Kia ora Pia

Pia Poppy Anne Peters

Born: 02/07/2021

Christchurch Women’s Hospital

How many weeks were you when you found out you were pregnant? 5 weeks. I suspected I was and booked a restaurant for the following evening. I took two tests in the morning and then went to work without telling Joel anything as he had an early shift. That afternoon I wrote down what I wanted to say to him. That evening when we were at the restaurant and the entree and drinks had arrived, I told him the reasons he would make a great dad. I don’t think he fully clicked that I was pregnant until I burst into tears. 

How long did it take to conceive Pia? 6 months of actively trying. I thought I was pregnant the previous summer but just missed my period for two months! I was worried something was wrong so got checked out, but was cleared as healthy. The whole ordeal really pushed me to consider what it might be like to not be able to have kids and spurred on serious conversation around becoming parents. 

What did you pack in your hospital bag? Breast pads, nipple cream, comfy boyleg underwear, pads, shower slides, sweat pants and a loose tshirt, nursing bras, linen dressing gowns (with pockets), comfy pjs, toiletries, extra long phone charger, snacks, wipes, wool blanket, baby’s first outfit and going home outfit. 

Were you overdue? 1 week and 5 days overdue! 

Were you ok if your birth plan took a different course during labour/birthBeing so overdue I mentally prepared myself for anything with the aim to birth a healthy baby. 

Did you require intervention?I ended up having an oral induction, gas, epidural, ventouse, and an episiotomy. 

What were you feeling when Pia was placed on you for the first time? When she was first placed on me it was immediately after a hurried delivery due to the cord around her neck snapping when the doctor tried to pull it off. With a splash of blood she lay on my stretched stomach for a few moments before being taken and checked. Looking over to see a healthy beautiful baby while she was being checked I cried many happy tears. It was my favourite moment to then feel Joel’s tears splash down across my face as he squeezed my hand. Once we both were in better shape I was able to have her on my chest to feed and cuddle. 

Pia was a NICU baby, were you ok not having her by your side post birth? What did this look like with visiting her etc.?It was so so hard watching her be taken away to NICU while I had to stay in the birthing room. It really motivated me to do everything in my power to recover enough to move to the maternity ward (I wasn’t allowed to move initially due to losing 2 litres of blood during delivery). When I was finally allowed to go and visit her that night around 7pm (she was born just before 11am), I sat in the wheelchair watching her in the incubator, tubes and wires all over her, and wept. I felt so helpless. She had pneumothorax due to swallowing meconium and had an infection that needed to be treated with antibiotics. The next day she was moved from room 1 to room 3 (less acute) and we got into a rigorous rhythm of 3 hourly feeding. The first small victory was her breathing and temperature being steady enough for her to be moved from an incubator to a cot. Then we focussed on getting her off the feeding tube. She had a 5 day course of antibiotics which could be administered in the maternity ward but she was only allowed to move once she was regularly feeding a certain volume. I was really worried the maternity ward would send me home if she didn’t come up to my room as I had recovered and they needed the beds. As it took some time for my milk to fully come in and there was no donor milk available, I would feed her and then top her up with formula through SNS. Thankfully she met the goals and finished the last three days of her course of antibiotics with me in the maternity ward. It was such a special feeling bringing her cot up to my room and then being left alone with her for the first time. I fully felt the responsibility of caring for all her needs and making her feel safe. 

How was your recovery post birth? Walking from the maternity ward to NICU every 3 hours day and night was tough on my postpartum recovery. I did a lot of painful waddling. I was hand expressing and pumping which was really sore and exhausting initially. One of the nights while cleaning the pumping equipment, I completely lost all control of my bladder and absolutely wet myself. I was so dazed and confused that I rang the closet bell for the nurse and cried. They got me cleaned up and arranged for a pelvic floor specialist to visit the next day. It was most likely due to me not emptying my bladder often enough for what my tired muscles could take. Once home a wonderful friend sent me a viva la vulva postpartum care box which was so helpful. 

Pia is now 7 weeks old, how is everything going back home? Overnight sleep has been a win: she usually sleeps a 4 to 6 hour block and then a dream feed. Day time sleep has been up and down. Let’s just say I’ve Googled “how much sleep does a baby need to survive”. She is also growing really well. She was 4.37 kg at birth and passed 6.5 kg at 7 weeks old and has started wearing size 3-6 months! 

Final words: I was initially unsure about birth photography, thinking I might feel too vulnerable, but now I 100% wish I had a photographer and I videographer for the birth. The images are just so precious!