Welcome Ash!

C Section      Breathing Techniques     Visualising    

Empowered      Informed Decision

So far we have shared natural births here at MammyPoppins... For birth story number three we have a little treat for you! 
C Sections are generally portrayed as big, scary emergencies, so when we heard Becs & Ash's positive birth story, and the informed decision making in the process, we just had to share it with you!  Needless to say, this is another empowered journey...

Welcome Ash...

 

From finding out we were having our 'honeymoon' baby, I knew I wanted to take the natural route - I loved the idea of a water birth, and decided on this in my birth plan.  Due to having Joint Hypermobility Syndrome, a condition which causes my joints to dislocate easily, a caesarean was discussed at an early stage with the consultant but I was determined that I would need to be in control and that I wanted to give birth to my baby naturally. I was really enjoying pregnancy, reading up on it, doing yoga and visualising an active, natural labour. However this was not be...

At a 30 week scan it became apparent our baby boy was breech, and measuring rather large! This resulted in weekly growth scans at the end, at all of which he was measuring way above the 97th centile! Despite weekly yoga classes, and daily practise to include inversions, baby Peters was quite comfortable thank you very much and was not moving! I can't recommend the pregnancy yoga sessions enough, I loved the weekly de-stress and learning about the power of breathing and using breath to focus my mind and energy.

We were offered an ECV where a consultant would try to move the baby manually but after much reading and discussion we decided not to interfere with baby and let nature take it's course, along with continued daily sessions of inversions, much to Gary's amusement! However, This was to no avail and so it was decided at 38 weeks that I was to be booked for an elective caesarean for the following Fri. There was a funny moment when we overheard the midwife who had been reassuring us that the fact baby was measuring big wasn't anything to worry about, on the phone to the consultant...

'Dr, this baby is still breech and it's a large baby..... Yes, large, very large, Huuuge! .... Yes you need to get it out as soon as possible!'

We went home feeling really excited to know our (big) baby would be here so soon and I set about mentally preparing myself for a caesarean, to include watching videos of breech cesarean procedures on YouTube! Gary at this point had been overcome by some serious nesting and the house was scrubbed from top to bottom and he also decided that as I was having a caesarean I no longer needed a birthing ball and deflated it, much to my horror!!

For an elective caesarean it is procedure to go in the day before for a 'pre op' appointment. During this I was scanned, baby was still breech and big so cesarean was a definite. It turned out that I needed a steroid injection to protect baby's lungs if born before 39 weeks, we asked if this was really necessary as we were going to be 39 weeks a few hours later. The midwife agreed with us but the registrar wanted me to have it or suggested rescheduling for the following week but then decided we had to go ahead because of the size of our baby. This was midday on the Thursday and I was given the first steroid injection and had to return 12 hours later at midnight for the second, and I stayed in from then. I was very excited and didn't get much sleep, eventually using the 12 breaths technique to relax and drift off. The Friday morning seemed to go on forever, but very calm - I had a shower, straightened my hair and read my book, using deep breathing to calm any nerves and anxiety.

At 3pm we were off to theatre.

 

In the first room I had a cannula put in my hand and this was surprisingly painful and I was using straw breath with my eyes closed to focus (thinking if this hurt the spinal must be awful!!) There were so many people in the room and lots of questions.

I just wanted to keep calm and connect with my baby.

The spinal took a long time and I ended up having the local anaesthetic twice before it was successful. I was using straw breath again during this, not because of any pain but just so I could focus and relax. 

 

 

The caesarean itself is a very surreal experience

 I could feel everything but no pain at all.

Baby Ash James Peters was born at 4.32pm weighing 9lbs 7.5.

 

 

There was some difficulty getting him out and he was a little shocked so was taken immediately by the midwife, while emergency doctors and paediatric team were called. He was taken out of the room. This felt like a life time not being able to see or hear my baby and I was getting upset. After six minutes (I was told this later) but what felt like forever, we heard our gorgeous boy cry and Gary went through to see him, took a photo on his phone and came in to show me. Ash was then brought in and given to us to cuddle.

 

Gary went with the midwife who took Ash back to the recovery ward while they stitched me up and as soon as I was back in recovery a few minutes later I was able to have skin to skin.

 

This was an incredible and beautiful moment as Ash knew exactly what to do and set about breastfeeding for the next hour! This was to be the beginning of a wonderful breastfeeding journey lasting nearly 14 months!

 

The registrar who performed my caesarean came to see me and explained that baby's head was stuck (they hadn't cut a big enough hole) and that the cord had been wrapped around his neck so this was why he wasn't breathing initially.  We stayed in for two nights then got to go home Sunday afternoon. The staff in Glangwili were all wonderful, and we cannot thank them enough.

