progressively worse and by 24 weeks I was recommended to stop work. I had fluid retention in my hands, legs and face. My blood pressure further increased and I was having scans fortnightly rather than monthly.

Gestational Diabetes

At 28 weeks, my doctor diagnosed gestational diabetes and a diabetes specialist placed me on a strict diet where I had to eat four or five meals a day with no high-sugar foods. I had to do a blood test four times a day to monitor my blood sugar levels. This was really hard for me because I have a real sweet tooth. My father has high blood pressure and my sister is an insulin-dependent diabetic.
At 33 weeks my blood pressure was still high and there was a risk of my baby being born with low birth weight. There was also a risk that the placenta was slowing down and not supplying the baby adequately. I had bad flushes, no energy and was completely stressed out. I could no longer wear normal shoes and was unable to wear my wedding band.

At my 36-week check up my blood sugar level was out of control and my blood pressure had reached 170/100. It was as though all the problems that could go wrong did go wrong. My doctor prescribed insulin injections and blood pressure tablets four times a day. He did an internal and when he found my baby was in the right position for birth, he asked me if I was happy to have the baby as soon as possible.

When I went to the hospital to be induced my feet were so swollen that I couldn’t even get my husband’s shoes on. I went to the Monash Medical Centre in Clayton where they take high-risk patients. My care was excellent. My doctor, midwives and specialists were so thorough and caring.

Atard Ripening Device

I was to be the fourth person in Australia to use a balloon induction device called the Atard Ripening Device. Designed in Israel by Dr Atard, the device is still on trial in this country. It comprises two parts that are almost like condoms or small balloons. One part is fitted into the cervix and the other part remains outside. Both are inflated with water. The device is designed to soften and dilate the cervix.
It was fairly uncomfortable having it fitted but not painful.
Meanwhile my baby’s heart was being monitored by Doppler scan.

I had some contractions overnight that I thought were horrendous and when I was told they were minor I decided there and then that I would have an epidural. By the next morning I was 4cm dilated. At 9am they broke my waters and put me on a drip of oxytocin. By 11am the contractions were fairly close together and very intense. By 1pm I was screaming for an epidural. From then on it was fine, I didn’t feel a thing.

By 6pm I was fully dilated and started pushing. They could see her head, and because of the effects of the epidural I had to be told when to push. My doctor came back in and I heard them say I needed help to get her out. They gave me an episiotomy and used forceps.

Jasmine

At 7.35pm Jasmine was born. She was 3.2kg (7.4lb) and 50 cm in length. For 36 weeks she was a good size. My husband Richard cut the cord. I fed her within 30 minutes of her being born because her blood sugar levels were quite low. The hospital fed her formula as well to boost these.

Two paediatricians checked her within the first three minutes and there were no problems. I was so, so relieved, exhausted and hungry! My husband was so emotional. He cried for 40 minutes before he was able to call his parents.

Jasmine had a small bruise on one eye that faded within a couple of days. Within a month I was off medication. Initially the fluid retention got worse which I am told is common but within two weeks most of it had gone. I had so many stitches and they were uncomfortable but it was nothing compared to what I went through during pregnancy. My doctors have advised me not to get pregnant within the next two years given all the problems.

Jasmine has been a real personality since she was born. She knows what she wants. As soon as she could crawl, she’d roll across the floor to get it. I love her to bits. And you know what, I swear I would go through it all again if I knew I would end up with another gorgeous baby like Jasmine.

No related posts.

I thought I would let you know of my nice and easy birth story, because most of the stories that I hear and read are of people who had heaps of trouble and I found that it was really depressing and I was starting to dread the actual act of giving birth. A happy story or two may have helped ease my mind. Having said that, my story does end with my daughter being admitted to the special care nursery for 4 days while they stabilised her blood sugar levels as a result of my gestational diabetes.

