Stitched Up Like A Kipper

I knew nothing about childbirth and no one told me how bad or painful it could be, but to be fair, good job, as it would have freaked me out. i was a highly experienced holistic therapist, I ordered in a water birth, had clary sage ready, a big yoga birth ball, new pj's and my M&S dressing gown, reflexology, reiki. I was going to do it calmly, smoothly, with deep breathing. 38 hours later I couldn't cope, I was hanging on to a wall, screaming I couldn't take it anymore. My best friend Nic drove me to Treliske, no ambulance available, it was better anyway, I could stick my head out the window and throw up. I had every drug available, every injection and intervention. Then they decided he wasn't coming out and sent me down to theatre for a C section. I cried all the way through it. He cams]e out and got taken away full of poo and some infection. I didn't get to feed him that first night, but he was in a little plastic box in a special until. I discharged myself the next day. His dad was sent to Sainsbury's before he picked us up. I wanted beer, steak and a smoke, he sorted it, I felt a bit better. I hated it in the hospital, and I hated all the stitches, felt like a bit of meat, felt ruined, and cheated out of having a lovely birth, felt stitched up like a kipper. He is nearly nine now.

I love him to bits.

We both survived.

That's why I called him Rocky.