Hello baby boy – the birth of August Fox

On Sunday 2 December 2018 at 8.34pm we welcomed our baby boy into the world. He was here; happy, healthy and safe, finally, after keeping us waiting exactly two weeks over his due date…but it wasn’t the birth experience I had hoped for, far from it and 4 months later, I look back with so much pain and sadness. I wish I could turn back time and change it all.

Before I talk about August’s birth I want to say to any first-time mama’s that birth isn’t always like this. It CAN be the most amazing, beautiful, serene and empowering experience. The birth of my daughter was just that (you can read about it here). A 22-hour drug free labour that left me feeling empowered, strong and so incredibly proud of myself and my body. It was the most memorable experience of my life, and I was actually excited about doing it again.

I also want to say that I am so grateful that I have my baby boy and that ultimately, we were both healthy and physically unharmed from the birth. I do know how lucky I am, I really do. I ask that you keep any negative comments you may have to yourself please.

Our little boy was due on the 20th of November 2018 and being an IVF pregnancy, we knew our dates were spot on. As my daughter was born 10 days past her due date, this time, I had no expectation that he’d be here on time. We waited patiently (or maybe me not so patiently), tried ALL of the things and still no baby. So, right on 42 weeks an induction date was set. I held off being induced, as it just wasn’t what I wanted… but as time progressed I physically and emotionally couldn’t go on anymore. It was time. That morning we got up as the sun rose and I kissed my baby girl goodbye with tears in my eyes, trying so hard to hold it in, to not break down in front of her. I couldn’t quite believe that the next time I saw her I would be a mama of two.

Upon arriving at the hospital, we were checked in and shown to the room where they would start the induction process. I was assessed and the midwife explained that as I had been contracting for a week I should go into labour with just the gel insert. We decided that was the best thing to do and in it went and the waiting game started.

We passed the time by watching a movie, I had a nap, went for a walk and then bounced on the fit ball. This was not how I wanted to labour; in a tiny hospital room with bright lights, and buzzers going off every 2 seconds. I wanted to be at home, in my safe space. I had such a calm, beautiful birth with my daughter and I knew my body could do it again given the chance. I had a huge range of emotions flooding in. I felt so let down by my body but was also excited at the thought of meeting my baby in the next hours or days. We discussed a few times with the midwife that this wasn’t what I wanted and talked about hopefully transferring to the birth centre if I could get into labour without the drip.

As the afternoon went on the contractions started to get more intense, to the point where I had to really breathe through them and we commenced timing each one. And I guess this is where things started to go off course, the beginning of a downward spiral of feeling lost, scared and totally out of control. As my contractions really ramped up I asked to be examined. I wanted to know where we were at and how I was progressing as I was pretty sure this was it, I was in active labour. The midwife examined me and advised I was still only 2cm dilated and definitely not in labour. I felt so disheartened, like my body was doing the wrong thing and I became pretty confused as to what exactly was going on. I was sure I was in labour, the pains were the same, if not more intense than what I felt the first time.

three hours before August was born

An hour passed by of breathing through my contractions, swaying and trying to get into the zone. This was it. I was definitely in labour. I asked to be examined again and was met with the same response.  “You’re NOT in labour, you’re ONLY 2 cm dilated”. These words were mentioned repeatedly by my midwife as the hours went on as she would examine me and then leave the room.

And this was the point where I lost it. This was the point where I started to lose all control. I sobbed as I begged to be transferred down to the delivery ward. I didn’t even care anymore that I couldn’t go to the birth centre. I just needed to be in the place where I would have my baby. I needed to set up my space, get into my zone. I needed to feel in control, to feel safe, secure and supported. I needed a midwife to help me, to offer advice and guidance and explain to me just what was going on in my body… if it wasn’t labour, then what was happening? I needed a professional to tell me I was doing a good job, that I was safe, that my baby was safe. And I had none if this. I couldn’t understand what was going on and throughout those hours I’ve never felt more scared in my life. If this wasn’t labour, something was wrong with either myself or my baby and I feared something was going to happen to one of us.  I’ve never been scared of labour or birthing a baby… but for those hours, I honestly thought we might not make it. I felt fear in every single part of my body, a type of fear that I hope I never experience again in my lifetime.

