Birth Stories

Awesome stories everyone.

Tanasha special mention goes to you. Love your honesty!!!! I had a seriously good laugh now and I hope you phone the receptionist on Monday to find out what size shoe he wears!

Esmé
Born: 2 August 2011 at 22.36
Due date: 30 July 2011
Weight: 3260 gram

I was scheduled to be induced on Saturday 30 July due to high blood pressure and expecting a 4.5kg baby. We arrive in the hospital and they check my cervix but it was still completely closed, so I got a strecth and sweep and they sent me home hoping i would go into natural labour.

By Tuesday I was only 1 cm dialated, so they inserted gel at 9am and at 2pm my waters broke and I was 3 cm, it was meconium so they had to keep an extra eye on Esmé and she was not engaged yet so I was not allowed to walk around, I had to stay flat on my back on the bed which was horribile!I then got pitocin to get my contractions going. They started and I was thing "hey this is not that bad", but then suddenly the contarctions started coming every 2 mins and lasted more than a minute, I was exhausted and have never felt so much pain in my life!

My plan was to have a drug free birth but I just could not keep up and asked for an epidural. I got sent to the theatre and the 1st try only the one half of my body got numbed. They said they would take it out and try again, so after they took it out they tried 3 times again but each time the needle hit a vein and they couldnt get it into my spine. So I was sent back to the labour ward with no epidural and contractions still coming every 2 mins.

When I got back to the labour ward they checked me and I was 6 cm, I thought I was going to die because I still had such a long way to go! After a few mins, my stomach started forcing itself down- or at least thats what it felt like to me, and I got the urge to push, the gynea didnt believe me, but finally after screaming for 15 mins that i need to push he checked and I was 9 cm!

Esmé's heartrate started dropping with every contaction then, so we needed to get her out soon. After pushing for 1.5 hours the gynea used the vacuum pump and she was finally born at 22.36.

I had an episiotomy and a 3rd degree tear, so my ladybits are in pain, but how cliche this must sound it is all so worth it

Oh and I am very embarrassed to admit that i pooed, and with that all over the gynea's shoes But afterwards he joked about it and said i owe him new shoes.

I am defnenitly not having sex any time soon, nr 1 because i dont think down there will ever be able to handle it again and nr 2 I am too terrified of falling pregnant ever again because at this moment I dont want to do any of this ever again!

Hi there ladies

Here is my birth story - the most amazing day of my life so far!!

I had a tough time during pregnancy deciding between ceaser and natural. Eventually due to some possible complications decided on a ceaser. So my date was booked for 28 July at 14:00 in the afternoon.

Got up the morning of 28 July, made sure I had everything in my bag I needed, took a long shower etc. So we left our home at 11h45, had to be at hospital at 12h00, Fourways Life being my birth hospital of choice.

As we arrived we booked in and DH and I went to the maternity ward. Arriving there my room was already ready and waiting, I had a private room which was absolutely amazing for me!! Nurses came in and explained a few things, got dressed in that ugly theatre robe and DH and I continued to chat. At about 1h30, the head nurse of theatre came into my room and said to me they'll wheel me in at about 1h50. She asked if I knew what's going to happen to me. I said yes but I'm still not 100% sure so she explained it step by step what they are going to do, when they'll be inserting catheter, what I'll feel and won't feel, that I need to tell them if I'm nauseus when they do spinal as my bp might drop, what the paed and anithetist will be doing etc. The anethetist came in after her and asked a few questions and then I was ready to be wheeled off.

I was lying in the "waiting room" in my bed and my DH was taken away to put on his scrubs. When he came back they wheeled me into the theatre. I was introduced to everyone in there and anethetist started to insert drip in my hand. He first tried the wrist and the fluid went straight into the skin (I do have very deep veins, they always struggle to find the right one!). He then redid it and put it into my hand. It was not as sore as I expected, everyone told me beforehand it's going to be sore! Anyway I as then told to hold the pillow and DH stood in front of me and I held onto him and the anethetist started with the spinal. He had to do it 3 times as my ligaments in my back was very tight (probably stress lol). Anyway, he did a brilliant job as it didn't hurt, I only felt a bit light headed at the second prick but that was it. It took about 5 minutes to work, they checked if I could feel any temparature and I couldn't and then my doc came in. They put up some nice classical music for me (which I didn't even notice until his assistant told me they put up music for me).. Dh was right next to me and he was holding the video camera. My doc's assistant was talking to me throughout and the anethetist also kept checking if I'm doing ok. My doc then told me to look at my toes and I saw my beautiful baby boy's head!!! Cameron was born at 14h14, 56cm and 3.85kg. It was absolutely amazing and from there on I was focused on him! And offcourse the floodgates opened! They pulled him out and showed him to me and they took him behind me to get cleaned and DH was watching him. He screamed and screamed and the doctors commented on how loud he is lol - he was not happy at all!! My DH was so overwhelmed he completely forgot to capture the weighing etc on video lol. My boy scored 10/10 for all three apgar tests and my doc then ordered them to give Cameron to me! As soon as he layed on my chest he was quiet. It was the most amazing feeling ever.

