My First Time in Labour

Chloe Sacco  0:01  
Welcome to Good as gold. You're listening to this podcast because you're new to the wonderful world of parenting. You've got kids and you want to know you're not alone. Or you could be like us juggling business life and parent life. We talk about all things relationship, business and mixing it all together. Join us in our journey in business, raising our kids and growing as a community. Whatever it is you're doing, we hope you enjoy listening as much as we do sharing. Welcome to good as gold. 

Hi, guys, welcome to good as gold. I am very excited to have you here for another episode this week. This week, I'm talking about my labor with Cassia. It was three years ago now and definitely still quite vivid in my memory, they say that you forget how painful it is. Once you've had the baby, and yes, to an extent that's right. But also No, because I do remember pretty much every single part of it. But hey, I went back for number two, so it's obviously not that bad. So I will jump straight into my labor with Cassia. So obviously, my first child didn't know what to expect. My mom was in labor with me for three days. She seems to recall around four days, but she said between three and four days she was in labor with me. She had consistent contractions for five minutes apart for three days straight, and I just did not want to come out. So sorry, mom. I always make sure I say sorry to her when it's my birthday. Because that must have been torture. So yeah, mom was in labour with me for quite a long time. So my obstetrician said to me, Look, we usually look at the way your your mum was in labor, and usually you'd be quite similar. And how very wrong that was. So I was absolutely nothing like my Mum, I was expecting, like I said, a three day labor, I was expecting it to be a long drawn out process. And I was literally the exact opposite of my Mum, I had a four hour labor. It was called a precipitated labor. They that's what's written on my, on my records, as I left that it was it was so quick. So four hours, from start to finish. I had one contraction, I think was six or eight minutes. The second one was around six minutes is to the third one was four minutes. And then it was two minutes, two minutes, two minutes, two minutes, two minutes, two minutes until I had Cassia. So it was very, very quick. There was no long drawn out contractions at all. It was just fast and on the go straightaway. So I remember the first contraction happened at about 3:30 in the morning. I woke up and I'm like, Oh my god, what is this pain? And I just left it because obviously I wasn't new to this whole process. I didn't know what it was. I thought I had a feeling because I think I was 39 weeks at the time. I had a feeling that possibly would have been me going into labor. But Maurice was asleep next me and I didn't want to wake him up, just in case it wasn't. So I sort of left it. I got up I went to the toilet. I had a glass of water. I went to sit back down and that pain and oh my god, I'm just thinking about I feel the pain. The pain hit again. And I'm like, Oh my goodness, what was that. And once it happened to the third time I pulled out my phone and I was using the over your app over your pregnancy and I started recording the times and how long they were going for. So by the fourth or the fifth one I woke up Maurice I'm like I'm dying here. And he was like, all right, like our bags packed. He was just sitting there for a bit. I said just leave leave it let's just see what happens. And like I said I had you know one at six or eight minutes part and one was around four or five and then it was just two minutes every two minutes for like 30 seconds. One would come on after that. I we call the hospital I think was about an hour and a half later about an hour later say and they said to me obviously it was my first baby. So they said Just relax. Stay home, have a shower, chill out like all the things they usually tell you over the phone when you don't know really what's going on since it's your first time.

So yeah, they just said chill out stay home for another hour while we usually like the first labor for you to stay home for two hours. And then give us a call back and let us know how you going. So yeah, I was home for probably an hour to an hour and a half I put on a load of washing because I thought crap I need to get my washing done otherwise I'm gonna be in hospital for four days and I haven't washed so I put on a load of towels. I remember them being a load of towels, dark towels. And there was it was I did a quick cycle so I didn't 45 minutes cycle. By the by 35 minutes. I remember looking at my washing machine like Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up. I'm gonna die. So I actually stayed home and waited for my washing machine to finish so I could hang my towels out because I didn't want my towels to sit in the washing machine. Meanwhile, I was in labor. When I think back now it's so dumb. I was literally just in the kitchen I had, I had a different couch what I have at the moment, so it was quite a thin sort of gray. Not very comfortable couch. But I would go up to the couch, and I would just hold on to the side of the couch. And then I pretty much just throw myself down on the couch every time and put myself in a little ball every time I had a contraction, and then it would stop. And then I'd quickly run back to the to the laundry, check the towels, the towels were finished at that time. So I quickly shoved the towels on, I said tomorrow's call the hospital I need to go in, I'm going to die. And so he called the hospital while I was hanging the towels on the hoist. And they said look come in. And I think it was about 5.30 at that time in the morning. And Maurice started doing like, I know 40 K's in a 50 zone. And I was like you better move it buddy like this is, no time to be doing 40 Ks. So I was in quite a lot of pain at that stage. I've gotten to the hospital because it was before the hospital had actually opened. So I was going through like the after hours doors. I didn't know where I was going. So we parked in the underground carpark press the elevator to go up to maternity. But there was a different entry to go into. Because it was before the hospital that actually opened and I didn't know that. So the midwives were obviously expecting me, though, they looked at me on the camera. They obviously saw me in the camera in the elevator. And I said over the speaker like you're on the wrong floor, you need to come come to this floor, which was good. They were waiting for me as I got out of it in the correct floor. And I was having a contraction as I was walking. They grabbed a wheelchair i don't think i did i was i wheeledin I think I was wheeled in actually, because I was just I was at like, I think I was only in hospital for 50 minutes. And I had it like it was not a long time. So I was very, very much dilated and ready to pretty much have a baby. And so they put me straight into a birthing suite. And they I said to them, like I need an epidural immediately. I don't care what is going on or what you're doing. And the the midwife said to me, that's okay, calm down. We're going to call your doctor, we're going to check you out. We're going to do your paperwork. And then we'll just, you know, see how we go from there.