My name is Sally and I was diagnosed as a Gestational diabetic during the routine testing at the later stages of my pregnancy. I then spent the next 2-3 months be4ing told that I would not be able to go past 38 weeks gestation and that if I had not gone naturally by then, I would be induced.

At my 36 week visit with the doctor, he told me that I would be able to go full term, but not much longer. At 40 weeks, and being as big as a house, I was told that I should make a 41 week visit, but that they did not think that I would make it. At my 41 week visit, which I did make, I was told that they would not let me go too much longer and they would book me in for an induction. I was booked in for the next day. The doctor did an internal to determine if I would require the gel and found that I was actually 3cms dilated (AND IT DIDN'T HURT A BIT). I was told to come to the hospital at 7am the next day and they would break my waters, unless I went earlier.

Of course, I didn't go naturally so at 7am I waddled into the hospital and was settled in for the duration. At 9am the doctor came to break my waters, of which nothing came out. To make sure they had broken the doctor pulled some hair from my babies head. I was then attached to the drip and told that it should start soon. By 11.30am, I was in full labour. I was thinking to myself that it was no worse than a severe period pain. At about 1.30pm I jumped in the shower. After what felt like 10 mins, but was actually 45mins, I told the midwife I felt like pushing. She told me to go ahead and do what my body was telling me to do. That was the start of 3 hours of pushing.

After about 30 mins I asked for some gas. The doctor came in after 2.5 hours and said that if the baby wasn't born in 30 mins they would have to assist the delivery. That's when everything started to happen. I was put into the stirrups and told to push. Despite what I had been told in my classes, this was actually best position to be in - I could actually feel something happening!

The doctor didn't have to come back to assist - after a 5.5 hour labour, my daughter was born at 5.08pm on August 5, 2004 weighing 3895gms (8 pound, 9 ounces). She was given to me and we spent about 30 minutes together, including a small feed, before she was taken to the special care nursery to have her blood sugar levels measured. They were low and she was returned to me so that I could feed her again and have some time together before her next measure. While she was gone I was stitched up and had a shower and generally refreshed myself. My parents came to visit while Emma was with me and they got to have a hold. That was the last hold anyone had for 4 days. Emma's blood sugars were not stabilising so she was admitted to the nursery for 4 days. She was on a continuous feed for 3 of the 4 and then fed via a syringe of both breast milk and formula for the next day. Finally she was able to come in to me and we spent a day together in hospital before being sent home.

Emma is now 3 months old and is doing great - and neither of us have any further side effects of the diabetes.

No related posts.

I was a week overdue and I remember cleaning the house. It seemed logical that when you have a baby you won't have time to do the housework. They say this is one of the first signs of labour.
I had been to see my obstetrician the day before who had given me a cervical sweep, which is basically a prod to try to get things moving. I didn't even realise at the time. I was to be induced the next day and woke up at 7am with what felt like very slight period pains. I thought, hello, this could be it. I hopped in the shower and by 9am the contractions were stronger and more regular, probably about 20 minutes apart. We rang the hospital and told them what I was feeling. They advised a brisk walk to help bring on the labour. I went to get the newspaper, and when I returned the contractions were five minutes apart. They were painful but not unbearably so, enough to stop me in my tracks so I would have to sit down. At 11.30 we left for the hospital. The contractions were pretty strong. My husband couldn't get me there quick enough. When we got there they checked to see if I was dilating. I was already 5cm. I was in labour.

The contractions continued getting stronger and closer together and by 6pm, I opted for an epidural.
They offered me gas but that didn't seem to do anything. With hindsight maybe I gave up on it too early. But I was happy to have an epidural.
The contractions continued for about twenty minutes, then suddenly, there was no pain. It was amazing.
Within a couple of hours the epidural started wearing off. I could feel some sensation, which was okay. They offered to top it up but I didn't feel I needed it. My waters still hadn't broken at this stage. They kept offering to break them.
It was hilarious. My midwife was standing around talking about having Chinese for dinner and deciding whether or not to break my waters.
We decided to let them break naturally. They broke at about 9.30pm, although I must say I have no recollection of the waters breaking at all. I remember feeling hungry somewhere a long the line - I eaten about 7pm within a few hours I was starving.
I began pushing around 9.30pm and at 10.24 he popped out and was put to my breast and began breastfeeding.
It was the most awesome, natural thing.