I was closed up while Cameron was lying on my chest the entire time, I was then wheeled off to recovery and DH and I spent about 15minutes there. I also started breastfeeding in recovery.

When I got back to my room they had a fruit plate ready for me full of grapes and strawberries and an apple and I was offered some tea.

The nurses came in and out to check that my uterus is still contracting and they checked my BP. All the time Cameron was with me in the room. DH, Cameron and I spent the rest of the afternoon together. They gave me dinner at about 18h00 and at 19h00 I had the feeling back in my legs and I could feel I had a bit of pain. They gave me pain meds and at 21h30 DH helped me to get up. I walked to the bathroom slowly, felt lightheaded and he took me back to bed. The nurse came in, I told her I walked and she removed catheter. I got up again at 22h00 and I was ok from there. Cameron was with me the entire evening and never left my side (only when they tested his glucose the next morning).

Doctor came to check on me next morning and told me if paed is happy with Cameron I can go home a day early if I want as they're happy with my recovery and progress. Saturday morning 30 July DH and I brought home our most precious gift God could ever give us and I've been completely in love from there on!

Thinking back now I had an amazing birth experience and having a wonderful team of professionals in theathre with me and an amazing hospital helped tremendously! I wouldn't change a thing. My recovery has gone very well and I'm not at all as sore as I expected. The only pain that was horrible to me was that some gas got trapped in my intestines when they stitched me up so my shoulder and back was really really sore the next morning (same pain as the pain from a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy).

Stunning story!!

Ryan Andrew Wallace
Due Date: 22 April 2011, Good Friday
Date of Birth: Tuesday 26 April 2011
Birth Weight: 4.355 kg
Height 54cm
AGPAR: 1 minute: 9 / 10 , 5 minutes: 10 / 10

Baby Ryan was due on Good Friday and we were really hoping for an Easter Weekend baby, but Ryan had other Ideas!

I had my last Gynae appointment on 21 April. Was hoping for the news that Ryan had dropped or that I was maybe 1cm dilated but no such luck! The Gynae told us that the baby (at this time we did not know the sex as we were keeping it a surprise) was weighing anywhere between 3.8 – 4kg although it could be out by 20%. He reckoned that baby was coming no time soon. This is not what I wanted to hear as I had waited so long for the arrival! Throughout my pregnancy I was hoping for a natural birth and no pain killers. The Gynae said that due to the size of baby he would not tale me past one week due date….so at least we had some light at the end of the tunnel. He said that if I did not go into labour naturally by the following Wednesday (5 days past due date) he would either induce or I could elect to have a caesarean. He told us to think about it over the Easter Weekend and said that if I decided to have a caesarean that I had the choice of having it either on Tuesday 26 April or Thursday 27 April.

After getting home and discussing all the options with Andrew we decided that if baby did not make his own way into the world over the Easter weekend we would opt for the Tuesday elective caesarean. There were many reasons why we chose this option, but the main reasons were that there was also the option that any natural labour would turn into an emergency caesarean due to the fact that I had shattered my pelvis at 21 and could not give birth naturally (gynae had said we would only find this out if I went into labour). My sister was also in the country at the time (she lives in Dublin) and was flying out at the end of the week so I wanted her to be able to see and spend a little time with baby. And lastly I was a little worried about pushing out such a huge baby! I am happy with the fact that throughout my pregnancy I had wanted a natural, but in the end it just seemed that the caesarean was the way to go. Lastly Andrew, although happy with my choice of natural, could never understand why I wanted to put myself through that and I think deep down he always wanted me to have a caesarean where he did not have to “see his wife in pain”! And looking back now I am so glad that I made the decision that I did! The gynae was very supportive in the entire decision making and did not “force” or “talk me in to the caesarean”.

