My Birth Experiences

Hello, 

I'm Samantha, founder of Cutesy Wootsy. I'd love to take this opportunity to share with you my precious 3 birth stories. Child birth is one of the most heroic events that a woman faces in life. There are lots of emotions, physical changes & wonders over the 9 months that succumb to the birth of our little treasure. I'd love to praise those of you whom have been blessed to become a mother, womb side and earth side & also inspire all women to look lovingly within yourself no matter your stage in life.

Firstly, a quick overview. I became a registered nurse and then a registered midwife. Please no big sighs and thinking I'm any different to you as I only just made it through my New Grad year and then needed to resign due to my health. Most might think I'd have gone through a midwifery lead system in a public hospital, but as I was unsure of how my body was going to cope with my Multiple Sclerosis, I went with a beautiful obstetrician with all 3 of my babies. 

First time Mamma. Super thrilled to be pregnant and experiencing having a little human growing inside me. It was incredible. The 1st 15 weeks I was constantly nauseous. How on earth does something survive when it's owner doesn't feel like they're going to be up to living ever again!? But it's magic right. Second trimester energy is restored and it's kind of fun looking pregnant and being treated like the queen, a lovely, nurturing, special time. Third trimester turns into the symptoms of the first trimester, along with being the size of a house. Our bodies are smart, before you've really grown a belly, you feel rotten, but it's ok because you still look like you. You then begin to feel like you're on cloud nine while your physical appearance is changing and then bang, you're as big as a beach ball & you cannot wait to push this baby out. 

It was the afternoon before my due date and I was induced with half a dose of gel as I had high blood pressure. I was sent with my husband up to the postnatal ward where we were expected to have a lovely sleep and re start things again in the morning. My husband was a happy camper on the mattress on the floor. All I remember is his snoring and being up, in and out of the bathroom doing wees. I called his name as it was all getting too much and he jumped up so quick and buzzed the midwife. The midwife opened the door and turned straight back around saying we need delivery suite! Oh my word, it was intense, but was I being weak? The midwife escorted us down, I stopped each contraction holding onto the walls & doors rattling my way down, needing to get into a lift for goodness sake. The doors opened and self doubt was lingering in the eyes of the staff on my way to delivery suite. I started breathing on the gas as she examined, 9.5cm waters bulging. 

That point right there will never escape me. From then I was on the biggest high. I wasn't weak, I had no self doubt, I was in a state where there was no place for fear. I pushed the way she guided to push and our baby boy was born at 215am not giving enough time for the obstetrician to make it. Magic, pure magic. 

Second Birth. This one's a lot more realistic. Pains began at home. For me, I liked once the pain started, it meant that baby was nearly on its way. I was that exhausted, not sleeping well and the uncertainty of everything was becoming clearer. Hours and hours passed, pains were getting stronger and more regular and into the hospital we went. Fear this time was more apparent. It was Good Friday, my obstetrician was away, I wasn't sure who was around and it was taking so much longer than my dream birth, all I knew. They examined and I was barely 3cm, nerves, uncertainty, fear of not knowing were all feelings I was experiencing. I was walking around, focussing on my breathing, trying to encourage the progression where I went to the midwife station to get 2 panadol. Yes, just 2 panadol. I wasn't interested in the gas this time, it wasn't helping & I didn't know how long I'd be sucking on it, so I took what now for me doesn't touch a headache. Crazy girl! But, shift change happened and my midwife whom delivered my 1st was on. This was it! Game on!! My uncertainties were relieved, I had an exact turning point where my mind knew this baby was coming this shift. My body followed suit and I dug deep and laboured with my husband beside me. Our 2nd baby boy was born just before midnight.

Third Birth. Well by now, I've 2 other little ones to care for too. Focus wasn't on me, I had a bit of a show, went into the hospital and I was contracting irregularly. They sent me home. These contractions didn't make sense to me as I'd always be standing or walking and they'd always disappear. It got to the evening and pains were getting closer, I rang to see which midwife was on and to my delight, it was my same one from the previous two. Her advice was to take 2 Panadol, well yes, why not. It didn't ease any pain so I hopped in the shower with warm water running down my back, but contractions were dying off. My concerns were no matter what happened I just had to get to the hospital in time and with them disappearing, I laid in bed. Very similar to my 1st birth, hubby slept soundly beside me while I was breathing through the deepest, most breath taking pains, raaaa. They were so intense laying down and I was so confused. Gravity didn't have a place, it made no sense and fatigue with my M.S. had me all sorts of exhausted trying to sleep in between contractions. It then got all too much, I jumped up, woke Tim, he and I couldn't believe contractions were 3 minutes apart once gravity played its part. Hopping into my husbands ute felt the most moronic thing I could do, but I had my midwife I needed to get me through this birth too. We made speeds where we dreamt we'd get escorted by the police. Thank goodness it was 440am and minimum traffic. Arriving at the hospital at 5am, I stumbled my way up to delivery suite where my midwife hooked me under the arm and said we're doing this. I was beyond exhausted. She was so excited, yay, we can do this, it's easy now. I'm like, Ive still got to push this thing out! 520am our 3rd baby boy was born.  

All births are unique, different and lets face it, confronting. From what I've learnt, believe in your body. It knows what it's got to do and if you bring your mind into it too, you're a force to be reckoned with. I understand there's different elements where there can be a need for medical intervention and that's definitely not to say you're not as wonderful as a natural birth. The miracle of having a baby enter this world in any way it comes is an absolute credit to you, induction, cesarean, natural. Each has there own required strengths, I take my hat off to all you ladies who've had a cesarean, I don't know how you do it. Pain relief. If you need an epidural, go for it, if you want to take it on yourself, go for it. There's no right or wrong, there's certainly crazy in my case, but I found it do-able. I went with an obstetrician and I love that I had that support for all 3, 9 month pregnancies. Having the midwife in me, having all 3 delivered by the same midwife was magic. 

I honestly felt like Superwoman. Be proud of who you are and what you achieve. You are strong and all Mammas out there, you are amazing!