Aurelia's Birth Story by Mellie

I thought I might just write Aurelia's birth story as long as I can still recall most of the details.. Here we go.

Maybe just a few facts about my pregnancy with Aurelia. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and was following a certain diet plan to keep my blood sugar in the norm range. I did not have to take insulin. Otherwise my pregnancy had been fine. My official due date was the 22nd of June and that is exactly where I'm gonna start.

before I went to the hospital

On the 22nd of June I had a check up at my doctor where they hooked me up on the CTG machine. There were no contractions and everything else didn't really look like there was gonna be a baby that day. So my next appointment was gonna be at the hospital on the 26st for another check and if baby didn't wanna come by the 29th they were gonna induce me on monday the 29th. So  I got to the hospital at 9am on the 26st and the midwife sent me away again as they were so busy that they just didn't have time for me right then. I called my Dad and he came picked me up and we just drove around for a little while. I was having contractions maybe every 5 minutes but they weren't really strong.

I then got back to the hospital at about 10am where the midwife once again hooked me up on the CTG monitoring the baby's heartbeat and the contraction which weren't really there. I was staring at the monitor and there weren't any contraction showing even though I felt them. Yes, they weren't super strong but definitely there... The midwife came back and checked me and of course nothing. I wasn't really dilated and not 100% effaced. REALLY? I was so frustrated as I was having contractions all morning long and there hadn't been any changes pretty much since the last check up at my doctors.

A doctor came in to see me and she wanted me to have another CTG as there were two spikes on the previous CTG. They thought I had moved too much and she wanted a "clean" CTG sheet for my file. I had called Marcel beforehand to come pick me up. So he came and I told him that they wanted to do another CTG and after that we could go home. I still felt the contractions and this time the machine actually picked them up and they were at 3 minutes. After about 20 minutes they got a bit stronger to the point where I even had to start breathing through some of them. The midwife came back and was super surprised to see all those contractions and was quite a bit stressed out as she had to find a labouring suite for us now (They were super busy!).

As Marcel only came down thinking he would just pick me up and we'd go home again, he went back home to get our hospital bag and take a shower (He was mowing the lawns went he came to pick me up). We moved into the labouring suite at 2pm where I just worked my way through the contractions until Marcel came back at about 3pm. The contractions were already quite strong and I was starting to struggle with just breathing through them. I asked to get checked and I was at about 5cm. I was still hooked up on the monitor but was allowed to move around as it was easiest for me to stand at the sink and circle my hips during the contractions. But the monitor had its problems picking up the heartbeat of the baby and Marcel had to hold on to it. Most of the time the monitor didn't pick up the contractions either but everyone could hear them... ( I was using a lot of aaaahhs and uuuuhhhs at this point). At about 4pm I told Marcel that I wouldn't have this any longer and asked to be checked again to see if I had dilated any further. The midwife checked and I was still at a 5. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? 2 hours later and nothing had progressed? I really wanted to push through without any epidural and if I would've had progressed to maybe a 7 I'm sure I would've been fine but thinking about being in such pain for the past 2 hours not progressing at all I wanted an epidural. Maybe I have to add at this point that we don't have the option of gas or air. Either you go cold turkey right through or you decide to have an epidural...

after the epidural

So the anesthesiologist arrived super quickly (I think it was about 15 minutes later) and she tried to set up the epidural. Gosh! Trying not to move while having a contraction is soon damn hard. And somehow it seemed to be quite difficult to fine the right path or whatever you call it.. The anesthesiologist was having trouble to put the needle in and it took about 1 hour until it was all set up.  She checked me with this super cold roller to see what parts of my legs and tummy were asleep and which ones weren't.

Getting some rest

I already told her that I was fine on my left but my right side was still "awake" and I felt the contractions (less then without the epidural but still strongly) on my right side. She told me to just lie on my right side so that the medicine would run to that side as well. I was feeling quite good making fun with Marcel and trying to relax. I could still feel the contractions but not as strong as before.
Of course what usually happens with an epidural my contractions became less and the midwife hooked me up with oxytocin at about 5.45pm and shortly after that I started to breathe more heavily again and Marcel asked if I was fine. I told him that I could feel the contractions again quite strongly. The Midwife came to check on me and realized that I was in pain again and she tried to get the anesthesiologist back so we could figure out the situation.

First picture right after she was born

From that point on I can't really say what happened when.. I just know that I felt the contraction just like I did before I had the epidural I started to feel the urge to push. The midwife checked me again and said the the head of the baby needed to come down just a bit further and I should try not to push for a few more contractions. But I just couldn't.. The urge to push was so strong and it felt like I would rip apart if I didn't. She got me to get up onto my hands and knees. Now kneeling on the bed I was "allowed" to start pushing. She called the doctor (as there has to be a doctor in the room because of legal reasons) and Marcel the told me afterwards that just as the doctors walked into the room Aurelia's head was born. One more push and she was there at 7.58pm.

so much love....

As soon as she was there everything was good. I felt at peace and nothing hurt anymore. Marcel cut the cord and I was able to put her onto my chest. The doctor checked me and everything was fine.

So we just enjoyed the next 2 hours relaxing in the labouring suite until we moved into our room.

After her Daddy gave her a bath
and dressed her

To sum it up, Aurelia's birth started quite unexpected and the contractions got quite strong quite quickly. Yes, I was screaming my lungs out during the contractions and the birth which I never wanted. But that was only way I could handle the pain. Yes, I got an epidural which I anticipated not getting but once again I couldn't handle the pain they way I thought I might could and Yes, I also thought I just don't HAVE to be in such pain...

It was once again an amazing experience that I had imagined to be so different to what it turned out to be. But it was good they way it was...

Thank you for reading, xxx.