When she said she was going to do my paperwork, she was standing at the end of my bed with with a paper and a pen. I was I wanted to throw the paperwork and the pen. And I just want to say Just give me an epidural. But yeah, she was like, let's check you first. So as she was writing down, whatever she was writing down. I had another midwife come in and say look with called your doctor, she's coming. But they do want us to check how far dilated you are. So I was like, whatever. At this point, I was like somebody give me something. They ended up giving me gas at this point. And the gas was. I don't know if I should say nice because it made me throw up for about four hours afterwards. But it was nice at the time because it sort of took the edge off the pain. It sort of made me feel like I was dying. So I was in and out of consciousness. And I didn't mind that because I was in that much pain. And I was like oh, well if I die today then so I'll just make my baby come out. And as long as babies Okay, then that's fine. Doesn't matter. I'll just I'm happy to die right now. So much pain. It's funny when you think back and you like so dramatic. But yes, it was definitely painful. And I asked for the, the, the gas I asked for something. They gave me the gas at least and that helped. Like I said afterwards, I was throwing up for four hours in saying that. Look, I have not been to hospital since I had my wisdom teeth out. I think you year 12.

Prior to that I hadn't been to hospital since I had a hernia at 9 months old. So you know, I'm not used to all of these things. And all of the medications that I had were making me feel sick. But yeah, they were they were better than the pain at that time. So they were filling out my paperwork. The other nurse came in checked, I was actually seven centimeters dilated so they. She's like, okay, you are, you know, you're almost there. And then they didn't actually say to me, it was too late for me to have an epidural because I think I would have flipped it. But they did say you're almost there  like you've done the hard work, you're almost ready to have the baby. So when she said that I sort of went okay, like at least I know that I'm almost there. And that calmed me down a little bit. The other nurse that had checked how far dilated I was actually went back out into the room and said, I'm going to call your doctor and let her know how far you are. And she came back and she said your doctor is coming. And the baby's gonna come soon, just you know, keep doing what you're doing. And then my doctor walked in probably about 15 to 20 minutes later, and she literally opened up the door and it was just like my whole world was better because she was there. It was such a real The overwhelming It was weird. It was an overwhelming feeling of Okay, I'm going to be okay because she's here. And I just felt more at ease. And she said, How are you going, my darling? And I said, Not good. Like, somebody needs to help me. And she said, Look, we're going to, she checked me again then and she said, you're ready to push now? And I said, What do you mean, I was so stressed. I didn't know what the hell was going on. Because it was so quick. And obviously, my first child, I just did not know what was happening. I didn't know how to push, I didn't know anything. So she said to me, my darling, you need to push now the baby's going to come. So I had three people come into the room at that time. And the lady who had checked me the first time was standing next to one of my left arm and I had another lady standing on my right arm. She said, okay, you need to push. And I pushed and the lady at my, my head. She was like chloe That's not how you push. You need to push like you're doing a poo. And you know what, when she said that, I was like, lady, I'm not pushing like I'm doing a poo because I probably will do a poo so I didn't do a poo, but you know what it feels like you're going to, um, but you know what, that was actually really good advice. Because I didn't know how to push. I was almost doing like a crunch. I was doing like an AB crunch. And that obviously isn't going to get your baby up. So when she said that I went okay, well, at least us want to know how to push. So I did one push, and then another push. And I was just in I was Yeah, I was at that time was when the pain was quite intense. And because I had no drugs I literally had gas and that was it. I was just, you know, beside myself, I didn't know what to do. So I remember turning to Maurice saying I can't do this anymore. And I just they just say you know keep pushing. 

