I have a moment now to reflect a bit on the incredible arrival of our precious little Nacho seven weeks ago. This time has flown in a hazy blur of bliss.
He has been named but in my heart he will always be my precious little Nachito. His name is quite fitting though, very reflective of his strength and special nature but I want to protect his anonymity and keep it quiet. Feel free to email me if you’d like to know though and I’ll tell you.
I can’t believe he’s here. I sit here staring at him for hours and hours. He’s so special and so loved.
I went into labour at 2 in the morning at 41 weeks. I had been to two acupuncture sessions to encourage labour prior to that and my contractions came on gently. I was able to go to a third acupuncture appointment later that afternoon which significantly sped things up. Almost immediately afterwards I was quite unwell and my contractions were about every four minutes. That’s when I strapped on the tens machine, my only form of pain relief for 38 of my 40 hour labour. Our doula came over by 6pm and I was in established labour quickly after that.
At 1am we decided to go to the hospital as my contractions were 90 seconds long and every three minutes. The cab ride was 35 mins away even at that hour, a very uncomfortable journey but I don’t remember much. The tens machine really worked to mask my pain and I was in the depths of hypnobirthing.
Once we got to the hospital I stubbornly refused an exam. I didn’t want to be poked and prodded. As a result I was told I wouldn’t be admitted. That immediately got my back up and things started to go pear shaped from there. Once I relented to the exam (horrible, horrible, I might add) I was told I was only 3.5cm dilated. To be admitted I had to be 4cm. We are all convinced I was much further along than that at home and the combination of the cab ride and caused everything to clamp up so to speak.
So we went back home for four hours until my contractions were 2 minutes long and every minute. By the time we got to the hospital I was fully dilated. I can then not account for the next 10 hours. I pushed for 2 of them, without the help of my tens machine. Big mistake I might add! I took it off to push thinking it would help me focus. Errr no! Problem was after 40 hours I was completely out of gas and so was Nacho. My contractions slowed down and I looked at DH with nothing left to give. I hadn’t eaten in 2 days and could keep very little down liquid-wise. We knew it was time for something else.
After two hours of pushing I was give two options: 1) an emergency c-section or 2) forceps. To stick as closely to my original birth plan as possible I chose an epidural to give me a rest to gain my strength and help me push. A syntocinon drip was started at the same time to get my contractions going again. I was given a 30 minute timeline to get him out myself otherwise to the operating theatre I go.
I managed to do it in 20. Nacho showed little signs of distress and his strength of character persisted once again. He was just fine. Nearly 9lbs of happiness thrown onto my chest.
Me on the other hand, I received an episiotomy, a third degree tear, lost over two litres of blood, had two blood transfusions and just shy of fifty stitches. It has taken me a long time to recover. But I wouldn’t change a thing. This was Nacho’s birth story.
We ended up in hospital for 8 days after his birth as less than 12 hours after birth Nacho began breathing quickly and losing body temperature on top of losing excessive amounts of body weight. This was a scary, blurry time. Doctors put us into the area of the ward when special attention is given to babies and it was deemed he had an unknown infection. Seven days of antibiotics, fluid and blood samples, being poked and prodded followed. But again Nacho is tough and he bounced back beautifully.
Since then we have been getting to know each other at home. I am so grateful for every moment together. I hold on to him so tight, this is probably terrible but I rarely put him down. I nurse him, a wonderfully close experience we both love. I carry him everywhere. I am really loving being his mum.
I can feel his angel brothers and sisters looking out for him. He embodies a wisdom, calm and understanding I can’t explain. I have learned so much from him already and I’m so completely and utterly in love.
Project Sweet Pea 