The Birth Story of Pippa Saoirse

It was a Friday and I was 41 weeks pregnant with my second child. I had an appointment with the PPC (Prolonged Pregnancy Clinic) to monitor the baby and myself and discuss options. I had been feeling pains on and off at this point for nearly two weeks and was very much ready for my baby to arrive.

When we arrived and after I had eaten, I was hooked up for 20 minutes to see how bub was doing. She was moving fine and everything was going well. I was asked how I was feeling, had I lost my mucus plug, had my waters broken, was I feeling baby move, and did I have any concerns, but to me everything felt fine. After I was taken off the monitor I was then taken in to see the doctor and have an ultrasound.

As they were setting everything up, I was asked the same questions as when I first arrived. Then the doctor started looking at the baby and the room was quiet, too quiet. She eventually asked when my last ultrasound was and I told her it was when I was 19 or 20 weeks and I was told everything was fine, so I did not need another ultrasound. I was then told that my baby had little to no fluid left and that my placenta looked like it was deteriorating.

I knew before the doctor spoke that I would end up being induced. I felt sick, like I had failed my baby and myself. I was induced with my son because of high blood pressure and I had really hoped that the second time I would get to experience labour naturally. After the doctor spoke to me and we decided to induce as soon as possible, instead of waiting the following week, I had an internal examine to see if I was dilated; I wasn’t. The doctor explained to me that since I wasn’t dilated that I wasn’t going to be induced until the following day, but I was going to get a balloon catheter to help bring on labour. I was offered to stay the night, but after everything they said I just wanted to go home and sleep in my own bed and be with my husband and son.

That night I could barely sleep, every pain I got I was hoping it was the start of labour. I had my heart set on a natural labour, but as each hour passed, I knew it was not going to happen. I barely slept, worrying about different things that could happen, but also excited because I knew the next day I would finally get to meet my baby. I arrived at the hospital around 7am to book in; I was led to my room, got changed and waited for the midwives. Just before 8am they tried to break my waters, but were having trouble since there was barely any fluid. At 8:15am I had the drip put in and by 8:30am, I was having my first contractions.

Since I was being induced I wasn’t allowed to have the water birth I had hoped for, but unlike my first induction, I was allowed to get up off the bed and move around more freely.

By 10:30 or 11am, I was too tired to stand anymore and just wanted to lie down and rest. I tried to sleep in between contractions, but that’s didn’t work. I really wanted to avoid any type of pain relief, but I was getting tired and was worried that when it came time to push I wouldn’t have the energy. I decided to wait and try a heat pack instead, but that didn’t help. I kept trying to focus on getting through each contraction, but my blood pressure was rising and each time I had a contraction my babies heart rate would go from 150bpm down to 25-30bpm. I could tell the midwives were getting concerned, but when I asked they were great and reassured me that everything was fine and if I or baby need any help that we would discuss it when the time came.

Around 12pm, after the midwife had checked to see how far I was dilated and she said I was only 3-4cms. I was too tired and decided that I was going to get an epidural. They told me everything was arranged and I would be able to get one in about 40 minutes, so to try to relax and breathe and it would be there soon. About 35minutes later, I was having a contraction when I felt like I needed to push. After pushing with two contractions, I asked the midwife to check and see if I was dilated and she said I was only about 5cm and try not to push too early. I tried not pushing with the next contraction, but it didn’t work and I was pushing involuntary. It helped ease the pain. Fifteen minutes later the midwife came in to tell me that I was about to get the epidural. I told her I needed to push and I could feel the baby coming. She looked a bit surprised, but came over to check and sure enough my babies head had started to crown. She rushed to get gloves and everything ready. At 1:18pm Saturday, 24th October, 2015 I welcomed my daughter Pippa Saoirse into the world. I had a second-degree tear and the midwife told me I had ragged membranes and my placenta was grainy. I struggled afterwards with accepting her birth and how my body had failed to have her naturally, but after some time I know it was the best decision.