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God Bless the NHS

Specifically Suzanne the midwife.

By Natalie FairypantsPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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On Friday, May 24th, I gave birth to my son after nearly 36 hours of labour and an emergency C-section. In total, this will have cost the NHS thousands of pounds, and two nights of 1:1 care. Did I get a bill? No. I was waved off with a smile and a hug, clutching on to my precious bundle.

At 2AM on Thursday, my water broke and we pootled off to the Countess of Chester Hospital for a quick check over. We then headed back home via the Maccies drive through to chill out with some films while we waited. We went back into hospital on Thursday afternoon after I experienced some bleeding. The midwives were so reassuring, and made us feel really welcome, despite the fact that I was probably overreacting. But as a first time mum, they told me there was no such thing.

Thus began the long wait. I was transferred over to the labour ward later that day, and I had every drug imaginable. Things injected into my thigh, drips, an epidural and good old gas and air. None of them worked. I was tired, miserable and was losing my self-belief by the minute. I was still only 4cm dilated at this point, and I have never felt so low.

The shift change came at 7AM, and with it, my salvation. Suzanne breezed in, dressed in scrubs and confidence. She amped up my epidural, and kept me topped up every 30 minutes. I believed in her, and her ability to get me through it.

The divine Suzanne, looking far better than me 😂

She kept me going until nearly 3PM. She did everything she could, and she did it with a smile on her face. Nothing was too much trouble. This might sound overdramatic, but it really felt like an angel was looking after me. Or at least, someone who genuinely cared. She wasn't just doing her job, counting down the hours until she could go home. She was doing it because she cared. And that was the best feeling in the world. Her confidence was all I needed.

Eventually, we decided between us that a Caesarean section was the best option. I had reached 6cm dilated, but who knew how much longer it would take for me to reach 10cm, and then to push. Suzanne brought in the team who would operate on me, and they talked me through the risks. They were so lovely that I had no worries, and I trusted them entirely.

I was wheeled down to theatre, and my husband plugged in Spotify. My playlist kicked in, and after what felt like five minutes, my son was lifted out of the sunroof to the tune of "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the Clash. Pretty apt. 36 hours of staying, and it took a team of highly trained NHS professionals to make him go.

I was stitched up in a matter of minutes, and we all returned to Suzanne the angel, who cleaned me up, fed me and helped my husband to dress our son for the first time. Shift changed again, and I was wheeled up to the maternity ward with my baby. My husband was sent home, and it was just the two of us. But where I could have felt alone, scared, and helpless, I actually felt supported and empowered.

My baby boy

I may have been alone in charge of another human being, but I was actually surrounded by a crack team of midwives. Again, nothing was too much trouble. After the C-section, I was unable to get out of bed and lift him out of his cot, but one press of a button and someone came running, bringing me medication, lifting my baby, and showing me how to be a mum.

I was in the hospital for two nights overall, and every single member of staff I came into contact with was a dream. Suzanne and the surgical team came up to check on me and the baby. That level of aftercare alone made me feel so emotional, so cared for. Paediatricians visited to check the baby over, and he also had a hearing check. He passed everything with flying colours. When we eventually left for home as a family of three, we knew we would be fine.

The level of support, care and love I experienced at the Countess absolutely blew me away. I get emotional now, just thinking about how well they looked after us. They are angels, every last one of them. From the midwife answering my 70th button press because I couldn't stop my baby from crying, to the person topping up my iced water and the anaesthetist who made the C-section possible. If I thought for one minute that I had it in me, I would retrain tomorrow. Those women (for they were all women, barring the male anaesthetist who administered my original epidural) have far greater skills than I could ever have imagined.

I don't know what I would have done without them, both during my stay and in the days that followed. I don't know what we would do without the NHS. Those women (and men) are the best there is.

Today I finally put some make-up on 😂

pregnancy
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About the Creator

Natalie Fairypants

Mastermind behind Fairypants vegan cosmetics, and the new and super exciting Queen of Leftovers - a one stop shop for easy recipes and advice around batch cooking and reducing food waste.

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