When kali met eliza
Content warning: This birth story includes themes of fetal distress and emergency response.
On the 30th of December 2022 I presented to MAU at 38 weeks because of reduced fetal movement. I was doing everything I could like nudging her, doing star jumps and drinking icy cold water. She was an active baby but would not move so I thought something was up.
I got a bedside ultrasound and a CTG and her heart rate was fine but she didn’t seem to move much from the ultrasound. They told me to head home and come straight back if I needed.
I went back again the next day at 7am, I woke at 5am and I just knew something was wrong. The midwives then asked if I wanted to get induced and I agreed to it. On the 31st of December I was induced via the balloon method which only dilated my cervix 1cm in 24 hours.
The next night on the 1st of Jan the midwives took out the balloon and then tried the oxytocin tape. The next day on the 2nd of Jan, in the morning my mucus plug came out and they removed the tape. I was experiencing some lighter contractions but they were irregular. I went on to have a normal day in the hospital while experiencing a contraction every 5-10 minutes. I then went back to the prenatal ward and they asked if I wanted my waters broken in the birthing suite. I agreed and my partner and I were taken up. They broke my waters around 9pm and that’s when it got serious.
My contractions started half an hour later around 9:30pm. I got my partner to call my mum and she came to hospital. I was experiencing contractions in my back only because my babies head was posterior. Sometime through this all my babies heart rate dropped from 120bpm to then 100, 70, 50, 20 and it was gone. It was very traumatic for myself but also my partner and my mother.
I remember looking at all the doctors standing around my bed telling me to move from side to side while laying down. They then somehow managed to manoeuvre my baby and they placed the internal monitor clip on my babies head and her rate started to go back up again and then remained at 120bpm for the rest of my labour.
This wasn’t my only problem though, at 8cm dilated one side of my cervix was swollen and I was told as hard as it is try not to push because it could create some internal bleeding and issues. My midwife asked if I wanted an epidural because this would help with the swelling and I was happy with anything at this rate, I just wanted this baby out!
The anaesthetist came in and a 3rd time lucky we got the epidural in and working. It kicked in around 8:30am on the 3rd of Jan, I was then told to relax because I had some pushing to do. I then started pushing around 10am and pushed till 12:49pm, with the help of an episiotomy my precious daughter was born.
When she came out the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice and I remember crying, saying “why isn’t my daughter crying yet?” With some rubs she started to cry, it was the biggest relief.
She was a tiny tot only weighing 2.5kgs but I instantly fell in-love. I then went on to spend 2 more days in the postnatal ward with my beautiful baby and partner and we were sent home on the 5th of Jan.
I am so grateful for my partner’s love and support throughout the whole hospital stay and so grateful for my beautiful mother who stayed with us both while I was in active labour until I gave birth.
What do you wish you knew before birth?
I wasn’t really planning or expecting any particular birth in which I wanted, which was good but just to be somewhat ready for the unexpected, it may not happen but it could. You honestly never know what could happen, whether it be smooth sailing or complicated.
If you could, would you do anything differently?
I am pregnant with my second now and I’m due in July and one thing I’d like to do differently this time around is maybe try understand the rhythm of my contractions and try to focus on my body more so than the pain.
What did your partner do that really helped during labour/birth?
Hot showers! I loved the hot water on my back while my partner would massage my back at the same time. That definitely was a need!
What advice/honest truth would give a mama-to-be about birth?
My advice would be don’t expect a certain labour/birthing experience, whether it be good or bad. Just go in as a blank canvas and let your birth take you! I think birth is an amazing, beautiful thing that our bodies do, it literally is superhuman. Remember you’ve got this Mama!