Search 0 Items
Click Here to Download FREE Pregnancy Meditation Mp3
Just let us know where to send it!

My long and interesting birth story with Uterus Didelphys and navigating the challenges

This post is long, and interesting!

You get 2 in 1. I hope it helps some of you trying to navigate your way through your journeys.

I was born with a uterine anomaly called Uterus Didelphys (UD).

I discovered this when trying to use tampons, which I was desperate for because of all the sport I was playing at 14yo. I have two complete uteri, two separate cervices, and I had a vaginal septum that I had removed at age 18 so I could start to use tampons.

My pregnancies were both IVF as I needed a sperm donor, first and second embryo babies, and very uneventful. I was told by various specialists over the course of 15 years that due to the smaller surface area of my uteri, I may experience “premature” delivery, cervical incompetence and IGUR; none of this eventuated with two spontaneous labours at 39+5 (3195g 49cm) and 40+1 (3510g 51cm).

There is not a lot of evidenced based research on this anomaly, and I relied heavily on the experiences of approximately 2000 women from around the world in a Facebook group. Most have planned sections, but a number have had successful vaginal deliveries and VBAC’s. I read every peer reviewed paper I could get my hands on, saw doctors who specialised in uterine anomalies and informed myself about the physiology of birth as well as interventions by reading and listening to anything I could get my hands on.

My first babe was born on 25 June 2021 at KEMH. She was in my right uterus as my fertility specialist thought it would be best to go for the uterus that had slightly more surface area. I had care through Perth Maternity and the Blue Obstetric Team. I had all the standard ultrasounds, which included cervical checks, the GD test, the swabs and the blood tests. At 32 weeks I had weekly scans. I didn’t take much note of the numbers and was mostly concerned that my cervix remained long and thin.

I had a good experience until 38 weeks when I saw a doctor in the clinic who pulled out the induction book within minutes, lifted her pen and asked what date suited me next week. I began to ask questions and was met with: IVF higher risk of still birth after 40 weeks, all the “risks” of UD, better to be safe etc. I asked her to get the consultant. She did and the two of them sat in front of me telling me the risks, meanwhile I knew in my head that the increased risk of IVF/stillbirth was very tiny… as for the UD risks… I didn’t have the guts to state I probably knew more than them….. I booked an appointment to get them off my back and rang up two hours later and cancelled it. No going back to the hospital until go time.

My babe let me know it was her time to enter the world on Wednesday night at 10pm when I sat down and there was a gush of water. Around 2am was the first surge – nothing serious. By 11am at the supermarket I was having to stop and breathe through them. By 1pm I was vomiting. I vomited every contraction (about 3-4 an hour) until 4:30pm when I couldn’t stand up and was struggling to communicate with my partner, nor could I tolerate any of the fluid or food I had prepared. As a result, she called our midwife and MFAU and they both said we should go in. I don’t remember much of the next few hours. After I vomited halfway across the crossing outside KEMH, my partner carried me up to MFAU where I had a VE and was assessed at 4cm. I was taken to the suite and given oral anti-nausea which I couldn’t keep down. An hour passed and I was still vomiting. Amy knew I wanted minimal intervention, and also knew I wanted to be in control of my decision making, and in the state I was in that was questionable. She told me that the midwife said she could give me some anti-nausea but would require a cannula. I took some time to think and consented to this. It was a truly horrible 20 minutes as the doctor struggled to get it in. I did cease vomiting and with the IV fluids, felt moderately better.

With huge support from Amy and the midwife, I managed to move around for the next five hours, trying to get my body into different positions. I tried the warm shower which made me vomit again. At 11pm I asked for a VE and was told I was 3cm. Deflating, and as a result, I requested an epidural which was the option I knew that I wanted if it came to that. The relief was something I will never forget, although I asked for a minimal dose and still felt each surge. I stomached my pre-prepared labour drink, ate some food and read my birthing notes and really enjoyed my music. The CTG monitoring indicated that I was “ready” around 3am, and I consented to another VE where I was told I was 10cm.

I pushed for 45 minutes, of course, with their guidance. Nothing happened except my fear that my eyeballs were about to pop, and I said to the midwives in the room that although I can’t feel too much, I know that my baby is pushing against something and is not pushing through it. I stopped pushing and asked for the doctor. The registrar came, did another VE and then spoke to us. She said she had read my birth notes, knew I wanted a vaginal delivery, which she wanted for me too, and she wanted to get the consultant as she needed more guidance. In they both came 10 minutes later. Another VE and it was apparently 7cm, although the registrar felt it was less. I could sense the bewilderment in the room. I asked for my options and was told them all, but they also said that my baby and I were doing fine so if I wanted to keep going I could. It was after 4am by now. I asked them for another three hours and we agreed on that. They were very nice to me, listened, knew my wishes, spoke to me respectfully and I didn’t feel pressure from them.

Uterus Didelphys, birth challenges, King Edward Memorial Hospital, physiological birth, vaginal birth, Back to Basics Birthing, antenatal classes Perth, midwife Perth, Perth midwife, how to birth out of my vagina, two uterus, two cervixes

At 7am I had had enough of being in that room, and I felt the confusion around dilatation wasn’t going to get any better. I knew new staff would be appearing soon, I didn’t want to tell my story to a whole new group of people. Who knew what kind of doctor I was going to get next! I also wanted to hold my baby. I asked for the two doctors again and told them I wanted to get my baby out. My red headed daughter was born to Whitney’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody at 7.30am in an unplanned and relatively peaceful c-section on her due date.

Turned out both my cervices had dilated, one to 3cm and one to 4cm, and the discovery of a lump of scar tissue between my cervices most probably from the vaginal septum removal.

