Arna’s birth story

After my waters breaking spontaneously at 36+6 weeks with my first son, when I became pregnant with my second son my gut was telling me I would probably “go early again”.

Well boy was I wrong! 37 weeks came and went, and I was getting more and more uncomfortable, my body was past its limit! My amazing midwife tried five unsuccessful stretch and sweeps, still nothing!

By this point I had passed 39 weeks, and wee man was fully engaged, I was approx 3cm dilated from the stretch and sweeps but no contractions - he DID NOT want to come! 40 weeks came and went and I, along with my family and friends, were all shocked I was still pregnant.

Then over one weekend we got the news that the maternity ward here in Dunedin was closed. The staff shortage here was just so bad they had to close the postnatal ward. This obviously made me very uneasy, but at this point I wasn’t in labour so was hoping the crisis at the hospital would resolve itself before I went into labour.

Sure enough, at about 3.15pm the next afternoon, contractions started. Our amazing midwife called round at about 8.30pm and I was 5cm dilated - time to go to hospital!

The maternity ward being shut meant I could still birth there, but provided myself and baby were healthy, we would have to go straight home after the birth, no hospital stay!

Our son, Chase, was born just after midnight, and the relief of finally having him out after so long was huge! After all the checks had been done we were told to go home, 3.5 hours after his birth.

The middle of the night I could barely walk, bleeding alot.

At the time this felt okay, to be going home to our own comforts. But as the days of being a mum of two went by, it felt like I hadn’t had a chance to recover, hadn’t had a chance to have a “quiet” couple of days in hospital with my new baby. I was robbed of that.

My post partum recovery took alot longer this time and I’m sure a big part of that was because of being sent home so quickly! I wouldn’t wish it on anyone; all women should have that aftercare regardless of how their birth went!

Super grateful for our amazing midwife, wouldn’t change her for the world; not so grateful for our flawed healthcare system.