Jason's birth story
After a year of trying to fall pregnant, I eventually went for a laparoscopy and found out after all this time of trying I had endometriosis and a blocked tube. This was corrected in theatre. Two months later to our HUGE delight we found out that I was pregnant in December 2006. I was having a relative smooth pregnancy, no morning sickness or aches and pains but we were always concerned that I was not gaining weight. We went for all the scans and everything seemed to be going smoothly until about 22 weeks. My amniotic fluid was lower than normal and baby’s measurements were behind in growth.
At my 24 week scan my gynaecologist was concerned about the amniotic fluid and sent us to a foetal specialist. The specialist did all the measurements and confirmed that my amniotic fluid was lower than normal and the cause could be with baby because after 12 weeks the baby’s urine makes up most of the fluid. The specialist told me that it was still early so there was time for improvement and that I would just get monitored more closely. We continued to go for my scans and every time we went we were scared of the outcome because it was never great news. Baby was growing but not at the correct rate that he/she should be and my gynaecologist was checking everything including baby’s heart rate very closely.
At 28 weeks my gynaecologist decided that it was time to see the foetal specialist again because the amniotic fluid had not improved, baby was still behind in growth and his/her heart rate was irregular. We saw the specialist again, he did a thorough check on all baby’s measurements and the amniotic fluid. We were told that “this was not a nice position to be in”. There were four things that he could pick up, mild pyelectasis which is a light dilation of the baby’s kidneys, borderline oligohydramnios which is too little amniotic fluid, possible pelviureteric obstruction with is a kink between baby’s kidney and bladder and baby was behind in growth by about 3 to 4 weeks. I was working at the time and was instructed to go straight to work, pack up my things and go onto strict bed rest until baby arrives and also to be monitored by my gynaecologist twice a week. He told us that he gives us two weeks and baby would be here. So I did what I was told, shocked my boss and told her that I wouldn’t be back until my maternity leave was over. We went for my scans twice a week and each time we noticed that baby was still not growing and the amniotic fluid was not improving. I was on strict bed rest and was told to monitor baby’s movements during the day.
When I got to the day before 31 weeks we went for my scan and things weren’t looking good, baby’s heart rate was very erratic and my gynae was concerned. He told us that baby was tiny but because of his/her heart rate, I was told to go downstairs immediately and book myself into hospital, I would be having a caesarean in the morning and that night they would monitor baby’s heart rate. My Caesar was booked for 8am, I had the spinal done prior and we went into theatre. After some time they thought I was ready, asked me if all was ok but I could still feel when touched, they gave it some more time and still I could feel everything. I was given another dose of meds, more time and still I could wiggle my toes. I was told that I would need to have a general aesthetic in order for them to deliver baby. That was just the scariest thing knowing that I would be asleep when baby arrived and waking up not knowing if he/she had made it. They put me under and apparently I was fighting that as well,.The doctors had to hold me down because I was fighting them and actually lifting off the theatre table. After all the fuss, our son, Jason was born weighing 1kg. My first words when I woke up were “is my baby alive”. I was told that baby was fine, is a boy and is 1kg.
At my 24 week scan my gynaecologist was concerned about the amniotic fluid and sent us to a foetal specialist. The specialist did all the measurements and confirmed that my amniotic fluid was lower than normal and the cause could be with baby because after 12 weeks the baby’s urine makes up most of the fluid. The specialist told me that it was still early so there was time for improvement and that I would just get monitored more closely. We continued to go for my scans and every time we went we were scared of the outcome because it was never great news. Baby was growing but not at the correct rate that he/she should be and my gynaecologist was checking everything including baby’s heart rate very closely.
At 28 weeks my gynaecologist decided that it was time to see the foetal specialist again because the amniotic fluid had not improved, baby was still behind in growth and his/her heart rate was irregular. We saw the specialist again, he did a thorough check on all baby’s measurements and the amniotic fluid. We were told that “this was not a nice position to be in”. There were four things that he could pick up, mild pyelectasis which is a light dilation of the baby’s kidneys, borderline oligohydramnios which is too little amniotic fluid, possible pelviureteric obstruction with is a kink between baby’s kidney and bladder and baby was behind in growth by about 3 to 4 weeks. I was working at the time and was instructed to go straight to work, pack up my things and go onto strict bed rest until baby arrives and also to be monitored by my gynaecologist twice a week. He told us that he gives us two weeks and baby would be here. So I did what I was told, shocked my boss and told her that I wouldn’t be back until my maternity leave was over. We went for my scans twice a week and each time we noticed that baby was still not growing and the amniotic fluid was not improving. I was on strict bed rest and was told to monitor baby’s movements during the day.
When I got to the day before 31 weeks we went for my scan and things weren’t looking good, baby’s heart rate was very erratic and my gynae was concerned. He told us that baby was tiny but because of his/her heart rate, I was told to go downstairs immediately and book myself into hospital, I would be having a caesarean in the morning and that night they would monitor baby’s heart rate. My Caesar was booked for 8am, I had the spinal done prior and we went into theatre. After some time they thought I was ready, asked me if all was ok but I could still feel when touched, they gave it some more time and still I could feel everything. I was given another dose of meds, more time and still I could wiggle my toes. I was told that I would need to have a general aesthetic in order for them to deliver baby. That was just the scariest thing knowing that I would be asleep when baby arrived and waking up not knowing if he/she had made it. They put me under and apparently I was fighting that as well,.The doctors had to hold me down because I was fighting them and actually lifting off the theatre table. After all the fuss, our son, Jason was born weighing 1kg. My first words when I woke up were “is my baby alive”. I was told that baby was fine, is a boy and is 1kg.