Sunday 20 December 2015

My birth story: 2nd time around

I left my labour story at the part where I'd just found out I had to have a cesarean. I'm not sure if you know but my day job is an operating department practitioner. This means that I work in an operating theatre. My job role is to 'scrub' in an operation whereby I assist the surgeon. One thing I've always found working in healthcare is that when it comes to us being patient's,  we make the worst possible ones. I think this is because we know too much and can't shut off.  

When I was transferred onto the operating table, it all felt very surreal. As the team introduced themselves to me, I felt like I was at the wrong side of the table and that I should be the one preparing all the instruments and doing my checks. I found it incredibly difficult to try and blank out what was happening. My consultant was also someone who I work with regularly. Even though I trust him with my life, it was extremely strange seeing him operating without me assisting him. I was incredibly lucky that he was actually the consultant on call the day I was in labour. A twist of fate in my favour perhaps.

Once the cesarean begin, I felt extremely uncomfortable. It wasn't that I felt any pain but it was an epidural anaesthetic so you can feel pushing and pulling etc. Again that didn't bother me but the feeling of discomfort came more from knowing exactly what they were doing so in a sense I felt the knife cut and every other action. I knew what they were doing step by step and I hated it. 

Ophelia was delivered safely and I couldn't wait to have a cuddle. She weighed 7lb 11.5 and she had more hair than I expected. I felt a huge weight come off my shoulders and I cried tears of joy and relief. Hubby had lots of cuddles as I was shaking quite vigorously from the anaesthetic. 


I was so engrossed in my new baby that I hadn't noticed how much time had passed. I suddenly tuned back in to the operation and was able to hear from the whispers that something was wrong. I hadn't felt them start stitching me up. My heart sank. 


My consultant decided to be honest with me (as he knew he couldn't hide anything from me as I've got too much knowledge). They thought that I had a hole in my bladder and that my placenta was completely stuck down, they were struggling to get it out. It had pulled my bladder very high up. They performed a dye test to check for holes and thankfully it was fine (my urine was blue all day then lol). The placenta took a long time to come out and I must admit I found that slightly painful as they were really giving it a good pull. I could see the consultant and registrar putting all their effort in. It looked like a tug of war!


My scar is very small. Smaller than I ever imagined it would be. I was stitched up so I don't have to have any clips removed. 

It's been 4 weeks since the delivery and I am now able to look at all the positives. For a while I felt quite upset about the birth because I really didn't like being a patient and I hated the whole experience. However, when I reflect on it now, I become very emotional. I am so overwhelmed and I feel very lucky and privileged to have had someone I know deliver my baby into the world. The fact that a consultant who I work with all the time delivered Ophelia, makes it all the more special.  


I think the fact that I didn't write a birth plan has helped me to come to terms with my labour and birth. All I knew is that I wanted my baby in the safest way and at the time, a cesarean was needed.

The next part of my labour and birth story will be all about the aftermath. We had to stay in hospital for 6 days in total. Keep your eyes peeled for that installment.
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17 comments

  1. What a beautiful name!!!! I love Ophelia! Oh lovely that must have been so strange, especially knowing what they were doing to you as well. I'm so glad that everything was ok in the end and that they managed to get it out complication free. I hope you healed ok afterwards. My sister had a Caesarean unexpectedly and I am in awe of how small her scar is. Wishing you and your lovely family a merry Christmas! xx #love2blog

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  2. Oh I'm so glad your bladder was not torn, that's an awful thing. Staff are the worst patients but you got through it and have a gorgeous baby too!

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  3. What an adorable name you have picked. I bet it is so hard going into such an operation knowing exactly what is going on. I'd rather be unaware of what they're doing. Glad everything was okay in the end x

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  4. I absolutely love the name and what beautiful photographs! Thank you for sharing, I bet it was so hard to go through knowing exactly what's going on in the room!

    Rebecca
    xx
    http://www.meadowdaisy.com

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  5. I am so glad Ophelia arrived safely - I had an emergency c-section with my first baby and was terrified - I was asleep for it though, thankfully. I had no idea you worked in an operating theatre!! Kaz x

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  6. Oh congratulations on the safe birth of your beautiful baby. My births were nothing like the way I wanted them either but now I just see it as another life experience with the best possible outcome. What a beautiful name you have chosen. My youngest is Evelia and it's lovely to see somebody else also using one of the older, more unusual names.xx

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  7. it must be so much harder for you given your job, I know midwives who say the same about giving birth themselves as they know too much! I love the name Ophelia btw xx

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  8. That must have been scary. Congratulations! She's adorable! I love her name! x

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  9. Such a beautiful name! I had a c-section with my daughter Iseult and I got the shakes too, the guy at my head was so sweet, I think he thought I was nervous or something but it was a pure physical reaction. It was a strange experience after giving birth normally with my first girl but I suppose I was generally calmer as it was second time around so it didn't seem to bad. Quite sore afterwards though!

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  10. I can totally imagine how it would be in a way more scary and emotional when you know what is going on, when you have more insight then others. I have had two c-sections, one an emergency and one planned - I have to say the planned one was far better physically and emotionally as the first time round the epidural didn't work properly and I was in a lot of pain. I am so glad beside the whole placenta thing that you were both okay and that is what really matters.

    Laura x

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  11. Wow I can imagine how this must have bee nquite hard for you :( but I think you are right about the birth plan... I was so wrapped up in imne that when they said 'episiotomy' to my husband, he was my strongth and telling them, 'No way!' and I was the one saying, 'If it means the baby is okay, do it!' so I agree, it's a plan but it has to be changeable xxx go you xxx

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  12. Awwwww! gorgeous little one! congrats. I ended up having a c-section too back in September. I'm a biochemist so also knew evvvvvverything that was happening, but because I'm on the drug development side of things I was fascinated! Haha. It was a really positive experience. You do feel like you're being lugged about an awful lot though don't you? I'd do it again in a heartbeat. <3

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  13. All worrh it. ophellia is beautiful

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  14. Beautiful story and ophelia is here safely 😀 My c scar is also much smaller then I though it would be, amazing! My obst thought they had nicked my bladder too so I had to wear catheter for three days afterwards to monitor my urine, awesome ha! Would do it all again though. Catch up soon x

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  15. Glad it all was ok in the end and must have been terryfying knowing all the knowledge!!...love the name by the way...cant wait to see you all soon.xx

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  16. Congrats lovely! I read both posts and was so sorry that you went through such a protracted labour experience second time round too. I had a similar experience with my first and am hoping for a better experience second time round, but you just never know. At the end of it all though, the most important thing is getting baby out safely. I'm glad you've made comfort with it all and are now enjoying lots of new baby cuddles :-). Emily x

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  17. Glorious pictures - my first and second time were totally different! 1st ended in a c-section and post trauma that landed me back in hospital and eventually with septicaemia and 2nd narrowly missed a c-section but was fine after! Phew! H x

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