Earth Babies Blog

Archive for the ‘Birth Stories’ Category

Camden is my 3rd (and last!) child. We were hoping for a boy, so we were very happy to hear that we had gotten it right!
I had 2 natural births with both my girls, no complications but episiotomies with both and both were born in hospitals. With Camden, I decided that I did not want the conventional hospital birth and opted to go with a midwife. We met Sue King at 16 weeks and loved her from the start.

I had a very easy pregnancy (other than some back and pelvic pain) and loved every minute of it. Towards the end of the pregnancy, my blood pressure was rising, but nothing to be worried about. On the 11th October, I was 40 weeks and little mr didn’t seem to be ready to make an appearance. We went through to Sue for my weekly check up. I unfortunately had protein in my urine and my blood pressure was fairly high. I didn’t feel any different though so was quite surprised to hear this! Sue phoned Dr. Jivkov who said I should go through to Linkwood that evening and they would induce labour.
Sue did an internal and told me I was already 2cm dilated so she would just use a gel for the induction.
We drove back to the Vaal, did some shopping, did the final packing, spent some time with the girls and just took it easy. I was a bit nervous about the induction but other than that, I felt fine.

We got to Linkwood at about 6:30pm, checked in, got comfortable and relaxed. Sue did an internal and to mine (and her) surprise, I was 6cm along! She put me on the monitor and asked me if I was feeling anything. I said no. She said I was in labour with regular, strong contractions. What a pleasure! She checked my blood pressure which was still high, so we decided to break my waters to speed things up a bit.

Well, from then, things definitely speeded up! I got on my birthing ball, picked up a magazine and sat for a bit. I got up to go to the loo and there was just a gush of water! Got myself cleaned up and got back on the ball. I started feeling the contractions then and they quickly got stronger and stronger.

The Doula which works with Sue came in at that point to provide some assistance with the pain but applying pressure to my back and to pressure points. (I had the lights dimmed and had some candles lit, music playing and some photos of my girls to focus on)
I got up and started walking around and rotating my hips when the contractions hit to work and breathe through the pain. (I’d done some research on hypnobirthing and tried to implement some of the techniques).

I remember telling Callam that I wasn’t getting any breaks between the contractions; they were coming fast and hard. I felt that I need to go to the toilet, so I went and sat on the loo for a bit. I really had the urge to push. Got up and told Sue that I felt the urge to push, but I’m sure it was too soon because it was only about 8:30 and it hadn’t even been an hour since she broke my waters.

She said if you want to push, let’s push! I chose to sit upright on the bed for the pushing stage. I remember telling Callam at one point that I just couldn’t do it anymore. He actually just laughed at me because I’d said the same thing during the girls labour!

And with the push right after I’d said that, out came a head full of black hair and the rest of him just after that!
Sue gave him straight to me and I put him on my chest and I just held him there till I was ready to let go. We waited for the cord to stop pulsing before cutting it and then gave him to Callam for a bit so that we could get the placenta out.
Camden weighed a very healthy 3.8kg’s and was 55cm. He scored 10/10 on both his apgar tests.
I got up and had a shower and got changed, got back into bed and gave my little man his first feed.

Callam spent the night there with me and the next morning at 7am, we were on our way home!
Of the 3 births that I had, this was by far the best. There were no regular, painful internals, no one telling you what to do or when to do it. It was all about me and my baby. I sometimes wish I could have another, just to have a similar birthing experience! J

Thanks for sharing Carla

I asked for some birth stories on FB and am delighted we have an Afrikaans one to share today. Thank you Cilna. If you had natural birth or planned one, even if it did not go to plan ( life is not always predictable) and you would like to share your story with other moms please email me Sally info@earthbabies.co.za

