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Empowering First Birth. The Birth of Stefani Scioli.

Updated: Jul 6, 2022

Mama: @lorenjscioli


My husband Nick and I found out I was 5 weeks pregnant the week before our wedding day.

Lucky for me, my pregnancy was very easy, I didn’t have any morning sickness and I felt energetic majority of the time.

I applied for the family birth centre straight away, as it is hard to get into here in Perth.

I got my acceptance at 16 weeks, it was the first time I really felt like I could get excited about my birth as I knew I would be in an environment to which my vision could actually come to light.


I have always been surrounded by very strong mamas that completely surrendered to birthing. For me it was the most organic direction. I have a passion for birthing and it’s always something I could see myself doing. I was more excited than fearful. I couldn’t wait to submerge myself into this journey.


I took the last three months off work to give my third trimester the care I felt it needed.


Rest.. I did a lot of this, I spent a lot of my afternoons napping or just laying on my bed listening to music and breathing.


Water therapy, I would go to the pools and walk laps, stretch out my toes, calves, thighs, hips, shoulder, arms and neck just let myself melt into all the stretches. Water was the best to give my body the complete support it needed.


Chiropractor, I saw a chiropractor once a week to make sure my hips, pelvis and jaw were ready for birthing.


39 weeks 5 days my fluid came in HEAVY! I put 5 kgs on in the space of 10 days. My midwives were concerned my urine had too much protein, which could mean my kidney was working too much to push the fluid out. I did a urine sample and my urine definitely came back with protein in it, so they had to send me for bloods at the hospital to see if my kidney was ok. My midwife pre-warned me that if I go over to the hospital, I will most likely be offered an induction especially if my bloods are out.


Thankfully my blood results come back great, which meant my kidneys were still doing what they needed too, to allow the fluid to filter out. My blood pressure was great and my heart rate great. Bub was still in normal range of everything too. Being so close to my due date they offered me a stretch and sweep. Which I was happy to do, it was December, Boxing Day, 40+ degree heat, 2 days until due date, I’m thinking anything to start this process.


Well my cervix was completely closed, which the nurses laughed at me and said there is no way this baby is coming anytime soon. She called the obstetrician in to do a chair side ultrasound and she told me I had 2 ok pockets of anatomical fluid, my placenta could be dying though. Bubs movement was perfectly healthy on the CGT. I was told that if my cervix is closed and if placenta might be coming to the end of its life, it would be best to be induced and we would do this tomorrow so I don’t run the risk of a still birth.


I confirmed that I was fine and in normal range and bub was fine and also in normal range so why is this now being discussed. They felt it was best to do it now so I don’t run the risk of a still birth. I explained to them I needed to talk to my midwives and that I wasn’t even full term yet. They ensured me full term can be from 38 and I reminded them that it can also be 42. Nick and I stood our ground but I just felt so uncomfortable, I kept telling them I needed to talk to my midwives first, that I really wanted to go as natural as possible. I was told that I was to understand the risks I put my baby at for a still birth if I walk out that door. I was heart broken, my throat was dry and my tummy was in knots. How has me coming over for a blood test, everything fine, turned into having lectures about still births.


We immediately called our midwife who told me to come in and see her and in fact we spoke to 2 other midwives for peace of mind. They told me they could not believe they laughed at me for my cervix being closed. The slightest thing could shift the lining and labour could start in seconds, they said even her checking could of irritated my cervix. Also, chair side ultra sounds cannot show you the blood flow from placenta to baby, they had no right to give me that information about my placenta, or make me feel as if it was dying off.


Nick and I were given tasks to complete over the next 2 days to make sure we were doing everything to bring this labour on naturally.


Two days later, 28th of December 2021- (Due date):

Around 5:00pm I started to have extreme lower abdominal pain and I had diarrhoea a few times.

It was around 8.15pm and I said to Nick, ‘ I’m not sure if it’s happening but maybe I should message my mum just in case so she can be on stand by’ as my mum was always in my birthing support team. I mean we didn’t know what to expect it was our first labour.


So I text mum, “I am having so much lower abdominal pain now. On and off since about 5ish I reckon, If I get it again in the next hour Nick and I are going to go for a walk around the block. Just thought I’d give you the heads up” ..SEND.. BANG my waters break!! ARGH Nick, NICK.. he’s like oh my gosh get off the couch. I was like ‘ is that my waters?’

Our midwife said we need to smell it to make sure it’s not urine. So Nick and I start to smell it to make sure it’s not and it smelt like nothing. So I call Mum, she’s like hey I was just reading your message and I was like yes my waters have just broken. She’s like "what Oh my gosh" we go so exited! My sister drove my mum straight up, and I called my midwife. The midwife told me to take shower have a couple of Panadol and try get some sleep.