From the time of crowning, it was literally two or three breaths, and he slid out. It was so quick. I couldn't believe he didn't slide onto the floor. And I looked at him and thought, who are you? He didn't look like Eric, he didn't look like me.
I had a textbook labour. In all it took about 15 hours with no false starts. Klaus was 8lb 11.
I remember lying there afterwards in awe of my mother and grandmothers who had given birth naturally. I thought, "my mother is a frigging legend".

The only downside for me with opting for an epidural was that I couldn't walk to go and have a shower and clean up. I was sort of left alone covered in blood unable to move.
I remember feeding my baby, then my husband Eric took him for an hour while I slept, then I threw up. I was feeling sleepy and disoriented - I couldn't work out how to put a nappy on.

I look back on it as such a fun, exciting day. And I really look forward to my next labour. That's the honest to God truth.

Related posts:

1. Carmen, Adrian and Victoria

Our little Miracle - Nathan, was born 28 July 2004. He is an IVF baby, our second child, he has a 12 year old sister.

I was 2 days overdue, and did not really feel that I had any signs of labor beginning. I had more frequent Braxton Hicks and some pelvic pressure for about 3 days beforehand, but I never thought too much of it.

Wednesday morning, the nesting began. I cleaned out the spare room, washing all the sheets and blankets in hot water. I was between washes, sitting and reading a magazine when I had a sudden contraction, much more painful and longer lasting than the Braxton Hicks, so I noted the time: 10.38am. Next one came 7 minutes later, and I had a show. I called the hospital, the midwife seemed to think that I would "go into labor" within 24-48 hours. I knew right there and then that I was already in labor, and I told the midwife that I didn't think it would take that long. She suggested I take a warm bath and have some morning tea, and take some Panadeine. No hot bath for me - I had used all the hot water in the wash, I had no Panadeine, so I took 2 Panadol instead. (I thought about that later - useless!).

My contractions remained 6-7 minutes apart for about half an hour, and then seemed to come closer and closer together, very quickly. I called my husband home from work at 11am, by the time he got home 20 minutes later the contractions were 4-5 minutes apart, and lasting about 40 seconds. And getting more and more painful. I paced the house, walking with each contraction. It seemed to help a little, and I was too uncomfortable to sit. By 12.30 I was in too much pain to remain at home. I had a quick shower, hubby did the same. We picked up our daughter from school and headed to the hospital.

At 1.00pm the midwife examined me, I was 4 cm's dilated. I requested the gas. It helped me breath through each contraction properly but did not help the pain. I could not believe how painful this was, much more painful than my first baby. I asked for pethidene at 2.00pm. I had a large dose, 150 mg. It did nothing for the pain, so I asked for an epidural. "Too late" the midwife said. I was devasted and kept begging for it. They insisted that my labor was progressing too fast and that there would not be any time. The were right. By 3.30pm, I was in agony, and I was taking in the maximum amount of gas possible. Suddenly my contractions started to "roll", 1 after the other, no break in between, and incredibly intense. I didn't realise it, but I was in transition. The midwife examined me again, 9 cm's dilated. I screamed and moaned with the pain. My water broke at 3.38pm spontaneously, and I began pushing a minute later.