Needless to say the Easter weekend dragged along so slowly….I must have been the only one who wanted it to fly by so quickly!

Tuesday morning 8am….still no sign of baby. I called the Gynae to tell him that we had decided on a Caesarean for that day. Was told to be at the hospital at 11.30am. All of a sudden after 9 months (Well actually about 20 years) of waiting to finally have the baby I have always dreamed of I was going to be in hospital in 3 hours! I jumped into the shower to do the cleanest scrub down and wash ever along with a hair wash. Andrew was very calm and was playing in the x box. Typically me while in the shower I started to go into panic mode that the hospital bags I had packed and re packed about 30 times did not contain all they needed. I was worried my nursery did not have everything I needed (although it had been fully ready for ages!). Think I was just excited and for the first time just a little nervous that the day had come.

At 10.30 we were restless in the house and all ready to leave (hospital is only 5 minute drive from home). We decided to pop into the shops (we wanted to buy a newspaper to give to baby on his / her 18th birthday from the day they were born). So we popped into the shops (again I stocked up on muffins and all yummy goodies from woollies just in case I got hungry at hospital) and at last we walked in to the hospital at 10.15am.

After checking in a porter came to collect us and take us to the Maternity Ward. I looked outside and remember thinking the next time I see day light I will be a mommy! Once in the ward I was given loads of forms to fill out and told that I would go into theatre at 2.15pm. I decided not to put in that sexy theatre gown quite yet! All the nursing staff were absolutely fantastic. The anaesthetist popped in to introduce herself and have a chat. She was really lovely and put me completely at ease. At about 1pm I put on my sexy gown and Andrew and I had a little photo shoot. I felt like that Queen song “fat bottom girls!”. And so I was ready. I think this is where all of a sudden I really felt “this is it”. I was not nervous at all….just completely excited that I was about to make our family 3! Andrew was working his way through the snack bag (unfortunately not me…..and I was starving!) and saying he bets that there is no way they will come at 2.15 for me and we will probably only go into theatre a lot later. Just after he said that that the theatre Nurse arrived with a porter to say that they were taking us in! I liked the fact that it was only 1.50 as it ment that I did not have to go through that last half an hour of nerves and excitement! And so I was been wheeled through the hospital to theatre. And next thing those big double door theatre doors were in front of me! I was now feeling nothing but excitement! Andrew was snapping away and I felt famous! They “put me” in the “waiting area” and took Andrew off to get scrubbed up. I heard in one of the theatres a baby crying and a nurse told me that that was the girl who was booked before me and that my gynae had just delivered her big baby at 4.2kg. I was thinking shame…that’s huge…well rather her than me! This part of waiting felt like forever, even though it was only 5 minutes. I felt baby kick for the last time just as my Andrew arrived back in his Mcdreamy scrubs! And then they wheeled me into theater.

The anaesthetist was there and did the spinal block which I could not believe was painful at all (just like an injection at the dentist). It felt so strange as starting at my toes and working its way up my legs I was losing my feeling. I did not feel out of control hocked up to all the machines and drips etc and was completely relaxed and talkative. The antitheists could not believe how calm I was! I was just joking about with her and Andrew and chatting about all sorts. After about 5 minutes my Gymea arrived with his assistant. I remember seen his white Wellington boots and thinking how funny he looks like he works in a dairy! He was his usual jovial self joking about. They moved up the little “wall” so I could not see what was going and then I felt this is really it! I could not believe how fast it all went. I remember looking at Andrew and it was so funny he looked completely gob smaked! His mouth was just hanging open. I asked him what was wrong and he just told me it was the most increasable think to watch. I have never seen him so fascinated and gripped by something before! It was too funny watching his face (the only think I had to watch really). Then he asked the doctor “what is all that yellow stuff”? LOL….its all my adipose tissue I tell him. I thought this a good time to tell the doc that while he was down there I do not mind if he removes some of that as well. He said that he did not put it there, so he is not taking it away! Then he stopped and turned to DH and said “in fact I did not put the baby in here so you better come get it out!”. I just love his sense of humour! Anyway so how did it all feel? Of cors could feel no pain! I could feel “tugging and pulling” but not in a sore way at all. And then all of a sudden I heard my baby cry! I could not believe how quick it all went! They held him up fro me to see and for the first time I saw my beautiful baby boy!!! Typical me, my eyes just swelled up with tears. Andrew went of with baby and they were back within what felt like 2 minutes. My perfect angel was put on my chest where he just lay so quietly and holding my finger. I could not see his face but did not want to move him and we just lay there both completely naked and bonding while they stitched me up. Once again I could not believe how quickly it went! I could not believe that Ryan was 4.355kg and lying there with him on my chest I just knew that I had made the right decision having a caesarean and that I was just so glad that neither of us had been through any kind of stress during his birth. Andrew was taking pics with his BB and then they wheeled me out to recovery.

