Imogen’s Birth

We would like to introduce you all to our new baby girl Imogen Kamari Anthony-Patel who arrived on Friday 13th June 2014 (which was also a full moon and as Nitz pointed out the first day of the World Cup!) at 5.53am. She weighed 3.11kgs (which I am told is around 6lbs14) and was 51cm. We are so in love - if a little tired! ;-)

As you know, it seemed that little one would arrive early as she got into position and was very low at an early stage, but week after week nothing moved. We tried ALL of the natural methods to start labour ;-) to no avail. Including a Baby Come Out hypnosis and acupuncture over several sessions.

Eventually, we made decision to be induced at 12 days over.

My doctor was willing to let me go to 42wks but was definitely more comfortable with sooner. He was also unsure why all signs showed early delivery and yet she wasn't yet here. But he gave US the choice!!

We went in at midnight on Thurs 12th and over the next 24hrs there were 3 attempts at induction - two attempts produced absolutely nothing. Once again, Dr Josza was great, giving me the opportunity to try one last induction and we agreed that we would do that and if that didn't work we would go for CS next day.

However, on the 3rd attempt, even though there was no dilation or change to my cervix, I ended up with sharp, severe surges in my lower abdomen that were coming every few mins.

At first, the nurses and myself thought that baby girl had decided to join us at the final hour. However, it didn't feel right - it was way too painful and on monitoring, we found there were still no actual contractions and that baby girl was going into distress each time I experienced the pain and so we decided that we needed an emergency C-Section.

Even though it was nowhere near my birth preferences. I feel really good about the whole experience.

Including the CS, mostly because my doctor supported my decisions at every turn and did everything he could to make my preference for a natural birth possible, gave me choices along the way and kept me informed. At the end of the day, we found out that little Imogen had her cord wrapped around her neck and her waist (the cord was also very short) and this was the whole reason she was taking her time arriving and didn't arrive in spite of all the natural methods we tried.

She couldn't descend so we definitely made the right decision. We couldn't be happier with our Ob/GYN and the hospital - and ultimately with our gorgeous little girl!!

The Hypnobirthing techniques were still used to get me through the surges.

Nitz was amazing with both the doctors/staff and at relaxing me through the "surges that weren't real surges".

The biggest way I think the Hypnobirthing helped was that I mentally was able to accept the path my birthing took even though it wasn't what I originally had hoped for.

The good news is that there is absolutely no reason why I can't deliver naturally another time!! I'm also recovering really well from the op - and you would barely know I had an op - once again, a positive mind-set!

The hospital respected all of my other preferences - skin to skin contact immediately, delayed cord cutting etc and all the staff were amazing at helping me to breastfeed which has meant, I have no issues with breastfeeding at all!!

Thank you Jasmine for the great tools!

Nitz & Sarah x