I remember feeling such an intense pain and I can't even explain it it was like a hot firing pain and I'm going What the hell has just happened. But I was but like you said you justin that much pain you just don't don't really know what's going on. So at that point, I realized that I had tore so I had after because it was so quick and and because I was pushing I didn't know what I was doing. I wasn't pushing with contractions, there's a big difference when you know you're doing you're pushing correctly and you're pushing with contractions I think that's why my and plus it was very quick it wasn't controlled at all because nobody knew that I was going to be this quick. So it was a very intense labor It was very I was it was very scary in the fact that because it was happening so quick. I just didn't know what to do. I didn't have any I was it was too late to have an episiotomy I didn't have I couldn't have anything I was literally just you've got to push and hope for the best here. So as I was pushing, I ended up tearing like I said I had borderline third degrees or second degree borderline third degree tears. And I didn't really know what was happening at the time. It just it was all just painful. So I just went whatever that's obviously how labour is  and it wasn't at all that was just a really quick intense labor. So with those tears I ended up so Cassie came out she was safe that's all I cared about. I don't know if anybody actually told me that it was a girl I think Maurice must have maybe told me was a girl I don't know I was in another world then.

I held her for like two seconds and then she got moved off to Maurice so they could stitch me up. And I remember saying Is she okay and everyone just kept saying she's fine. But this the the whole process of me being in hospital was literally 50 minutes it took another 40 minutes to stitch me up so it almost took the same amount of time to stitch me up and fix me up. Then my timing being in hospital and having her so it was very very quick. This stitching up process was quite painful. But I had quite a few local injections as she was stitching me up. I felt like a my labor the first time compared to my second time and when I knew how quick my labor's were, it was a lot more controlled. I knew how to push I there was a Yeah, they were very different. In the next episode, I'm going to talk about how my labor was with charlize and how it was different, how important it is to sort of be prepared, but I will chat in the next episode about that. 

But they did stitch me up and one thing I will say is if you've had stitches after having your baby, one thing that saved me is when I got home I had a bath like twice a day for a couple of days in Epsom bath salts, not too hot just like a lukewarm bath. Sit in there with half a box of Epsom bath salts and my stitches and my recovery just was like a heap quicker I recovered so much better. So that's one suggestion. I do have for you if you have had stitches, I highly recommend Epsom bath salts because that was a game changer for me my recovery. But after they finished taking all Maurice was holding Cassia they put her under the heat. The lamp thing because there was a person came in, I think she must have been the pediatrician that came in at the time with the lamp and her temperature was quite low. So they put her under there. I was exhausted. Maurice was also exhausted because we had both been up since you know, three o'clock in the morning. So he sort of had a nap in the chair. I could not nap because I was vomiting for four hours. But I was just chilling my parents I called my mom probably about 15 minutes later, because she they didn't know what we were having. And and Cassia was the first grandchild in my family too. So they were obviously anxiously awaiting I, my mom is like attached to her phone at all times. And she said to me, the night before I ended up going into labor you make sure you Call me if you need me the hospital because I at that time, I didn't know if I wanted her to come. I said I want her to come but I'm glad she wasn't there actually. So I did call her on the way to the hospital though, because I was in quite a lot of pain. I just I don't know, I was just talking to my mom. But she didn't answer her phone and she was so upset at herself because she didn't answer her phone. But she ended up and then she called me back obviously, quite a few times called Maurice back. She knew that neither of us are answering the phone because she knew something was going on. So I called her pretty much 15 minutes after I had Oh after I'd been stitched up and told her to come to the hospital. Because I just could not look afer I couldn't even hold Cassia. I was like every time I looked at her I wanted to I was vomiting. I was going to be sick. So I couldn't look after her. Maurice was so tired. So I said to my mom, can you just come to the hospital. So obviously my whole family dropped everything. Everybody took all the days off work and came straight to the hospital. And they got there that quickly. They were they ended up in the birthing suite with me, which was like a hotel room Anyway, it was so beautiful. I was at Epworth Freemason. So they all came in. And my sister was like a godsend, sat next to Cassia and just held her hand while she was under the heat lamp. And that just made me feel better knowing that somebody was there next to her. And then later on, she went to Maccas and got me just chips because they bought me hospital food which the food there by the way is absolutely amazing. But I could not even look at actual food. I couldn't stomach anything. And my sister said to me, trust me just get have some chips, the chips only that's all you'll be able to stomach and that's fine. vanessa has grown up with like a whole lifetime of feeling sick with stomach things and whatever. But she seems to tell me that the Maccas chips helps her But anyway, I actually stomached the maccas chips. So that was good of her my mom and my dad. Yeah, pretty much had Cassia up until I stopped vomiting. The doctors came in and gave me one of those waffle things they put in your mouth and they're supposed to stop you from vomiting must be like an anti nausea tablet. 