Despite wanting a natural labour, I feel very grateful to have had a mostly calm experience and I would certainly still describe it as a positive birthing experience. I felt confident and empowered to make informed decisions and would reassure any new mums that having a cesarean can still be a positive birth.  Becs and Ash x

 

 

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Welcome Ronnie

Natural Breech        Trust your body      Instinct

Mammy Poppins is so privileged to share Liz & Ronnie's birth story.  Ronnie is our newest baba to feature in this month's Birth Story extravaganza and is one of the most brave stories.  We are so proud of Liz!  Once again, this birth shows how powerful and empowering birth is, when we listen to our instinct.

Welcome Ronnie...

I'm sorry if I go into too much detail but for me the good/bad/scary parts were what made this experience very special and empowering and the whole time I knew I was that little bit closer to meeting our baby!.....

My birth plan was to have a home birth but things don't always go to plan! But it doesn't matter as the end result is what matters the most!

Saturday 20th August I woke around 03:30  for my nightly pee then climbed back into bed felt a little tightening around my belly but nothing different to what I'd been feeling now and again before.
After about 10mins of trying to drift back to sleep I felt a sudden SMALL gush down below so quickly stood up and more trickled out! I really wasn't sure if it was my waters or if I  just peed myself!  But I was pretty sure it didn't feel like wee!!

All I was thinking is ‘oh no can't be yet I'm not expecting it early!'  Ronnie wasn't due until September!

I lay back down and just started thinking right so is this happening or just a false alarm?! After another 5mins I then started getting very light period pains so thought I'd wake Adam up and figure out what to do next!

 

Very light period pains continued but nothing too bad.  After about an hour I decided to phone the Midwife Led Unit at my local hospital, Whithybush, to inform them and get some advice as I really didn't know if I was paranoid and still thinking I'd just weed myself! This call was at 04:47. They told me to just take it easy, rest up and start timing my contractions if they continued and to call them back if it got stronger and more regular.

 

 I felt like all I wanted to do was have a soak in the bath so told Adam to go back to sleep and I'll see how I go!

 

I had a lovely relax in the bath and still had period pains, which were very irregular.  All I was thinking is...It's just a false alarm and I'm over thinking it!

Then, I was bursting for a number two!   Yes!  My bowels were emptying, and it was only then that I realised this may be happening!

 

I woke Adam back up and all could think was quick we need to get this house tidy!

 

Contractions started coming a lot more frequent, around every 10-15mins and lasting about one minute. 

I felt totally in control using straw breaths.

 

06:25 I rang the MLU again and they said they'd send a midwife up to see me.

Around 7:15 midwife came, contractions were still the same. She took my temperature and was a little high, I lay on the bed for her to see where we were at…

 

The head was engaged but the baby was back to back still! She asked me if I wanted her to examin me to see if my waters had definitely gone, I said yes, just so I knew if it was actually happening as I still wasn't convinced (why I don't know)!

 

She didn't think my waters had gone she said it quite possibly have been wee, she said I wasn't even 3cm dilated so no need to worry just to rest as much as I could and see how I go. She took my temperature before she left and it had gone down so I put it down to being a bit anxious. She explained she was finishing duty and Lee, the next midwife was taking over from 9 so to phone her once I thought active labour was kicking in, she left at 8am.

Contractions eased off a little but thought I'd give my mum a ring to give her the heads up and told her to call over with a few bits I needed as I didn't want Adam to leave me!

 

We assumed things could go on for hours so I thought I'd go for a lay down and rest and not to worry about getting the pool set up just yet!

 

Within the hour my contractions were getting extremely stronger and went back into the bath to try and ease it all. I asked Adam to give Lee a ring to see if she could come up as I had a feeling things were progressing quicker, this was 09:38.

She explained she was on a call in Milford and would be with us within half hour.

 

In that time I went from breathing through contractions to a sudden urge to push! Panic did set in a little as everything happened so quickly realising I had no one here to help me. I used my affirmation as best I could but the pain was shooting up my back and I just knew there was something not right.

 

I kept repeating to Adam we need to go to hospital something isn't right! As all this was going on my Mum turned up and called the ambulance straight away.  Adam was phoning Lee at the same time and she said she was on her way, this was 10:04. All through this I really was screaming the place down the pain was immense up my back, I seemed to feel that more than anywhere else!

 

My instinct was telling me , over and over again, that something wasn't right.

The lady on the phone to my Mum kept her talking asking her to get towels ready and to make sure I was undressed from waist down.  I think panic hit Mum as she was thinking she was going to have to deliver the baby!

The ambulance got to me which only took them 13mins was now 10:07. they put me straight on gas which had an instant ease on my back.  From here, things were a bit of a blur ... I remember hearing them talking between each other deciding what to do and which hospital to take me to, they phoned Whithybush and said they were taking me there… But listening to my instinct, I just knew that wasn't right and that we needed to go to Carmarthen, as there are more facilities there. They walked me out to the ambulance to assess me, lay me down and checked my temperature which was sky high.  As this was happening, Lee the midwife turned up and she told the paramedics she would examine me there and see what's best to do.

