Benna's Natural Hospital Birth in Botswana

December 16, 2009

I would like to share my natural hospital birth story with you as similar stories prepared me for my birth, even though it was nothing like I expected it would be;-) I wouldn't change a thing. I found out I was pregnant in late March and this was the most amazing news because I have PCOS and being human I already believed that it was going to take years and years for me to have a baby but with the help of Clomid, I was pregnant by the second cycle and my planning started right then.

I planned and pictured everything to the "T", together with my good friend who was also expecting at the time. We looked and counted down the days on the calendar everyday exchanging lists experiences and so forth. I had an uncomplicated pregnancy with only a bit of nausea in the first 3 months the only thing that got to me a bit was giving up a very busy lifestyle camping, bike riding, bundubashing and that sort of stuff but then again the end result makes it totally worth it. Doc appointments which were 400km away went great no internals nothing;-)

Then it was time to go on my 4 months maternity leave I went on my 400km drive to the doctor 2 weeks before my due date and couldn't wait to get her out! I was depressed as none of my shoes fit I was hot and went to the loo like 7 times a night and at 43 degrees you look like a stuffed sausage at the end of each day, it was the longest 2 weeks of my life. Everyday I would say to my tum "okay we ready for your grand entrance now out you come" but every morning I would wake up as huge as ever.

On the 15th, 1 day past my due date friends of ours came to the city and that was just what I needed. I was so home sick as my hubby still had to work so I went to the movies (twilight new moon) with their kids when suddenly there was a total blackout and me, my tum and 2 screaming kids had to make our way out of the theater. Luckily the restaurant had a backup geni, so we had a fab dinner and off I went back to my cousin's house. My cousin and I chatted till 11pm and when I finally got to bed I spoke to my tum again and said "please don't make your entrance tonight mommy needs her rest"

12h02 I heard a pop - didn't feel a thing just a pop. I lay there for a few seconds thinking "is it, no it can't be!" but all was confirmed when I got up and there was just and unbelievable amount of water coming out. So off I rushed to the bathroom gushing water all over the carpet. It was so amazing how your body gets into gear almost immediately. Thinking the labor was going to take for ages I decided to take a bath and shave and make myself as presentable as possible;-)

When I felt little pains which didn't seem to want to go away I phoned my cousin who was asleep and told her to come have tea with me but before we could finish our tea the pains got worse fast and there was no gap - they disappeared for like 2 seconds and just kept on coming back.

Now it was about 1pm and I could hardly talk through the pains so off we went to the hospital. When I got there I was checked and found to be 3cm. By 2h00am I was in serious pain. I scrambled up onto the bed and lay on my side I couldn't move it hurt real bad (but I must say it's manageable when you are the one laying there it's not as bad as it sounds). Next it was the dreaded enema but also when you lay there in pain all modesty goes out the window;-).

I got a shot and gas to help me but my contracting just kept hitting me so fast like 3 seconds between them. My cousin was in complete panic and phoned my friend that was visiting the city to come and help when she got there I was also more at ease. Its amazing how you manage to fall asleep for 2 seconds at a time. I was on a high from the shot giggling and moaning through the contractions.

At 04h30 my husband arrived. I was so relieved he was the only one I really wanted there. At this time the pain was nearly unbearable so I asked for an epidural, but we were way beyond that option already. It was about 5am when I had the sudden unstoppable urge to push. I was checked for a second time and was found to be 9 and a half cm. I was told not to push.....how can you not push when your whole body tells you to push!!!!

The doctor arrived a few minutes later and I was prepped for the delivery. When the real pushing began I nearly lost control IT HURT!! But the doctor quickly told me to calm down and when I did the pain subsided. After about 15 min of pushing through the contractions the head was out and pooof the contractions just stopped so there I was laying totally pain free with only the head out. After about 3 min the doc said contraction or no contraction you have to push she must get out NOW so I pushed and pushed (it's a lost case when you don't have a contraction to help you) and all of a sudden the contractions started up again and out she came a beautiful healthy baby girl 53cm and 3.7kg.

I tore and got 3 stitches which didn't hurt at all. Placenta was delivered with the help of the doc but this too didn't hurt at all. I was so tired due to lack of sleep I just passed out. I got up 15 min later to go to the bathroom and everything was perfect. Baby was given to us immediately. She spent the night with me in my room and the day after I made my 400km trip back home and the day after that I was out and about driving, shopping and going about my life as normal.

I imagined IVs, monitors, restrictions and a lot of internals but my birth was totally medical intervention free. I asked for the injection and the gas. I was left alone to go through my labor. I could have as many visitors as I wished I could get up, sit, walk, do what ever I wanted. (I didn't though because my pains where right on top of each other) and a bonus hospital policy is to only be checked every 6 hours due to risk of infection which was great. I would definitely recommend natural childbirth to anyone. It hurt, yes, but it was over before you know it where a c-Section you sit with a whole lot of pain afterwards.

Hope all goes as well for you as it has for me!

Page Last Modified by Catherine Beier, MS, CBE