Maddie
Jun 16, 2022
My name is Maddie, I am a mum of two little girls, a midwife, nurse & birth photographer (to be!).
For me the first greatest joy in life is to be a mother, and the second- to be a midwife. I am currently six months into my postpartum journey with my second daughter Marigold.
Marigolds Birth:
My surges started to heat up on the morning of Christmas Eve, I was due on Christmas Day.
I thought it was just prodromal labour again so I continued to potter around the house, kept hydrated and distracted enjoying light snacks and laughter. I also did not want to accept that this was labour because the visitation rules were strict and I would not be allowed my mum or daughter.
My mum and I decided to go for a walk in the mid morning, and my husband and family started to get the house ready for Christmas breakfast the next morning (I was a madwoman! hosting on my due date right?!).
At around 3pm my surges were regular, intensifying and I knew this was no longer prodromal labour and that I should start packing my hospital bag and also discreetly asking everyone to leave without giving away that I was in labour!
At around 4pm I asked my midwife to come over before meeting her at the hospital, just as my beautiful midwife Heidi walked through the door my waters broke, the fluid was nice and clear so we hung around at home a little bit longer. At 5pm I needed to be in the water so we made our way to the hospital and arrived at 530pm, I genuinely thought I was going to have a car baby. Marigolds head was so low and posterior, and because of this the urge to push came on very early. Heidi got to the hospital before us and started pouring a bath for me, I waited on the hospital bed and started some gas and air. I jumped into the bath and this was heavenly, my husband held a fan on my face for hours too! Great combination. I had intermittent monitoring only and Marigold did very well in labour.
The involuntary urge to push began again, and I was encouraged to stop pushing much to my dismay, I needed freedom of further upright movement. Just what my body needed to get this little posterior baby turned, at this stage it was now 10pm and I made my way out of the bath back to the bed, Heidi (Midwife) and my husband wrapped me in warm blankets and made a little supportive cocoon. I wasnt mentally letting go as I was heartbroken that my mum and daughter wouldnt be allowed to visit, I was having a very late transition and my midwife set up some fluids for me and I felt like it was never going to end and asked for an epidural. As I sat up to reposition for an epidural, Marigolds head was on view.
My husband and midwife helped me turn back onto the bed and Marigold was born at 1036pm with beautiful warm compresses on my perineum and brought straight up to my chest in perfect condition.
She was in fact a surprise gender birth, but I knew deep down she was always Marigold. I declined a fundal rub and had a physiological third stage delivering the placenta myself.
I had a small periurethral tear and had a catheter inserted, which I was keen to go home with and have a trial of void the next day. A quick postnatal shower and all tucked into bed with a brand new baby on the ward in the early hours of Christmas morning.