Monday, June 2, 2008

Zali Anne Has Arrived - My Birth Story


Well 3 days after my last post on here I was awoken at 5am with period pain cramps. They woke me so were niggly enough that I could not sleep. The first one came and went and I was like "Oh period pain, that is strange" I drifted back to sleep and then 20 mins later I was again woken by this period pain cramp. After the 3rd one and I was more awake and realized that these were contractions. I woke my hubby and he started rubbing my tummy to ease the pain. Each contraction was lasting 3-5minutes. I was just breathing my way through them. At 7am when they were now 10 minutes apart I called the hospital as I realized this could be the day that I got to meet my little girl. The hospital were convinced it was false labour so they asked me to take a hot bath/shower, take a panadol for the pain and move around to see if the contractions stopped. So I did…. And the contractions slowed but then came back regular again. I then tried sitting and relaxing, again the contractions slowed but then came back just as strong. At 9:30am I called the hospital back with the progress and they asked me to come in and get checked out.

I went to the birthing ward and they advised that they had absolutely no beds so they sent me to day ward where they would send a consultant down to check how far dilated I was. At 11am I was 1cm dilated. They advised that I should probably go home and it would probably stop anyway. I did not want to go home as I felt the contractions were not going to stop. I stayed at day ward, I was not able to eat anything as I would be having an emergency C Section if the contractions didn’t stop.

I sat there at day ward which is a large open room with a circle of comfy reclining chairs. I had my Doula on one side of my and my hubby on the other to comfort me and help me through each contraction which slowly became stronger and more frequent. I am sure this was quite an experience for all the onlookers in the room. By 1:30pm my contractions were 8 minutes apart and getting stronger. The lovely ladies in the Day ward would come and check on me to make sure I was OK, but they had no drugs or gas to offer me. I didn’t need it any way at that stage. By 2:00pm my contractions were now 5 minutes apart and I was advised that I would be going in for an emergency C Section as soon as they could fit me in. I was relieved as the pain was getting quite strong now and I was beginning to think that I would be having this baby sitting in the day ward recliner!! At 2:45pm They gave me my lovely theatre outfit and took me by wheel chair up to the theatre room. They gave my hubby a lovely little scrub outfit and he met me in the prep area where we met our Anaesthetist and our OB who would be performing the Caesarean, they asked us some questions and before we knew it, I was sitting on the operating bed getting my spinal block and catheter put in. About 5-10minutes after that I was told my baby would be here any second and for my hubby to get the camera ready. I heard the scream they dropped the screen and we saw our little girl for the first time…. MAN WHAT A FEELING, a Rush of emotions, as we confirmed the sex, a little girl! They quickly took her to the check out station where they rubbed her down, cleared her throat and put a little purple beanie on her head to keep her warm. Dad got to cut the cord and then they then rushed her over and put her on my chest so that I could bond with her straight away. I was crying with excitement and an overwhelming feeling of her arrival. We attempted a breast feed, but she was a little shocked by the whole experience so we just laid there, looking at each other in amazement.

Overall the whole experience was just amazing, very quick and the staff were just wonderful, very good at making you feel safe and comfortable.

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