Stacey Fraser - false negatives, meconium in utero & why is it so hard asking for help?!

Stacey hadn’t realised she was pregnant as she was still getting what she thought were her monthly periods. The HCG pregnancy hormone wasn’t showing up in her urine so every test she took was negative. After visiting her GP and after a positive test, she was on her way to meeting her baby girl Summer.

Stacey wasn't 'textbook' ready to deliver Summer at full term, given her cervix wasn’t quite ripe and was still high. But because she wanted to have a natural delivery, she held off as long as she could before the midwife booked her in for an induction.

She continued having multiple stretch and sweeps, and eventually at 42 weeks Stacey gave in and went in for an induction. Stacey feels very lucky that she did go in on that day, because Summer's heart rate kept dropping dramatically, meaning she had to undergo an emergency C section. The reason for the heart rate dropping was that there was meconium in utero (i.e. the early stool passed by a newborn) meaning the baby was under stress due to decrease in blood and oxygen. Thankfully all was ok, Summer arrived safely.

Whilst Stacey didn’t consider herself to be particularly maternal, she's surprised at how much she loves being a mum. She really struggled with the lack of sleep, and in hindsight realised Summer was actually pretty good. She was confused initially around breastfeeding and sleep schedules, and one night decided to invest in a sleep program which she really valued.

COVID has been tough for Stacey in thinking about Summer not being able to have the same interactions with other children as she would have in a non-COVID world.

Another difficulty Stacey had was not asking for or accepting help, thinking she didn’t need it. She suggests saying yes to easy things people can help with like dishes or cleaning or cooking a meal.

She also speaks about the expectations she had on her husband to 'just know' what they needed for example at the supermarket, emphasising that open and clear communication is key. She said one thing she would recommend is being quite explicit about instructions about managing the baby, i.e. the partners. Given mothers are typically with the babies more than other carers, they need to learn to share the load and give clear instruction.

Join me for this honest and open story, with huge thanks to Stacey for opening up about her journey!

And remember you are not alone; it's OK to not be OK. We're in this together and Mumma, YOU got this!

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DISCLAIMER:

Please note this podcast depicts personal accounts of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. The views expressed are my own and are those of my guests, as such should not be relied upon for educational or medical advice purposes. The content included is not a substitute for health advice by a professional.

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