My second 'trainee doula support' birthing experience - Susan Emary
Heather was admitted to St Vincent's Private on the morning of the 8th of April for an induction. This was due to concerns the obstetrician had regarding the placenta and its ability to continue to support the baby to full term.
The doctor applied an application of jell around 7.00am. I spoke with Heather around lunchtime and there was nothing much happening. They were both trying to remain calm and relaxed. It became a waiting game. The doctor applied another application of jell around 2.00pm. The cervix was closed. Throughout the afternoon Heather was experiencing some slight sensations including a backache. The doctor visited a couple of times in the afternoon and evening and he felt sure she would start
labouring overnight. The foetal monitor also showed some tightening in the uterus.
I felt so anxious, my mobile phone stayed with me right through the night, right beside my bed. All l can remember thinking was
'when would l get a call'. I was surprised to wake up in the morning and not have heard anything. I rang around 7.30am and found that nothing was happening. It was pretty clear that the little baby didn't want to go anywhere. The doctor applied the last application of jell around 10.00am. He also discussed the possibility of a caesarean, as nothing seemed to be happening. The doctor returned around 5.00pm, and by this time Heather was starting to have regular sensations, so he then broke her waters to help speed up the process.
I received the long awaited call around 6.30pm. When l arrived at the hospital Heather's contractions were becoming more regular and stronger. I was so excited for the both of them. It had been a long two days. Dean and l worked to support Heather using visualization techniques, heat packs and massage as each contraction came on. The energy in the room was calm and peaceful. Heather had a CD playing of sounds in the uterus and nice oil burning. The only problem was Heather was unable to move as she had a foetal monitor permanently strapped around her stomach.
The midwives appeared to be less than supportive of Heather's needs, their only concern was to make sure that they could get a good reading from the monitor. They promised that the monitor would come off after 15 minutes, but it soon became pretty clear that the monitor wasn't going to come off. When questioned about it, it became about the baby and the need to keep monitoring for signs of foetal distress, and of course Heather and Dean weren't going to argue with that. The baby's heartbeat began to drop with each contraction. I became aware of my feelings of helplessness and l new that things weren't quite right.
The doctor came in again around 10.30 and performed a virginal examination only to find that Heather had not dilated at all since he broke her waters earlier, despite having regular strong contractions. Heather and Dean were now faced with the choice of having intravenous drugs to speed up the labour at half strength (so as not to contribute to the foetal distress) or a caesarean. It felt like time had almost stood still. The energy in the room began to change. I could see that Heather was scared and really not sure which way to go. I began to tremble not knowing what l would do if I were in that position. The doctor made it quite clear that even if Heather did choose to have the IV drugs there was no guarantee that she wouldn't end up with a caesarean anyway.
Heather took her time making the decision, asking what seemed to me to be all the right questions. I could see that her doctor was getting impatient and all the while contractions continued to come on strong. It was Heather's decision and even though she asked me what l would do, it was still her decision. Before long Heather was being prepared for surgery. Consent forms were waved under her eyes. Risks were briefly discussed. Her birth plan stated that if necessary an epidural would be the preferred anaesthetic. Her doctor advised her not to argue the point and so a spinal anaesthetic was given. The doctor made it clear that there was only to be her husband present in theatre. Heather did request a lotus birth and coincidentally the
paediatrician assisting had been involved with a caesarean lotus birth previously. Still there was no guarantee.
I waited for what seemed like hours in a waiting room in the middle of the night. And then they appeared. Dean and their beautiful baby girl and there in the humidity crib was a bloody red placenta in a bowl lying right next to her. I remember thinking thank god at least Heather got something she wanted. The baby looked fine. I waited a little while longer and when Heather came out of theatre l was able to be with her in recovery. The baby was born at 12.06 am on the 10th of April. It wasn't long before Heather was taken up to the ward to be with her baby.
I stayed at the hospital for sometime after the birth and helped Heather to breast-feed. What a challenge that was trying to hold the bowl with the placenta in it and help the baby to attached correctly on the breast. As it turned out the baby's cord was very short and if she had of been delivered vaginally it would not have been possible to keep the cord attached to the placenta. Driving home from the hospital in the early hours of the morning all l could think of was how amazing it is that everything happens for a reason. What a wonderful outcome a caesarean lotus birth.
