Shannon's Birth of Harvey

Shannon's Birth Story

Written by Shannon

Photography by Nikola Goodall (Illuminate with Nikola) and Jami Twine (Wildflowers & Twine)

Photography Editing by Sarah Del Borrello (Mother Mother Doula)

First Baby (Miscarriage of Baby Lyla)

After 13 months trying to conceive, we found out in June 2020 that we were expecting our first bub in Feb 2021. At 16 weeks we lost that baby due to a severe Neural tube defect- I was induced to give birth 2 days later, after 7 hours I had our little baby, it was very difficult and a really hard time for us as a couple.

Second Baby (Big Brother Theo)

Fast forward 3 months and we got a positive pregnancy test we had a very healthy normal pregnancy with some extra tertiary level scans just due to our first pregnancy... There were no problems at all.

I originally chose to go through a private OB because I thought expensive care was the best care and silly me thought "private is best" I wanted to try the birth center at our local hospital but I wasn't convinced I could "rule out" drugs.

My labour started at 40+5 with not many signs it was going to start I think I may have slightly lost some mucus plug that day during the day but I wasn't 100% sure. At 11:30pm on 23/10/21 my contractions started about 30 minutes apart. I just slept though trying not to get too excited or jump the gun.

Hubby got up to go to play golf and I told him what was happening but told him to still go but keep his phone close by. He was home by 12 and his dad popped over to say hi. I was labouring with contractions 8m apart lasting about 35 seconds which had been exactly that way since I woke at 630am. I called the hospital at 3 and we went in to get checked I was 2cm and they offered me to stay or go home. I went home.

My parents came over and then my contractions ramped up to 1.5mins apart lasting 1 min. So at 7pm we started to get ready to go back to hospital arrived at 7:45pm. I was 4cm and decided to stay. The midwife was awesome and I was confident we were having our baby that night. I laboured in the shower and on the fitball all night with no pain relief. Early hours of AM on Monday 25th Oct the new midwife who was on came in and stated to me that I was not going to have the energy to push and that I should have the epidural to help me rest. I declined. She then spoke to my husband and he panicked and decided to convince me to try the epidural. I agreed and at 4am I had the epidural, it worked for 1 hour and then every contraction I had would send fire down the left side of my body and the pain of that was so unbearable I was crying. I was only 5cm dilated at this stage. After a few hours at 8am the OB came in and checked me, they stated baby was in a bad position and that if he came back in 2 hours and the baby is still in this position he recommended a c-section discussion.

OB returned at 10am and baby was still in the same position because so was I no one tried anything to move me or the baby. We decided to go for a c section. Healthy surprise baby boy born at 1029am 25/10/21. At no point was he distressed or in danger.

Third Baby (Miscarriage)

I knew I wanted a VBAC as my mum had a VBAC with me in 1992! We waited 9m to TTC, and it took another 13m to conceive our next baby. Which resulted in a loss at 10.5weeks. We were devastated again. I opted for a D&C on 5/12/23.

Fourth Baby (VBAC)

3 months later we conceived our VBAC babe. As soon as I got the positive test, I seen the Dr that day and got a blood test and a referral for the MGP at our local hospital. I considered HBAC and met with a ppm when I hadn't heard anything from the MGP by 12 weeks

the day I met with the PPM at my house I got a phone call and got accepted into the MGP at KEMH. I was over the moon excited and decided that I would go down that road.

I then decided that I would hire a Doula- I looked into some and found one I felt I was happy to contact. When I contacted her she did say she was away for the 6 days leading up to my due date, but I went ahead and booked her anyway. We learnt so much in our antenatal visits with her! Especially my husband who was completely hopeless in my first labour and didn't know what to do to help and pretty much just left me be, and I laboured pretty much on my own for the entire 36h. Hiring a Doula was the best thing I could have ever done for him and myself. My due date was 30/11/24 I was convinced I would have a late baby and was telling everyone I was due in Dec.

I was walking for charity 3-4km per day and when out on my walk at 739am Saturday morning I had a painful surge that stopped me walking. I was also talking to a friend who was due around the same time and said that I need the baby to hold on 5 more days until my Doula gets home but if the baby was to come early, then tomorrow's palindrome date is cool!!

