Max and Leo's births
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My first pregnancy was smooth and relatively trouble free. I was fit, doing yoga regularly and attending my weekly personal training sessions. I ate well except for some peanut butter and strawberry milk cravings. At our nuchal scan, we were told that my blood test showed low Pap-A which could impact the placenta and its ability to nurture our baby. This meant lots of monitoring with my caseload midwife who would regularly check the baby’s heart rate and growth. We attended our pre-natal classes & learned all about childbirth. I read countless books and prepared my 3 page birth plan which outlined my desire for a natural, drug free, water birth.
At 35 weeks, our midwife was concerned that the bump under my right rib cage was actually a head and the baby was breech. Well this wasn’t a part of my birth plan! An ultrasound was organised and confirmed our baby was frank breech. I didn’t know what to do, I knew nothing about breech birth. This wasn’t discussed in our prenatal class or the books that I read. My husband was a breech baby himself and his mum delivered him vaginally – that was the extent of my knowledge on breech birth. So I started researching and desperately trying to turn bub – acupuncture, moxibustion, osteopathy, handstands in swimming pools, frozen peas on the top of my belly – playing music and shining a torch down below. Nothing worked.
At 37.5 weeks I was booked in for an ECV at the hospital. It was uncomfortable, the drug that was injected into my thigh to relax my uterus made my heart race. The ECV didn’t work. The doctor said I will need to be booked in for a caesarean at 39 weeks as the hospital did not support breech birth.
I didn’t understand this - they would not allow me to birth my breech baby but were happy to perform major surgery on me? Inject a needle into my spine and slice me open but not allow me to deliver vaginally? I felt sick at the thought of having a caesarean, I had never even broken a bone let alone have surgery. My baby and I were completely healthy, surely I could attempt to deliver? The doctor told me that I could be transferred to a different hospital that would support a breech birth, but a planned caesarean was the safest option for my baby. I cried. I didn’t want this, but I desperately wanted my baby to be safe. I felt like I had no option. The caesarean was booked for the 12th of April 2013 and it felt bittersweet. I was excited to know that we would soon be meeting our baby, and devastated that I wouldn’t be “giving birth”.
People told me that I was lucky to be “getting out of the hard work”. This made me so angry. I realised that we don’t always get the birth we want, we get the birth we need.
My baby arriving safely was the most important thing. We went out to dinner the night before to enjoy our last meal as a family of 2. The next morning we went to the hospital knowing that we would be leaving with our baby. It felt so surreal. The hospital staff were wonderful, trying to make me feel comfortable and taking pictures. Max was born at 10:28am on Friday 12th April 2013. He was 2.62 kilos and perfect, we were in love.
At 35 weeks, our midwife was concerned that the bump under my right rib cage was actually a head and the baby was breech. Well this wasn’t a part of my birth plan! An ultrasound was organised and confirmed our baby was frank breech. I didn’t know what to do, I knew nothing about breech birth. This wasn’t discussed in our prenatal class or the books that I read. My husband was a breech baby himself and his mum delivered him vaginally – that was the extent of my knowledge on breech birth. So I started researching and desperately trying to turn bub – acupuncture, moxibustion, osteopathy, handstands in swimming pools, frozen peas on the top of my belly – playing music and shining a torch down below. Nothing worked.
At 37.5 weeks I was booked in for an ECV at the hospital. It was uncomfortable, the drug that was injected into my thigh to relax my uterus made my heart race. The ECV didn’t work. The doctor said I will need to be booked in for a caesarean at 39 weeks as the hospital did not support breech birth.
I didn’t understand this - they would not allow me to birth my breech baby but were happy to perform major surgery on me? Inject a needle into my spine and slice me open but not allow me to deliver vaginally? I felt sick at the thought of having a caesarean, I had never even broken a bone let alone have surgery. My baby and I were completely healthy, surely I could attempt to deliver? The doctor told me that I could be transferred to a different hospital that would support a breech birth, but a planned caesarean was the safest option for my baby. I cried. I didn’t want this, but I desperately wanted my baby to be safe. I felt like I had no option. The caesarean was booked for the 12th of April 2013 and it felt bittersweet. I was excited to know that we would soon be meeting our baby, and devastated that I wouldn’t be “giving birth”.
