The girls (we had no idea they were girls until they were born. We knew we were having either 2 girls or 2 boys) were supposed to be born at 33 weeks and 2 days. Julia’s water broke then, this was Fathers Day, 2008. Interesting though that my husband’s mother had her waters broke with him on Mother’s Day. However the doctors did not think that was a good idea that they were coming so early. I was just pleased that things were progressing and that they might leave my belly and I can finally relax and sleep better. It was getting quite difficult to get comfortable and to also do anything with 2 babies inside you. Hard to walk anywhere, constantly out of breath. Could not use my hands, had a severe case of carpel tunnel syndrome. Was told that after the birth that my hands could get better and there was a small possibility that they would not. I was hoping on them getting better. It was so upsetting to not be able to do anything.
Even though I was glad that the pregnancy was all finally coming to an end, I was very scared and nervous as I had never done this before and did not know what I was in for. I knew it would be painful and might take hours but I was just so worried and scared. I was so glad that James my husband was with me. However I was not prepared for what I had to do, which was wait for a week to have the babies.
My mum and step dad were at our house in Katoomba and due to work we were renting a house in Lugarno in Sydney. We went to stay at the house in Katoomba and visit mum and Gerry my step dad. We were all off to see a play in Blaxland on the Saturday about giving birth and public versus private hospitals. We had decided to have the babies in Hurstville Community Hospital. It is a small boutique private hospital. We had paid up and were just waiting for d day. Little did I know that 4 am the next morning my waters would break and I would be at the emergency section of Katoomba Hospital waiting for someone from maternity to come and get me.
I should tell you though that James my husband has leather seats in his car, and it is a nice car. We were told that the amniotic fluid is like bleach and is not good for leather. He made me wait while he put about 4-5 towels on the seat before I could get in to go to the hospital. Oh well, we made it there and I ended up getting a wheelchair to the maternity section. James had parked the car by this stage and gotten to maternity to meet me there and to make sure I was o.k.
They asked how far along I was and what had happened. I then explained that I was 33 weeks and 2 days with twins. Explained that they had been head down since 26 weeks and that they were good weights and were well. Frightened that they were just going to cut me open as I did not have my doctor and it was way too early. After hearing that I was carrying twins and I was that early the expressions on the head nurse and the other nurses was priceless. They looked so shocked and worried.
They then explained that I could not have the babies at Katoomba Hospital as they did not have intensive care for babies that are born that early. While I was waiting for the doctor, I had steroids to help with the lung development, drugs to not have the babies – they supposedly stop the contractions and in some people the babies still come but it slows it down. These drugs have other side effects that I ended up getting after a while of taking this medication. It causes your skin to be red and flushed, lowers blood pressure and makes you dizzy and also makes you hot and bothered. Until taking these drugs, I did not have a problem with the pregnancy other than complaints that most other women have, water retention and just uncomfortable.
The decided to ambulance me to Nepean Hospital in Penrith. Before they moved me a doctor who still had a beanie on his head, as it was rather cold that morning. Remember I got to the hospital at 4am. They then wanted to put me on the stretcher to go to the ambulance. Before this could happen the ambos’ wanted to make sure that I was not going to have the babies going down the highway. They then took a dolphin torch and looked up me with my slippers still on and me freezing as I was still leaking fluid. All very glamorous. I thought his is just terrible, but then realised that there was going to be more of this and only worse if the babies were going to get out of me. It was a sad and horrible realisation. Child birth is not glamorous or something that one can be modest about. I am sure all women who have gone through this can attest to this. It was just a shock as this was my first child birth experience.
A lovely nurse I think by the name of Deena came with me to Nepean to make sure that I was o.k. and got checked in. I went into a delivery suite to see if I was to have the babies but it did not happen. So on the Sunday night they transferred me to a room in Prenatal.
So after seeing a play of a woman who was supposed to go to a private hospital and ended up in a public one, the same thing was happening to me. I then signed papers to register for having the babies at Nepean and we got a refund from the Private Hospital in Hurstville. Just a pity that I never experienced it, but at least we saved some money. As my waters broke the hosptial would not let me leave in case of infection and if I have the babies, so was stuck at Nepean.
Stay tuned for my next couple of blogs about my week long stay and then the day the girls were born.
