HARRIET & FLO

 

After the birth of my first child Olive I was very scared about giving birth again. The first time I felt full of optimism, the second time I was dreading what was to come.

 

It was a few days before my due date and I got up from an afternoon nap and my waters broke, I rang my friend Rachel (of this parish) and she came to pick up Olive, my partner Joseph appeared at some point and after eating fish and chips off we went to the hospital. The first midwife we came across commented that I was much too big and that she didn’t want to look after me! It was such a horrible judgement to be faced with when feeling vulnerable. Then a midwife came who was happy to help me and off we went.

 

A few hours later with the help of gas and air and 2 pushes out came little Florence, then in came the medics, little Flo was put on the side, I asked what the doctor was doing he seemed to have his whole hand inside me, he answered “I’m saving your life”.... I think I said “fair enough carry on!” It transpired that I was losing quite a bit of blood but soon all was well and off I went to the ward with Flo.

 

The next day I was desperate to leave, to get back home, as the day got later and later I realised they might not discharge me, I had to get a cannula (IV line) removed so I collared a passing midwife and begged her to take it out for me, and then I raced out of the hospital with the staff shouting after me “you cannot leave!” I had my dad lined up as the getaway driver and off we went.

 

I feel like Flo's birth was a healing experience after Olives long drawn out entrance. I think I just expected it would be similar and it was painful and quite dramatic but much much shorter. I was really relieved and pleased about that.