26 April 2010 het ons ‘n heerlike aand saammet vriende gehad, ek was op die dag 38 weke swanger so ek het soos ‘n olifantkooi gevoel, maar ek was vol energie en baie opgewonde oor die vooruitsig van ons baba wat een van die dae in my arms sou wees. Ek het die volgende oggend omtrent 6uur wakker geword en ek onthou ek was skoon omgekrap omdat ek so vroeg wakker word op ‘n vakansie dag, min het ek geweet wat ek op 2010 se Vryheidsdag sou doen. My man het al lankal met sy vriende gereel dat hulle die oggend sou gaan golf speel, ek het vir hom gese dat my maag nogal kramp, maar dis seker niks, hy kan gerus gaan golf speel. Hy was skaars by die deur uit toe begin die krampe bietjie meer opmerklik raak ek het ‘n ‘n warm bad gaan klim, maar dit het nie veel gehelp nie so ek het my kontraksies begin dop hou en vinnig agter gekom hulle hou so 30 sekondes en in ongeveer 5 – 7 minute uit mekaar uit. Skielik het ek besef dat indien ek wel in kraam is ek vinnig vir ons ‘n hospitaal tas moet pak, maar dar was nat weer vir ‘n week so ons het min droe klere gehad. So klim ek toe met ‘n wasgoedmadjie vol nat klere in die kar op pad na my skoonma toe om die klere in haar tuimeldroer te gaan droog maak. Dit was in die dae toe ek geglo het ‘n tuimeldroer is ‘n onnodige vermorsing van energie, intussen het ek begin lapdoeke gebruik, so my voorbehoud oor tuimeldroers is nou daarmeeheen. My skoonma het vir ons lekker tee gemaak en ek moes elke nou en dan aan die bank vas hou en op my hurke gaan sit met kontraksies, maar selfs hier het ek nog nie geglo ek is in kraam nie.

My skoonma het teen 10uur gese sy dink ek moet maar dalk my vroedvrou bel, ek wou nie omdat nie haar vakansiedag wou bederf nie. Ons het die wonderlikste vroedvrou gehad, Xoli Makabane. Ek het maar vir Xoli gebel en vir haar verduidelik wat by my aan die gebeur is en sy het gese sy sal my 12:00 by Genesis kliniek kry. Ek het my man gebel en gese hy moet dalk maar begin huis toe kom want ons moet Genesis toe gaan, hy was baie vinnig by die huis en so sit ons toe af Genesis toe. Die rit in die kar was die ergste van die kraam omdat ek nie kon beweeg nie, maar selfs in die kar was ek nog nie oortuig dat ek in kraam is nie. By Genesis aangekom was Xoli nog nie daar nie en een van die Genesis vroedvrouens het vir my ‘n urien toets stokkie laat gebruik en sy se toe dat sy nie regtig oortuig is dat ek in kraam is nie want ek se dat die kontraksies nie regtig seer is nie en daar is witbloedselle in my uriene so sy reken ek het dalk net blaas infeksie, maar sy gaan wag dat Xoli die inwendige ondersoek doen. Xoli het so teen 12:30 die ondersoek gedoen en verbaas gese dat ek op 3cm was, maar terwyl sy my ondersoek het tot op 6cm gevorder het. Ek het op en af in die kamer geloop en my man het net naby geslaan en hier gevryf en daar gedruk, hy was wonderlik, hy het al die regte goed gedoen en selfs al die regte goed gese. So rukkie later het ek vir Xoli gevra of dit nou is hoe erg dit raak, sy het my weer ondersoek en ek was op 9cm sy het gese dit is sowaar hoe seer dit kan raak waarop ek toe dadelik se dat ek dan verseker nog sewe kinders gaan he. My man en Xoli spot my nou nog daaroor. Xoli het vir my die bad reggekry en vandat ek in die bad geklim het was die pyn selfs meer draaglik. Xoli het my op my hurke laat sit in die bad en my man het my arms van buite die bad vasgehou sodat ek nie te moeg raak nie. Hy het tussen die drukke vir my Jellie Babies en Energade inejaag wat my sommer nuwe krag gegee het.

Ongeveer 3 uur was daar ‘n bloedwolk in die bad met ‘n klein lyfie wat wriemel, ek het hom uit die water gepluk en dadelik vas gehou en ek kon nie ophou om te se “my Ben, my Ben” ek was so bly om hom te sien. Hy was die mooiste ou dingetjie, my man het sy naelsting geknip en hom teen sy kaal bors gehou totdat ek klaar was met die plasenta. Xoli hat hom dadelik op my bors gesit, hy het dadelik perfek gedrink. Dit was ongelooflik en volgende keer sal ek niks wil verander nie.

Ben is vandag amper 10maande oud en raak net ouliker by die dag. Ek borsvoed nogsteeds en hy slaap die grootste deel van die nag by ons in die bed – te lekker.

