Quelin
Hello world
Introducing Chester Jacq Chugg
Born on the 11.11.2020
“Giving birth should be your greatest achievement not your greatest fear.”-Jane Weidman
I chose this quote as it reminded me of Quelin. My heart broke when Quelin first shared with me the birth trauma she experienced with her first baby. Now, Quelin sits before me, pregnant with her second baby. I can tell she is feeling pretty anxious about the way in which her next birth may unfold. Birth trauma is real. In Australia it effects one in every three women and one in ten will emerge from childbirth with post-traumatic stress disorder. These statistics are disturbing and rising.
After listening fully to Quelin’s story I said to her:
“You have nowhere to go but up from here “
This time, Quelin is going to do things differently. She has hired me as her doula and is determined to spend more time educating and empowering herself to be the driver of her own birth. Baby Chugg’s birth is going to be a positive and healing birth experience.
Although the popular desired outcome is ‘healthy mother, healthy baby,’ I think there is room in that equation for ‘happy, non-traumatized, empowered and elated mother and baby’- Midwifery Today
Quelin and I set about preparing for her birth. A diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes was the biggest challenge that Quelin had to deal with during her pregnancy. Unfortunately, Gestational Diabetes and Quelin did not get along well together at all. With hypos and loss of vision on one occasion making elements of this pregnancy challenging, Quelin still soldiered on with a smile on her face and worked diligently to try and get it under control. Baby Chugg presented her with another challenge, deciding to turn into a breech position in the third trimester, keeping us on our toes. Yet, Quelin engaged in some spinning baby exercises that were specifically for breech babies and thankfully, baby Chugg decided head down was the better option.
By the time Quelin was around thirty-six weeks, “induction dates” were being mentioned at appointments. Quelin and baby pushed through to 39 weeks. She did not initially want an induction this time around, but when all the risks and benefits were weighed up it seemed like the safest option for mum and baby. Quelin and her husband, Quinton, made an informed, mutual decision to agree on an induction to encourage this little baby to come meet us all sooner rather than later . She set about listening to positive induction podcasts and equipped herself mentally and physically with the optimal birth positioning exercises to prepare for her impending birth.
10.11.20
Quelin has a beautiful and supportive family around her. Their little boy Eddy is being well cared for by Quelin’s mum. Let’s go have a baby!
Quelin and Quinton arrive at the LGH on the 10.11 to have some prostaglandin gel inserted overnight in order to soften and thin her cervix.
Quelin has some mild tightening’s but nothing much else happens overnight.
11.11.2020
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in your body that you can’t feel as it prepares for the early stages of labour.
Quelin’s body had been responding to the gel and an exam reveals that she is 3cm dilated.
By 9am, Quelin’s waters are ruptured in the hopes it will encourage contractions. We request some time before they start Syntocinon to see what Quelin’s body can do by itself.
We make sure the room is comfortable and calm. Dimming the lights, aromatherapy in the diffuser and some relaxing music playing softly in the background – all working to create a safe environment. This will help stimulate and maximise Quelin’s own endorphins to help her along today.
The more a labouring woman can relax, the more efficiently her body will work.
For this birth, it is imperative that Quelin feels fully supported to move freely in her labour: to labour off the bed in optimal labouring positions that move with gravity. Quelin is feeing positive this time, knowing she is going to have all the emotional and physical continuity of care that she needs.
Spinning babies and optimal birth positions are always part of my pregnancy, labour and birth support. Quelin seems relaxed, and happy to try anything and everything.
11.40am Syntocinon is administered, as we need some contractions to help move this baby down.
Quelin labours in upright positions working with gravity as her contractions start to gradually build up, her waters are leaking, and she has lost her mucus plug. We are on the way.
12.30pm I help Quelin engage in some more spinning babies’ techniques to encourage optimal positioning and space for baby and to balance and release any tightening’s in Quelin’s body. Our midwife remarks that she has never seen anyone carry out spinning babies exercises when having an induction “I guess there is a first time for witnessing everything.”
Quelin is favoring standing up and leaning over the birth cub which is positioned on the bed. Quinton and I support Quelin with soft touch massage heat packs and comfort measures from my toolbox. Quelin’s back and her pelvis are feeling a lot of discomfort. We encourage Quelin with positive words. Truly, I have never witnessed such a calm and controlled labouring Goddess. Quelin doesn’t make a sound. I know she is feeling them, but you wouldn’t have guessed that my brave young mother was being induced.
1pm A clip is administered to baby Chugg’s head. When you are induced it is necessary to keep track of baby’s heart rate very closely. The monitor is showing that baby is feeling a bit distressed. Quelin and Quinton agree to the clip-on baby’s head. It is deemed to provide a more accurate reading.
2.30pm Baby seems a lot happier. But Quelin’s uterus is not so happy with the strength and frequency of the contractions. They are coming on top of each other. Again, Quelin doesn’t make a peep. Just breaths through them. The Syntocinon is turned down to give Quelin’s body a rest.
