Birth Stories

Gemma Willow

EDD: 23 July 2012
Birth date: 14 July 2012
Time: 07h57
Weight: 2.9kg
Length: 50cm

First off, I only discovered I was pregnant with my angel at 18 weeks! So I was devastated at a small age gap, my studies and really stupid minor things.
I knew it was going to be a c-section again so was prepared, my only concern was that I felt my c-sec with my son and that was not normal. So I requested a different aneathetist(sp) and boy Am I glad I did.

The day before Gem was born I decided going to the zoo was a fabulous idea and walking the zoo too....ha ha ha not a good idea at all in hindsight. My hubby and I drove in blackened silence and we admitted recently we were both a bit apprehensive... We arrive at the hospital and everything ran so smoothly.

So I am hooked up to the contraction machine (I dont care what is its really called ) and at the end of it the nurse says oh you are having contractions, um yes I admit since 3am lol my husband just shook his head at me and said you ha ha ha.

So off we go into theatre and all the prepping starts, I had both the spinal block and epidural because of last time....wow such bliss!! I felt absolutely nothing.
As they pull Gem out of me she is so fragile, petite and not crying so that freaks both M and I out, but all is well with my little angel. The only problem is we had to wait for the numbness in my arms to stop so that I could have baby in my arms as we went back to the room (hospital policy).

My little angel was born with two songs in the background, Dr Alban Sing Hallelujah and Gotye Somebody that I used to know.

Such a beautiful experience and she is an absolute ray of sunshine.

I must just say that I felt so much better this time because I understood what was going on with my body thanks to this forum and the way we all share. Reading all of the birth stories really helped me prepare

Leah Katherine
EDD: 16 March 2012
Birth Date: 22 March 2012
Time: 03:35
Weight: 3.16kg
Length:49cm

For the 2 weeks before Leah arrived I experienced so many pre labour and false labour symptoms that I was sure she was going to arrive early. I prepared myself and read everything I could about labour, pain management methods and other birth stories to make sure I was informed (with my 1st LG I knew nothing and wanted to be empowered this time).

Alas each time I went to the gynae he told me my cervix was still SHUT tight. I began to get so discouraged because I really wanted to go into labour naturally and not be induced. I walked like crazy, cleaned the house, did everything possible to bring on labour naturally.

I saw my gynae on the 20th of March and after doing an internal told me that my cervix had still not dialated even a cm I was 40 weeks and 4 days by then and so we decided to schedule an induction for Friday the 23rd of March when I would be 41 weeks.

Wednesday the 21st of March, i decided to clean the house and get everything sorted so that on Thursday I could just rest and get ready for the induction. We went out that afternoon to Milky Lane for a banana split and did some shopping afterwards. By the time we got home I was EXHAUSTED - could barely move which was strange. My LG also became very clingy which is very unlike her. I just vegged out on the couch and watched tv.

At 20:00 I started getting contractions which started in my back and moved to my tummy. I started timing them and they were 5 minutes apart and 30 seconds long. I laughed at myself because I thought I was imagining them just because I wanted a natural labour so much. At 21:30 I went to bed but couldnt sleep because of the contractions. I timed them again and they were the same as before. I decided to bath. During my bath I had my bloody show and then realised this might be the real thing. I got out, got dressed woke my DH up and told him to call the hospital to check if I must come in - They said yes. We then had to call my DH's parents to come and look after our other daughter - luckily they live a few house down

We got to the hospital at just before 24:00 that night. The sister checked me and said I was only 1cm - I was so frustrated cause I thought this was gonna take forever then. I got an enema which was the worst part of it all - I hope I never get one of those ever again
When the sister checked me again I was 3cm so I was dialating fast She broke my waters (there wasnt much) and then left me to walk around and use the birthing ball. The contractions started to get really bad and harder to breathe through. She came to check on me at 2:30am and I was 5cm dialated. she said she would come again at 3:30am. Just after she checked me the contractions got so bad and I was really battling. Didnt think I could do it and really wanted an epidural They were so close together that I was battling to catch my breath. My legs started burning with the contractions and I knew I must be in the transition phase. The sister brough me gas at 3:00 and said I shouldnt be in so much pain she wants to check how far I am.

