Just letting everyone know the SA birth happened early (SROM) and labour started quite well, mum seemed great. BUT... it quickly became very full on and I couldn't believe it was exactly what I had read about. Huge learning curve and I am kicking myself for not realizing sooner that it was going downhill in a textbook SA style. She was transitional at 1-2cms plus a posterior bub, was throwing up, shakes, wanting out, good contrax etc but that cervix wasn't moving fast enough. After lots of hard work she got to 9cms but ended up with a Caesar, it had been two days, we'd all had no sleep and she and bubs were exhausted and going downhill. She was getting a fever, blood in urine, I think traces of proteins / keytones, just everything you can imagine apart from fetal distress was thrown out. She just didn't like the feeling of pressure (baby) and wanted to block it all out. Epi didn't help. VE's were a nightmare and of course given it was going the way it was they wanted to do several. During the caesar I was allowed to come in with her (first one I actually had seen, I found it quite disturbing but of course didn't say so!) and she found it extremely difficult as she had surgery to correct damage from rape. I could tell that she was having major issues and tried to get her visualising and using lots of reassurance but she wasn't there with me... but as soon as bubs was born and she was out of there she was completely fine.
We have lots of debriefing to do I think, so will be interesting... so much happened and we all did so much hard work, but it just wasn't meant to be. Came home to two sick kids (hubby makes 3) and didn't get much sleep while hubby slept, so I am still a bit of a wreck and catching up on things. I should be sleeping now, but I am so behind with BB and T4T that people are getting irate with me. *sigh* So thanks all for your support, I can't wait til my copy of 'When Survivors Give Birth' arrive and hopefully next time I can be a bit more prepared and experienced. It was the longest, most tiring and difficult birth I have been to yet. But special at the same time. Best Regards, Kelly Zantey Creator, BellyBelly.com.au Gentle Solutions From Conception to Parenthood BellyBelly Birth Support - http://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth-support -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kelly @ BellyBelly Sent: Friday, 14 April 2006 2:05 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] Birth & Sexual Assault Thanks for your emails everyone! I was going to email some of you personally but been a bit flat out and meeting lots of women this week wanting support which is great. Some feedback on this woman though... I have a feeling the SA is going to play up in the birth in some way. When I arrived to greet her, she quickly held out her had to shake, I don't know if she didn't know how to greet me or was worried about other contact (i.e. kiss/hug) but also I felt while she was very happy for me to be there, she kept her distance physically. Also I think I might have mentioned this but she said she attended a pregnancy group (Rhea's) and only went to one as she felt too 'exposed'. She has not attended pre-natal classes and wants our next visit to be about what the birth will be like - I am a little worried about this as I can of course tell her about normal birth but I am not a birth educator and am not completely sure which direction to be heading down, especially given her background. She didn't bring up the SA until I did towards the end, and said that she feels her mother's death 6 years ago is more the issue and feels very raw. So both of these things could be something we'll need to work on, I just don't know how to approach it... any tips appreciated!!! Thanks! Best Regards, Kelly Zantey Creator, BellyBelly.com.au Gentle Solutions From Conception to Parenthood BellyBelly Birth Support - http://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth-support -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Janet Fraser Sent: Thursday, 13 April 2006 11:32 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Birth & Sexual Assault Yes yes yes! To what Abby said! My first experience of rape was from an obstetrician and I'm so not alone with that. J ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 12:18 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Birth & Sexual Assault > Hi Kelly, > > You can contact Natalie Dash [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Nat has supported quite a few women with an abusive history. > > I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but it is important to recognise that some women experience sexual abuse for the first time while birthing. ie. an ob or midwife demands to do a VE while the woman is adimantly opposed or an episiotomy is performed while a woman and her partner are saying "NO!" or, as in with my first birth, being held down by a midwife and ob while he shoved his hand inside me and made rude remarks how I was not cooperating! > > More and more sexual assault is happening in birthing units and it needs t be addressed. 'NO MEANS NO' no matter what your proffession. Just because it's in a hospital or because it's an OB, doesn't mean it's okay. > > I would like to read more about this but am heading away for a week. I'll look forward to catching up with others advice when I get back. > Love Abby > > > > > Kelly @ BellyBelly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Just wondering if anyone has any tips on working with women who have > > been > > involved with sexual assault? Loaded birth - she also lost her mother > > recently - so trying to get lots of tips and suggestions. she's feeling > > fearful of interventions and is due soon. The hospital recommended she > > get > > extra support so she contacted me. > > > > Best Regards, > > > > Kelly Zantey > > Creator, <http://www.bellybelly.com.au/> BellyBelly.com.au > > Gentle Solutions From Conception to Parenthood > > <http://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth-support> > > <http://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth-support> BellyBelly Birth Support - > > http://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth-support > > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