 

Lee takes charge and tells the driver 'Get your sirens on!  We need to get to Carmarthen now!' 

I could hear in her voice something wasn't right! They grabbed Adam into the ambulance and away we went!this is 10:36.

I was still sucking on the gas and I looked up to Lee and said 'What's happpening how many cm am I?'  She leant over and said gently 'Liz you're fully dilated and your baby is breech…. All I need you to do is every time you get and urge to push - DON’T, we need to get you to Carmarthen!

 

I could hear Lee on the phone to the hospital and she explained when we got there there would be a team waiting for me and all would be fine and there would be no time to take me for a Csection.

I would be going to MLU for a natural labour.

The journey felt forever and with every urge I pushed into my feet rather than anywhere else.  How I managed to control this I really have no idea something took over in my body!

As we got to St Clears the traffic was pretty much stand still (apparently there was a tractor convention on)!

I could hear the drivers shouting at the cars to part which eventually they did but at the same time Lee called through to them telling them to put the heaters on as we maybe pulling over road side and prepare for delivery!

 

Luckily they got through the traffic and got me to the hospital. I was struggling to keep my eyes open as I was really trying to concentrate not to push! I remember the doors opening and there being loads of faces around me wheeling me up to the MLU unit.

 

I got onto the bed and my back was still so painful and uncomfortable but I thought I just have to relax into this!

Then I could push as best I could with every contraction! It only took two contractions for the bum and body to come out, but they had to cut me to get the head out as it got a little stuck but on the following contraction... out he flew!!

 

Our beautiful baby boy Ronnie-Andrew-Sammons  was born at 11:59 weighing 5lb 13 and a half.

 

Just to add an extra drama to the situation.

Mum turned up about five minutes later and fainted next to me!  It went from nine people surrounding me to them all sorting my Mum out! It was like a comedy sketch! They had to get a bed in for her to come around! By then, I was laughing my head off on gas whilst Adam was looking a little concerned stood in the corner cuddling our son! She was fine just very embarrassed!

  

Our birth didn't go the way I originally wanted, but I wanted to share how powerful the birthing instinct is and how amazing our bodies are. 

Giving birth is the most empowering thing a women can ever go through and I'm proof that breech babies don't always have to be a c section delivery. 

Our bodies are incredible.

 

 

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Welcome Jimmy Knox!

During the month of September (and possibly October) here at Mammy Poppins we are featuring awesome kick ass birth stories from some incredible girls and what better way to kick things off than the birth of my side kick, my shadow, my boob monkey... Jimmy Knox!

28 hours       home      empowering    



Giving birth naturally at home was my best, most empowered, mental life experience.  EVER!

Here's the story.  Twenty eight hours of it.  Condensed and surmised for your pleasure!

My contractions began on the night of Good Friday (around midnight) and I tried sleeping through it, but I couldn't.  This was partly due to being so excited that our baby was on its way and partly because they were quite strong so I couldn't.  There weren't any set times for the surges but I'd say every one was within ten minutes or so.  By 2am I got up and ran a bath, but by that time things had started to slow down.  We felt a bit confused as we'd had loads of surges and all of a sudden they had slowed down.  I told Andrew to go back to bed, but he was too excited and was reassuring me all the time that this stopping and starting was normal.  Things continued like this well into the morning.

Andrew was such a brilliant birthing partner.

My surges felt like strong period pain aches in my back.

Through breathing, zoning out and Andrew's magic hand on my back they were completely manageable!  No pain as such, just strong aches.

Andrew had gone downstairs to get a hot water bottle for me, and I needed his hand! So I shouted 'Babes, hurry up will you!  I need your hand!'

At about ten hours in, the contractions were still coming but still not in a regular pattern.  I was coping fine, but it was getting on my nerves as I am impatient.  We decided to ring the midwife unit at our local hospital to let them know that things had started with us.  I also wasn't sure as to which (if any) midwife was on duty for home births as it was Easter weekend!  They weren't sure who was on home birth duty so asked if I wanted to go down to see what's what... I declined.  I was tired, but doing fine, and with said 'magic hand' I felt in control(ish).

Surges came and surges went, breathing in and breathing out, magic hand on and magic hand off...wax on wax off! 

About 14 hours in, lo and behold!  My favourite midwife got in touch saying that she had put herself on duty for us!  Could you believe this?!  During her family Easter weekend, this gem of a woman had wanted to come and help us deliver our baby!  WOW!

I'm in awe of this lady's genuine caring nature! 

Lovely Lyn (the amazing midwife) assures me that she'll finish off making her lasagne for her Easter weekend guests and be over to see what's what shortly.

