I’ve heard of failed epidurals alright but not five. Kate Gunn of Kate Takes 5 is one of my all-time favourite Irish bloggers, tonight she shares her short but sweet birth story in this week’s addition of the birth story series.
A Dads Eye View
If there’s one thing my ex-husband is good at its directions. Seemingly he only has to lift his head and sniff the air and he can find the little grey building at the end of four pages of crisscrossed lines on a torn and tea stained map.
Which is a very good thing when it’s dark, you live over an hour and a half’s drive away from the hospital, and your heavily pregnant wife shouts at you that ‘It’s time to go – NOW!’
The journey was long and extremely bumpy. Bob Marley beat from the speakers and the breath came shorter and harder with every mile travelled.
There was no talking. Eyes on the road, both of us dealing with our own demons.
Once there I hobbled along on his arm and in a blur was prodded and poked until I heard someone whisper urgently ‘there’s no room available’ and I found myself behind a curtain with another woman in the other side who sounded like she was lifting weights.
The labour was not a good one. The epidural was called for. The epidural did not work.
Another was administered. Another did not work.
Six epidurals and countless hours later I was totally spent. Delirious I lay on the bed like a fatally injured soldier, war weary and ready to let go.
‘Do you think I’d have time to pop out to the car?’ I heard a voice that I recognised ask.
‘Just to grab a sandwich and have a quick nap…’
I had no energy to comment and until that moment had actually forgotten that he was there, but of course the words were filed away to be used at a more opportune moment.
Such as this one maybe.
Anyway, he returned after his cheese roll and his 40 winks. The midwife’s shift ended. Another was called in to take over and finish the job and somehow, somehow, our beautiful daughter was born.
Her Dad cut the cord and his eyes filled with wonder and tears.
Shell-shocked it took me a little longer to adjust, but as the tiny bundle was handed to me, cleaned off and wrapped in a warm blanket, I knew life would never be the same again.
Find Kate on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+.
There are a whole collection of birth stories on the blog if you would like to read more. Birth stories go live every Sunday at 9pm. If you would like to feature your birth story as I’m running low drop me an email at mylittlebabog@gmail.com.
12 Comments on A Dads Eye View by Kate Takes 5
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Ahhh this sounds like a tough birth. What a brace Mama.I have never heard of so many failed epidurals. It took me a little while for it all to sink in too! xo
Either have I, it crazy isn’t it?
Either have I, its crazy isn’t it?
Oh my goodness! I’ve never heard of that many failed epidurals – that sounds horrendous! Such a lovely photo though of those special first moments 🙂 x
Those first photo’s make me weak, so precious.
Oh how rubbish that the epidural didn’t work, and that they tried 6 times. Glad little one got here all ok and that is a cute photo.
Oh my goodness I feel for you. I asked for an epidural last minute and they started the process off. I gave birth before they could put in the solution and I felt like my back had been punched for a good week after. SIX means you must have really felt like an injured solider. x
Oh wow. I have never heard of a failed epidural before. Yikes!
Oh gosh this sounds painful. And that’s just the hour and a half drive – oh my goodness I would have been panicking. But to then have so many failed epidural attempts, oh no! At least it’s over now, and beautiful baby is here! x
Wow, I couldn’t imagine having so many! I had a failed epidural, when I say failed I mean it worked at the beginning then wore off as labour progressed, theres no way I would’ve let them try again though, it was more painful that the actual birth! Haha. I got the best of both worlds though, I managed to enjoy the actual labour more as it took the edge off, and when it came to pushing, I could feel exactly when to push and what to do! x
These births never quite go the way we planned do they and sounds like this was a tough and fairly traumatic one to say the least. At least your darling daughter arrived safely though, that’s the main thing! xx
Vikki Holness recently posted…10 Steps To A Healthier Lifestyle
Ouch! An epidural failing must be really hard to deal with.