As the afternoon passed I spent the next hour breathing through my contractions as I sobbed and my husband supported me in the best way he could. Not being in the delivery ward meant I had no access to the natural pain relief I used with my daughter like the bath or shower and with no support from a midwife, we were on our own. The midwife came in for one last examination before she finished her shift. At this point in time I lost it again. I was out of control. To me, birthing a baby with no pain relief is a mental game, it’s about being in-control, not fighting the pain and just going with it. I pleaded one more time to be moved to the delivery ward and explained I was on the verge of a panic attack, something which was clearly very evident.  My husband explained that this wasn’t me. This wasn’t how I am in labour, that I go inward and silent and that he too felt like something was wrong. This request was again met with the same response; I wasn’t in labour and couldn’t go to delivery until my waters had broken or I was 5cm dilated (something I later found out is actually incorrect). I explained that I felt lost, out of control, like something wasn’t right with me or the baby, like I couldn’t do this anymore, that I felt scared for my life. Now, looking back we can see I was clearly in the transition phase and our baby was not far away.

We let another 10 minutes pass and pressed the call buzzer again as we hoped by this point, the original midwife would be off her shift. As a new midwife entered the room I felt like maybe someone would finally listen to me. I was examined immediately. I was 8cm dilated and my cervix had completely thinned out. I was right the entire time and had indeed been in labour for some hours. The midwife was shocked at this point that I still had the gel insert in and it was quickly removed. She then explained I was to prepare to transfer down to delivery ward and she would just let them know I was coming. This was what I was wanting to hear, but to me, it was too late. My mind had no time to catch up with what was going on and I stayed in this state of fear still believing I wasn’t in labour. A minute passed and I explained to my husband that I needed to go to the bathroom. He quickly packed up my things and it was at this point that he heard a sound that he hadn’t heard since my last labour experience. The sound of me pushing. He recognised it immediately and hit the emergency buzzer. I staggered out of the bathroom and yelled out that I was pushing… but I still couldn’t quite come to terms with what was happening. It’s honestly like I was somewhere else in that moment. I think now how lucky I am that my babies take a lot of pushing to come out, otherwise I would have caught him myself, all alone, in the bathroom.

A midwife came running in, followed by two more and at this point they could all hear that I was pushing. One more quick examination showed that I was now 10cm dilated. I was thrown into a wheelchair and asked to stop pushing, they were going to run me down to the delivery ward as they didn’t have the facilities for a birth in the room I was in.

The next twenty minutes are honestly such a blur. I remember the strangest details but not the important ones, like the actual birth of my baby. I remember feeling scared. Again, scared for my baby’s life. Scared for my life. I remember being in the elevator and trying to breathe. It felt like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs, like there was nothing left. I remember that there was another couple in the lift with us and that they stared at me as I screamed.

I arrived down in the delivery ward and immediately asked for an epidural. I still, at this point had not caught up, and after hours upon hours of being told I wasn’t in labour, I didn’t understand what was happening. I told the new midwife that I didn’t know what was going on, that I couldn’t do it and I felt scared. And in that moment, the new midwife took my head so I could really see her and explained that I was about to meet my baby, that I could do it, that I WAS doing it and she needed me to get on the floor and push, now.

This is where I am so thankful that this was not my first experience giving birth, because somehow, my body just knew what to do, even though in my head I was totally gone. I pushed with everything I had. I surrendered and tried to just go with it. At this point my baby went into distress and they were having trouble finding his heartbeat. I have never felt such intense fear. The midwife explained that he had to come out immediately. That I had a few pushes to get him out and I needed to keep pushing, even in between my contractions and as I pushed, she would pull. So, as I pushed, my baby was pulled out from me and brought up between my legs and placed on my chest. These moments I don’t really remember to be honest. I do remember feeling confused and lost. Again, like I was somewhere else.

I hoped from here that a sense of calm would now come. At this point the body shakes started which is totally normal post birth and usually settle. I was still sitting on the ground on my knees and I knew I needed to lay down. The two midwives prepared to move me and advised me not to look down as I had lost quite a lot of blood. I lay on the ground, propped up by cushions in a total state of shock. There were no happy tears, or feelings of joy and pride like the birth of my daughter… just total and utter shock as to what had just happened. I look back at these photos now and my face is just…blank. I am in total shock.

About fifteen minutes later our birth photographer rushed through the door. Colin had been in touch with her all afternoon but we kept telling her not to come yet as we weren’t even in the delivery ward. The time between entering the delivery ward, meeting the person who would deliver my baby and the actual delivery was 21 minutes. I had the support of a professional for 21 minutes of my entire labour.

