I know I gave it my all, and feel completely "guilt-free" about my caesarean birth.

Announcing the arrival of Franklin "Frankie" Matthew Jones

Frankie arrived a few days short of this 40-week gestation.

Due 4.3.23 Born 1.3.23 at 00:57 weighing 4.1kg and length 51cm after 28hrs of active labor

Hi Debra, thanks for your Hypnobirthing Australia course in Bendigo.

Here’s my birth story: 

My Hind-Waters broke at home on the 27th. We headed into hospital at 1am on the 28th. I didn't want to know my dilation in case it was a low number and knowing this stalled my labor. In actual fact, I found out later I was 6cm when I arrived. In hindsight, I wish I had asked, and been told now. Knowing I was in active labour might have motivated me!

I was in the shower from 1am to 5am.

Around 5am I asked for the gas. The midwife brought in the portable Nitrous Machine for me. It felt like I was sucking through a straw. I couldn’t use my Hypnobirthing Breathing and it was really hard. Later I found it wasn't working properly.

By 9am I felt like I needed to have a lay down on the bed. The gas, piped through the wall worked! 

So, in hindsight, I was not really using gas from 5am-9am. I was thinking "this does nothing!" But I didn’t know better to ask for it to be checked.

At midday I had my cervix checked again, they said I hadn't progressed, I was still 6cm dilated. The forewaters were intact, so they broke them. After this artificial breaking of the membrane, the surges ramped up. Lots of “butt” pressure.  I later found out this was because bub was posterior. At this point the pain got too much for me. I asked for an epidural. The epidural was in and working by 1:45pm.

The epidural was such a relief. I was tired, and exhausted. With the epidural taking away the sensations of labour, it gave me a chance to nap. At this stage I didn’t need the synthetic oxytocin drip as my body and my natural oxytocin was still producing it's own strong surges. 

They checked my cervix a few more times over the next few hours and I wasn't dilating any further.  They gave me a small amount of syntocinon through the drip, I got to 9cm by 8pm. But when they checked at 10pm I was still 9cm. Bub’s head was developing “caput” which is a type of swelling from not being properly lined up to fit out, so they recommended a caesarean section. I was starting to feel the butt pressure again. I had an involuntary urge to bear down, and my body kept pushing on it own. By this stage I was feeling like I wanted a caesarean birth asap.

Unfortunately, the maternity ward was so busy and another woman was more in urgent need of a caesarean before me, so I was waiting for 2 hrs. I was in quite a bit of pain as the epidural was wearing off.

We finally got to theatre after midnight and Frankie was born at 12:57.

He latched instantly. He is so calm and loves staring at everyone.

The lump on his head from the last few hours of pushing against the 9cm cervix disappeared within a day.

Deb,

Thank-You for your course, and for teaching Josh how to be an amazing support person. The midwives were very impressed with him. The breathing and acupressure points were super helpful.

I also feel completely guilt free about the outcome of my birth. I know I gave it everything I had, probably more, and chose the right path to keep bub and I safe.