Sorry we’ve been quiet since starting this petition. Alongside campaigning, Holly who started this petition was also pregnant and has just had her wonderful baby boy. Meet Monty Finch Avis 9.8lb. Born at KGH Kettering General Hospital a little before 9am on the 24th August. And what an entrance...
Holly has previously given birth to 2 children; the first via induction and an assisted forceps delivery, which traumatised her enough to go straight for a planned cesarean the second time around. Holly was automatically told she would be having another cesarean this time around. This meant that her partner could not be with her as she was prepped for surgery, and only with her for an hour afterwards. And so the petition and campaigning began.
After an interview on BBC radio Northamptonshire, a doula got in touch with Holly and discussed with her all of her options - that a cesarean was not a must if she didn’t want it. This was news to Holly! Holly went back to her doctors and midwives and discovered that she could indeed have a home birth if she wanted one. AMAZING.
As the weeks passed, Holly’s due date neared, the water pool at home on standby, but the due date came and went and Holly was pressured into a planned c-section. Again, not something you have to say yes to. So she did not - but she did agree to come in when she reached 42 weeks - and fought hard to ensure that she would get a private room and that her partner could be there with her throughout. It was NOT easy to battle for this but she did. With a date set, the wait continued…Holly went in to labour at home, ahead of the planned c-section. When the midwife arrived, Holly’s contractions were every 4mins but following an unexpected sweep, which sent her blood pressure up she was only 2cm dilated and so the midwife left, planning to return before all hell broke loose… The arbitrary 1cm per hour dilation that medical professionals appear to work to is just not realistic. Especially for 2nd, 3rd or 4th babies. Within an hour, Holly was in a lot of pain and thought the baby was coming NOW (which it was!) called the ambulance as she wanted pain relief. He was almost born in the ambulance - once at the hospital, she really needed to push and ignored the staff telling her not to push - her body said it was time… they broke her waters and he was out in 2 pushes. VOILA. A successful v-bac and no drugs required at all. GO HOLLY & MONTY!
The speed of Holly's dilation only goes to show how many birth partners do not make it to ward in time for their babies births. Sitting in the carpark waiting, or even at home, how can they get to the ward in time for active labour when it could all happen so fast?
We want to step the campaigning up a gear - news tomorrow of what has been going on behind the scenes and how you can continue to help...