Traumatic gift of life

Seeing those two lines on a pregnancy test is a very exciting time and you hear various pregnancy stories throughout life, but it is one thing to hear about many of the ailments that can come with pregnancy, but to actually go through it yourself is a different story and for Tamara it was just that…

Morning sickness was the first ailment, starting at four weeks of pregnancy with Tamara’s first child. Nausea, vomiting and a heightened sense of smell were all horrible, and yet at the same time, wonderful reminders of the little life growing inside.

At thirteen weeks of pregnancy Tamara developed sciatica, a sharp pain moving along the sciatic nerve, moving down the lower spine through her left hip, the buttocks, down the back of the leg and into the foot. Tamara attended multiple physiotherapist appointments and spent four weeks of laying on the lounge unable to walk. Tears from the pain and a growing human, added to the fatigue. Panadol, a heat pack and the physiotherapist were the three main things that helped cure Tamara’s sciatica.

At 24 weeks of pregnancy Tamara undertook the test for gestational diabetes. She thought the results would come back negative but, alas, surprisingly the results were positive. At a group dietician session for gestational diabetes, the people in the room learned about what type of foods are suitable for their condition and received a blood glucose checker. Tamara needed to test her blood glucose levels first thing in the morning and after each main meal. She was required to eat every two hours during the day and exercise, determined to stay off insulin and protect her unborn baby from complications caused by the disease.

Another hurdle presented itself towards Tamara’s due date. It was ascertained, at a midwife appointment, that the baby was breeched (the baby’s head up near her chest and feet at the abdomen), which was confirmed at another ultrasound.

Due to the breech, the doctor recommended Tamara undergo an external cephalic version (ECV) to turn the baby around and allow a normal vaginal birth. Tamara was informed of the potential complications and that there was a 50/50 chance of it being successful.

The morning of the ECV Tamara had fasted, in the event she required an emergency caesarean. Laying on the hospital bed she was given a needle in her thigh to relax the uterus, making it easier for the baby to be turned. The obstetrician guided the baby to complete a 180-degree spin from the outside. Persevering through the discomfort and pain proved worthwhile as the procedure was successful.

Due to Tamara having gestational diabetes and an ECV it was recommended she be induced.

At 39 weeks of pregnancy Tamara was provided with the induction tool by a nurse and spent the night in the hospital with her husband. The following morning Tamara thought she was having Braxton Hicks contractions, which are a tightening of the uterine muscles, thought to aid the body in its preparation for the birth. The midwife advised they were real contractions and had started at 7:00am that morning.

Tamara was moved to the maternity ward where her waters were broken by two midwives using a small hook, rupturing the amniotic sac. It was then identified that the baby had defecated, and it was assumed this occurred during the ECV. This meant further complications, resulting in Tamara being hooked up to a machine to monitor her and the baby.

Following a soothing bath, the contractions got stronger and there were multiple internal examinations to see how much Tamara had dilated and where the baby’s head was. Safe for the mother and the baby, Tamara started breathing in gas, a nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen, to produce some pain relief. She breathed it in long and deeply and howled with pain as she breathed out. On one occasion she felt that the baby wanted to come out, but her body was not ready. After several hours of contractions, a pain that was nothing like she had ever felt before, she requested an epidural. The request was approved, and an anaesthetist inserted a needle into her back, instantly injecting her body with pain relief and immobilising her from the hips down. Following the epidural Tamara felt her abdomen tighten but she no longer felt the immense and extreme pain of the contractions as the baby moved south.

Another hurdle Tamara faced was having dilated to four centimetres and then closing back with the baby’s head right at the entrance. The baby was ready to meet the world, but Tamara’s body was not ready to release it. As much as Tamara wanted a natural birth, she needed to have an emergency caesarean.

Following further anaesthetic, only able to move her arms and head, a little cry was heard as their daughter was welcomed into the world. There was an instant connection from the little body that had been growing inside of Tamara for the previous 39 weeks. Identified by many in the medical field as a traumatic pregnancy and birth, to Tamara it was a miracle and she was thankful for her baby’s health and the beautiful gift of life.