My Birth Story with Archie 💙
Key Points before I start rambling...
- Michael (my obstetrician) delivered Scarlet & Ollie so it was sentimental for him to deliver my 3rd baby
- We booked my caesarean for Sunday 28th November 9am as that was his rostered weekend on (and Ollie’s birthday was on WED 1st Dec which was his next rostered day on)
- I had never felt a contraction before this pregnancy
- I went into labour during our biggest sale weekend: Black Friday
- My waters broke with Ollie at 2.30am when my Caesar was booked that same morning for 9am, but I didn’t labour
- I was so certain I was having a girl, we had 1 girls name and 2 boys names because I just assumed I wouldn’t have to make the decision on a name
- Both Anthesis’s with Scarlet & Ollie took a while to get my spinal block in. If they can’t get it in, you have to go under which didn't end up happening, but it still took a while which gave me so much anxiety going into this Caesar
- The drugs and antibiotics they pump into your body pre theatre makes me feel extremely nauseous: when we were having Ollie, I felt so sick that I said to my husband “I’m never having another baby”
Thursday 25th November was our official launch of our Black Friday sale however we had launched to our subscribers on the Wednesday night, so Thursday was a big day at home getting labels on orders. The kids and I got up and walked down the street to meet Mitch for breakfast and then I walked home – which I hadn’t been doing because I was getting so out of breath when walking but for some reason, we did it on this day!
That night, again; for some unknown reason, I showered with the 2 toddlers, shaved my legs and washed my hair which I didn’t plan on doing until Saturday (night before Caesar). I got all of our Australian Missta orders ready before bed and then at 1am that night (V early Friday morning) I got up because I had a pain in the belly and wee’d twice in 10 minutes which was weird. Laid back down, another mild pain but enough for me to be like 🤔🤔
I sat up a couple of times cause of the pain and then went to the toilet; diarrhoea and mucus plug 😳 I yelled “BABE… I think I am in labour”. Mitch sat up and we didn’t really know what to say… I put a pad on straight away to monitor the pinkish blood.
At 2am I called my Dad (tried Mum first but she didn’t answer). Dad & my mum came into our house and I also called the hospital to let them know what had happened, they weren’t worried, they just said “stay at home and see how you go since your caesarean is booked for Sunday” 😣
I then got the international Missta orders organised, labels printed and booked for pick up just in case (small business life doing this at 2am) and then when Mum arrived, I ran her through all the orders and what needed to be done (she helps us with Missta every now and then).
3am I called the hospital back and asked if I could come in and get checked as everything was making me nervous – I wasn’t having a vaginal birth so I wanted to make sure bubs was all G otherwise I was thinking ‘omg an emergency caesarean’, my previous 2 were planned; cool, calm & collected!!
Then I wrote Scarlet & Ollie a letter to read when they woke up to let them know where Mum & Dad were!! Mitch & I headed into hospital with our bags and went into the birthing suite to monitor my contractions and baby.
After some monitoring & some panadeine forte to help with the pain, the midwife called the obstetrician who was on call to let him know what was happening, he said because things were calm, he will check me out in the morning and decide then. I tried sleeping but had to jump out of bed randomly if a contraction came on – also I had been messaging & snapchatting Melinda all night updating her but it was the one night she turned her phone on Do Not Disturb as she didn’t want our Missta orders coming through on her phone overnight & waking her up!
At 7am Friday morning, James, the obstetrician came in, did an internal to see if I had dilated (my husband nearly fell off his bed watching this 😬) and since I hadn’t, he sent us home to ‘get some rest’ and keep my Caesar booked in for Sunday!
A day at home, kids at day care & kinder, I tried sleeping but then would walk up the hallway when I felt a contraction come telling myself “It’s going to end” – as per Melinda’s instructions. I got through the day ok but was in two minds all day: “why the fuck am I going through this when I am having a Caesar” and “just hold off until Michael starts his weekend shift at 8am tomorrow!
By 4ish the kids were home and it was so hard having a contraction around them, Scarlet was trying so hard to look after me and rub my back (bless her) and I had just about had enough as the contractions were getting more painful. My Mum got Maccas for the kids and got me a Large McChicken meal; which my husband then said “don’t eat anything in case its an emergency Caesar – you’re supposed to fast before a Caesar” – to which I replied “I couldn’t care less” 🖕🏼
Back to hospital we went and as soon as we got there, the midwives said they won't send us home again 🙌🏼
Steph, the obstetrician who was on, came in to check baby and make sure there was enough fluid around him - which there was so there was no need for an emergency Caesarean.
We set up shop for the night, watched Bohemian Rhapsody and tried to get some sleep - one of us did and the other did not!!
During the night I had to have Morphine to help with the pain, I also got emotional while chatting to the midwife as I was over the pain and just wanted to have my baby already so we talked about the pro's & con's of calling an emergency caesarean right then and there compared to waiting for the morning and waiting to see what Michael would say!
By 9am - I was in more pain again, then Michael walked into the room and I felt a sense of relief and calmness. He assured me my Caesar would get done that day (it's now Saturday morning 27th Nov) as soon as everyone was ready to go. Baby was still content and not stressed so there was no need for an emergency rush. At about 10.30 they told me I had to move rooms before heading to theatre which just about tipped me over the edge lol It was the first time I properly cried and just said "IM DONE"!!
Just after 11ish we headed to theatre and all I wanted to do was go to sleep! I warned my anaesthetist how long it's taken the previous anaesthetist to get my spinal in and how nauseous I feel from the drugs and he was ALL OVER IT. I was so exhausted and drained and was absolutely dreading the spinal and feeling sick but he nailed the brief and it made that process so much smoother and enjoyable for me as I was already panicking about that part!
Then it was GO TIME…. 15 minutes later, Archie was on my chest and I couldn’t believe I had had a boy, I was so certain I was having a girl. My husband had that ‘moment’ when he put Archie’s beanie on and said “He is an Archie”! I’d never had my babies’ straight on to my chest before, so this time it was extra special, and I was extra emotional – also maybe because I knew this was my last baby!!
Archie is now over 7 weeks old and it’s taken me THAT long to put this together – soz! Message Missta if you have any questions!
Love Demi x