A few contractions throughout the day, I thought my body is prepping for labour, maybe 4 or 5 contractions across the day. Friends came over at 4 and I had a few while they were over. As soon as I put my son to bed when they left at 8pm things ramped up. 5 contractions while I was in the shower for 15 minutes. I told my husband and he set up the room with all the tools our Doula had left for us. We called my parents to come over in case we needed to leave in the middle of the night. 

I got into bed and contracted overnight in bed trying to sleep in between we text our midwife and doula. My midwife was on days off, so the back-up midwife I had met once was informed, and my Doula was still in Bali so she informed her back-up doula that things are happening. I had a Zoom call with this Doula 2 days prior and really liked her too! We called the Doula at 7:30am and she arrived at our house at 8:30am. I was in the shower and decided to get in the bath, then we decided to head to the hospital as I was getting scared of the car ride. I got ready got in the car went to the hospital where I consented to a VE on arrival. 

At 11am I was 5cm and taken to birth suite 4. My midwife arrived at 1145.

I refused cannulation and routine VEs unless I asked. I laboured for 6 hours in the shower, out of the shower with the TENS using birth combs and lots of movement, My doula and Husband doing hip squeezes and sacrum pressure. At 3pm my back-up Doula had a client who happened to be giving birth in the next room so she popped out to be with her but organised another incredible Doula to step into my birth space to help out and she was amazing too! I was very lucky to have gotten to experience 3 amazing Doulas 3 of Perth's best!!

At 6pm I consented to another VE as my Midwife said the Drs were putting some pressure on me and she had already upset them and told them to go away a handful of times.. so I consented and she checked me. I WAS FULLY DIALIATED!!! Wow I can't explain the elation! It wasn't until 7:15pm that my waters broke naturally, and 30 minutes later my body started involuntary pushing. I was standing up then moved to the bed holding onto the headrest on my knees and started pushing at 8:30pm. I tried that position for a while then got onto my side with a peanut ball and still no luck. I flipped onto my back and my midwife started perineal massage quite intense and lots of pressure. I was pushing with no baby coming out... I had agreed to CTG at some point for my own piece of mind.

Thankfully this actually helped me because baby was 100% fine the entire time so they had no reason to try to intervene. At 9pm an OB came in and said if the baby isn't out in 10min they will he back with a vacuum, and I started to get a bit scared I didn't want assisted delivery I was pushing with everything I had in my body. I remember a podcast ep. where a girl said "push like your eyeballs are going to pop out" so I was pushing like crazy and still couldn't get this bub out.

9:30pm came and a new OB was observing me she said my pushing was effective and I was doing great baby must be in a difficult position, she was amazing she assessed me with my consent and she said she didn't think we need forceps or vacuum but she recommends an episiotomy. I consented and she did the epis and 20 minutes later with some guided pushing and unwavering support from my Midwife, my Doula, my INCREDIBLE husband, and amazing student midwife and this OB, I pushed our "surprise baby boy" to everyone else as we secretly found out we were having another little boy at 23w and kept it a secret! 

He was placed straight on my chest, delayed cord clamping, golden hour was amazing breastfed straight away I chose the Synto injection for the placenta because after 3 hours of pushing, I was done. I am still in shock 2 weeks later that I actually did it! and completely unmedicated and after all that time and labouring so mobile I definitely had the energy to push he was just in the worst position he came out transverse so his head was sideways! What a magical experience! 

I definitely would not have got my VBAC without the incredible support team around me! I felt so empowered and like everyone in the room was there as my cheer squad! So different from my first birth where I felt everyone had given up on me.

Take home from this! 

Find a good doula or/and a good midwife! and make sure your birth partner knows what you want! I begged my husband for drugs and he stayed strong and held all my wishes and he didn't leave my side for the entire 26 hours! 

Things I did:

• read Hazle Keedles book
• hired an incredible doula
• made sure my husband knew what I wanted and why
• listened to the Great Birth Rebellion
• listened to Australian VBAC stories
• spoke to people about birth a lot
• had chiro weekly from 20w
• acupuncture twice from 37weeks once per week
• waited for spontaneous labour
• walked daily
• tried to eat dates when I could
• trusted my body
• trusted my baby!

Images taken by Nikola from Illuminate with Nikola & Jami from Wildflower's & Twine. Edited by Sarah from Mother Mother Doula.