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My labour started on the 18th of February after a week of pre- labour, I presented to MFAU that evening to get an idea of where things were at, I had a VE and speculum that confirmed amniotic fluid and that I was 1cm and fully effaced. I went home to labour.
Rough night as things picked up, when the shower and counter pressure were no longer able to soothe me I decided to head back to birth suite at 9am on the 19th.
Got gas, fitball and shower going, enjoyed this combo for close to 5 hrs. Partner was incredible applying counter pressure whenever I needed. Had a VE @ 3pm and was 4-5cm dilated with bulging waters. Waters were broken and things quickly escalated, returned to shower where meconium in waters came out. Had everyone panicked about baby but I knew she was okay. Intermittent Doppler continued.
Pain went through the roof when my body started to push too early and I could not bear the intense pressure anymore, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting too swollen so got an epidural at which point a scalpel clip was placed ensuring baby was happy too.
I was checked at 9pm and fully dilated, I pushed for 3 hours before OB recommended forceps assisted delivery. I wasn’t keen and actually resisted any decision making for close to 2hrs.
We got to theatre after 2am on the 20th. When I was laid on the table baby moved, she had moved from halfway down the birth canal to back up and transverse. Perhaps she sensed something.
Decision was made to proceed with a c section.
Adelaide Claire was born 2:42am on the 20th.
Healthy and happy 9lbz 11oz AGPARS 10 and 10.
It was after being shown my daughter over the curtain that things turned to me, my BP dropped to 50/25. I lost 3.5 litres of blood. The senior OB who had decided to hang back just in case jumped in and let me and hubby know what was happening, he advised my scar had ruptured when they went to get her out but I’d also ruptured vertically through my cervix and most of my vagina. At this point they were bringing baby over to me I yelled out “no, take her to my mum” hubby looked at me held my hand and reassured me he wasn’t going anywhere. We had agreed to let baby go to my mum should anything happen.
I was shaking uncontrollably the whole time from the epidural and felt calm and numb from the low blood pressure. Unknown to me at the time I was being jabbed in my arms all over they had to access an artery in my arm to get an accurate reading of BP. By this stage two units of blood arrived for me, hubby was asked to manually assist the transfusions. All senior consultants were being called in to assist. Hubby was then told I needed to go under general anesthesia ASAP. We kissed and he left. Just before going under I turned to the anaesthetist and asked her to just make sure I wake up.
After 4 hours I was out of surgery and taken to ICU, intubated and my hubby and mum kissed me and went home to sleep.
I woke in ICU at 8:30am.
I have never been so happy to open my eyes.
While my experience after birth was traumatic, I still had an empowering, positive TOLAC. I wouldn’t have done anything differently.
