Never Again

Vonita

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I was brave when I fell pregnant for the second time (my first pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage). I decided to take on nature and ‘be one with it’. I can so do a water birth(!), I figured. So I dragged the lucky husband to class, invested in a birthing ball, and selected the ‘best’ maternity clinic in Johannesburg. I dropped my doctor who was chief advocate for Caesarian sections, and enlisted the services of a wonderful midwife whom I had read about in a maternity magazine. The big day arrived and time to put everything into practice. We arrived at the clinic at about 5am, and after a quick examination the midwife declared that we could have baby out in about an hour. An hour? I repeated. There’s no ways I’m ready for a baby in an hour. And then my contractions started real bad. She offered to run the bath for me but there was no chance I was leaving the security of solid ground. I don’t want to see a bath. Or water, I told her. That’s fine, she replied, and left me to my contractions. There was nowhere to go, but on the floor and cling to the bed. The bed was on rollers, hospital style, so even that was not providing adequate anchor to my body that was about to explode into a million tiny pieces. Husband was hanging around, not knowing what to do. Just leave! I asked him. He’s not going anywhere. I eventually pleaded, take the birth ball and get it pumped up. He, of the male species that did this to me, the enemy.  I wanted the ball as much as I wanted the bath, but if he didn’t leave the room and soon I was going to murder him. With my bare hands. The midwife returned and I begged of her. Please! Put a gun against my head, I would rather be dead. Kill me now! Cut the baby out, just make it stop! She called the anesthetist, who was stuck in peak hour traffic. He finally arrived and administered an epidural. After a couple of hours it was time to push. A few minutes before noon, my baby was born. I looked over and saw a tiny grey body, not making a sound. Is he alive? Yes, he was alive and I was Mother. And after that, I decided I will Never do that again. And I haven’t! Some things you do once, and learn your lesson. Caesarian section with my daughter, and a walk in the park.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/never-again/

16 thoughts on “Never Again”

  1. What a vivid description of your anguish before the epidural kicked in – I could see it all, but I stopped before I started feeling it! The latest trend in my neck of the woods is home birth in a large bath, w/o anesthesia, attended by a doula and dad, or a dad equivalent – and whoever else is invited to the event. Months of preparation precede the birth. For my taste, just give me drugs, thank you very much! 🙂

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    1. Home births are also popular here, not for me though, I would panic in case of emergency and not being in a hospital. As for dad being available, when I was in the throes of agony, the last person I wanted to see was the dad or any male. Like a wounded animal I guess that needs privacy, or at least women who understand! I felt at the time that a man could not enter into the experience and didn’t want any nearby. Apart from the anesthetist who was an angel!

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  3. I was with you here Vonita every step of the way and felt every contraction. It brought all my birthing experiences flooding back to me. This is so well documented in precise detail that I felt I was there. I can identify with you wanting only understanding women to be there with you… My first was the hardest and longest, 2nd a section…breach, 3,4,5 and 6 normal deliveries. It is for each woman a most unique personal experience and cannot be compared… I really enjoyed reading this… Written with depth and feeling. 💟

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  4. Oh no. Hearing all these birthing stories from here or from friends, makes me feel like I don’t want to have kids at all. I am thankful for C-sections (as are you now I take it) many friends had to get them and if I ever have a kid that’s what Im going for 🙂

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    1. To be honest though, my body recovered easier after the natural birth. I still have my mummy tummy after the c-section which I never had as bad after natural, but that could also be because of another pregnancy?

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  5. I lived all the steps with yours too dear Vonita, you expressed so well… And also I lived my daughter’s hard day too (my son’s wife)… It is not easy to be a woman… Blessing and Happiness to you with your family, Love, nia

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