Birth Stories

My beautiful daughter Liwalam Zimbini was born on the 2nd of
September 2010 @ 18:25 weighing 3.7kg and 51cm tall.

My due date was the 19th of September but because it was a csec the date was the 9th of Sept (38weeks). When we found out that my Dr was going away on the 3rd we decided to do the csec on the 2nd of September since she was too big for a VBAC attepmt in any case. At first I was sceptical but then after some thought I agreed.

Hubby and I checked in at Fourways Life at 12:30 as I was told my csec would be after 2. I was lucky enough to get one of their VIP suites and I was the first to use it. We waited and waited until someone came to fetch me at 17:00. I then started stressing and panicking thinking of the Spinal (that was my biggest fear). We then waited just outside the theatre while they were setting up, dont know when we went in coz I was so scared, the aneasthetist made it worse when he told me my gaps were narrow.All in all the spinal was a bit einah coz I felt the needle going in. Was put on the operating table and the Drs started cutting and I was so scared or feeling pain coz I could still move my toes. After a couple of minutes after they had opened my big baby girl was born, she was very annoyed coz she even held onto the scissors one of the drs was holding.

We then took pics while they were closing me up. It took so long I even thought they were giving me a tummy tuck.I was then put into my bed with baby to the recovery area. After a few checks I was wheeled back to the ward holding baby in my arms. Funny enough I was not drowsy or groggy like with my first LG. All in all the experience was very different from the one at Unitas. The downside is that I felt more pain this time, even though I was mobile quicker, I also suffered back pain of which I didnt with my 1st LG. My stay in hospital was very pleasant though and I would recommend Fourways Life hospital to anyone.

My baby is now almost 3weeks and growing everyday. She eats a lot at night and sleeps a lot during the day.
A bit long but done finally.

When I found out we were expecting again, I was all set on a VBAC. Discussed it with my Ob/Gyn and he was very neutral, giving me the pros and cons of the procedure. When I started having problems with my pelvis from about 5 months, I decided against it and prepare myself for a CS.

I had to book in at 5am on 3 Sept. When we got there, DH realised that we never took any preggy pics, so while I'm trying to unpack, he first took some pics. Oh, I have to mention that I have been VERY emotional this entire pregnancy.
At first I could not understand why I had to be there so early since I would only go to theatre at 9am. But once there, I realise that there were actually quite a bit they had to do. I had such a sweetie nurse that were putting in my drip and the dreaded catheter (it wasn't actually as bad as I thought it would be) Gynae came around to check on me and confirm that I am scheduled for 9 am. Nurses told us I would only be wheeled to theatre by 8h45. By 8 am DH decided to go down to the coffee shop to get him something to drink since he struggled to keep his eyes open, he didn't sleep a wink the night before.
When the porters come to fetch me at 08h20, I first had to phone DH as there was NO WAY I'm going to theatre alone.

As we were waiting next to theatre, the anaesthetist only came around (he also had to do an emergency CS). At this stage I was all sweaty and really anxious. Got wheeled into theatre and they told me how to sit for the spinal. DH could stay, and I am really thankful for that as I was bawling at this stage. No, none of the spinal preps were sore. I was just way, way over emotional. Then they lay me down and I think my shoulders went into spasm. I was so uncomfortable and was swinging my arms the whole time. The anaesthetist tried putting pillows under my shoulders but nothing helped. At one stage he still press on the top part of my tummy and I was sure I could still feel. The next moment he told me that the gynae had cut the cord. So all the time I was trying to adjust and get comfy, they were struggling to get our girl out. All this time DH was snapping away. From the pictures I realise how they struggled to get her out, since she was laying breech.
I just saw her for a brief second before she was taken to the cosy cot for the checks. DH got to hold her and one of the nurses took a picture of the 3 of us. They then took her away to the nursery while doing my tubal ligation and stitching up.
In recovery, the anaesthetist only told me that my blood pressure actually dropped quite a bit during the first part of the procedure, but luckily it didn't give any problems later.
About an hour later I was back n the ward and got to finally hold little Shani. We tried breastfeeding and she latched like a little champ.

Photo taken the night before at 38w2d



About an hour after her arrival.

A few weeks late but here's my birth story!!!

I know some are keen to hear my 'other' story. I will post it when I have some time.

Baby K (Kaylee) was breech from around 20 weeks, and she never changed positions. At around 33 weeks doc suggested we start preparing ourselves for possible c/sec and if no change by 35 weeks that we should put a date down.
No change, and we decided (based on the fact that it was the Friday closest to 38weeks) on 13th August 2010. Superstitions luckily not part of our lives. Doc assured that if she changed before then we could try natural but that was not meant to be.

