Our Baby Khloe
2013
First baby
Lived in: Herekino, Kaitaia
WHERE WAS YOUR PLANNED PLACE OF BIRTH?
Kaitaia Hospital
WHERE WAS YOUR ACTUAL PLACE OF BIRTH?
Whangarei Hospital
KHLOE'S BIRTH
Pregnancy
So I all began when I was late on my period and bought a pregnancy test and done a home test. Me and my partner waited patiently waiting to see what the results were, to find that I was pregnant. We were shocked but so happy. Not planned by the way but we couldn’t wait to see what life would bring our way.
I had a very healthy pregnancy, I only got sick twice so that was a bonus. Especially after all my friends telling me about their pregnancy stories and how they got sick all the time. I fell pregnant at the age of 18 and gave birth to my beautiful baby at the age of 19.
Early labour
It was early Friday morning at 1am when I woke up from feeling pains in my tummy. I was scared, as this was my first pregnancy. I woke my partner up and got him to rub my back. I sat on my bed watching the clock and timing how far apart my contractions were. I never got any sleep and it was now 8am and my mum told me to go into town with my partner to get dropped off at my sister in laws house as it was closer to the hospital if anything was to happen as we lived 25km out of Kaitaia.
Heading to hosptial
All that day I was having contractions so my sister in law took me to the hospital to get checked out by my midwife. But the contractions weren’t doing anything so we went home. All that day I was having contractions and by that afternoon my partner and my mum had finished work and we went back to the hospital. My midwife checked me over and said I was only 2 and a half cm dilated and could not be admitted to hospital until I was 3 or more cm dilated, so we went back home. As soon as we got home the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and It was straight back to the hospital. From there I was 3 and a half cm dilated and got in the tub which really helped ease the pain from the contractions.
My midwife asked if I wanted to try the gas to see if it would help with the pain also, which it did. After I got out of the tub I got dressed into a gown and got on the bed, my midwife checked me again and said that my baby had turned and was now facing up instead of down and that she had to ring the ambulance to come in case I had to go to Whangarei Hospital if my baby didn’t turn back over. I started to get scared because I thought something was wrong. The pains were worse more than ever so my midwife gave me a pethidine injection and I fell asleep awaking every now and then and having some gas. She then gave me another pethidine injection and I fell straight back to sleep awaking from a sharp pain in my tummy, my water broke and I just wanted to push from there but my midwife said I had to wait till I got to Whangarei hospital. I had major back pain.
From there it was full on and the baby didn’t turn back over and the ambulance had arrived and my midwife saying when I get to Whangarei I may have to have a c section. I broke down crying, screaming that I didn’t want to have a c section. I’d never been so scared in my life thinking of someone having to cut me open. I cried as I was put on a stretcher and put into the ambulance, with my partner and midwife by my side and my mum and sister in law following behind on the truck.
It was a long trip in the ambulance from Kaitaia Hospital to Whangarei hospital. I was crying, screaming because I had an urge to push but was told I had to wait till I got to Whangarei hospital. It was the worse trip I had ever had to Whangarei. I told my midwife I wanted an epidural once I got to Whangarei and she told me that she would sort it out so as soon as I got there I could get an epidural. As soon as I arrived to Whangarei hospital I had to wait for an epidural because the anesthetist wasn’t there yet I was so mad at this stage, my midwife had promised me an epidural straight away and I never got it L. After an hour the anesthetist finally arrived and gave me an epidural and then I was able to lay and relax. I was in labour for 12 and a half hours before giving birth to my beautiful baby girl with the help of a suction cup as baby came out facing up towards the ceiling (persistent posterior' position) at 2.48pm 07 September 2013. And not by c -section either - the doc gave me a chance to push so I gave it my all with all the support from my loving Partner, Mum and Sister In Law.
I stayed the night in Whangarei Hospital, which I was not happy about because they do not allow your partner to stay with you and I was scared and felt alone being a first time parent I wanted my partner by my side. But I had to stay as I had a catheter put in as the doctor had to cut me to insert the suction cup during the delivery of my babyand I had to get a few stitches. Then was discharged and transferred back to Kaitaia Hospital 11am the next morning.
Things you would do the same?
I glad we…. Had all the support from my mum and sister in law.
Things you would do differently?
To try and have as natural birth as possible.
What advice would you reccommend to other Northland mums / families?
To go with your gut feeling or what your heart is telling you. Don’t let other people tell you what to do or what not to to do. Parent hood is the most amazing blessing anyone could ever have!
