My birth story
In the Seychelles, if it’s your first baby you go to Mahe (the main island) to have your baby (we live on Praslin island) three weeks before the due date. Now for most people this isn’t too much of an issue, as they will have friends or family living there that they can stay with. Well, we didn’t have that option and so we had to find accommodation for me to stay in. My husband would have to stay on Praslin as he would still be working. Luckily for me my mum and dad were coming over so I had some company and some help if I needed to get to the hospital. Of course also for just general help while I was a big ball of a pregnant lady! So accommodation booked for 5 weeks (3 weeks before and allowing up to two weeks after due date before I would be induced)
At my 20 week scan (which was actually at 22 weeks) they told us we were having a boy. They also told us that at that time he was breech. It was no problem though, it was still early days and he had lots and lots of time to turn around still. I don’t know what it was but I knew he wasn’t going to turn around, I just had this feeling he was going to stay breech.
The kind of thing that can make it more likely a baby will be breech is if it’s the second baby, it’s twins or more, the uterus is an unusual shape, or placenta previa among some other things that I can’t remember! Well none of those things matched up with me. Even armed with the knowledge that less that 5% of babies are born breech I still had this feeling that he wasn’t going to turn. My husband felt the same way.
It got closer to my due date and every check up I had, our little guy still hadn’t turned! I knew he wasn’t going to….little monkey! At 30 weeks I was booked into have an elective c-section. I had read a lot about how people feel really disappointed at having to have a c-section. I’ll admit I did feel this a little bit, that I wouldn’t be able to have my baby the way ‘nature intended’!
However this actually ended up working really well for us. With my husband on a whole different island we didn’t have to worry about how he was going to get to me if I went into labour in the middle of the night! Also it meant that my mum and dad could plan their stay around it (after all they were still going to be in the Seychelles and they wanted to enjoy their time before the baby came!).
So I went into the hospital on the 25th June (at 37.5weeks pregnant). I had a chat with the anaesthetist, discussed that the two main options were an epidural or general anaesthetic. The decision was clear for us that I would have an epidural. I didn’t want the risks involved with a general anaesthetic. I then was put in a room where the baby was traced, I could hear him moving around and his little heart beat it was beautiful. They then shaved my belly and I had to sign some forms. No more action until the next day. I got little to no sleep, how could I? I knew I was going to be meeting my baby in the morning!!
My husband and my parents arrived at 7 in the morning on the 26th and things then went pretty fast. I got dressed into my hospital gown and taken into theatre at around 8:45. In the Seychelles no one is allowed to go into the theatre with you so I was by myself. I made sure that my husband was going to get to be with the baby while I was being stitched up. I didn’t want either of them to be on their own!
I then met my doctor for the first time. The anaesthetist was there and was really calming and reassuring. He told me that the epidural would be uncomfortable but as I had a tattoo on my back he told me I would be fine! He was right, to be honest the needle wasn’t bad at all. That could be due to adrenaline of course! I then felt a cold feeling, which i guess was the anaesthetic. That didn’t feel very nice but within a minute or two that had gone and the numbness started going down my legs. I had a oxygen mask on, not sure if that is normal or not but I had one never the less! I think it did help me as it made me concentrate on my breathing rather then what was going on down there!
At 9:25 Arthur was born, I had prepared myself that quite often the baby makes no sound initially when first born by c-section but i heard a little coughing noise and then a cry. I burst into tears!! That was it I was a mummy!! They cleaned him up a little bit and the doctor was then removing the placenta etc (I guess thats what he was doing anyway!) I got to give Arthur a little kiss, he was bundled up in a big fluffy towel. He was then taken away from me to get properly cleaned up and to go into a little incubator while I was being stitched up. My husband was with him at this time.
I think it was around 10:15 that I eventually came out of theatre…..it felt like forever! I got wheeled back into the ward where my mum and dad were with me. Shortly after that Mark came in with Arthur and I got to have my first cuddle. I had been away from him for less than an hour and I had missed him, he had been inside me for 9 months and so even that short little time without him felt like an eternity!
Recovery was surprisingly okay from the surgery. I didn’t get out of bed at all on the 26th but the next day I walked to have a wash and use the toilet, the first day was pretty slow and painful but it got better really quick. I didn’t take much pain medication at all. I can’t even remember what the strong stuff was that I had but whatever it was I only used it for two days and then after that I was just taking paracetamol.
Can anyone tell me what to choose better – Tramadol or Morphine? Which one is really better? I mean in all terms. For me the most important is the working speed, price and sides. For post surgery treatment which on is the choice, or are the some some even better option than those two? Would appreciate real experience advice.
My entire stay in hospital was 5 nights (including the night before I had Arthur) I went back to our apartment on Mahe. Mark had started his paternity leave on the 25th so he was there with me along with my mum and dad. We took Arthur back to Praslin when he was around 2 weeks old on the little inter island plane.
Oh he’s gorgeous! I do love a birth story, they are all so different yet all so beautiful. X
Thank you lovely
Isn’t it? It’s such a magical experience, I sob when I watch one born every minute lol! I’ve linked mine up to Emma’s list too. X
Soon as Arthur goes to bed tonight I’m gonna read them all and have a sob fest haha 🙂 xx
Awww how lovely. I love birth stories. They really hammer home how beautiful our children are and hoe they complete you the second they arrive. I had never thought of doing a birth story as a blog but I am thinking about it now. Your little one is beautiful and I love your pics x
🙂 thank you hun!!! I think so too 🙂
yeah I didn’t have it written down anywhere so the blog seemed like a great place to do it not necessarily for other people to read (although great if they do) but just as a good place to keep it! xx
Loved reading this, reminds me that I really need to do mine too at some point before H goes off to university. Love the pics xxx
Aww such lovely photos. I love reading birth stories, they’re all so different! Mines on Emma’s too. Glad it all worked out for you xx
Ahhh I must find it, so weird to think that we did it at the same time!! Xx
such a lovely story, he is gorgeous
Thank you lovely that’s really sweet xx
A lovely birth story! Your photos are wonderful too. You are right, your blog is a great place to keep this story. Lovely x.
Thank you so much 🙂 xx
Thanks for sharing. Beautiful photos. Thanks for linking up #binkylinky
I’m so so so gladI read your post, I’ve been told I need a c section next time due to the damage from before and I’ve been so scared by the thought, but reading your birth story has given me so much reassurance. It’s so refreshing to read a birth story that went well. Thanks for linking up #BinkyLinky
This has just made my day, I’m so pleased you dropped by and that my post has made you feel better about the c-section!!
Xx
Gorgeous birth story and a gorgeous baby…well done!
hi Seychelles Mamma,im a student midwife doing a project on the history of midwifery and I came across the picture of you standing at the labour ward,you look very happy and big,im just checking if it is okay if I use your pic to put in my project
Hi Stefanie, thanks for asking, it is okay for you to use the picture. Good luck with the project