She checked and I was 10cm but baby was still posterior. Then the panic started to call my dr. so he could get there in time. I suddenly started to get the urge to push with every contraction - It was amazing I couldnt control it even though I tried. My dr still hadnt come and I was so nervous he wasnt there - kept asking the sisters where is he!!!

He finally arrived and just in time. He put on his gloves and told me to start pushing. After 3 pushes (and lots of screaming) her head came out with the cord around her neck so he quickly cut that. Another 3 pushes (and lots of screaming) and she was out. Leah was born at 3:35am just 3 hours after I arrived at the hospital! I cant believe how quickly it happened seeing as I wasnt even 1cm dialated the day before

I can honestly say the pain was INCREDIBLE and I never thought I was gonna make it through it but once she was out it was over. I tore a little bit and had to get stitches - the sister told me later that it was not a bad tear at all. I was up and about at 6:00 that morning and really have recovered so quickly. I went home the next morning (the day I was supposed to be induced).

In the end Leah decided to choose the day she was born and I got what I had prayed for - a completely natural, with no pain meds birth.
My dr. was also amazing and just knew it would go quickly so told the nurses not to give the pethidine that they wanted to. The sisters were great and encouraged me through it the whole time. My dr. and the sisters laughed at me afterwards for apologising for the screaming - they said they used to it. Hopefully I didnt wake any of the other new moms

Upon arrival at the hospital ciska already had the bath running. She did an internal, and i was 8 cm. (i'd decided on the way in that i'd ask for an epidural if i wasnt 5 cm or more! Not sure how many anethetists hang around at 9:30 at night though)

I think i had about another 10 or so contractions in the bath over the next 30 minutes. Ciska broke my waters and the last contraction was so soreiwanted to die. And i just couldnt believei'd forgotten that pain from my first. It was likebeing tortured by sadam hussein, escaping and then two years laterarriving back at his door asking for more. How had i willingly allowed this to happen again?

Thankfully that pain was short lived. I now had the urge to push. Somehow managed to get out of the bath and up on to the bed. The first push and i already felt him near crowning. The second and he was... Here i obeyed every word from ciska. Push a little, stop, little more, stop etc (all to stop me tearing- scan had prognosed a 4.25 kg baby!). onefinal push and the head was out. Yipee! Cord around the neck carefully moved. One more push and little 3.63 kg Oscar was born. No tearing! 45 mins after arriving at hospital, 2 hours 15 mins after first contraction.

Cant describe the utter relief that it was all over.

i have to give so much credit to ciska, my midwife. Her calm way and support and encouragement made all the difference. And to my husband too, who overcame his own fear to be with me when it really counts.

Now i sit with my newborn on my lap and think that if we did have a third (highly unlikely) i'd chose to do it in exactly the same way.

Oscar's arrival
Due date: 25 feb 2012
Birthday : 5 march 2012
Weight: 3.63 kg

Second babies are supposed to arrive early, or so its generally thought. Little Oscar had other ideas. With each passing day I felt heavier and heavier, got less and less sleep... Eventually the discomfort over-ruled the fear of labour... I just wanted it all done!

The Friday after due date had come and gone (40+6) I took myself off to vincent pallotti for a scan to make sure it was safe to go through the weekend. They measured the amniotic fluid level (fine) andthe fetal heart rate and blood flow through the placenta and cord (also fine). Apparently little Oscar was perfectly comfy and happy in there. A little too happy! The weekend came and went and still no baby. Several curries andcups of rasperyleaf tea later (and as much walking as i could manage-not a lot!) and i was back at the midwives on monday.

