Eliana’s birth story: Aug 2014

This was originally written 31 May 2016, but I wanted to give it a home here.

Inspired by reading & hearing different birth stories from my mama friends & from some YouTube mamas, I decided to finally record the story of Eliana’s birth – almost 2 years on. So here it is…

Life serving God in Cambodia as an overseas aid worker is never dull. Adding pregnancy into that mix was something that I cherished. All of our Awareness Cambodia staff & students were so excited with and for us, as were our expat community / Phnom Penh family – especially after having shared in our grief after the miscarriage of our first baby in 2013. I loved having our co-workers & friends fuss over me & my growing baby bump – with our staff offering me weird & wonderful Khmer treats for ‘the pregnant lady to enjoy.’ Let’s just say some were huge wins (such as green mango) & some, well, were not. And at 31 weeks I flew back to Perth in preparation for our little girl’s arrival, with Tim joining me 4 weeks later.

After a pretty healthy and uneventful pregnancy – with the exception of a cellulitis infection on my leg that required my admission to hospital for intravenous antibiotics (safe for pregnancy) for 4 days at 23 weeks – a routine check-up in Perth revealed high blood pressure, which meant my second stint in hospital for a few days for observation. As it turned out, my blood pressure only peaked for a few hours before returning to normal! However, the doctors had already decided that induction would be my best option, but we’d wait until after 37 weeks if possible. This meant that we also couldn’t attend any of the classes at the hospital that I’d signed us up for – breastfeeding and birth classes would have been great, but no time now! Thankfully my amazing friend and doula (a qualified midwife) Kendra, gave me a private birth & breastfeeding class at home before the big day! So after check-ups and monitoring every couple of days for the next couple of weeks, my induction day arrived and on the night of 13th August Tim’s parents prayed with us before we left to become a family of 3.

What I haven’t mentioned yet is that since I’d been hospitalised overseas during my pregnancy, they tested me for Golden Staff, for which I tested positive. This meant that anyone dealing with me had to treat me with face masks and gloves and all a bit of an ordeal – kind of made me feel like I had the plague or something! The night had a rough start with the first midwife super grumpy, as none of my paperwork stated that I had Golden Staff, so she had started treating me as a ‘regular’ patient until I mentioned it. After I had seen the new birthing suites during one of my check-ups, I’d been really excited, so imagine how sad I was when we were directed to a sterile, un-renovated room – I’m not gonna lie, this hormonal & nervous first time mama cried…. doesn’t help when the midwife isn’t being very kind either! [I will note that the next day she came to say hi and apologise for taking her bad mood after a long, terrible shift out on me.]

Thankfully the next midwife on shift was super-kind and thought it was ridiculous that I tested positive to Golden Staff, so she took new samples and returned rejoicing that my results came back NEGATIVE! Tim and I were beyond excited! This also meant that once I progressed, I would be able to move to one of the nice new birth suites. The night of the 13th was pretty uneventful as far as the induction goes, I had the Foley’s catheter inserted (which helps soften & dilate the cervix) and pretty much went to sleep, with Tim on a fold-out bed.

The next morning (14th August) the Foley’s catheter fell out, meaning I’d dilated (yay!) to 3cm (bugger!), which meant the midwife inserted Pitocin gel to try and further soften and dilate my cervix. Our friend Kendra came by that afternoon to check-in on me and the 2 of us took a walk of the hospital grounds to try and get things moving along. After returning to my room, the midwife checked me again and I was still not progressing, so she went to get some more gel. I should mention too that the day-time midwife was friends with Kendra! She hadn’t been gone for very long when Kendra decided we should go for another walk and when I stood up my water broke, followed by my first contractions! YAY! Tim, Kendra & I still set off for our walk and made it a few metres from my room, when a lot more of my waters came flooding out in the hallway, which meant we went back to the room to get some towels before setting off again. I can’t remember how far apart the contractions were at this point, but I’d guess around 4 minutes and I would have to stop and hold onto Tim each time. However, I was still able to talk through them, so I knew it was just the beginning. It was amazing how many people – including doctors – stopped and asked if I was ok during a contraction, considering it is the main maternity and women’s health hospital in Western Australia. This was most amusing to Kendra!

When we eventually returned to the room and I was checked again, I was still only 4cm dilated, but at least I was now in active labour! Not long after we returned, the midwife announced that we were moving rooms into one of the new birthing suites. I think I probably cried again, this time from pure joy! I felt such amazing peace and gratefulness in my heart to God for this midwife and her kindness to me, which I am sure was due at least in part to her friendship with Kendra. I should mention too, that I had my laptop on the entire time playing my favourite worship songs throughout my entire induction & birth. He is so faithful.

It was now night time and I had tried to eat some dinner, but the contractions were just too strong that I simply gave up trying to eat in preference to spending time in the shower. Lucky for Tim, as he got to eat my dinner! :) My beautiful new room had the most incredible shower where I laboured for a long time – until they said that I couldn’t anymore, as they needed to monitor Eliana. I also cried when I had to leave the glorious shower, as it had acted as a wonderful pain reliever. When they hooked up the monitors, I was checked again and damn, only 6cm… They decided to administer some Pitocin by drip to try and get things moving along and I decided to try to use the gas as a pain reliever, since I couldn’t be in the shower anymore, but it just made me feel drunk & not in control, so I decided to go ahead and have an epidural since I still had so long to go and the contractions were so strong & painful. After hearing all different horror stories about epidurals, I am forever grateful that MY epidural worked super-well and I was still able to walk around a little and I was in control of how much or little pain relief I had by pressing a button (but not able to overdose). The epidural meant that I could feel the contractions, but not the pain – and meant I could get some sleep before it was time (and Kendra & Tim could get some sleep too). Before the midwife left, she asked if I had a preference of midwife and she organised the lovely midwife from the night before to take over from her as her shift ended. 

At around 4.00am in the wee hours of 15th August (12 hours after my waters broke) I was checked again by the midwife and I was 10cm dilated and ready to start pushing! As Tim & Kendra woke up, lights were turned on and the room became a hive of activity. Now it was time for the hard work. I should mention, I also had a student midwife Angela, who had been at all my Perth check-ups too. So in the presence of my love Tim, my friend & doula Kendra, Angela and the midwife (who I wish I remembered her name), I began pushing. After over an hour of pushing, the doctor came in & recommended an episiotomy, as it would seem that baby-girl was not quite in the best position and a bit sideways, meaning I’d push and she’d slip back in-between contractions. After agreeing, with the next contraction Eliana Malis James was birthed and placed on my chest, letting her voice be heard. At this point I understood the phrase ‘my heart outside my body’ as she lay on my chest having our first skin-to-skin cuddle.

Our miracle, our rainbow baby was here and Tim & I were drinking her all in.

And nearly 2 years later, we are still amazed.

Eliana – My Lord has answered me
Malis – Jasmine flower (Cambodian name)

Date: 15 August 2014

Time: 5.45am

Weight: 3.61kg

Length: 53cm

Place: King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth WA

Thank you to Dr Mu Mu at Royal Phnom Penh Hospital for our antenatal care in Cambodia and to Dr Greg Caddy at Mead Medical in Perth for allowing me to email him all my results and questions.

Thank you to the amazing midwives at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Perth.  
Thank you to my friend Kendra – I am so happy & grateful you were with us.

And thank you to Timothy, my love – I have no words… 

You are amazing & I love you.

Thank you Lord for our precious Eliana. Forever grateful for Your faithfulness.