Story is fairly plain as elective c/sections go.
On 13th August 2010 at 11:30 I was admitted into Panorama Mediclinic. I was 38weeks, 3 days pregnant with Kaylee.
Being Friday 13th, the reception staff all came dressed in black and 'celebrated' between 10:30 & 11:30.
Geoff got the bags from the car and we were taken up to the pre-admissions side of maternity ward.

Once in pre-admissions we waited for the admitting nurse. I got changed into the starch stiff nighty. I managed to forget to take my bra off which made for an interesting attempt of removing it once in theatre!
There were 2 women in the ward with me who were having emergency c's who were 28 and 29 weeks pregnant!
We answered a bunch of questions while waiting for the anaethetist. We were informed that Dr. Rosselli might only get to us at 2:30 rather than 1pm as he had an emergency c/s to do.
By now it was close on 1pm so we prepared ourselves for a wait.
Next thing we hear we're up, right on schedule. It all went so quickly. I was wheeled into theatre waiting room, passing the in-laws and getting MIL to call my mom & make sure she'd get to the waiting area on time.
I still hadnt seen the anaethetist by now, as he was running late. Apparently Friday's are favoured days for elective c/sections!

After what seemed like a long wait, Dr Rosselli & his assistant arrived and wished us well.
I was then taken into theatre while Geoff waited outside so they could do the prep & spinal.
Struggled to get the drip in - as I have very deep veins. Eventually went in at the bend of the elbow (dunno what thats called) - eina! I had heard that doing it at the wrist is less painful than the hand afterwards, so I asked for it not to be in the hand. If I'd known the agony I'd feel of the positional drip I'd much sooner have opted for the hand! Then, post drip in arm, had to get my bra off lol! Oops!
For the spinal, the local anaesthetic burned quite a bit, something like getting a vitamin b shot burns in the ass!
The spinal is hard to explain. I felt a similar burning as local and almost immediately could feel my body going to sleep although
once it was dead I wasnt aware of it.
Dr R, as always a sweetheart, held my hand throughout the process.
Once lying down anaethetist got a cold pack and put it on my leg and asked if I could feel it. Only then was I sure it had worked.
Then the screen went up and they got stuff ready.
Because of the rush I never got to drink my apple juice before hand - still dont know why I needed it - so I mentioned it, and instead thy gave me some awful tasting stuff like bad apple sours. Still dont know what it was for!

Finally Geoff & Paed came in, Dr Vermeulen. Paed handed the camera, and Geoff seated himself next to me and kept his eyes on me. Then apparently they got started.
Geoff refused to look so I had no way of knowing what they were doing. Found it very funny that I wanted to know.
Then some tugging and pulling, and a couple minutes later Geoff tells me he can see blue feet!
Then Dr R shows Kaylee to us above the screen, our beautiful girl!
Doc shows us her girly parts so we are sure its a Kaylee! She's whizzed away to a table behind us for all the checks.
Paed very happy, scored a 9 then a 10.
Then wrapped up and given to us, our beautiful baby girl!

Kaylee Best was born at 14h14 on Friday 13th August 2010, weighing 2.83kgs and 47cm long.

Our first few minutes with her were shared with the family, as it was visiting time when I got wheeled back in, so after latching we had the family come in to meet our little girly.
The experience seems all too surreal now, 3 and a half weeks ago. Cannot believe I carried this beauty for 9 months and she is ours, our little miracle baby!

So i checked in at 4am and they put me on the fetal monitor just to check what baby was up to.

At about ten past six they came with the gels and explained the process, first they insert the gels and wait for a while to see if anything happens

So they inserted told me not to get up for an hour while the pills take and left me and hubby to wait...

an hour later they came in with the fetal monitor again for a half hour, and it showed that even though the gel takes 6-18 hours to take effect I already had strong contractions... i tried to walk through them but it just seemed to be getting too bad... by 10:30am ish hubby went on a mission to get me anything to help coz he could see i was sooo sore and wasn’t getting a gap between the contractions either. they came in and said they could do a pethadine injection now to sedate me a bit and ease the pain and would arrange the anesthetist for when it wore off