...we eagerly await Lyn's arrival...



Meanwhile, I spoke to a couple of friends who'd had home births and they completely reassured me that the sporadic contractions (still within every 10 minutes mind) was completely normal and they told me I was doing well.  This was brilliant to hear and it felt nice chatting and laughing with the girls, releasing more of that powerful oxytocin! 

A few times mid conversation I had to say 'oh hang on a minute, I've got one!' while I breathed my way through more surges, and our baby edged its way further down the birth canal. Totally surreal!

Late afternoon, about 16 hours in, Lovely Lyn arrives!  Another human!  It had been just Ands, me and 'the hand' for sixteen hours now, so we welcomed a new face!  We were delighted to hear that I'm 4cm dilated!  Woo hoo!  Even though progress was incredibly slow, things were moving in the right direction!

Lovely Lyn went home to make the guests garlic bread and promised she would come back to us later.

From this point on, the contractions got stronger and more regular so Ands inflated the pool in our living room and started to fill it with water.  He was chuffed with this part, as this was 'his bit!'

I got in and listened to my relaxing music CD.  It was so calming and relaxing and it helped me stay in the zone!  This CD became my 'zen' influence later when I had a couple of melt downs!

About 20 hours in, Lovely Lyn arrived back as I was chilling in the pool, still contracting and still breathing.  She tells me that the garlic bread is done, for this I was thankful, as this meant that she was staying a bit longer with us!  This time she brought her gear and she was dressed for the big event.  I was in my turquoise bikini  to match the baby's turquoise towel!  Things like this don't just happen by accident mind!

I remember being in the zone in the pool whilst Ands and Lovely Lyn were talking over my head whether or not to have a cup of tea!  The conversation progressed onto them both describing how they liked their tea and whether or not they took sugar!

I couldn't be bothered to pipe up... 22 hours of surges had taken it out of me! 

Shortly after the tea conversation, we were delighted to hear that I was 10cm dilated!  Great!  Not long now surely!  I really thought our baby's birth was imminent... ummm not so much!

24 hours in, I had my first melt down.  How much longer would this take?  I cried.  My body still hadn't had the urge to expel this baby.  Andrew was exhausted too and now that his 'bit' was complete, he felt a bit helpless.  I needed to get back in the zone, otherwise I knew things wouldn't progress.  So, I went back in the pool and put my CD on...'...aaahhh Zen!'

I spent the next couple of hours, squatting, walking, jumping, lunging, stretching



 ...still nothing...

About 25 hours in, I had another melt down, this time pleading with Lovely Lyn not to make me go to hospital (not that she had suggested it)!  I really didn't want to go!  Even though I was exhausted, I knew how strong and capable my body was of doing this and I just had to relax and give it more time.  I was managing fine, just fed up and impatient.  Lovely Lyn was so full of encouragement and said that she wouldn't make me go to hospital... for that I am always eternally grateful.  I found my 'zen' again (with CD of course!)

Ands kept telling me how well we were doing which boosted me no end!

At 26 hours in, I went on to the sofa and Lyn said she could see the baby's head!  I was elated and I guess hearing that amazing news gave my body the oxytocin it needed to push this baby down!

Finally, my body started pushing effectively! 



27 hours in and my body is still pushing effectively, but still no baba, but I was so grateful to be doing this on my sofa!  I started gas & air at some point, the TV wasn't on and there had been no mention of any more cups of tea! 

My body was working SO hard to expel this baby.  I was concentrating on breathing and managing to keep my jaw loose.  FYI, your jaw is linked to your cervix and there was no way I was going to let that bad boy clam up after all these hours!

Another midwife arrives to assist Lovely Lyn, and I knew this baby would be coming soon!  Both midwives were dressed appropriately with their plastic aprons on.  Naturally, I was sweating and still in my bikini, whilst Ands sat there concerned worried about his clean white t-shirt.

The conversations at this time were about hair dressers, hair extensions and summer holidays in Dubai!

Hour 28... I finally delivered the baby's head.  I had 2 midwives at the 'goal end' and Ands was sat along side me on the sofa.  The 'high' feeling I had delivering the head was INCREDIBLE!  I still can't find the words to describe the elation I felt as I birthed the baby.  I didn't feel any pain or burning sensations that I thought there might be.  

I turned to Ands saying 'This is AMAZING!'

I was so careful not to force the baby out as there was no way I was going to tear or have any stitches!  So I just let my body do its thing and expelled this baby while I was flying high on natural oxytocin!

When our baby was all out Lyn handed it to me instantly.  It was over!!  We couldn't believe our baby was here with us on the sofa in our home!
We forgot to look at the sex until Lyn said 'Well what is it then?'

Oh yes!  A perfect baby boy all 7lb 10oz of gorgeousness!

Now, I thought, I think it's my turn for a cuppa!

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