Quelin’s own endorphins are well and truly working and her contractions keep coming. Quelin moves up into a more restful position, leaning over the birth cub on the bed. Quinton is rubbing Quelin’s back and I am applying cold cloths to Quelin’s head and neck. Additionally, we all make sure she is keeping up her fluids. Labour, as we know, is hard work.
The major role that the body’s natural oxytocin plays in birth encourages the idea that birth is an experience of love…Birth is a spiritual experience simply because it is largely an act of love on the part of the body physiology and the indwelling spirit.” -Cathy Daub.
I do want to make mention the awesome male midwife and student midwife that we have this afternoon supporting Quelin.
Our male midwife is very relaxed and chatty. Shaking Quintons hand and verifying that Quinton was all good with him being in the room. Quelin wondered “why is he asking my husband? I’m the one in labour ” It comes to light that both our midwife and Quinton know each other through basketball.
It really helps when everyone gets along so well. Working as a team.
3pm The Syntocinon is completely turned off.
Quelin has her own endorphins, Oxytocin and birthing hormones. They don’t need any help.
3.20pm Out of blue my calm and hardworking birthing goddess decides she would like an epidural.
This is an informed choice Quelin has made. Quelin feels she still has a long road ahead of her and she won’t have the energy when it comes to birthing her baby if she doesn’t get a rest.
Even though I am surprised at her request. I am here to support and encourage Quelin to birth her baby her way.
3.30pm the epidural is administered. Unfortunately, it is unsuccessful. Causing a cerebrospinal leak. Sadly, this will result in Quelin experiencing excruciating migraine headaches in the week following the birth of her baby.
In the meantime, the anesthetist provides an alternative pain relief that reduces the feeling of sensations in Quelin’s abdomen but allowing her full sensations in her legs. This pain relief lasts for 30min and is an effective at giving Quelin some relief.
4pm Quinton and I rub Quelin’s legs and continue with our myriad of comfort measures and positive words of encouragement. Quelin is labouring up on the bed, leaning over the birth cub.
We keep Quelin hydrated and continue to offer her snacks. Though I seem to eat more of the soft lollies than anyone else
Quinton is a calming, supportive and loving partner to Quelin. The love and care he displays through Quelin’s labour and birth is heartwarming to witness.
Labour truly is a process that invites you to surrender to the unseen force behind all life. Wherever your mind goes, your body follows. I believe having a supportive partner and team around her is a contributing factor that allows Quelin to quietly breath through each surge that is bringing her closer to meeting her baby.
I start to notice a shift. Quelin is shaking. From my observation, it looks as though she has entered transition. The anesthetist comes back in. From his perspective, he sees a very calm young woman. My interpretation of his words is he feels Quelin probably still has some time to go yet. There are no vaginal exams, just observations. The student midwife agrees with me: Quelin looks like she is about to go bring this little baby earth side. The anesthetist doesn’t really agree, he administers another dose of pain medication at 4.55pm which makes Quelin feel a bit drowsy.
4.55pm We know we are pretty much on the mark, as we have been present and supporting Quelin throughout the day. Baby Chugg isn’t far away from blessing us all with his or her presence.
At this time, baby Chugg’s heart rate rises. The one and only vaginal check reveals that baby’s heart rate has risen because our birthing Goddess is 10cm dilated and baby is feeling a bit squished while making his or her decent. We are all ready. Here comes life.
“There is no force equal to that of a determined woman.” Quelin trusts herself and her ability to find all her strength to birth her baby.
5.33pm – 38 minutes is all it took for my beautiful and determined mummy to go collect the soul of her beautiful baby and bring him or her earth side.
Being present to witness that magical and joyous moment when Quelin and Quinton finally met their new baby touched my heart and took my breath away.
I feel birth is the closest we get to experience the true meaning of the word “miracle.”
Welcome to the world Chester Jacq Chugg. A very healthy and happy gorgeous baby boy. A little brother for Eddy.
Quelin’s ’heart knows that to fully achieve a healing birth she now needed to connect with her baby - to enjoy the golden hour and hold her baby in the minutes and hours after birth, undisturbed.
This time around, Quelin was able to enjoy those precious hours after birth that she missed with her first baby. Baby Chester has big beautiful bright eyes. He is calmly looking around taking us all in.
I left with smile on my face as Quinton, Quelin and Chester were all enjoying this special time together in their bubble of love.
It’s not very often I enjoy 9-6pm shifts in labour ward. I’ll be home for tea tonight!
Every birth I attend teaches me something new. Quelin’s birth taught me how and Induction can still enable you to achieve a positive birth experience. In a shorter time, frame than I ever imagined. When the benefits of an induction out ways the risks we have to reframe our thoughts and work on what we can control and not what we can’t. And that is exactly what we all strived towards on Chester’s birth day. The administrations of Syntocinon to encourage contractions was a tool Quelin required at the time, but it was not in control and it wasn’t the driver of Quelin’s labour or her birth. That power belonged to her. And I’m so proud to say, she never gave it up.
Quelin truly was a birthing Goddess. “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” -Diane Mariechild
Thank you for inviting me to be part of your healing birth story, Quelin and Quinton. You have a beautiful family and I know you have lots of happy memories to make with your now complete family of four.
The best part about memories is making them!
Love Krista xx