People told me that I was lucky to be “getting out of the hard work”. This made me so angry. I realised that we don’t always get the birth we want, we get the birth we need.
My baby arriving safely was the most important thing. We went out to dinner the night before to enjoy our last meal as a family of 2. The next morning we went to the hospital knowing that we would be leaving with our baby. It felt so surreal. The hospital staff were wonderful, trying to make me feel comfortable and taking pictures. Max was born at 10:28am on Friday 12th April 2013. He was 2.62 kilos and perfect, we were in love.
We found out I was pregnant when Max was 1.5 years old. Some things were the same, like my peanut butter cravings but some things felt completely different. I knew I would be giving birth vaginally to this baby. My midwife and hospital were supportive of a VBAC and I met all of the criteria to attempt a trial of labour. Everything was tracking along perfectly and the baby felt in cephalic position. I had another bump under my right rib cage but it was far too big to be a head and was most likely a little baby butt!
At my 36 week appointment, my lovely midwife looked me over and said the big bump moved like a big head. I didn’t cry this time, I knew I was birthing this baby vaginally. My Group B Strep test came back negative, everything was perfect except the presentation. An ECV was tried and once again, failed. The acupuncture, moxibustion, osteopathy, chiropractor and exercises were all tried again – nothing worked. I was disappointed but not ready to give up. I asked for the referral to the Westmead Breech Clinic. There was obviously a reason my babies were breech, this is the way they were meant to be and I was going to embrace that.
Some friends and family were supportive but others were concerned that I was putting the baby and myself at unnecessary risk. It made me second guess myself but luckily my husband was so supportive and agreed that we should try a breech birth. The more I researched breech birth and VBAC’s the more confident I felt. A caesar wasn’t necessarily the safest or best option for a breech baby. Breech is just another variation of normal birth. The issue is with our current hospital systems and lack of education/support amongst doctors – not with my body. I devoured every breech birth story I could find. I could do this. This felt right!
We travelled to Westmead and met with the head obstetrician and midwife who ran the clinic. I was the perfect candidate for a breech VBAC birth. Our baby was frank breech and not measuring too big. I didn’t have any complications during my pregnancy that would negatively impact a breech birth.
I was concerned that my baby being breech would negatively impact the VBAC and make it harder to achieve. He explained that VBB and VBAC birth both have their own set of risks but one does not necessarily increase the risk of the other. Their confidence gave me confidence. We were excited!
At 40 weeks plus 2 days, at 7pm my waters broke. The hospital asked me to come in as I would need constant monitoring on an ECG during labour due to being a VBAC. We dropped Max at his grandparents’ house and headed to the hospital, during the car trip I started experiencing some contractions.
Upon arriving at the hospital they advised my cervix was completely closed and took another swab for Group B Strep, which was their standard procedure. I was told that I would be induced at 6am the next morning and that we should get some rest. By 9pm we were shown to a room to get some sleep. At 11pm we were woken so the midwife on duty could put a cannula in my hand for the morning. At midnight we were woken again and told that my Group B Strep results came back as positive and I was going to be induced right now! Everything felt like it was spiralling out of control and I was so scared that it was going to escalate and result in another caesar. We were exhausted and the labour hadn’t even started yet! At 2am I was strapped up to an ECG machine and a stretch and sweep done, I was already 2cm dilated!
The IV was inserted and the sintocin was started. My contractions were instantly more painful, made worse by watching the baby’s heart rate rise and fall on the ECG machine. Over the next few hours I moved, swayed and tried to stay active until I was absolutely exhausted. The lack of sleep and physical exhaustion was taking its toll on me and I was starting to wish that I had rested more in my early labour. Midwives would come in regularly to tell me that they were increasing my sintocin. With each increase, the contractions instantly became more painful until they felt unbearable. I was worried my scar would rip open. A midwife came over and started playing with the IV, the next contraction was unbelievably painful I burst into tears. She had increased the sintocin without even warning me. I was so furious with her!
