Our birth story - Welcome to the world Freddie Jago Grigg!
My first post on my blog had to be the story of Freddie's birth. As I'm writing this nearly 8 weeks later, it's hard to imagine that 2 months have passed when I can picture it all so clearly in my head, like it was the night before.
Baby Freddie arrived into the world by emergency C section on the 31st October (Halloween) 2018 at 12:56pm, 4 days before our due date. As well as telling you all our birth story, I also want to highlight the fact that a c-section is not the easy way out that some make it out to be. The pain I experienced, the emotions, the feeling of failure and the hurt was anything but easy... oh and did I mention the recovery? I had no clue on how limiting it would be, or for how long. A C section is definitely not the easy way out. I have the only just healed scar to prove that. Giving birth to your baby is a magical experience, no matter how it is done, you are bringing life into the world, who cares if you haven't pushed? Sometimes we have to just go with the flow in life and that's ok.
I was booked in for a blood pressure check at the local community hospital due to my blood pressure going through the roof a week before our due date. My blood pressure had been stable the whole through pregnancy, so suddenly when it shot to 110/130 it was concerning! Midwives and doctors were worried that I was showing signs of pre-eclampsia as I had also suffered from what can only be described as the headache from hell a few days previous. Due to my blood pressure still being extremely high I was sent to the main hospital in the county (Treliske/Royal Cornwall Hospital), the hospital I was due to have Freddie in to see what the next stage would be.
As Freddie is our first baby I had convinced myself that I would 100% not have him early, or even on my due date as it's very common for first babies to keep everybody waiting. So when I was told that I would be induced and he would be making his appearance into the big wide world very soon I think I really didn't take in what was going on, I was shocked and completely under-prepared!
A stretch and sweep was done, not the most comfortable feeling in the world I'll admit but it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. I just lay back and told myself, "if you can't cope through this, how will you have the baby!?" and it got me through. Hours later and no signs of any action so on to stage 2. Waters being broken...
So, that really wasn't pleasant. I always thought when your waters went (naturally or not) that it would be like how it happens on films, a big gush of water and that's it. Oh no, this just went on, and on and on. I felt like I was peeing constantly and it just wouldn't stop. It really is true what they say, you do loose all dignity when you have a baby, it goes out the window. Our lovely midwife Jen was on hand to reassure us that this was totally normal, she put me and Steven my partner completely at ease. I can't remember how many hours passed us by without any regular contractions, I felt a few niggling pains like a slight stomach ache but nothing intense or painful. A decision was made to use a hormone drip to speed things along, meaning a more intense labour as it's artificially induced and your body isn't ready. My body was definitely not ready.... 20 hours later of labour my contractions started to become more regular.
When writing my birth plan I decided I wanted to try and do everything as naturally as possible, however I had a completely open mind and knew if I needed pain relief that there was no shame in asking for it. At the end of the day, you do not get any extra brownie points for having your baby naturally, as long as baby is here safely that's all that matters. I tried gas and air to help with the pain, it worked to start with but the longer the labour went on, the worse the pain got.
I then decided to have an epidural. Something I was extremely nervous about as I really don't like needles (but then again, who does!?). I didn't want to have one but I knew if I had to push that I was starting to get worn out and I needed something to help get me through and help me keep my energy levels up. It really took the pain away instantly, I couldn't believe it. It gave me such a boost and I thought, "yes, I can do this!".
4 hours later, an examination and the news we didn't want. I was only 5 cm dilated after 24 hours of established labour. I was really gutted as I hoped we'd be near the pushing stage by now. Tired and fed up our midwife arranged for the consultant to come and see us. As soon as she said about a consultant, I knew straight away I would end up having a C section.
Within 45 minutes I was being wheeled into theater and meeting the team who would be in the operating room with us. There were so many faces in the room and it was a scary but exciting experience. Steven stayed with me throughout and couldn't do more to support me. The operation went so quickly. I had so many worries and preconceptions about feeling the surgeon cutting me open, but I couldn't feel a thing. I had Steven sitting right next to me, holding my hand the whole time and I wasn't afraid, I tried to be brave for us and our baby we would soon be meeting
And then, the moment came that our lives changed forever. We heard Freddie cry for the first time. We both burst into happy, happy tears. The first thing our midwife said was "Oh my god, he has so much hair" and he really does! He was placed on my chest for skin to skin and we fell in love.
Our birth didn't go to plan as they say and it wasn't the birth I necessarily wanted but the end result is pure perfection.