The next few hours were spent in the delivery ward as I struggled to keep the shock at bay and my body was left shaking. I couldn’t hold August too much as I feared I would drop him. I attempted to push my placenta out without the injection, and succeeded, only to need it anyway twenty minutes later as they worried I had some left inside. Even after the injection they had to work to pump my abdomen to get the remaining blood out. I lay there feeling like I was on another planet as my husband held and bonded with our baby. They attempted to get me up after this but I still couldn’t stand and my legs buckled from underneath me. Due to the nature of August’s delivery I had a nearly third-degree tear. Luckily, they were able to call in a doctor to stitch it up and I didn’t have to be moved to surgery. It took about five hours to be transferred to the maternity ward and for the next few days both myself and August were under two hourly observations for a few different issues which I believe were a result of the fast delivery and shock on both of our bodies.

Looking back, I feel intense sadness but the overriding feeling is anger. Anger that I wasn’t listened to. Anger that one single person had the power to completely rob me of an experience that should and could have still been amazing. Anger that I can never change the way my baby was brought into this world and I have no memory of our first meeting. Anger that when I think of that day, my heart just honestly hurts.

So, what have I learnt on my journey of trying to heal from this experience? A few things. How you feel about your baby and how you feel about the birth are two very separate things. You can love your baby with all of your being but it is okay to not love the way your baby was brought into this world. It is okay to separate the two feelings. They do not have to be one. On the good days, I’ve also learnt that I am strong. I feel proud that I got through it. That I laboured pretty much on my own, through an induction process with zero pain relief and birthed that baby like a warrior. But on the bad days, I feel an overwhelming sense of guilt. Guilt that I didn’t fight harder, that I didn’t communicate better, that I didn’t scream and shout and demand for someone else to assess me.

Birth trauma is hard. It is so very real and it takes time to heal. Just now, nearly five months on I can finally tell this story when people ask without sobbing. I wanted an experience where I felt empowered, where the focus was the joy of meeting my baby, not the rush, chaos, uncertainty and emergency situation. I guess it takes time, more time. So, I’ll keep trying and keep processing in the hope that I can, one day, find some sort of peace.

Follow up: I have since this time registered a formal complaint with the hospital which resulted in three rounds of investigation taking place. This process involved the events that took place that day being recorded and the issues and concerns being followed up and acted upon. The end result being that the midwife in question has now been advised how her actions affected me and the events that took place once she finished her shift. She is now undergoing re-training in a few areas. Making a formal complaint was something that was extremely hard to do but it did help in finally feeling heard. If you have the strength to take it on it’s something I would push to do. It doesn’t change what happened to me or the way I feel about that day, but it will, hopefully, mean that those events won’t happen to someone else. And that’s all I can really hope for.

For birth trauma support or more information visit the Australasian Birth Trauma Association

Comments

  1. What an empowering story, for so many different reasons. Heartbreaking but also strength comes to mind. I know the exact feelings of the fear you talk about, something that is so hard to describe but lives in your tummy and heart so deep. August is absolutely adorable 💕

    • I’m sorry that this happened to you Leah. But you are strong and I know that one day you will move past it 💕

  2. I am so very sorry for you. Very touched by your story. You are a warrior. Please stop apologizing for how you feel. I hope with time you can leave it behind.
    Also brave that you have filed a complaint, so that that so called mid wife can not repeat what she has done to you. Just incredible.

  3. Wow Leah, that took my breath away. Just wanted to say, thanks for sharing and those pictures are beautiful! Although you don’t remember those first moments of meeting August, at least you have them documented forever! 🙂

  4. I am so glad you filed a formal complaint. I felt for you the whole time I was reading. You’re a superhero for sure. Glad you managed to get over it 💗💪

  5. I have been respectfully waiting for you to share and I have to say, wow. As a mother, we don’t want to welcome our babies into the world with fear and pain. You have shown so much strength in self advocacy. So so proud despite not knowing you personally! You’re amazing mama
    Sending love

  6. Thank you so much for sharing your story. The range of emotions I went through just reading it is so intense that I know I cannot begin to imagine what they were and are for you. Labor and childbirth is never something that can be entirely predictable, but things like this SHOULD NOT happen. The unpredictability should come from the process itself and not from those who are there to help. I’m so sorry that this was something you had to go through, but also so so glad that you have a beautiful healthy little boy. You never need to be ashamed or guilty of the way you feel about how you were treated and how the birth went. You deserve nothing but love and support because it is beyond evident that you love your children and that being a great mom to them is your number one priority!

  7. You’re not alone! It’s like a grief or PTSD. I felt like I could never get the time back and it’s a dreadful feeling. People are so dismissive too ….like ‘why can’t you just put it behind you?’ etc

  8. I hear you mama. I see you. I’m so sorry you had to endure such an unsupportive environment and the time you needed it the most. I also experienced birth trauma and still feel mad about it, 2.5 &4 years after the fact. Sending you love and strength (which you clearly already have) and hopeful healing vibes!