I got the injection and they told me to lay down as it would make me drowsy... the contraction i was having eased off and i was sleeping... not just dozing but sleeping... i would surface for the contractions and breath through them and then doze off again. i heard my gynea come in and check on me and tell hubby and the nurses to leave me be for a bit . and then what felt like just after that they were waking me to try put the fetal monitor on me to see how frequent the contractions were... and the nurse went to check how far dilated i was only to accidentally disturb my waters and set off a gush which made them realize i was already in active labour

and the more they told me i needed to stop pushing the harder it got to not push. There was no time for the wheelchair the labour sister just picked me up and half carried me half helped me walk to the delivery room... my doc had just walked in she took one look and baby was crowning

I still asked about the epidural, not because i was in pain but because i thought i would be, neither hubby nor i realised yet how close baby was to out

My Doc just said give me one push and she will be out... so with hubby holding my head and the sister telling me when in the contraction to push i did as instructed... They took me into the delivery room at 10 to one and at five past one baby was born... only two pushes and no epidural.

My doc then started on trying to deliver the placenta, which took longer to come free than the baby, but i was so focused on my beautiful baby girl that i hardly felt anything.

Baby Kaelyn born 26/08/10 3.065kg's and 49cm apgar 9 and then 10. She latched well in the delivery room and has been a blessing to breast feed since

I tore a bit as i was very small down there and labour was so fast, but i still feel very little pain and am only taking the anti inflammatory tabs and not the pain meds.

Hello ladies!!
Well, wouldn't you know, I'm a MOOMIE!!!

Here is my birth story:

On Wed afternoon, went to visit my parents - my dad said I won't last til the weekend but I said D is not coming until Sept - he he he, boy did I jinx it!

At 21h30 on Wed evening I went to the loo and then jumped into bed with DH to watch some tv, but it felt like I was peeing myself, so quickly (and quietly) went back to the loo. There wasn't a gush but a slow and steady trickle for a good 10 mins. I went back to the room and said "I think my water just broke". You should have seen DH's face!!
We calmly packed up all the bags and I even washed my hair. THere was no pain, so we thought we would wait til the morning to see what happens, but I phoned the hospital and the nurse said I must rather come straight in since my water broke before any contractions. So we phoned everyone and eventually wandered into the maternity ward at 23h00. Still no pain. I was booked into a private room and told to stay the night - DH hopped into bed with me and we tried to sleep. Well, with the nerves and that storm(!!!!) we didn't sleep a wink!
My contractions finally started about 05h30 on Thurs morning and were 10mins apart. DH stayed with me the whole day. My gynae said she would only do an internal when my contractions were closer together and stronger since my water broke so early.

At 15h00 my c's were 60secs every 6mins but then I had 1contraction that lasted a full 5mins (!!!!! ) I was in so much pain that the nurse asked me to consider pain relief - to which I said YES!! Went to the labour ward and gynae did an internal - I was only 1cm!!!!! I screamed for an EPI!! Aneas arrived at 17h30 and gave me my epi (went thru a few bad c's while waiting, but used the ball and DH's hands for relief)
At 18h00 aneas left as he had a dinner to go to but he said he was happy with my epi. The next few c's were still bad - I could still feel them but my legs were numb - the nurse said I must just wait for the epi to go up to my stomach (not jsut my legs)
By 19h00 something was def not right - I was still feeling every contraction but my legs were numb so I couldn't even sit up or use the ball to get thru the pain - I was crying and screaming so loud! The nurse tried another aneas who told her to give me some more meds, which just made my vomit badly.
Eventually at 21h00 another aneas arrived with my gynae to give me another epi - he said the first one wasn't in and was actually pouring down my back!!! (DH WAS PISSED!!!!!!)
So there I was, completely numb in my legs, flopped over the side of the bed, vomitting from the meds, feeling every contraction and being told to keep still so the doc could put in another epi! It finally worked at 21h30 (I had such a big smile on face!!) but by that time my gynae said I was 10cm and had to push (so I went thru the entire labour without pain relief!!)
It took about 45mins to push Dakota out, but after 25hours of labour, at 22h15 she was born - DH was so happy he cried
Dakota was 3.23kg, 51cm tall, 32cm head (apgar 9 & 9)
She didn't cry when she came out and wasn't even wrinkled!!
The pics I will attached were taken within 10mins of her birth (she looks a few days old!) She latched immediatley and is feeding perfectly (altho my nipples are abit sore)

We brought her home yesterday afternoon and had our first evening as a family (we both slept in her nursery and took turns getting up)
But she sleeps like an absolute angel and hardly cries!

I'm so happy that I just want to cry, and eat her up, and cry some more!!!