OJandMe
15-05-2007, 11:15 AM
Jordan and Oliver were born by emergency c-section at Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital at 6:26pm on 10 February, 2005. After spending seven weeks in hospital with an effaced cervix and pre-eclampsia, the decision was made to induce the boys at 35 weeks gestation. I cried when I was told. I felt completely overwhelmed knowing that I would finally get to hold my babies the following day. Being induced is a strange experience. When you fall pregnant part of the excitement is not knowing ‘exactly’ when you are going to meet your baby. Being induced gives you that certainty.
At 10am on the 10 February, 2005 the induction began. I asked for an epidural as I knew there was a higher chance of an emergency caesarean with a twin birth and I didn’t want to go under general anaesthetic if that situation arose. I wanted to be a part of the birth as much as possible. The whole experience was nothing like I had planned. I had a birth plan; I didn’t follow it. I expected calm, comfortable surroundings; the birthing suite was sterile and uncomfortable. All I could think about was my babies. I just wanted them safe.
By 4pm I was fully dilated and began the ‘big push’. Nothing happened. For two hours nothing happened. Then Jordan’s heart rate dropped. I saw that on the monitor and thought I had died for a second. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t lose him. I didn’t nurture him for 35 weeks to lose him like this.
They rushed me in for an emergency caesarean. Jordan wasn’t breathing. He was taken to ICU and I didn’t see him for an hour and a half. Oliver was fine; Carlo (my husband) cut his cord. I was drugged out, but my babies were safe.
There is no way to describe how you feel when you first hold your child in your arms. The tears you cry as you hold the product of love. The way you feel your heart would explode if it loved any more.
Their birth was not how I imagined it would be. There were complications, I could have lost Jordan. I have regrets. I regret the epidural, thinking maybe I could have birthed them naturally if I hadn’t had it. I regret I didn’t follow my birth plan, though I don’t see how it would have made a difference. That was my birthing experience, and I would go through the whole thing 1000 times over just to experience those first few moments when I first held my babies.
At 10am on the 10 February, 2005 the induction began. I asked for an epidural as I knew there was a higher chance of an emergency caesarean with a twin birth and I didn’t want to go under general anaesthetic if that situation arose. I wanted to be a part of the birth as much as possible. The whole experience was nothing like I had planned. I had a birth plan; I didn’t follow it. I expected calm, comfortable surroundings; the birthing suite was sterile and uncomfortable. All I could think about was my babies. I just wanted them safe.
By 4pm I was fully dilated and began the ‘big push’. Nothing happened. For two hours nothing happened. Then Jordan’s heart rate dropped. I saw that on the monitor and thought I had died for a second. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t lose him. I didn’t nurture him for 35 weeks to lose him like this.
They rushed me in for an emergency caesarean. Jordan wasn’t breathing. He was taken to ICU and I didn’t see him for an hour and a half. Oliver was fine; Carlo (my husband) cut his cord. I was drugged out, but my babies were safe.
There is no way to describe how you feel when you first hold your child in your arms. The tears you cry as you hold the product of love. The way you feel your heart would explode if it loved any more.
Their birth was not how I imagined it would be. There were complications, I could have lost Jordan. I have regrets. I regret the epidural, thinking maybe I could have birthed them naturally if I hadn’t had it. I regret I didn’t follow my birth plan, though I don’t see how it would have made a difference. That was my birthing experience, and I would go through the whole thing 1000 times over just to experience those first few moments when I first held my babies.