I don't recall much of the second stage, the pethidine and gas made me feel "whacked out". I do remember the awful stinging sensation as my baby's head crowned, and then the sheer relief as he slipped out at 4.04pm. Wednesday 28 July 2004. A beautiful baby boy. He had some trouble, he was not breathing - a result of 3 things: the pethidine suppressed his respiratory system as it was given too late, his cord was wrapped around his neck and legs, and the second stage was 24 minutes - a little too quick. A paediatrician was called in to resuscitate him. He was given an oxygen mask, 2 injections of Narcan (to reverse the effects of the pethidine), and tactile stimulation. It took 5 minutes to get him breathing. All I could manage was to occasionally ask if he was ok. No one said a word, they were too busy working on my baby, to keep him alive. He was completely white, no color in him at all until he started breathing. Finally, he pinked up and started breathing, and he was given to his dad while the doctor stitched me up.

I held my miracle baby for the first time about half an hour after his birth. It was the most precious moment of my life.

No related posts.

I had a very uneventful pregnancy after conception anyway, Harmony was conceived via IVF on our first cycle, which was both a shock and a delight.

I had no problems what-so-ever and worked until the week before she was due to arrive. Being my first baby I thought I would be overdue and have a bit more time to prepare everything at home - this was not to be the case.

The day I went into Labour (the day before Harmony was due) - my husband and I went down to our local shopping centre. We wandered around the shops for a couple of hours, and then decided to see a movie. There was nothing that interested us on at the movies, so we ended up in the Time Zone playing video games for an hour or so. When we tried to leave the shopping centre the doors had been locked, which meant a 20 minute waddle (in my case) around the outside of the centre back to the car. We were joking about that fact that our nice walk would bring the baby on - little did we know....

We went to bed early and I slept really well until about 12.30am.... I woke up and went to the toilet, once I got back into bed I felt this sharp pain and then had a popping sensation. I lay perfectly still for a few moments not believing what had just happened. I got out of bed - trying not to leak on the mattress (no I didn't have any protective sheeting on the bed) and waddled back to the toilet - grabbing a towel as I went. After confirming that my waters had broken I waddled back to the bedroom in tears and woke my husband...

He was happy and excited - although he already had 2 kids from his previous marriage - this was our first baby. I rang the Royal Women’s Hospital and told them my waters had broken - I must have sounded extremely upset - as the midwife I spoke to assured me that it was a good thing. I changed the sheets on the bed and grabbed my bags. Once we got to the hospital I was monitored for 3 hours and once they established I was not in labour nor had I started to dilate that I could go home if I wanted to - which I definitely did.

By the time we drove the 30 minutes home again, I had unknowingly gone into labour. I sent my husband back to bed and suffered through the pains on my own, still not realising I was in labour. I remembered from the birthing classes that sitting on the toilet was the most comfortable - which at the time I thought was very silly - but sure enough - I spent about an hour just sitting there crying. I then got into the shower on my hands and knees and stayed there until the hot water ran out. I could not cope alone - and woke my husband.

As soon as he woke up, he realised my contractions were about 2mins apart. He managed to get me dressed and back into the car. We arrived back at the hospital about 7.15am - and was ushered straight into a birthing suite.

No-one came in for about 5 minutes, which caused my normally laid back husband to go out to the nurses station to demand someone come in to give me some gas.

A midwife and doctor walked in together - the doctor said he could see the babies head, and left. Meanwhile I just kept saying "I'm not ready to be a mum - I have to much to do - I'm not ready to be a mum". I also remember telling them that I didn't want to tear - but they weren't allowed to cut me - which by this stage was too late - Harmony had already arrived in 2 pushes at 7.51am on the 28th March 2004 .....

I had a post partum hemorage, and had a lot of stitches - none of which I was really aware of - my poor husband was quite upset and worried because of all the blood, all I could marvel at was our beautiful baby girl.

All we said to each other was - "My god - look at the size of her feet". Harmony was a healthy 8 pound baby, with a shock of blonde hair. I recovered very quickly and took her home the following day. Harmony is a happy bubbly baby and is a constant delight - I can't wait to do it all over again!!!

Written by Monique Lower.

No related posts.