Birth of Zoe Beth Farley on the 15th June 2011

Birth of Zoe Beth Farley

15^th June 2011

Medi-Clinic. Pmb.

 Weight 3.2kg, length 48m, and head 35 cm.

Pippa and Graeme met me at 32 weeks into her pregnancy at a Birth Workshop with Marianne Littlejohn (an independent midwife).  We were all at Meg and Russ s farm near Giants Castle in KZN for the weekend.  Pippa wanted a home birth but near the end of her pregnancy Pippa developed protein in her urine and she started having contractions at 37 weeks of pregnancy.  Dr Amod put Pippa into Medi-Clinic to settle her contractions and allow Pippa to relax and just do nothing as Pippa is a teacher at one of our private schools and she was doing far too much.

Dr Amod decided to do an early c section as the baby was now only 2 weeks early and her weight and lungs were ready to be born.  Pippa had previously had a horse riding accident and we were worried about her coccyx having being broken.

Zoe Beth was born at 18h04 on the 15^th June with us all in the theatre.  Pippa was a little sick from shock that her baby was there so quickly.  It was a time for me to care for her and allow it all to sink in!  Sometimes the shock of having a baby is overwhelming!  Graeme was an excited “Dad” as he headed off to the nursery with his new baby girl.  I stayed with Pippa in the theatre until they were finished stitching and then joined Dad with Zoe in her private ward.

I was able to introduce skin on skin to Graeme and Zoe first.  Then when Pippa came out of the recovery ward and the nurses settled her into her own night clothes etc. I placed Zoe skin on skin with her mum.  This is the time to leave the ward and allow the private time for Mum, Dad and new baby to settle down and get to know each other.  Special moments shared!

Skin on skin is so necessary when especially when there has been a c.section.  The baby smells mum and her milk which will start to come down and she is able to latch and breast feed with little help. www.naturalchild.org

Zoe did the crawl up Dad’s chest looking for the breast.  It was so sweet and so she was more than ready once her mum joined us again and she fed very well and still loves the breast.

Pippa recovered so quickly and was not in very much pain.  The trick with pain killers is to take them before the pain begins.  Do remember this!!!  One very important part of post c section. I used the bemer (electro-magnetic device).  This is 100% safe to use.  In this case the bemer afforded Pippa great comfort.

Pippa came home after 3 nights in hospital and she is enjoying her time at home with her new baby Zoe.