[an error occurred while processing this directive] Thomas Luke Gower

Chrissy and Stephen
10th August 2002

Birth Story

This is the birth story for Thomas Luke Gower

Some potentially gory details:
Labour started at 3am the previous morning and membranes ruptured at 5.30am. Because there was meconium present, the hospital got us in immediately and continuously monitored both mother and baby throughout labour. Chrissy used just Entonox for a long while and the doctors recommended Syntocinon as the contractions weren't very regular. This became too much and she asked for an epidural, but because of shift changes it too a long time to get. Unfortunatly it then didn't work (at all), and the anaesthetist was in theatre for the subsequent 2 hours - the Syntocinon was slowed right down, but of course this made everything drag on even further. Eventually a new epidural was put in which did work (an amazing moment of relief all round)! The final midwife shift came on, just as second stage labour began, and we had a lovely australian-born male midwife, who ran around like crazy getting things to help with different positions: At one time Chrissy was on a birthing stool, on the bed, with Stephen one side, a student the other and a large beanbag behind her! Unfortunatly intervention was required and in the end Thomas was born by the ventouse method and immediately whisked into an incubator thing where Stephen ceremonially cut the cord (the cord had been cut within seconds to get Thomas into the warm/oxygen, but Dad's job was to trim it to an appropriate length!). The pediatrician decided Thomas needed to go to the Special Care Baby Unit. Chrissy was cleaned up and Mum and Dad sat for a while until we were told we could go to visit the baby. Chrissy was exhasted and not really able to stand, so after a brief visit to SCBU she was put on an observation ward; Thomas joined her for a feed at about 4am and stayed - and is now a very happy gorgeous boy.