Nico's Birth

After coming back from my Yoga class on Monday 2nd June, I was starting to get a few niggles during the night, I just assumed it was the start of Braxton Hicks as I was still only 36 weeks. Then the next day I went for some Acupuncture to try and get my baby to turn as he was breech, I was still having little pains, but again I was really not thinking they were labour pains. On the Tuesday night the pains were starting to get a bit closer together, but I was still in denial. I think that because I was so focused on ways to get baby turned, the thought that he was on his way was just too much to think about. I was sitting in my NCT class with these niggles and still ignoring them!! At about 3.30am on the Tuesday I went to the toilet and discovered a little show of blood, that was when it hit me and I thought I had better phone my independent midwife Kay . She advised me to go to the hospital and get it checked it out, so we headed up to Queen Mary's, I was convinced I would be coming home as my husband and I so wanted a home water birth and we were in the process of considering a home breech birth, so hospital really was the last place I wanted to go to.

When we got there they strapped me to the monitor and discovered I was having regular contractions, I was totally in shock and then on examination I was already 4cm dilated. Because baby was breach, there was suddenly a room full of Doctors urging me to have a c section. I was undecided about this as I was lucky enough to have an Independent Midwife who was willing to do a natural breech birth at home, but at this point we had not decided whether to go for this or not, and also it was all a bit last minute for her to get the back up she required. We asked to be left alone to talk and during that time my midwife Kay arrived at the hospital. I decided that I was not comfortable to go home, but wanted to try and labour naturally and see what happened, the consultant reluctantly agreed. So the fun began, for the next 12hrs I laboured totally naturally and used no pain relief up until I was about 8cm dilated and then I used some Gas and Air which I have to say was great!!

I had my Yoga CD on and I really got into a total sense of relaxation despite the discomfort of the contractions, my husband Clyde was amazed at how controlled I was and at how the Yoga breathing was helping me.

When I was about 9.5cms dilated I started to get the urge to push, it was at this point that I started to bleed quite a bit and babies heart rate began to get a little distressed, I felt in myself that he was not going to come out naturally and that the best option for me and him was a c section, also the Doctor that was now on shift was not happy to try and birth the baby naturally, so Clyde and I made the decision to have the cesarean section. I have to say trying to sign a consent form when you are nearly fully dilated was incredibly hard!!

I was rushed into Theatre and given a spinal anaesthetic which was a bit of nightmare to do as I was still contracting and trying to stay still was very difficult. Once the anaesthetic worked it was such a relief and then all I was worried about was the surgeon doing a good job and I told him to make sure he did it right :o) Within about 10 mins at 6.08pm, Nico was born, it was amazing and a real relief to see he was ok. I was then stitched up and taken to the recovery room where he was weighed in at 5lb 11oz. Nico was then checked over and I had the pleasure of a bed bath, lovely!!!

It was not the home water birth that I had planned, but I was so glad that I stuck to my guns and was able to labour naturally for as long as possible, I was very lucky that the NHS midwife Ursula, worked alongside my Independent Midwife wonderfully and both supported me through the whole thing. Kay and Ursula were amazing and I feel incredibly lucky that I had such a great midwives by my side the whole time!

I am now trying to get used to having little Nico around, it's tough and the baby blues kicked in at about day 5, I've felt a overwhelming sense of anxiety about caring for him and how I was going to cope, but I know this is normal. I was not quite prepared at how strong those emotions would be, but after some counselling sessions from Maria my Health Visitor and some medication, I am now feeling well again and able to enjoy my beautiful baby boy.

One thing I have to say is what a total support my husband Clyde was to me, he was amazing, I would never have been able to cope as well as I did without his positive attitude throughout.

One thing I have learnt from this whole experience is to trust your gut extinct and stick to your guns if you do end up in hospital, and things will be fine. My only regret was not having Virginia with me, trust me to have a baby nearly 4 weeks early while she was still on holiday, I guess I will have to have another one now!!!!