I was due to meet with the doctor and have another internal exam at 10am. By this stage I was in so much pain that I didn’t know if I could continue. I must be close to 10cm by now. An exam was done and I was only 3cm. 8 hours of pain for 1cm. I wasn’t even in established labour yet! I felt deflated, exhausted and ready to give up. We discussed pain medication, if there was going to be another 8 hours of this I didn’t think I could do it! I wanted an epidural but I knew that every intervention would bring me closer to the caesarean that I so desperately wanted to avoid. The doctor suggested that I try an epidural. I was so torn, my body was screaming for it but I really didn’t want one. I didn’t want to say no, but I wasn’t ready to say yes so I decided to try the gas for 15 minutes and revisit the epidural.
The gas was really good and gave me something to focus on during the peak of my contractions. Between contractions I tried to close my eyes and rest. I moved to the shower when the contractions got worse. I knew it was important to be upright and get our baby moving down the canal. I swayed in the warm shower and it felt amazing but the back pain was awful. Even the sensation of the water on my back started to hurt. I moved to the bed, all I could do was stand with my forearms resting on the bed. The baby felt low and I felt like I needed to poo. As my husband helped me towards the toilet I felt something running down my legs. It was splotches of meconium that the baby had passed which I knew was pretty normal in breech birth.
Sitting on the toilet was the best. My best friend & husband were with me and alternated giving me sips of ice cold water, helping me with the gas and holding pillows under my head so I could rest between contractions. I felt so loved and very grateful for them.
Something had shifted, the pain was so intense all I could do was moan and let out this guttural scream during contractions. The gas was not helping anymore. I looked at my husband’s face and knew something was happening, he looked white! It sounds silly to say, but it felt like I started to come out of my body and that I was looking down at everyone in the room. This was my transition, I asked for the doctor.
When the doctor and head breech midwife arrived they were surprised to see me on the toilet and not with the epidural. It was around 1:30pm and in 3 hours I had gone from 3cm to 10cm, it was time to push. The doctor asked me to move to the bed so I could go on all fours which was the birth position I had wanted. When we tried this I found it to be more uncomfortable than just lying on my back. The room started to fill with people and the doctor coached me to push. The pushing was difficult and I needed an episiotomy as our babies heart rate started to drop.
At 1:57pm, Leo was born. The doctors placed him on my chest and I just stared at him in shock and he stared back at me. I could not believe I had just pushed out this perfect, healthy, beautiful, 3.54 kilo baby boy. We had done it. 24 hours later we were on our way home to introduce Leo to his big brother. In the weeks following Leo’s birth I was on a natural high of adrenaline and hormones. I felt like wonder woman and was able to drive, lift up Max for big cuddles and take care of my boys without having to worry about recovering from surgery. The recovery was amazing. Having my breech VBAC was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
At my 36 week appointment, my lovely midwife looked me over and said the big bump moved like a big head. I didn’t cry this time, I knew I was birthing this baby vaginally. My Group B Strep test came back negative, everything was perfect except the presentation. An ECV was tried and once again, failed. The acupuncture, moxibustion, osteopathy, chiropractor and exercises were all tried again – nothing worked. I was disappointed but not ready to give up. I asked for the referral to the Westmead Breech Clinic. There was obviously a reason my babies were breech, this is the way they were meant to be and I was going to embrace that.
Some friends and family were supportive but others were concerned that I was putting the baby and myself at unnecessary risk. It made me second guess myself but luckily my husband was so supportive and agreed that we should try a breech birth. The more I researched breech birth and VBAC’s the more confident I felt. A caesar wasn’t necessarily the safest or best option for a breech baby. Breech is just another variation of normal birth. The issue is with our current hospital systems and lack of education/support amongst doctors – not with my body. I devoured every breech birth story I could find. I could do this. This felt right!
We travelled to Westmead and met with the head obstetrician and midwife who ran the clinic. I was the perfect candidate for a breech VBAC birth. Our baby was frank breech and not measuring too big. I didn’t have any complications during my pregnancy that would negatively impact a breech birth.
I was concerned that my baby being breech would negatively impact the VBAC and make it harder to achieve. He explained that VBB and VBAC birth both have their own set of risks but one does not necessarily increase the risk of the other. Their confidence gave me confidence. We were excited!
At 40 weeks plus 2 days, at 7pm my waters broke. The hospital asked me to come in as I would need constant monitoring on an ECG during labour due to being a VBAC. We dropped Max at his grandparents’ house and headed to the hospital, during the car trip I started experiencing some contractions.
