The Biggining of our Life in Hospital

At our first appointment at Monash Medical Centre I was seen by a Cardiologist, Obstetrician and a Midwife.

At this visit they told us that Cecilia was between 7 to 10 days less than expected gestation, that she had an abnormal cerebral ventricle measurements and a duplex left kidney. I was told to come back in three weeks, by then I would be 29 weeks.

At our next visit they confirmed the same findings plus they counselled us regarding the probability that our baby would have developmental delays due to an unknown syndrome. The Obstetrician also wanted me to have an MRI and then a follow up appointment with the Genetics Department.

Every visit was more bad news. I just didn’t know how I was going to handle all of this. My stress levels were about to explode. I desperately wanted to go back in time.

I started to think that I was being punished for not having that ‘maternal instinct’. We were living a night mare which with out me knowing it was just only the beginning.

On the 29th July I had an MRI done which could not be completed due to the machine not functioning properly, which was very frustrating because I had been sedated.

On my way out to the car park I had a few contractions which I though it was just “Braxton Hicks” because I was only 30 weeks. I got home and I had another one around 6pm. At 7.30pm I had another one and they continued to come every hour. By 3am they were every half an hour so I started to worry. I went into the toilet, sat down and starting to read the index of “What to expect when you are expecting” searching the symptoms that I was having. When I found that all my symptoms were very similar to going into an early labour I decided to call the hospital for advice. The nurse advised me to have a hot shower, some Panadol and a hot drink. If after all of that I could not go back to sleep I should call them again.

I called the hospital again at 5am and they advised to come to the hospital or wait until later in the morning to see my GP. I said that I would prefer to come in.

The contractions were a sharp pain but I thought that what I was feeling was not so much of a big deal and that if I went in to hospital they could do something to stop the contractions.

By the time I got to the hospital my contractions were 10 minutes apart. When the doctor checked I was already 3cms dilated and my cervix had opened. They then decided to do an ultrasound to check where Cecilia was positioned.

Cecilia was in breach but because she kept on moving around the doctors thought that there could be chance for her to move to the right position.

The pain wasn’t that bad; it started at the front and then moved to my back. Each contraction would last for a few seconds, so I was able to find a position to handle the pain. From my experience labour was the easiest part from the whole pregnancy.

One hour later doctors were asking me if I would agree to have a caesarean if Cecilia was in a position that they could not turn her. I kept on asking what was they best but they told me that only I could make that decision. I couldn’t believe that in this situation I was also suppose to know what decision to take. I had no pre natal classes or even thought about this possibility. Finally the surgeon said that if he had to give me his opinion he would go ahead with the caesarean. “Ok then, do the caesarean if you need to”, I said.

The doctor checked one more time and this time I was 9cms dilated but she could touch Cecilia’s feet. This meant emergency caesarean.

The next 20 minutes went really quick and also a lot went through my mind. Here I am lying on a surgical bed having a 30 week baby, most probably with heaps of complications plus I will need to recover from an abdominal procedure. How did this all happen?

Manuel was by my side holding my hand and at the same time alert to make sure he didn’t miss Cecilia’s birth. When she came out at 9.26am 30th July 2008, we were both crying. I only got to see a glance of her but Manuel was able to film her while they were weighing her and checking her lungs. Quickly they put her in a capsule and took her off to NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Of course I didn’t know all of this. I had no idea what was happening or what was going to happen.