24. Oct
We welcomed our little boy on Wednesday the 29/09 (also Marty’s Birthday) at 21:14, Wt 3502 g / Length 50cm / HC 35cm. We are totally smitten and settling into life as a little trio. The gender was a surprise for us; but I was sooooo sure from early on that he was a Boy!! … which is lucky because we decided on this name early but couldn’t settle on a girl name!!
I ended up being induced as I had developed oligohydramnios and he had decreased movements. Maybe you remember that I said there were some abnormalities of my placenta they had been monitoring with scans down in Hobart; essentially Magnus grew really well but the placenta started to show signs of failing towards the end; since we had made it to term induction was recommended. I had the prostin gel and my waters broken; and that put me into labour without needing Syntocinon drip. Laboured well for ~12hrs; but then unfortunately baby was showing signs of distress with meconium liquor and then a big, prolonged and deep deceleration of his heart rate that he struggled to recover from – that was very scary being that emergency buzzers were pushed & I am usually the paediatrician responding to them. Given I was only 2cm dilated, we went to theatre for an emergency caesarian. He was born vigorous with APGARS of 9+10, so didn’t need anything and the paediatrician didn’t take him but gave him straight onto my chest – which was really good. Obviously didn’t really want things to end up this way and was very much hoping for a normal delivery; but I feel very settled that the right medical decisions were made and that we have a healthy, happy baby. Felt very well cared for by the medical and midwifery teams. My placenta ended up being more abnormal than anticipated – it essentially had 2 entirely seperate lobes with section of membranes in between; the cord inserted into those membranes and then exposed vessels transverse the little lobe and then into the larger lobe – pretty fragile.
Magnus hasn’t missed a beat since delivery. Breastfeeding like a champion and already 600g above his Birthweight at only day 16!!
I also took a birth plan into labour with me. It was probably a bit different to most as it was far less about medical interventions which I feel like I understand & could advocate for as we went; but focused on my privacy & confidentiality as well as my really strong desire to have unhurried and uninterrupted skin-to-skin post-Birth to allow for the first breastfeed to happen gently and to set up our breastfeeding journey. The midwifes respected this beautifully; Magnus wasn’t weighted or examined for several hours; and only received his Vit K once we had finished feeding. This time just the 3 of us together marvelling in each other was precious & priceless.
I had done the spinning babies daily essentials very regularly in the lead up to birth & he was beautifully positioned OA/OT. Up until my labour became a bit unstable, we had been working well with our breathing and active labouring. In the early stages they had let me go outside and walk around the gardens that you can see from labour ward. I thought a lot about some of the affirmations during contractions “it’s just a muscle working” / “each contraction is one closer to my baby”. I felt calm & in control. Marty was also very helpful & involved. I had also read Juju Sudkin’s “Birth Skills” book whilst on maternity leave and found her tool kit of birth skills helpful too.
Jess.