  9. This reminds me so much of my first labour, being induced and being told I wasn’t in labour yet, when in fact I was. Its so hard not to lose control when your in that pain and being told its not labour. The fear is so real. I hope you find peace, time is a great healer xx

  10. This touched me in so many ways, I too had the perfect birth story with my first baby girl. I birthed her in the bath like a warrior, it was drug free and everything I could’ve ever imagined. It was perfect. Second time round I birthed my baby boy 9 weeks early in 40 minutes barley making it into the birthing room, not even comprehending I was in labour with him. Only to have him taken away from me within seconds, I feel like I cheated labour and the experience I should’ve had but I’m so thankful I got to experience the two opposite births I had. We and our bodies are amazing ✨

  11. I’m so sorry you had this experience, having my twins I went through trauma too and all I can say is that you are wonderful, stronger than you think and my hope for you is that you can forgive the first midwife so your heart can let go of the pain she caused, feeling unheard is the worst but embracing something agains another person can eat you alive, let go sweetheart (I’m not saying that she should have a free pass but do this for you), someday you will look back and will relieve this experience through different eyes ❤️ I pray you get to remember the details that now seem like fog and I pray for peace to your mama’s heart ❤️

  12. Good on you for making a formal complaint. I birthed my first naturally too and had an amazing experience even though I was completely alone. With my second my husband was present and pushed me to have an epidural and then my midwife made me continue to push without a break so I had 3rd degree tears and lost 2L of blood and nearly had a transfusion. I will never forget the head midwife coming in and seeing the mess I had made and muttering under her breath to the younger midwife that she had made me push too hard. There is no record of this on the paperwork for my delivery. When we have a baby sometimes the trauma could be likened to being in a car crash but instead of being cared for, we instantly become the carer for a baby who needs every ounce of us. I didn’t have the time or energy to make a formal complaint at the time, but I wish I had now. Thank you for having the courage to do what many of us don’t have th strength for. And congratulations on your beautiful babies.

  13. Oh my goodness. I had my little man two weeks ago today. Your birth story is almost IDENTICAL to mine. Right down to the shift changeover of midwives. I almost gave birth in day assessment with no support after being induced with the gel that morning. They brought me to birth suite just in time to push.
    Like you I am a very quiet and inward labourer but we found ourselves constantly pressing the help button as I knew something had to be happening even though my exams were showing little to no dilation. And then within an hour of measuring 1.5cm I went from a 6 to a 10. I have been encouraged to write a formal complaint as well. Why were we left in day assessment alone for 2.5 hrs waiting on a doctor with no one to check on me? I cried in the shower afterwards – both in disbelief and shock of how everything unfolded – but also thankfulness for both of us being born safely without complications. Such a mix of emotions. Thanks for sharing. I don’t feel so alone in this experience now. I too want to write a letter- if for nothing else than hoping no one has to go through what I did.

  14. I had a very similar experience, no support throughout my entire birth because they didn’t believe I was in labor and it was my first, I can’t believe how common it is. It’s so painful to look back on what could have been an incredible experience, if I can take something small away from it it’s a sense of pride I managed it without any help at all, and of course the biggest take away being having had my amazing baby girl. Loved reading your story, as sad as it is it’s nice feeling to know I’m not the only one and there’s mama’s who can relate.

  15. Truly sorry you had to experience this. I experienced birth trauma with my daughter’s birth, and while it was a completely different set of circumstances than yours, I felt the same way about the loss of control, feeling helpless, powerless, and scared. I experienced postpartum PTSD afterward because of it. I also felt like you did afterward— I should have spoken up, I should have demanded my needs more. You’re not alone. Wishing you a healing recovery.

  16. I just had a listen to your story on Australian Birth Stories and sobbed! I’m so sorry you weren’t listened to or believed xo. Thank you for taking the time to go through the complaints process to prevent this happening to other Birthing ladies and Thank you for sharing your story and encouraging others to push harder for support when you know something is not okay. I hope with time you are so proud of yourself for all you have accomplished because just as you said in your first birth – no one knows what you’ve done as you’re casually walking down the street. You are strong, so strong and no you didn’t just push a baby out yesterday but you carry with you every day your accomplishments but also your trauma and it’s okay to feel sad sometimes but I truly hope that after everything you still feel so proud of yourself firstly and also your two beautiful kids!🌷🌷

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