My story (conception and birth) began with a very long wait, was filled with all kinds of emotions, and ended with a dream come true! We tried for almost 3 years to conceive, a time filled with doubt – asking ourselves if something was wrong with us, and a lot of tears – asking God why was it taking so long! Finally I gave up – I gave it up to God to give us a child, and not ourselves trying to make one! Well, I think that is how it is for most people – when they finally forget about making babies, and just enjoy making love – miracles happen.
Read the rest of this entry »

Now that I think back, I wasn’t particularly prepared for Shae’s birth. I’d been to a couple of classes and watched the videos, but they all looked so very calm and idyllic with pan pipe music playing in the background, I didn’t really feel the need to panic and prepare much.
Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday 30th July 2009 (37 weeks 5 days)

I woke up on Thursday Morning after a restless night’s sleep to “period pain” cramps and didn’t think much of it. I had been inserting evening primrose oil capsules into my vagina for 2 nights so I thought my cervix was ripening, but didn’t think it was early labour. I jumped into our bed as I had been banished to the spare room these last week because my preggy snoring was keeping Donovan awake. I had made us oats with fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, which we lay in bed and ate before Don went to work. I fell asleep and woke every now and then to the ‘period pains’. Around 12h30 I started timing the pains as they became stronger and I could no longer manage them lying down, whenever they started I had to get out of bed and pace around the room. I was getting excited because I thought this could be the start of labour, but didn’t want to get my hopes up as they were not regular at all. My little book reads like this:

12h30 – Contraction for 30 seconds, 8 min’s 38 seconds apart
Contraction for 34 seconds, 5 min’s 20 seconds apart
Contraction for 30 seconds, 3 min’s 43 seconds apart
Contraction for 38 seconds, 8 min’s 50 seconds apart
Read the rest of this entry »

Though a relatively easy and uneventful pregnancy after 2 years of infertility investigation and treatment, it was found that I was pregnant with a breech baby. From about 30 weeks of pregnancy, we did everything we could do to turn the baby to ensure a natural water birth – something that I have been dreaming about for a very long time. We tried homoeopathy, chiropractics, acupuncture, moxibustion, various hand-stand excercises and eventually a very painful ECV procedure performed between 36 and 37 weeks. All unsuccessful.

I had decided even before I fell pregnant that if I could not have a completely natural birth then I would opt for a planned caesarian section, I would much rather that than a medicated vaginal birth or emergency caesar (which obviously is something I would hope wouldn’t happen if I had a normal pregnancy).
Read the rest of this entry »

Birth Story – names changed.
Natasha Rieder, birthing Jade

19th January 2009
Sleep last night was poor due to overactive /negative mind getting angry, sad, frustrated, disappointed, and more, about the fact that nothing has happened – no birth – and that the time pressure factor was going to kick into play. I couldn’t see how I could possibly land back in the situation of having another c-section. Surely the Universe, you (Little Jade) and my body could give me the one thing I want to experience – natural childbirth – considering how much I invest in parenting consciously and with awareness?

23rd January
As you can see Monday the 19th was an emotional day – I was tired from lack of sleep, feeling pressure due to time and generally very ‘the hell in’ and not interested in doing anything to induce labour anymore as it clearly wasn’t doing much. I wasn’t yet ready to give in to a c-section and have one booked, but I was tired of trying too hard and pushing too much. I almost even cancelled my ante-natal visit with Gladys cos I felt even that was too much involvement. But I went – I’m still a responsible mother & wanted to check Little Jade was still good & fine.
Read the rest of this entry »

Posted this the evening of 11 July, 2009, several hours after Nienke was born:

Nienke was born at 18:00,weighed 3.45kg,10 hours of labour. Wanted epidural at 10am,long story-Didn’t get one.Wont lie-it was HELL. I think l begged DH at one stage to kill me.She suckles like a champ, latched immediately! Sleeping now with me in bed, am just staring at her. Will post later!

The birth story, fresh from the press the following day:

I had cramps throughout Friday evening, but thought it was the lovely potjie we ate the evening.

The cramps were mild and about 15 minutes apart. After 7am, I felt something leaking and saw I had my show. About 15-20 minutes after that my water broke. It was STREAMING down my legs.

Didn’t know what to do-were walking around with a pad in one had, my doctor on the line in the other hand, asking my hubby if I can first have a shower.

Took a shower, went to hospital. The contractions were already about 4 minutes apart, but felt like period pains. At hospital they weighed me-I gained a whopping 21 kg’s! (Lost 7kg during birth.)
I was put on an antibiotic drip, because apparently if your water break then you can become infected, they also monitored baby and then I was free to “walk” and do everything the way I wanted. O yes, had an internal exam by nurse and was not dilated yet! But the contractions were becoming stronger and longer. Still about 3 min. apart but felt like SERIOUS period pains.

