Birth Story from Midwife Jade - Welcome Baby Henry!

12/01/2023 Amy Watson

Birth is raw, honest, primal and ever so rewarding!

I had a stretch and sweep at 38+6 and was 3-4cm/fully effaced and then swore I was going to get into labour that day but alas it all fizzled out despite all efforts to get into labour for the ongoing days!

Then I had slightly reduced baby movements on the Saturday night and honestly I’d mostly got into my head about it and they were normal by the time I got there for a CTG. But we actually picked up a fetal arrhythmia that had decided to start sometime between Tuesday and Saturday. So I was like that’s weird. Went back for a repeat CTG on the Sunday and had my OB do a scan to check for anything sinister.

I had quite the breakdown Sunday and was pretty upset as it changed my plans for labour, now needing monitoring etc couldn’t have a water birth, no 6 hour discharge, induction of labour recommended by the end of the week. So took Sunday night/Monday to come to terms with it all and was prepared for whatever my appointment brought Tuesday.

Woke up Tuesday morning and had quite the bloody show, little bit of fresh bleeding but it stopped so I let it slide.

Then I had the urge to clean the house and started getting a little bothered but tightenings but I wasn’t trusting a thing because I’d been almost doing things all week. Anyway we packed the car up in case the arrhythmia was worse and had to go for a CTG monitoring or need an induction then.

Went to my appointment at 2pm, where I didn’t want to sit down, I was having about 2-4 minutely by this point but still just mild. Had a scan and baby’s heart was stable but the ectopic beats still present. So had a vaginal examination and was 4-5cm dilated and fully effaced.

My obstetrician was like you can go to the hospital, you can hang around a bit or I’m happy for you to go home. I was super keen to go home. I popped the tens on when we got to the car. We got home, set up our space and was in established labour late afternoon around 4pm, I was having 4 contractions in 10 minutes and using the tens and shower (but not both at the same time). At 7pm my friend Alicia came over and I was ready to go into hospital by then and also wanted to check on baby.

We arrived at 7:30pm, had CTG monitoring and a vaginal examine to see where I was at….I was unchanged, still 4-5cm dilated! I got caught up in my midwife head for a minute but was able to bring it back. I decided I wanted my waters broken because I was having such good contractions. I knew baby was in a good position and thought there was no reason not to be progressing (dilating) well. I had my waters break at 8pm, my waters were clear in colour. After this, I started on some gas.

Jesse (partner) said I stood up and I said ‘that’s it’s I’m done, I’m going’ and tried to walk out the door. I don’t remember a lot from here, it just flashes in and out. The pain now was soooo intense and I was having 5 contractions in 10 minutes, feeling like I was not getting any break. My obstetrician came in and saw me, I asked for another vaginal exam at 9:30pm because I was thinking I might need more pain relief. I was 7cm dilated, and baby had moved down further.

At this point, I asked for the epidural, to which everyone had been worded up not to get me, so they tried the tactics to avoid but I was very adamant to get me one!

It was a complete out of body experience, I really felt like I wasn’t present. I was in transition.

The anaesthetist came in and inserted a drip into my arm. At this time, I was involuntary pushing at the peak of contractions! In disbelief, and telling all in the room that ‘this is not happening’, my Obstetrician replied, ‘umm I think we did see that’. The anaesthetist discussed the risks of the epidural and asked if I wanted to proceed with the epidural, I never replied. No one pushed the subject and the Anaesthetist left our room.

After he left I was far more in control, we made it through transition. I continued using the gas and went with the peak as my body needed. I was actively pushing by like 11:30pm. I was straddling the toilet swinging off it pushing! I had some fresh vaginal bleeding so I went to the bed to have continuous CTG monitoring at this point. I changed my positions regularly, going from my right side, then onto all fours. Pushing was hard, the feeling was so intense and like no other.

I had a face washer covering my face the whole time pushing.

I had the best team possible around me. 2 of my closest friends and the Obstetrician I had chosen was the best doctor for me. I pushed him out by 1:12am. I was in such shock, but I grabbed him up.

He had a short big fat cord and we did delayed cord clamping. My placenta was born 4 minutes later and what a relief.

He fed like a champ!

My first shower felt fabulous. He was 4.3kg! Absolute chunk of a babe.

Jesse was amazing throughout the birth despite not being able to do anything right. But he was just perfect. He hadn’t wanted to see things initially but he was down there helping me push Henry out. We kept saying, ‘I remember what Amy said’.

Birth Story shared with permission

Thank you Jade, Jesse and delightful Henry for sharing your birthing experience.

Birth is raw, honest, primal and ever so rewarding!

Wishing this beautiful family the most wonderful transitions into parenting and family life. Henry is here!