Hello World!
It was inevitable, I suppose.
I've been reading blogs on an almost daily basis and although I swore to myself that the world doesn't need another blog ...here I am writing one! My name is Deborah, I'm a mother, wife, Doula and photographer...you can read all about me on my website so I will save you the big reading for now!
This Blog is going to be a little different, every month I will host a beautiful momma and she will tell her story! Clients/ friends that I met when I documented their pregnancies during COVID-19. Real moms writing real Birth stories... Home births, Hospital Births, Water births, C-section, you name it!
Meeting their babies, reading their stories is an honour and a privilege. I hope that more than a Blog this will be a space to inspire, to motivate and to reflect.
We are kicking off with Martina's birth story told by her mom Kaline. Enjoy!!!
our rainbow baby...
"Martina was, out of our three girls, the one we most had to fight for. After 3 years trying for our third child and 4 losses, we finally hold on to that pregnancy and Martina was born on 15th December 2020. The way she came to the world was quite different from what we had hoped for, but at the end, I was relieved to be able to hold her in my arms no matter what type of birth I had. She was our little miracle and nothing would spoil that feeling of gratitude and fulfilment. From the beginning of my pregnancy, I understood that after 2 previous Caesarean sections I was prone for another, but I decided to try for a vbac and my decision was supported throughout my pregnancy. Towards the end, however, an ultrasound revealed that the baby was becoming bigger than we had hoped for a vbac so my midwife suggested we had a plan B and left a c-section booked for when I turned 40 weeks in case the baby did not make an appearance before and I agreed. My due date was the 16th December and the planned section was arranged for the 15th December. I had all hopes that I would come into labour before that, though, despite never been able to experience it in my previous pregnancies. A couple of weeks into my due date I started having Braxton Hicks and gradually losing my plug. I was almost sure the baby, whose gender was still unknown, would come naturally. I was quite disappointed when the weekend 13/14th December came and went and the baby didn’t show up. On Tuesday 15th December, early in the morning, we headed to hospital to meet our rainbow baby via yet another Caesarean section. I was both excited and anxious. After a couple of hours waiting and getting ready, my husband and I were finally taken to the theatre, where baby Martina was born at 11am, weighting 3.7 kgs.
I cannot put in words how I felt there and then. It was just so special to meet the new princess to our castle, she was so desired and was already so loved! As she came out, both myself and dad cried out of happiness and Martina replied by peeing all over the obstetrician!! The medical team was fantastic! They knew how much I wanted a natural birth and tried to make the section as close to that as possible by playing the music chosen by us, Brazilian Bossa Nova, and following some of the requests from my birth plan like delayed placenta clamping. I felt well looked after and respected. Due to the pandemic, my husband could not stay to sleep nor could our two daughters come to visit their new sibling. To say they were thrilled with their sister’s birth is an understatement! As soon as we arrived at the recovery room we made a video call so they could see Martina for the first time. Our older daughter, Valentina, was very emocional and cried a lot. Francesca, newly promoted to middle sister, was just smiles(a lot of them)!!!
The next day, we went back home with our precious girl to start life as a family of 5 and the girls were over the moon to finally meet Martina in person! It was a magical moment and one which we will treasure forever!"
Kaline Cavalcanti xx