Was walking on the grass outside with my drip in the one hand, hubby timing my contractions, me saying “it’s not that bad” and sitting in the sun in-between.
Got REALLY bad, so at about 10am I considered an epidural. Told nurse and she said I must first dilate 4cm’s. They did internal and I was only 1cm dilated! Thought I was going to die. Went for walk again outside but couldn’t keep it up. Was taken to delivery room (o yes, somewhere in between I received a nice enema as well) and had a catheter inserted. Here it is all a bit fussy. Was VERY strong contractions, little did I know it was nothing compared to what was to come.
Another nice internal-only 3cm’s-had to wait one cm more. Then the dr who gave the epidurals first had to do a c-section. I had some pethadine, which did NOTHING to relieve the pain, only made me go into a trance during rest-periods between contractions.

By this stage I was screaming like a crazy person and breathing like crazy and nobody was allowed to touch me, only held hubby’s hand.

While telling the nurse I was dying (I really did lose all dignity and did not care about ANYTHING apart from getting relieve from the pain) she did another internal and I was 8cm’s! THEN the dr who did epidurals strolled in. I wasn’t myself by this stage. So the nurse asked me do I still want one and I remember yelling at her “hy het mos nou gesê dit is te LAAT!”

I then shouted some more and told her to let my dr. come because this baby is coming. It irritated me that she kept on asking me questions a normal person would be able to answer, but I was not a normal person at that stage.

She would ask me “hoe voel dit” or “ons moet dr bel as jy 10cm ontsluit is”. I mean, HELLO! The baby was coming!!!

I could feel her pressing down with her feet at the top of my abdomen. It was the most amazing feeling and so empowering to feel how my baby was working with me.

I shouted at nurse to GET MY DOCTOR.

When my dr. arrived, I was 10cm and he was fantastic. By this stage I was completely out of control and he kept me grounded. He would tell me calmly what to do and to push when he says etc.

The one nurse held my one leg and helped me push by pushing my chin on my chest. The pushing was quite hard, dr. said it was a “tight squeeze” and that she came out sideways. She hadn’t even crowned yet when I told him they must “suck her out”. I just felt I wouldn’t be able to do it.

He then used the vacuum thingy.

I didn’t really feel that extreme urge to push everyone seems to have. I actually didn’t WANT to push, because I felt she was too big. So I did it sort of half-heartedly.

Anyway, she came out beautifully and I only got one stitch. Did not feel a thing when dr. cut me, though I heard it. She was very blue when she came out but then she starting crying and all was well. My hubby went with her to have her weighed etc but I told them to bring her right back, because I wanted to breastfeed straight away and do kangaroo care.
She was born at 18:00.

So I was cleaned up, taken to my room, they brought her to me, all naked and not yet bathed. She latched immediately and was happy doing just that. My DH and I both kangaroo cared and I dressed her at about 21:00 for first time. She slept with me, I did not sleep a wink, cant sleep in hospitals, the nurses kept waking us up and checking her blood pressure etc.

Anyway, I am glad in the end I did not get epidural, because I had the birth I wanted. I just did not know it would be that HARD and sore. The great thing is, the memory faded the next day and my cute baby was the only thing that mattered.

Would DEF. go prepared to be in the right state of mind to handle the pain better.

It was the night of the 15 February 2010, and in the midst of another perineal massage I was pondering the possibility of doing this forever and changing my profession to Gynaecology.
We were 10 days overdue and nothing seemed to be happening, so that evening we decided to watch a movie, and finish up with some “passion” (which sometimes started things) before hitting the sack. Now our first child (Seth) was 17 days overdue so we were not worried just waiting, and waiting some more.
I was woken up at around 11:30 to Seth crying and asking for Mumsie. My wife got up and settled him. She came back to the room and said she was getting a hot water bottle as she was having a few contractions and her back was sore. This was nothing really out of the ordinary as we had been through a few nights of strong Braxton Hicks before.

Read the rest of this entry »

We were pregnant with our second child and had decided on a home waterbirth.
According to my ovulation dates our baby was due on the 5th Feb 2010, but as with our previous pregnancy the date came and went, while our friends and family harassed us about whether we’d forgotten to tell them if the baby had arrived.
I’d been having painful Braxton hicks at night for weeks and we had one night where we were convinced labour was starting but after a bath and some time it all just petered off again. The BH were painful, but irregular and always disappeared in the early hours of the morning. I found they were most powerful after sex, so we tried often to kick start labour with “passion”, but I was getting frustrated and exhausted from the sleepless nights that passed with no result.
On the night of the 15th Feb we were discussing waiting another week for our baby, and I was contemplating asking my midwife if we could try the castor oil and orange juice route the following morning when I was due to see her. As time was getting on I was worrying more and more that as the pregnancy was so similar to Seth’s that this labour was going to be similar to his too. We decided to give the passion another go and finally turned out the lights sometime before 11pm.

Read the rest of this entry »