Upon arriving at the hospital they advised my cervix was completely closed and took another swab for Group B Strep, which was their standard procedure. I was told that I would be induced at 6am the next morning and that we should get some rest. By 9pm we were shown to a room to get some sleep. At 11pm we were woken so the midwife on duty could put a cannula in my hand for the morning. At midnight we were woken again and told that my Group B Strep results came back as positive and I was going to be induced right now! Everything felt like it was spiralling out of control and I was so scared that it was going to escalate and result in another caesar. We were exhausted and the labour hadn’t even started yet! At 2am I was strapped up to an ECG machine and a stretch and sweep done, I was already 2cm dilated!
The IV was inserted and the sintocin was started. My contractions were instantly more painful, made worse by watching the baby’s heart rate rise and fall on the ECG machine. Over the next few hours I moved, swayed and tried to stay active until I was absolutely exhausted. The lack of sleep and physical exhaustion was taking its toll on me and I was starting to wish that I had rested more in my early labour. Midwives would come in regularly to tell me that they were increasing my sintocin. With each increase, the contractions instantly became more painful until they felt unbearable. I was worried my scar would rip open. A midwife came over and started playing with the IV, the next contraction was unbelievably painful I burst into tears. She had increased the sintocin without even warning me. I was so furious with her!
I was due to meet with the doctor and have another internal exam at 10am. By this stage I was in so much pain that I didn’t know if I could continue. I must be close to 10cm by now. An exam was done and I was only 3cm. 8 hours of pain for 1cm. I wasn’t even in established labour yet! I felt deflated, exhausted and ready to give up. We discussed pain medication, if there was going to be another 8 hours of this I didn’t think I could do it! I wanted an epidural but I knew that every intervention would bring me closer to the caesarean that I so desperately wanted to avoid. The doctor suggested that I try an epidural. I was so torn, my body was screaming for it but I really didn’t want one. I didn’t want to say no, but I wasn’t ready to say yes so I decided to try the gas for 15 minutes and revisit the epidural.
The gas was really good and gave me something to focus on during the peak of my contractions. Between contractions I tried to close my eyes and rest. I moved to the shower when the contractions got worse. I knew it was important to be upright and get our baby moving down the canal. I swayed in the warm shower and it felt amazing but the back pain was awful. Even the sensation of the water on my back started to hurt. I moved to the bed, all I could do was stand with my forearms resting on the bed. The baby felt low and I felt like I needed to poo. As my husband helped me towards the toilet I felt something running down my legs. It was splotches of meconium that the baby had passed which I knew was pretty normal in breech birth.
Sitting on the toilet was the best. My best friend & husband were with me and alternated giving me sips of ice cold water, helping me with the gas and holding pillows under my head so I could rest between contractions. I felt so loved and very grateful for them.
Something had shifted, the pain was so intense all I could do was moan and let out this guttural scream during contractions. The gas was not helping anymore. I looked at my husband’s face and knew something was happening, he looked white! It sounds silly to say, but it felt like I started to come out of my body and that I was looking down at everyone in the room. This was my transition, I asked for the doctor.
When the doctor and head breech midwife arrived they were surprised to see me on the toilet and not with the epidural. It was around 1:30pm and in 3 hours I had gone from 3cm to 10cm, it was time to push. The doctor asked me to move to the bed so I could go on all fours which was the birth position I had wanted. When we tried this I found it to be more uncomfortable than just lying on my back. The room started to fill with people and the doctor coached me to push. The pushing was difficult and I needed an episiotomy as our babies heart rate started to drop.
At 1:57pm, Leo was born. The doctors placed him on my chest and I just stared at him in shock and he stared back at me. I could not believe I had just pushed out this perfect, healthy, beautiful, 3.54 kilo baby boy. We had done it. 24 hours later we were on our way home to introduce Leo to his big brother. In the weeks following Leo’s birth I was on a natural high of adrenaline and hormones. I felt like wonder woman and was able to drive, lift up Max for big cuddles and take care of my boys without having to worry about recovering from surgery. The recovery was amazing. Having my breech VBAC was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