Taking a step back, i think the most important thing i did in my whole pregnancy- (as it was with my first born), was to hire a private midwife team (ciska and glynnis from birth options, cape town). The level of care and support from them cant be matched. No question is too small, or worry unimportant...

Anyway, on monday ciska did a second membrane sweep and fetal heart rate monitoring at the hospital. I was booked in for an induction tuesday midnight if nothing had happened by then. Im a bit of a pain wimp, so was very afraid of an induction.
Finally, Monday night 8pm as i was putting my eldest to bed he gave tge first sign that he was ready to be born. I got in the bath and whilst laying there felt three fairly painful contractions. They felt similar to the end of labour with first born, so I was hoping that this one would come quickly. I got out, listened to my husband natter on about where the linen had been put etc, when i broke the news that this was it. Oh my word, the look on his facewas priceless. He lost all colour and then started dashing around organising... Car, bags, etc. I called my mom to come around and look after our boy, called ciska and arranged to meet her at the hospital at 9:30 pm. (after assuring her that no, these werent the kind of contractions you could sleep through)

.... (part 2 below)

I am so glad your wait is over and you are able to hold
your precious princess Angi*.

Well Done.

Name: Izelle Anoushka
EDD: 11 March 2012
Birth date: 23 Feb 2012
Time: 13:11
Weight: 2.86kgs
Length: 51cm's

I was 37 weeks pregnant when Monday morning I noticed fluids kept dripping, me in a frenzy goes to my gynea thinking my waters have started to break, imagine my disappointment when we discovered Izelle has made very comfy on my bladder, so off home we go...Thursday morning 23 Feb at 4am I start getting contraction pains it wasn't to bad and managed to breath through them, I tried to get some sleep again but bout 30min later a bad contraction made me jump out of bed...feeling the need to go to the loo once again I discovered my mucus plug has started to come out, with that sight I yelled poor Riaan awake who at 1st didn't believe me until he say it himself and started to time the pains...the pains were erratic at 1st starting off at 4 min then sommer 5 min apart some even 10 min apart, I read warm water helps with pain so into the bath I went and it didn't even help, it was a hugh battle to get out the bath with the pains coming and going...riaan tried phoning my gynea office just after 7am but they were still closed and only open at 8am...after a battle I finally managed to get dressed and pack the remainder of the things needed for hospital, we left for gynea office and it felt forever before we got there, got the office and was hooked up on machines which indicated I was indeed in labour. Gynea arrived and did internal which showed I wasn't dilating, was told to go to maternity ward, so off we went, got to maternity and got settled, a drip was inserted and meds to stop contractions, was given an injection for pain that burns like hell for the pain but all it did was make me drowsy, the nurse then inserted the catheter and it was so uncomfy, I was put on the waiting list for theatre and was fetched just after 12pm, in theatre I was given my spinal block and waited for gynea...Riaan was more than ready with camera intact to finally meet his little girl, the c-section was started and after some pulling (izelle was stuck) and tugging Izelle made her entrance into the world weighing 2.86kgs and 51cms in length, to hear my little girl cry was the most beautiful sound in the world to me, we waited 3 long heartbreaking years to finally hold her, she was placed on my chest and I just couldn't stop kissing her I didn't want her to go away...
After the necessary checks were done, Riaan and Izelle made their way to the nursery while I was being stitched up and taken to recovery for few minutes, all I wanted to do was get back to the ward and hold and try to latch my princess, it felt like eternity before I was wheeled back to the ward, on the way we passed the nursery and there sat the 2 most important people in my life, Riaan staring at Izelle with a hugh grin on his face, will never forget it he is such a proud daddy...he finally brought her to me and I tried to latch her and she couldn't I was so heartbroken but was not going to give up, we got nipple shields and it did the trick...
Izelle is such an angel and a hugh blessing in our lives I can't stop thanking the Lord for sending us His precious angel. We were sent home after 2 night and am enjoying every minute of being a mommy, all the sleepless nights are worth it...