So I tried, But my surges started basically straight after our conversation. I was having surges very sporadically for 2 hours. Then it changed to being very consistent for 4 hours, they were 3 minutes and 1.20 minute surges. I was labouring for those 4 hours, in the shower and on a mattress that was in the middle of our living room, listened to music and drank hydrolyte. I stood up around the 4 hour mark and said I am starting to feel really sick and with that I ran to our shower and did 5 big power vomits.


Mum said this is a good sign and that we should call the midwife just explain the 6 hours labouring at home and the power vomits. The midwife said it’s a good idea to come in and just see where I am at. If I was 4 or less I was needed to go home and continue labouring, if I was 5 or more I can stay and labour there.

We got to the family birth centre, wow what a drive while having contractions. I was so hopeful I was over 4 because I could not get back in that car. It’s 35 minutes from my house and it felt so much longer.


So I get up on the bed and they check me, and I am told I was 1cm, that I had a little while to go yet. Rule of thumb is 1cm every hour for natural labour. It was 2am am so they wanted to see me back there around 8am.


I get home and I went into a full transition. I just remembered coming out of it in the shower and screaming "IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH" and my mum was like no love it's only 4:45am, your probably only 3-5 cm. We have a little longer to go. Then bang I had another contraction and I was screaming "IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH"


Mums like 'Loren hold your pelvic floor remember!' All of a sudden there was blood gushing out of my vagina. Nick was peaking out, he was like 'call an ambulance', and mums like 'nooo let's call her midwife'... In that moment I was like this is CRAZY how do women naturally birth, if I am only 4ish cm I am definitely going to need some serious drugs, I was thinking I won't last another 6 hours..


The midwife asked how much blood like a clot or a gush likes she’s cut. Mums like a gush and she wants to push .. and then again another surge and I'm screaming "IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH"


And everyone is like 'Loren breathe, long breaths hold .. hold.. hold'.


The midwife said 'well you only left here about 3 hours ago, she won't be very far in but if there is more blood, best your bring her in...'


Mum hung up and then I had more blood, so that was it mum called it, she told Nick to help me out of the shower and she called my midwife back and said “yes more blood, we are coming in”.


It's 5 am... it takes me 30 mins to get from my shower to the car.. I was having contractions the whole way and I'm just screaming "IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH "

I'm in the car, in the back.. one knee on the floor, one leg on the seat I am hold on the JC bar with my head out the window screaming every minute "IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH, IM GONNA PUSH " Mum and Nick and losing it their like Loren calm down you aren't there yet.. and I'm like mum I think it's coming, I swear I swear'

Nicks like 'do I pull over, do we call an ambulance..' mums like 'no I'll text the midwife!!' Nick stops!!!! At alllll the red lights, people trying to eat their McMuffins, it's quarter to 6 in the morning and I'm screaming out the windows "IM GONNA PUSH IM GONNA PUSH IM GONNA PUSH IM GONNA PUSH"


We finally get there it's 6am!!! My midwife said 'wow she definitely sounds like she's in labour...' she's asks me to get on the bed to check me, “OH MY GOSH there's a head” She says, “I don't know how you managed to get from 1-10 cm in 4 hours for a first labourer but you're about to meet your baby!!! Happiness just rushed over me... in that moment I was like FUCK YES, if this is the worst of the pain, I'd birth ANYDAY!!!!!!!


She's like 'your plan was to have a water birth was that still something you wanted, because the girl next door is 8 cm and no where near as close as you and the other midwife is running the bath?' And I was like 'yes if I can..'


All of a sudden the other midwife knocked on the door and I was like 'MARYANNE'. It was my sisters midwife who just helped deliver my nephew 3 months before hand.. her and I my mum were jumping to each other cheering, it was just all meant to be!!!!!!!!!


I waddle to the bath.. Nick and I jump in together, 7 minutes later, 5 surges, bub was out.. Nick assisted her onto my chest and told me we had a baby girl... born at 6:38am. Stefani Scioli. The most precious gift.


Birth has always excited me and since the moment of finding out I was pregnant I instantly felt connected to the journey of becoming a mama.


I think this excitement and deep connection was a very positive way to start my labour….


When I was told I could start pushing it was just how I imagined it, I felt extremely liberated and empowered knowing I was the vessel to allow my girl to come into this world, in the most magical way, through water straight into her dads hands.


Now while I am showering, I look down at that beautiful line running down the middle of my belly. I reminisce on the amazing experiences Stefani and I had, from the day I found out I was growing her, until the moment she was birth, carried into my arms and onto my chest. I love birthing and I can not wait to do it again.




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