Introducing Daisy

So I'm lying in a hospital bed waiting to be discharged, bored out of my mind, a tiny little person snuggled up to my side. It's been a week since she arrived and I've been home and re-admitted into hospital. But let's rewind to the day she made an appearance.

After having several antenatal sessions with my fantastic doula, preparing me for the birth and drafting up a well-informed and considered birthday and I went to bed at 38 weeks pregnant I woke up at 1:30 in the morning to feel my waters had broken. After a panicked call to Hannah, I went back to bed and wait for contractions to start. Fast forward 24 hours and no sign of contractions. The labour ward at hospital made me coming to see them and tried to persuade me to be induced as well as take a precautionary course of antibiotics. I declined both after much consideration and deciding wanted to avoid as many unnecessary interventions as possible. Induction was something I was adamant I wouldn't go through this time and after reading up on it and realising the artificial hormones increase fetal distress, can cause a cascade of other interventions such as episiotomy, epidurals (which can lead to sleepy baby, reluctance to feed, reduced milk production... All things I wanted to prevent as all happened with SY), and chances of a C section, I stood my ground and refused to be strong armed into agreeing. Regarding fhe antibiotics, they not only kill all infectious bacteria, but they also kill all the good bacteria in the gut, which can cause allergies and intolerances in the future as well as dishes tube problems and antibiotics resistance. With the lack of evidence of any infection brewing since my waters broke (which was confirmed by blood test as well as the private Group B strep test I paid for) I wasn't willing to risk the ramifications of antibiotics on my unborn baby considering the issues SY has had with allergies. The consultant tried heavy-handed scaremongering to make me agree to antibiotics informing me that I put my baby at risk, dropping the death word into the conversation for added measure of threat. As I was already getting my way with not being induced, could I agree to antibiotics... Citing incorrect NICE guidelines (I'd already done my research and knew antibiotics were advised 72 hours after waters break, not 24 hours as the consultant insisted) she tried to convince me to agree to their wishes, but I held strong. I was gutted when she stated in a no nonsense way that the Oasis birthing suite (and therefore water birth) was out of the question if I was going to refuse to play ball. 

30 or so hours in, Hannah recommended a reflexologist who then came to my house and gave me an hour of fantastic foot massage. Almost immediately contractions began. By 8pm they'd started in earnest and I called Hannah to come to the house. By 10pm I informed everyone it was time to get to hospital. Hubs called the Oasis suite and they said it was fine to come in (so I guess the consultant was hoping the threat of removing my ideal birth experience would scare me into consenting to procedures I don't agree with!). Kneeling on the back seat of dads car, facing the boot, we rushed to the hospital and into a huge birthing room complete with birthing pool. By 11:22pm Daisy Su Ching Fung was born! I managed to push her out without the use of pain relief, no gas and air, no medical intervention, and the rush of joy I felt as I lifted her out of the water was immense. The whole experience was just the positive one id hoped for and the total opposite of Su Yin's birth. It was amazing. She latched on to feed almost immediately and has fed non stop since. Feeding her is AGONY (id go so far to say worse than childbirth!) as it feels like red hot razor blades across my nipples, but midwifes keep assuring me her latch is good and it'll get easier. I'm not convinced and may get a lactation consultant to check privately for tongue tie. 

So aside from the excruciating pain of breast feeding, all was going as well as can be expected with a almost 3 year old and a newborn, but 4 days in I got a temperature and had to go to A&E. 3 days more and I'm still in hospital, on antibiotics I didn't want, but on the mend. The doctors are quick to blame my not consenting to them during labour, but without seeing results of the swabs they took when I was admitted, I'm not convinced. My right breast was red and rock hard when I came in and I suspect it could have been mastitis. Either way, I still avoided Daisy being given antibiotics directly so I feel I gave her the best start i could and did what I felt best! 

SY is coping well with not being the sole center of attention anymore although not having been mummy at home has been hard on her and she's been playing up and finding it hard. She is very affectionate with her mui mui (little sister) though, always wanting to hold her and stroke her, which is lovely. 

So although I didn't entirely avoid the antibiotics, all in all its gone well and I'm happy to introduce my second daughter! Daisy Su Ching!