My birth story: Spoiler alert! I had a baby.

Dr Breanne Kunstler (BBiomedSci, BHealthSci, MPhysio, PhD).

WARNING: Too much information for some people in some sections. Read with caution 😮

My daughter, Abby, is my first child and this was my first pregnancy. Abby arrived 2 weeks early on September 13, 2019, weighing 2.94kg and measuring 47.5cm.

At 8pm on September 11, 2019, my waters spontaneously broke. Unlike what I thought, it doesn't just come in one gush (Image 1). I had at least 6 gushes over 2 hours (RIP 3x pants and undies!). This happened only 30 minutes after seeing the beginning of my mucus plug dislodge. I thought I was going to have much more time between these two events, wrong! So off to the hospital we went for confirmation that Abby was indeed on her way. The midwives were happy and the plan was to go home, let labour start, and to visit the hospital daily for monitoring.

Image 1: What I thought my waters breaking would be like (credit: Reddit)

The next day we visited the hospital. Everything was progressing well and I was still in early labour. So back home we went to let labour do it's thing. It got to 10pm on the 12th and I was having very strong contractions that varied between 2 and 10 minutes apart, lasting between 1 and 3 minutes each. I was constantly hot and cold (turns out I had a fever, surprise!). I was also getting concerned because I hadn't felt Abby move regularly since the contractions really kicked in. We called the hospital and they told us to come in. I arrive experiencing strong and close contractions and they tell me that I have a high temperature. We weren't going home!

I tried various pain relief methods over the next 4 to 6 hours, almost like I was at a wine tasting session without the happiness. I did what I could with the gas; it didn't even take the edge off the contractions! Surprisingly, neither did morphine (I trusted you, opioid!). My body was working so hard, contracting strongly and painfully, to try and get Abby out of the posterior position she put herself in and it just wasn't working. Abby was trying to turn one way while my body was trying to turn her the other, so I was getting contraction on top of contraction. I discussed pain relief weeks ago with my midwife and decided that I didn't want an epidural because I didn't want a catheter and I wanted control over my legs. I changed my mind pretty damn quickly and opted for the epidural. The anaesthetist arrived in what felt like 10 seconds and the relief was instantaneous. I finally felt like I was going to be able to enjoy the birth experience (Image 2).

Image 2: So. Much. Love (credit: keepcalms.com)

After another 6 hours I had dilated from 4cm to 10cm and it was time to push. I couldn't feel much in the way of contractions and nothing in the way of pain so I was thinking that this was going to be easier than I thought. I was wrong.

It turns out that Abby's head was well engaged in my pelvis but she continued to turn it from side to side, not allowing her to get her head out. She had 2 occasions of low heart rate and passed some muconium in the womb, so she was getting distressed. The doctors recommended that I go to theatre to try a forceps delivery that would become a C section if necessary. I was so exhausted at this point that I couldn't keep my eyes open and needed to rest. I handed the process of consent over to the hubby (cue hubby freaking out) and we went to theatre.

Hubby was nervous going to theatre. He didn't know what a C section was going to involve and if we were going to be OK. I kept laughing and smiling as much as my exhausted body would let me to try and reassure him (and myself). He sat next to me while a team of doctors, specialists and midwives focused on getting Abby out of the other end with the forceps. My epidural was so strong at this point that I couldn't feel contractions or myself pushing. I just had to push when told, stop when told and believe that I was doing enough to push Abby out. My contractions were so far apart at this point that it felt like the process was taking forever. Finally, after less than 10 pushes, our little Abby was born safe and squarky at 3.30pm on Friday September 13, 2019. Mum and Dad were both extremely relieved.

That night my hubby went home for his first full night of sleep in a few nights and I spent the night learning how to breastfeed and waking up at every sound she makes (and constantly checking that she was breathing). I struggled to sleep that night as doubts started flowing through my mind and I looked to memes for reassurance (Image 3). Oh and being unexpectedly milked by a midwife also made sleeping a bit difficult (as if no one told me to expect that?!?)

Image 3: Yep, turns out I could do it (credit: puglypixel)

I am writing to you after just feeding a four-month-old Abby who is happily making cute noises on her mat, so it all turned out alright!

Keep following my blog to continue to see how we progress as Abby gets older and I start to find my way as an academic mum.