Tayla’s Birth Story
Geelong
Oliver 3920g
40 weeks, 3 days
Emergency cesarean
My first surge was at 4am on Friday 7th June. We stayed at home until 2pm that same day before they came more intense. I was able to manage my pain with paracetamol, tens machine and the breathing techniques I learnt from Felicity (@mybirth.geelong).
My goal was to use the hypnobirthing tracks to get into the right mindset, unfortunately, my neighbour decided it was a great day to remove trees from their driveway (not very relaxing).
At 2pm we made our way to the hospital where I was assessed – I was 4-5cm dilated. While I was waiting for a room in the birth suite to open up, the surges did become more intense, but was still managed with breathing techniques which I think was the biggest help for me.
Once we got into the room, I was able to use the gas (best invention ever) while in the shower with my partner spraying the water on my back and bouncing on an exercise ball.
Then the room with the pool was available as I requested a water birth. We moved on over and I went straight back into the shower with the gas until I was closer to the pushing stage before moving me into the pool.
Once I was in the pool, I found it so relaxing and loved being able to hang over the edge in water and so much pressure was taken off me. I had the urge to push and was pushing for around 2 hours. The midwife then requested for me to get out of the pool as they don’t let women push for longer than 2 hours. I was assessed again in the bed and I was only 6cm dilated. The urge for me to push was my waters bulging through as they had not broke yet and there was A LOT of pressure.
It was 3am Saturday morning (almost 24hours after my first surge). At this point I was completely exhausted and requested an epidural. The midwife also broke my waters to take the pressure off. 2 hours after the epidural and being monitored, the OB had come into my room to advise that my baby boy and I were both distressed according to the monitors. She checked my cervix and I was still only 6cm.
The OB advised I may need an emergency cesarean if bubs and I haven’t changed in 20 minutes. 20 minutes pass and no changes and I also had a temperature. An induction to move my dilation along wasn’t possible as we were both too distressed.
I consented to the cesarean after the OB had answered all of mine and my partners questions and our little boy Oliver was brought into the world at 6:07am on the 8th of June.
The birth didn’t go as I had originally planned as I wanted very little intervention and a water birth, but I was also open to changes as both of our safety came first.
My partner and I went into labour/birth completely open minded but we also felt VERY prepared. He felt very informed and very comfortable to ask questions and felt he had an understanding of everything. Knowing about the transition phase and how to massage certain pressure points, help relax me made it such a positive experience for both of us.
I loved every minute of my pregnancy, labour and birth and it is honestly because of the hypnobirthing classes.