We spent about 30 – 45 minutes (I think) in the recovery section. A nurse was checking my BP every 5 minutes I think…I cant really remember…..all I was doing was loving my baby on my chest and been able to look into his big beautiful blue eyes at last! I remember Andrew calling my mom to tell her the news and telling me our pics was already world wide on facebook and BBM. Our family was at last complete!

I really can’t think of anything negative about the day and honestly would not change anything. It has now been a week since Ryan entered our lives and I just love him more and more everyday. Motherhood is such a precious wonderful thing and I am just so happy and feel so privileged to at last be part of the group!

Be warned – Long birth story for a short labour. I love detail…

Name: Cherise Cecilia Engelbrecht
Date and time of birth: 2011-04-20, 9:50
Type of delivery: Normal vaginal delivery
Weight: 3.375kg
Length: 51cm
Head circumference: 30 cm
Gestational age: 38 weeks

So, this little one would not be early like her brother and I had to come to terms with that as I assumed I will meet my little angel sooner. I did, however, not believe my very experienced gynae, LOL. I still thought she would be here early and my bags were packed by 32 weeks. Between the 36 and 37 week visits to my gynae, my LG dropped and her head was engaged. I thought that this was a good sign that things would start to happen soon. With the (almost) 37 week check up, my gynae commented that the amniotic fluid was much less than the previous week and she asked whether I have experienced any fluid leaking, which I never did. She suggested that we wait a week, do the (almost) 38 week check up before making a final decision, but book for an induction at 38 weeks in any case.

At the 38 week visit, it was clear that the amniotic fluid was not getting more and that we would have to do the induction the next day. I had been trying all the natural induction methods that I could for the week leading up to the 38 week visit, but nothing worked. I have heard so many horror stories of inductions leading to hours and hours of pain and the eventually ending up in emergency Caesarian sections and I wanted to avoid that. Baby weighed 3.5kg according to the sonar and with the internal examination the gynae could feel her head. She also said that my cervix was thinning nicely and was definitely favourable for a successful induction. I was also 2cm diluted, but I knew that didn’t really mean anything. I asked her about the horror stories and she told me with the head engaged and the favourable cervix we can expect a successful induction. When she confirmed the booking with the hospital, she told the sister that it will be a fast birth. I tried very hard to believe her… (With my son, my first child, my water broke and 6 hours later he was born, so the chances of a short labour were good, theoretically). She asked me about pain relief and I told her I would be open for it, but would try without it first. She said it would be fine to make that decision later on as she would be in theatre that morning and the anesthetist would be close if I needed him.

My parents slept at our house the night before the induction to look after my son and we went to bed late, after 10. I woke up at 3 and could not sleep any longer. Got up at 4 and booked in just after 5 at the hospital. The first internal only revealed the same as the previous day, still only 2cm diluted. Got the enema… And could barely make the 5 minute waiting time . It worked like a bomb, excuse the pun. Somewhere before or after the enema I got breakfast. Lovely sweet corn fritter with smoked salmon and scrambled egg with chives on top. The induction gel was inserted at 6:10 and at 6:15 I felt the first faint contractions. Now I really can’t remember the detail, but I would say the first 30 minutes of contractions were really mild. The next internal revealed 4 cm. Now I think it was after this that the gynae popped in and ruptured the membranes and wham, the real pain started. The sister went to eat breakfast and left me and DH alone. She gave me the gas to use when the pain got bad. I was starting to dread the contractions as they really got bad soon after she left. But I felt like a champion at the end of each one that drew a nice high peak on the graph and sometimes I was disappointed that the peak was lower when the pain felt just as bad as the higher peaked ones. The gas did nothing but make me feel light headed after each contraction was over. Maybe it did make me feel as if I’m ready for the next contraction as it does give you a euphoric feeling. DH chose to make jokes at this stage and I think it was actually a good thing. Some feel good hormones couldn’t do any harm. While the sister was still having her breakfast I started feeling nauseous and rang the bell for her to bring me something to vomit into. DH grabbed the plastic lined dustbin and thank goodness he did, because when the sister ran in still chewing her toast, I had disposed of my lovely breakfast already … I was shivering like you do after such a violent vomit session and really felt crap.