Baby Freddie arrived into the world by emergency C section on the 31st October (Halloween) 2018 at 12:56pm, 4 days before our due date. As well as telling you all our birth story, I also want to highlight the fact that a c-section is not the easy way out that some make it out to be. The pain I experienced, the emotions, the feeling of failure and the hurt was anything but easy... oh and did I mention the recovery? I had no clue on how limiting it would be, or for how long. A C section is definitely not the easy way out. I have the only just healed scar to prove that. Giving birth to your baby is a magical experience, no matter how it is done, you are bringing life into the world, who cares if you haven't pushed? Sometimes we have to just go with the flow in life and that's ok.
I was booked in for a blood pressure check at the local community hospital due to my blood pressure going through the roof a week before our due date. My blood pressure had been stable the whole through pregnancy, so suddenly when it shot to 110/130 it was concerning! Midwives and doctors were worried that I was showing signs of pre-eclampsia as I had also suffered from what can only be described as the headache from hell a few days previous. Due to my blood pressure still being extremely high I was sent to the main hospital in the county (Treliske/Royal Cornwall Hospital), the hospital I was due to have Freddie in to see what the next stage would be.
As Freddie is our first baby I had convinced myself that I would 100% not have him early, or even on my due date as it's very common for first babies to keep everybody waiting. So when I was told that I would be induced and he would be making his appearance into the big wide world very soon I think I really didn't take in what was going on, I was shocked and completely under-prepared!
A stretch and sweep was done, not the most comfortable feeling in the world I'll admit but it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. I just lay back and told myself, "if you can't cope through this, how will you have the baby!?" and it got me through. Hours later and no signs of any action so on to stage 2. Waters being broken...
So, that really wasn't pleasant. I always thought when your waters went (naturally or not) that it would be like how it happens on films, a big gush of water and that's it. Oh no, this just went on, and on and on. I felt like I was peeing constantly and it just wouldn't stop. It really is true what they say, you do loose all dignity when you have a baby, it goes out the window. Our lovely midwife Jen was on hand to reassure us that this was totally normal, she put me and Steven my partner completely at ease. I can't remember how many hours passed us by without any regular contractions, I felt a few niggling pains like a slight stomach ache but nothing intense or painful. A decision was made to use a hormone drip to speed things along, meaning a more intense labour as it's artificially induced and your body isn't ready. My body was definitely not ready.... 20 hours later of labour my contractions started to become more regular.
When writing my birth plan I decided I wanted to try and do everything as naturally as possible, however I had a completely open mind and knew if I needed pain relief that there was no shame in asking for it. At the end of the day, you do not get any extra brownie points for having your baby naturally, as long as baby is here safely that's all that matters. I tried gas and air to help with the pain, it worked to start with but the longer the labour went on, the worse the pain got.
I then decided to have an epidural. Something I was extremely nervous about as I really don't like needles (but then again, who does!?). I didn't want to have one but I knew if I had to push that I was starting to get worn out and I needed something to help get me through and help me keep my energy levels up. It really took the pain away instantly, I couldn't believe it. It gave me such a boost and I thought, "yes, I can do this!".
4 hours later, an examination and the news we didn't want. I was only 5 cm dilated after 24 hours of established labour. I was really gutted as I hoped we'd be near the pushing stage by now. Tired and fed up our midwife arranged for the consultant to come and see us. As soon as she said about a consultant, I knew straight away I would end up having a C section.
Within 45 minutes I was being wheeled into theater and meeting the team who would be in the operating room with us. There were so many faces in the room and it was a scary but exciting experience. Steven stayed with me throughout and couldn't do more to support me. The operation went so quickly. I had so many worries and preconceptions about feeling the surgeon cutting me open, but I couldn't feel a thing. I had Steven sitting right next to me, holding my hand the whole time and I wasn't afraid, I tried to be brave for us and our baby we would soon be meeting
And then, the moment came that our lives changed forever. We heard Freddie cry for the first time. We both burst into happy, happy tears. The first thing our midwife said was "Oh my god, he has so much hair" and he really does! He was placed on my chest for skin to skin and we fell in love.
Our birth didn't go to plan as they say and it wasn't the birth I necessarily wanted but the end result is pure perfection.
This was taken minutes after Freddie was born by one of the lovely nurses looking after us.
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| Freddie Jago Grigg, welcome to the world my darling. |
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| Skin to skin for the first time. |
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| Both of my boys together, the proudest Daddy ever. |
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