It all seemed so hard to start with, I was not coping well at all, but I know that the classes helped me and helped us in the acceptance of how our baby was going to end up coming into this world.
Our birthing ‘Plan’ was simple. No Pethidine (although this has already been a concern to me as I was quite ill when I had it previously, it was the informative Video on Pethidine and its affects on the baby) and try for a natural drug free birth but to also accept whatever is required to have a healthy baby in our arms. I had a happy, calm and easy pregnancy and expected the birth to go quite the same way. We started out being identified as High Risk due to Age and high blood pressure. The doctor often spoke of inducing due to my blood pressure being raised, however after a few months it settled down and I was taken off the high risk list which was wonderful but the doc kept mentioning induction. I didn’t want this to happen. I had a show on Friday the 4th of June so figured it wasn’t going to be too much longer. On the Saturday 5th of June, my cousin came to dinner and ended up staying with us over night. While preparing dinner on the Saturday night, I felt what I suspected was a contraction. My cousin (who has three of his own) told me to start writing them down and take notice of how often etc, but I knew that it could be a while off yet. Nothing more happened so on Sunday 6th of June we decided we’d attended the Raiders vs Titans NRL Match out at Bruce. I wasn’t feeling great but I didn’t want to disappoint my cousin as he had never been to a live game. As we were walking out the door I said to my Fiance.. Should we pack the hospital bag? He said No we should be fine… famous last words. At the first Try by the raiders I jumped up and screamed YEAH!! and with that… lost control of my bladder, or so I thought! It was only after attending the bathroom many many many MANY times and the painful kicking from the baby (so much so I couldn’t sit still, I had to keep pacing along the back of the stands) that I realised …. Maybe my waters had broken and I was in prelabour!!! So when walking back to the car(after the game, Raiders won by one point :)) I told my fiance that I think I should ring the hospital and see what they thought. After answering a few questions and a quick look at my record we were told to head straight to the hospital. Don’t worry about the bag and get in asap. Unfortunately my waters were dirty and I was GBS Positive. Add to that I was a week overdue, they decided to induce us. I didn’t want this and was a little upset to start with until Ray reminded me that I wanted whatever was needed for a healthy baby.
So labour started at 7.30 that night, fast and furious!! I was expecting 10 min breaks in between as there seems to be for spontaneous labour but no suck luck. I did my breathing, my mediations, listened to my cds. But unfortunately, none of it was working. We (I say we as Ray was as going through this as much as I was) tried hard but after 8 hours I was only 5cms dilated and so I asked the midwife what my options were and we went with an Epidural. At the time we were unaware that she was posterier and we just couldn’t do it any longer, I was exhausted, Ray was exhausted and the epidural gave us a chance to have a couple of hours sleep. By 8.30 am I was 9 cms dilated and they thought that it would be time for me to have a go at delivery but wanted to wait for the head Obs to come and check me first. (He was another hour or so.. His first day on the job, just moved to Canberra and apparently got lost on the way to work! We all know what that is like) So eventually he arrived and did an internal. This was when we first knew that she had turned and was coming at a funny angle. He decided to prep me for a suction/forceps birth but also for possible c/s. On our way to theatre I was singing Katy Perry’s Your Hot and your Cold, it was the last song I heard at the NRL Game and the staff were commenting on how happy we were and how they thought we were the most calm couple they had seen going into theatre! They attempted to turn her around with the suction twice without success and so 10 mins later Amber was born via C/S. She was checked over as her lungs were sticky and they had a little trouble getting her to breathe. We were prepared for her to go to the Nursery but after about 5 mins we had her in our arms, Dad had been with her the whole time and was first to hold her close. Thank you so much for the classes. I believe they helped with my pregnancy and successful if eventful birth. Amber is now 4.5 months old, a gentle soul. I think it all rubbed off on her too!
Michelle, Ray & Amber Rose