When my partner and I started to plan our pregnancy we never imagined that we would end up being pregnant and giving birth in the middle of a global pandemic and this has been a huge source of anxiety for me.
We found out we were pregnant in February and in March we went into lockdown. I have spent the pregnancy going to scans and antenatal appointments alone which has been tough and the anticipation of having our baby under the current nationwide hospital restrictions was quite daunting.
Anyway, last week my partner and I had quite a surprise when my waters broke at just 36 weeks in the middle of the night. We phoned the maternity triage line who advised we head in to be assessed. When we arrived at the delivery suite we were greeted by a lovely midwife who instantly made me calm and safe and she took us off into a lovely room where we talked through what would be happening and she made us feel well informed and well looked after. After a scan and an assessment (and the dreaded covid swab!) we discovered that our baby was still breech and my waters had in fact gone and I would need to go to DAU to see whether I went into labour in the next 24- 48 hours. Catherine, the wonderful midwife took me down to DAU where I said goodbye to my partner to go onto the ward alone. I was quite upset to be heading into DAU alone and had a bit of a wobble and burst into tears. Catherine, went above and beyond to support and reassure me, even coming down to the ward the following day to see how I was. A small gesture from her that meant the absolute world to me.
That following morning I started to feel pains,and was introduced to the doctor. She was nothing short of amazing. I was absolutely terrified at the prospect of having to give birth to a breech baby, especially one that was premature. Sophie was calm and professional and talked me extensively through my options. I know that the staff there are incredibly busy but she was so patient and at no point did I feel rushed into making a decision. She was nothing but kind and respectful of my wishes - I’m pretty sure at one point I cried at her and asked her to stop being so nice to me! From this point things progressed rather quickly and before I knew it I was being told to phone my partner and was in a wheelchair being taken up delivery by Ellie, another wonderful midwife, where I was relieved to see that Sophie was going to be my doctor. Here I also met Rachael who would be our midwife.
I was still undecided on how to deliver my baby but Sophie suggested that we prep me for theatre and see what my body wanted to do. This was a decision I felt very comfortable with and I felt relieved knowing that I was being listened too and that I was in incredibly capable hands. I was wheeled into the theatre and introduced to the rest of the team including the second wonderful obstetrician Emma.
In theory, I feel should have been petrified to be lying on a bed surrounded by several medical professionals but the team were so understanding and made both my partner and I feel instantly at ease. My partner mentioned to the team that I been using hypnobirthing and they dimmed the lights for me and asked my partner what music I would like to have played. The team were so incredibly supportive and guided me through my birth with nothing but positivity, enthusiasm and support and in an hour, our gorgeous little boy was born naturally on the operating theatre table to the soundtrack of Westlife!!!
Although it was not the tealight surrounded waterbirth that I had planned for, because of the knowledge, skills and expertise of the incredible delivery suite team I still had a incredibly positive birth experience and I am so glad it went the way it did. I never imagined that I would be about to have a natural birth with a breech baby but your wonderful, wonderful team were absolutely amazing and so capable and confident. At no point did I feel unsafe or like I had made the wrong decision.
I am so, so grateful that I got the team of people that I had. Every single professional that we came into contact with that day - doctors, midwifes, anaesthetists, neonatal nurses all made our terrifying, premature birth into nothing but a positive one and although it was not my birth plan, I am so happy that it went the way that it did and that is down to the incredible staff. I cannot thank them enough for looking after me, my partner and our first baby so well and I will be forever grateful to them for turning such a worrying situation for me into such a positive and wonderful birth. Thank you all so, so much.
"First time parents - birth in delivery suite."
About: Royal Cornwall Hospital (Treliske) / Maternity Royal Cornwall Hospital (Treliske) Maternity TR1 3LJ
Posted by Kerry2020 (as ),
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