She did another internal (after swallowing the toast) which showed that I was 8cm diluted (4 to 8cm in the time it takes to eat breakfast, LOL) and at this stage I knew it was too late for pain relief. And it was also at this stage that I wished I had asked for it earlier on… The pain was definitely more now that it was with my son just before I got my spinal. The sister also said that she would not suggest pain relief if the chances are good for a short labour, so I did feel better about my decision after all. Now from 8cm things really happened fast. Not long after the internal I told the sister that the pain was getting unmanageable and shortly after that she asked me if I was pushing, which I wasn’t, but would have loved to do. So she told me to lie on my side and do everything to stop pushing as she is going to call the gynae. It was before she could call the gynae, while lying on my side that I wished the enema had worked even better than a bomb, because obviously it didn’t get rid of all that could get out … What can I say, nothing dignified about giving birth... I was cleaned and the linen saver was replaced. The gynae came running in with her scrubs still on (she had just finished a hysterectomy). She announced that I was 10cm dilated and had to start with the pushing with the next contraction. And it was here that I realized that just when you think the pain can’t get any worse, it does. At least, unlike with my son’s birth, I could push correctly as I had feeling in my lower body. I think it took about 4 or 5 contractions for me to get the head out. After her head was out I thought the hardest part was over, but the shoulders were just as damn painful as the head. But then she was there and I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the pain that I had to endure. It was at this stage that they told DH that he can sit down if he doesn’t feel well, LOL. He said he was OK, but he declined the offer to cut the umbilical cord. Somewhere along the line I got an episiotomy, but didn't feel a thing of course.

The placenta was giving the gynae (and me) some problems and it took quite some time and effort to get it out in tact. Gentle pulling on the umbilical cord did nothing to get it moving. When it finally got out my poor gynae was showered in a spectacular fashion with blood. It was a good thing she had her scrubs on, because she usually wears her ordinary clothes with natural births.

So, my gynae was right about 2 things: that the induction would be successful and that it would be a short birth. I think the sister didn’t really believe her, LOL. She was really in a bit of a flat spin when she realized shortly after the 8cm internal that she had to get the gynae there immediately. She later commented to the gynae that my cervix wasn’t even paper thin and that she thought she would have to do a bit of stretching of the cervix (or whatever) to help along the process. Cherise was born 3 hours and 40 minutes after the induction gel was inserted. Of this time I would say that the unmanageable pain was experienced for 30-45 minutes, although it felt like hours and hours. After the birth I told a friend that one day when she has to give birth, she must go a while without pain relief to at least experience some pain, and then ask for the epidural, because it’s not like you get a T-shirt for your effort afterwards. For such a short labour it was the better thing to do, so I am happy with my decision to go Amazon woman.

Cherise being weighed:


1 Week old:

Rowan Mark
Birth date: 20/04/2011
C Section
3.18kg 39weeks
23h05pm

Wow where to begin... so DH and I decide to go do the romantic last supper thinking our planned c-section for the next day was still happening, about half way through I tell DH that something feels wrong... so we cut our date short, go home, finish packing my bags and go to the hospital.

Good decision... when we get there the Non stress test shows Rowan's heartbeat is very erratic anything from 115 up to 165.. My DH leaves the room and comes back and says I hope you are ready for this coz you are booked in for 22h30 surgery - um what??? I stressed out at this point because DH was sent to reception to complete some forms so I am left alone and scared. I shook so badly that the first needle misses my vein. The midwife and I chat (well she talks at me) and I calms down enough (by visualising) to get my drip inserted. Then the next bit is a bit blurry.. I am prepped and sent off to surgery.

The next thing I remember is the doctor saying to DH that the cord was around his neck and then a little pair of lungs wailing and this is it I am a mommy!!

For some a c-section may be a bit clinical but for us we had Elvis Blue playing Lighthouse while our long anticipated was born – you have to make a decision for it to be magical for you. Now when I hear the song it tugs at my heartstrings that little bit more