But they the first one didn't work. And then they called my doctor, my doctor wanted to give me a intro the IV and I don't know what there must have been an anti nausea, something in IV and reffused because I was like I just went through a whole labor without having an IV because as you probably all are aware, I am so scared of needles, I hate blood tests. I hate anything going into my veins. So I said I'm not having that or just give me another one of those waffle things. So they ended up doing that because I refused the IV. But by the second one it stopped me from vomiting and I was fine. So I was really grateful that they came and then we're there and they spent a lot of time with Cassia when I couldn't. Then after I had Cassia they said to me, do you want a wheelchair and will take you off to a room and I just said no, I'm gonna walk it off. So I just walked through the hospital with my baby and got to the room and I just sat and chilled. This was pre COVID time. So I was able to have my family there. It was actually really nice was very different with them with Charlize having a baby during a pandemic. But like I said, I'll talk about that in the next episode. But one thing I will say to you and as I sort of think back to what I've said during this episode, I don't want to scare anybody. I know I've said it is painful and you know it's going to be painful if you're going to have a baby obviously know, it's going to be painful experience. It's not fun if you have if you have an epidural. Yes, you don't feel it, but then you're still going through the process of having an epidural and, and birthing a child. So you know, you know you know what's ahead of you in saying that one specific thing that my cousin actually said to me prior to going into labor was Chloe, it is not that bad. Like if everybody else does or you can do it. It is not that painful. And I am here to tell you, yes, it's painful but it is not That bad like I'm talking I had third degree tears. It was painful. But it's a, it's a pain that you think you know that you're going to have something amazing coming out at the end of it, which helps you push through. So it's not a it's not a pain that is unbearable. It's what you're designed to do in saying that it is not a race, and it is not a competition. If you feel like you want an epidural, you'd have that epidural, if you feel like you want more pain medication, you do that I didn't have the option to do any of that. So I just, you know, dealt with what I had at the time. But yeah, it's not that bad. 

It's actually a really beautiful and empowering experience. Aside from Yes, you know, it's full on the first time you give birth is full on because you don't know what you're doing. And I think the fact that the midwife sort of taught me how to push which might have be different, like doing an AB crunches is not going to get your baby out, which is what I thought was correct in what I was doing, which was very much incorrect. Another thing that I thought was, was really good was being at home and laboring as much as I did, there was I think at, you know, looking back, I would have preferred to be at home than being at the hospital. But if you're like me, and you have really quick labor's I think being at the hospital is comforting, because you know that, you know, you're in good hands. Whereas when you're at home, I loved being there. And I loved being there, instead of a hospital had I'd known my I only had 50 minutes at the hospital, had  I known my labor was going to be that quick, I would have said I would have preferred to be in the hospital a bit longer. Therefore, I would have had more options in regards to pain medication. So I guess with your first labor, you just don't know. But you know, if you then you know, for a second and you do and change things. So that was my experience with Cassia. Like I said, we're designed to do it, it's painful, but it's not that bad, you can definitely do it. And you know, your reward at the end of it outweighs the pain 10 times over and you do it 100 times again, if you knew you'd get your baby again. So that's my experience with Cassia I will tell you my experience with charlize in the next episode, it was a very different experience a much more controlled, relaxed, calm experience I would take charlize's labor any day over my first labor. And if I go through it again, I will have an even more calming experience because I know what's ahead of me so I think you change and adapt with each labor a new you know, you move forward. And you know what you do when don't want to do so. The other thing I will say actually before I finished this episode is that I was stuck on the monitors the whole time. So I was stuck on the bed and I hated that I wanted to move but because it was so quick that obviously monitoring what was going on with Cassia I couldn't move if you have the option to take those off, which I did with charlize because I didn't want I've learned with my first birth I don't want to stay on the bed and then asked to remove them if it's safe. And if they're happy for you to do that.And, you know, move around the room, sit on an exercise ball sit in a different position. 

I feel like that made a big difference in my experience overall than having to be stuck on a bed. So that's another point that I think if you're going into labor then asked to, uh, to you know, be free and move around, stand in the shower, if that makes you happy. But yeah, being stuck on a bed I feel like wasn't a very nice experience. But again, like I didn't really have a choice and and at that stage I didn't care as long as my baby was healthy, I didn't care I will bring Charlizes labor to you next week. Thank you for listening any questions hit us up on Good as Gold podcast or Chloe sacco. CMC gold dot CMC sorry Oh, God has gold any other three Instagrams and I will happily answer them for you. If you are about to have a baby. Good luck to you. And it is the most beautiful and surreal experience of your life. Having your newborn baby in your arms is just undescribable beautiful, painful love. Like I that's how I describe the love. It's just painful. Your whole body aches with love. So it's worth every single bit of pain. I will see you next week for charlizes birth. Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Good as gold. We hope this episode has brought some value into your life. And if it has, remember to subscribe and follow for weekly episodes. We want to grow this community so if someone you know will benefit from this podcast, please share it. In the meantime, we love what we do and we hope you do to stay amazing. Until next time, bye