Tanja's
Birth Experience
by her midwife Virginia
I
have just returned home from Tanja's house where she is tucked
up in bed with her new baby. She asked me to write her story and
as I promised her I will although I must admit I too am really
geared up about the whole experience so I am happy to do so before
I go to bed.
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to enlarge |
Well
Tanja was 36 weeks and 2 days and called me at 0230 Saturday
morning to say her waters had broken. Labour started immediately
and I went along at about 8am. Tanja was happy and contracting
well so we waited. All was normal. At about 1330 she began
to push. After an hour I wasn't convinced she was fully dilated
as I had seen no signs of descent so suggested a VE. |
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She
was 6cm dilated with a thick anterior rim. She couldn't stop
pushing so I suggested some pethadine (unusual for me but
it does have its place sometimes) so she had it and tried
laying on her side to try and stop pushing, no such luck!!!
I rechecked her again (just felt something not right) about
2 hours later and now she was 8cm dilated but with the biggest
lip (more like a balloon) of anterior cervix I have EVER felt.
She
screamed as I touched it!!! |
Nothing we tried stopped her pushing and now pushing on this HUGE
oedematous cervix it was bleeding profusely.....I just knew that
was where the blood was coming from but still I hated it!!! Two
hours later no change and Tanja was in so much pain from the pushing
she begged me to help her so I suggested going in to hospital
for an epidural. Off we went.
She
was saying she felt like she was tearing inside. She got her epidural
sat back on the bed with a huge smile on her face the pain had
stopped the pushing had stopped the bleeding had stopped.........and
that's when the fun started.
I
chatted to the doctors who said I should examine her "cause
she should be
fully by now" and if not she needs syno!!! It was about 4
hours since the last 8cm VE at home. I told the docs that she
had come in for an epidural it had only just began to work and
so give her a bit of space to try and carry on!!! They agreed
reluctanly.
I agreed therefore to examine her if Tanja agreed. It was now
2130. She was fully dilated except for this rim which although
still big not quite so and as she had the epidural I was able
to push it back (it was like pushing a balloon full of water)
and hold it there.......and it stayed!!! Hooray she was fully
dilated.
A midwife came in and tried to take Tanja's fruit drink away from
her and Tanja politely refused to stop drinking. Policy at this
hospital was 1 hour waiting from full dilatation then 1 hour of
pushing (can you believe that???) well anyway Tanja was having
none of it!!! She was now fully dilated the bleeding had stopped
baby had been great all along and then we noticed that the epidural
catheter had become detached!!!
So
Tanja then decided she had got what she came for so now she wanted
her natural birth back and told the midwife she did not want the
epidural anymore!!! Neither did she want the drip or the monitor
or to see a Dr and off the bed she got and down on to the floor
(go girl) The midwife was telling her policies like she was quoting
the bible and her life depended on it but Tanja was not about
to budge.
Tanja
began push again at about 2230. When it was 2330 The midwife asked
her if she would PLEASE speak to the doctor just to "cover
themselves" Tanja agreed and the Dr proceed to tell how dangerous
it was for the baby "not now but in the future" if she
was fully dilated for more than 2 hours ('scuse me while I vomit)
Tanja politely said fine thanks for the info but I want to do
it my way!!!!!
She
carried on pushing During this time I was running around like
a blue assed fly putting boiling hot towels on her back and quoting
research to back up every argument she was having. The midwife
we had with us was very nice but openly admitted all this natural
stuff was out of her league and she wasn't comfortable with it.
She kept going on about this prem Baby ( 5 days and she was term)
anyway Tonja moved and rocked and shouted and moaned but she never
gave up (oh my goodness!!! a woman fully and pushing for 4 HOURS
they were having kittens) at 0230 a lovely baby girl fell into
my arms.
Hannah.
Hannah had remained in great condition throughout the labour however
she did come out a bit floppy. The midwife panicked called the
paed and grabbed the scissors!! By this time Hannah was picking
up and pinking up I said "she is fine" but oh no the
midwife cut the cord !!!! I refused to let the paed do anything
and told him he may not suction (he almost had it in her mouth
and she was pink and breathing) I then told the midwife off
for her action and told her that a minute had not elapsed and
you should not
be cutting off baby's oxygen supply anyway if you thought it was
compromised (which she wasn't ) she did apologise and say several
times I was right and that she felt bad for jumping in and ruining
Tanja's birth but she didn't really and we really did have her
having kittens over the choices Tanja made (heheheeh).
Anyway
Tanja had a physiological third stage HUGE blood loss by hospital
standards (not by natures ones though) so they wanted her to stay
in. Baby was prem so they wanted her to stay in. She refused so
they wanted her to sign her discharge. Guess what ?? SHE REFUSED.
And home we all went. She got a lovely natural birth.
She
got the help she wanted and no more and it was all down to her
being a wonderful strong woman, and me being a stroppy know it
all of course! ha!ha!
Read
Tanja's version!
