I thought I would should share my experience and why I am so passionate about establishing a service to support mums and their families.At 25 +5 weeks pregnant I was at work in the CBD of Melbourne and had noticed I was leaking fluids. Something just didn’t feel right. I caught the train to my car and then drove myself to the hospital for a checkup.
Within 30mins of being in emergency I was told my fluids had broken I was 3 cm dilated and I would be giving birth within 12 hours. I was diadnosed with an incompetant cervix. This was not how it was supposed to be. Up until now I had a “normal’ pregnancy, (as normal as the book told me).
I was told my baby had 20% chance of survival and if it did survive, had a huge risk of severe medical difficulties and or disability. I cried for unborn baby.
I was pumped full of medication to try and slow down my labor and we waited. I lay in my hospital bed for 9 weeks. I lay down to eat, bath. I lay there 24 hours a day and only left the room lying down when wheeled for my next ultra sound. I kept my baby with me until 36+6 weeks and he was born a healthy baby boy.
During this time it was very exhausting for my husband, coming into the hospital daily after work. This left him limited time for general house hold chores. When our son was born my muscles had completely vanished due to bed rest. I was unable to walk distances or hold the baby for long periods. I had to slowly build myself up to cleaning and groceries. When he was 3 months old I knew something was not right. My maternal health nurse referred me for counseling and I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress. I also had to grieve my pregnancy and the emotions that I had kept at bay for so long while I concentrated on growing my baby and once born, keeping my baby fed and helping him grow. After many sessions I felt I was strong enough to move from that place. (oh, to be a fly on the wall and watch a counselor treat another counselor!)
We got through it and although petrified, started trying for our second child. When I was 13 weeks pregnant I got a cervical stitch placed in to prevent dilation. I was on complete bed rest from 17 weeks and had two hospital admission for over a week with contractions 3 mins apart (ironically 25+5 weeks again) This time it seemed even harder as I had another little person to care for. I was not allowed to cook, clean, shop, drive or look after my family. I was lucky to be able to access child care, have an amazing girl friend come and cook us dinners and put them in the freezer, a cleaner and a very supportive but exhausted husband.
On discharge from hospital the Obstetrician was not going to let me out until I had all these supports in place. The social worker at the hospital did not have the resources and was unable to assist. I organized it from my hospital bed so I could go home and kiss my 2 year old into bed each night.
At 34+5 my stitch was removed due to severe pain and I dilated immediately and my second son was born. Again I was very weak and had two young boys to look after. I used my initiative and made an appointment for counseling to prevent going to the place I had before.
This is my story and a reason I hope to get Support for Mums service up and running as soon as I can. I feel I was lucky to have the resources available to me to get through my pregnancy and post natal period although understand that many other women are not as fortunate. I am very passionate about providing appropriate resources for mums to assist in recovery and/or their journey in motherhood.
Within 30mins of being in emergency I was told my fluids had broken I was 3 cm dilated and I would be giving birth within 12 hours. I was diadnosed with an incompetant cervix. This was not how it was supposed to be. Up until now I had a “normal’ pregnancy, (as normal as the book told me).
I was told my baby had 20% chance of survival and if it did survive, had a huge risk of severe medical difficulties and or disability. I cried for unborn baby.
I was pumped full of medication to try and slow down my labor and we waited. I lay in my hospital bed for 9 weeks. I lay down to eat, bath. I lay there 24 hours a day and only left the room lying down when wheeled for my next ultra sound. I kept my baby with me until 36+6 weeks and he was born a healthy baby boy.
During this time it was very exhausting for my husband, coming into the hospital daily after work. This left him limited time for general house hold chores. When our son was born my muscles had completely vanished due to bed rest. I was unable to walk distances or hold the baby for long periods. I had to slowly build myself up to cleaning and groceries. When he was 3 months old I knew something was not right. My maternal health nurse referred me for counseling and I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress. I also had to grieve my pregnancy and the emotions that I had kept at bay for so long while I concentrated on growing my baby and once born, keeping my baby fed and helping him grow. After many sessions I felt I was strong enough to move from that place. (oh, to be a fly on the wall and watch a counselor treat another counselor!)
We got through it and although petrified, started trying for our second child. When I was 13 weeks pregnant I got a cervical stitch placed in to prevent dilation. I was on complete bed rest from 17 weeks and had two hospital admission for over a week with contractions 3 mins apart (ironically 25+5 weeks again) This time it seemed even harder as I had another little person to care for. I was not allowed to cook, clean, shop, drive or look after my family. I was lucky to be able to access child care, have an amazing girl friend come and cook us dinners and put them in the freezer, a cleaner and a very supportive but exhausted husband.
On discharge from hospital the Obstetrician was not going to let me out until I had all these supports in place. The social worker at the hospital did not have the resources and was unable to assist. I organized it from my hospital bed so I could go home and kiss my 2 year old into bed each night.
At 34+5 my stitch was removed due to severe pain and I dilated immediately and my second son was born. Again I was very weak and had two young boys to look after. I used my initiative and made an appointment for counseling to prevent going to the place I had before.
This is my story and a reason I hope to get Support for Mums service up and running as soon as I can. I feel I was lucky to have the resources available to me to get through my pregnancy and post natal period although understand that many other women are not as fortunate. I am very passionate about providing appropriate resources for mums to assist in recovery and/or their journey in motherhood.
ox
