11. Jun
A Calmbirth Story.
Our baby girl, Eden Gigi, arrived on 7 April at 9:31am weighing 6 lbs, 12 oz. She was born via caesarean. I had hoped for a natural delivery however, due to oligohydramnios (low levels of amniotic fluid) and a breach position, a caesarean was considered the safest path.
Prior to attending Calmbirth I knew very little about the process of labour and delivery. This caused me to feel quite anxious about my daughter’s impending birth as I was struggling to set expectations related to what my body would go through and how to manage childbirth. I used various Calmbirth techniques throughout my pregnancy and during delivery. This included a flexible and positive mindset, practicing visualisation and breathing techniques.
My pregnancy was reasonably smooth during the first two trimesters. At 32 weeks, an ultrasound confirmed I had developed oligohydramnios. The normal AFI range (measurement of fluid) is between 10-20 and I had recorded an AFI of 6. This result meant Eden did not have enough room to twirl around and it caused her to remain in the breach position. To ensure she remained healthy for the remainder of the pregnancy, I was required to attend ultrasound and CTG scan appointments every second day. A “flip” procedure was offered and my partner, Andrew and I considered this option however, we weren’t comfortable with forcing the change in Eden’s position as it had the potential to cause stress to her and there was no guarantee it would be successful.
At 37 weeks, my AFI was recorded as 3. This level was consistent until the caesarean was scheduled for 38 weeks + 2 days.
We arrived at the hospital at 7am. It was a strange feeling knowing we would be welcoming a baby into the world within just a few hours. I found my caesarean experience to be extremely overwhelming and I became increasingly distressed from the violent pulling, tugging and shaking felt during the operation. Andrew could see I was struggling to control my emotions and together we focused on the breathing exercises we learnt in class. We heard Eden before we saw her, and we instantly fell in love once we heard her little cry.
I had stated multiple times of my preference for delayed cord clamping and immediate skin to skin contact, if safe to do so. I was advised both requests were part of the hospital’s policy. I am unsure whether DCC occurred. The first skin to skin contact occurred after the procedure, during post operation observations.
The first 24 hours was a blur. I stayed four nights at the hospital, with only Andrew visiting due to Covid-19 restrictions.
It was a little daunting leaving the hospital, with a little human, but Eden has settled into life with us extremely well.
Thanks for letting me share my experience.
Regards,
Georgina X