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24 Apr 2020
Born during COVID-19 pandemic
I had what I thought was Braxton hicks or IBS from eating lots of ice cream lol, but then used a contraction app and it came back as roughly 4 minutes apart. Some were stronger than others and because I was handling it so well I thought it was just a dress rehearsal!
We decided to go to triage, Sam dropped me off and I was told I was 3cm dilated so off we went back home. At home I got into the bath and was a little sick.
As the contractions got stronger I thought it best to go to the hospital in case I decided that I wanted any drugs. We went to triage, again without Sam, and found I was 5cm and went to a delivery room. The room was amazing with a birth pool, lighting, picture of Bahamas or somewhere. Sam met me in there and I went into the pool which was so nice and I used some gas and air. I had an amazing midwife called Laura. I was advised to get out of the birth pool due to my temperature and babies heart rate flickering. So I then continued gas and air and my tens machine. The combination of constant boost with tens machine and putting the strength up once a contraction came, using gas and air doing the breathing techniques you mentioned while thinking ‘I’ve got this’ and ‘it’s nearly over’ and visualising waves got me to 8cm!
When I got to 8cm they ruptured my waters and then my contractions intensified massively, Charlie was in distress with his heart rate dropping and he wasn’t progressing down. Lots of people were in the room which I didn’t really notice and it was advised that I needed a c section. I was reassured that I wouldn’t feel anything and they were right, just tugging. I was scared but stayed focused with my breathing. It was overwhelming when he was born. Even though it wasn’t the exact plan, I felt positive and not traumatised because I knew all my options and that it would be a possibility. Sam was amazing and he supported me and reminded me to breathe. I’m happy it’s over, but the whole experience was a good and positive one.
We were taken back to the delivery room afterwards to spend some quality time together but when I went to the ward Sam couldn’t come. To be honest I was so tired that I was happy just to have some time out and time to bond with Charlie. I didn’t bring enough milk as I stayed two nights in hospital so they let Sam drop things off with security for me. The midwives were amazing! And now Sam is fresh as a daisy and running round after me and Charlie, so it’s worked really well. Thanks so much for making me feel I could do this! I feel that I did really well and surprised myself and this coming from a person who fainted at her gestational diabetes check!
Charlie was born during the covid-19 pandemic