No issues to breastfeed, straightforward scar healing, and a terrible dose of baby blues in the coming days. I had no complications worthy of noting.

Eighteen months later and I had those ‘I want another baby’ feelings. We planned for September, and babe had a due date of July 12, 2023. There was no question in my mind I was having a VBAC, and my fertility specialist placed the embryo in my left and unscarred uterus to reduce the push back. I attempted to find a private midwife with little luck as there was a conference in Bali in early July. I got a place in MGP4 and had the 20 weeks scan and nothing else. I read Hazel Keedle’s book, joined this group, spoke to VBAC friends I trusted, didn’t engage with many others in birth talk, did Vicki Hobbs’ VBAC birth course privately with partner (HIGHLY RECOMMEND), read all your stories, listened to podcasts, and didn’t enter the obstetric clinic until 36 weeks.

Babe was breech and I knew early this was not going to change as my daughter hardly moved her overall position from 25 weeks. I did all the Spinning Babies moves, walked, yogied, swam, talked to babe… I knew I would have an ECV to increase chances of VBAC, regardless of the lowered chance of success considering the surface area of my uterus. At the 36-week VBAC consent appointment I asked for a bedside ultrasound to confirm the breech, signed the ECV and VBAC paperwork and booked in for the ECV the following week. I felt very emotional in that clinic, and I didn’t realise what a trigger it was. At 37 weeks I presented to MFAU for the ECV. In came the doctor and I put my PPE on as I felt some ego vibes. I asked if he was the most experienced available and he said no that Dr Pippa was here too. Dr Pippa was the doctor that delivered my daughter and as the tears began to roll down my face from relief and all other emotions, I told him to please go and get her and they could do it together. He did, and after he attempted for about 10 minutes, she took over and 5 minutes later my baby had turned. I couldn’t stop the crying from sheer shock and relief, and she comforted me whilst we shared photos of our babies (she was pregnant when I birthed my daughter). She wished me luck.

At 40+1 labour started with an extremely full-on surge at midnight on 13/07. Within 90 minutes I had hit the “call us” 3x60s in 10-minute mark. There were no signs of labour prior to the first surge. I had already told myself I wanted to wait until first urges to push, which we did, and we called the midwife at 4am. We were in the birth suite by 4:35am. I tried to implement everything Vicki had taught us, and I had learned from other sources – keep environment dark, wait for initial VE, breathing techniques, movement into different positions, low pitch noises, hydration, TENS etc. I had far more detailed birth notes, which I had had the midwife scan onto the system so everyone had a copy at hand. Knowing what happened last time, I had Ondansetron at hand, and I took it at onset of labour to suppress the vomiting. To say it was sensational is an understatement – it changed the course of this baby’s labour. I had a VE at 6:30am by midwife and my cervix was 6cm. I then overheard her say to my partner that I will have a baby in my arms very soon.

Over the course of the next 4 hours, the surges increased in frequency as I expected and I was no longer able to have little rests between the surges. With every surge my uterus pushed. It was a completely involuntary experience, an unbelievable feeling that I naturally wanted to go with. My secondary midwife had arrived by now. I knew her well. She didn’t intervene in this, continued to encourage me through it and let the pushing happen. We moved locations, moved limbs, sat on the toilet, used balls, squatted, kneeled, roared, drank fluids, held hands and kept the affirmations going. There was no more switching the mode of the tens.

This continued until 10am and I began to say things to Amy and the midwife that I felt like my baby was hitting a brick wall, which to me felt like it was a bowling ball trying to push through my anus. I had this intuitive feeling that there was a block, and I needed to shift the block. Whether I made this up in my brain as I wasn’t bearing the pain any more or going to the narrative of my first birth, I don’t know. I asked the midwife if we could do anything and she said keep changing the positions and breathing as I had been, so we continued to try different things. I had some intermittent monitoring since arrival, approximately every 20 – 30 minutes, although between 10-11am it was more frequent, 4 times in the hour.

Around 11am my midwife said to me the doctor wanted to come in and speak to me. Two others had been in much earlier when I arrived and I’d asked them politely not to come back as they suggested continuous monitoring and a cannula and this was an absolute no for me, as per my birth notes. I consented to the doctor this time. He was a very respectful, kind man and had a gentle presence. He said he had read my notes and was aware of my desire for a VBAC, which he felt I would achieve by the way things were progressing. He then asked me how I was going and feeling, I responded, and then told me the intermittent monitoring was showing that my heart rate was elevated (and had been averaged 140-150 over the last hour). I told him I wasn’t too worried about that, and went on to describe my sensations and what he advised may help my sense of block. He said they could rupture my membranes if I would like. I asked for 15 minutes, thought about it, and then declined.

Forty-five minutes later the midwife said he was asking to come back into room to speak to me. As he walked into the room I had a fair bit of bright red blood fall out onto the floor. I was concerned but nobody else seemed too bothered. He said my average heart rate had risen again and asked if he could take my blood pressure. I consented. It was 140/110. No alarm bells started ringing in my head, but I must admit I was feeling weaker, and my brain was more foggy than it had been. Quite frankly I was too focused on the bowling ball to feel much else! Just prior to him doing the BP I reiterated to him I felt I had hit a wall and had a sense in my body my baby was up against something. I remember telling him everything I knew about physiological birth and asked him why my body was showing every sign of pushing my baby out without having my babe in my arms. He didn’t say much but reassured me I was trying my best and to continue.

Whilst he was still in the room I asked him again what my options were to get my baby out. Amy said to me this is the third time you are asking for help because that is what I had asked her to do in my birth notes. I said yes. He then said he could check my dilatation again if I consented. I did. It was 6cm. I then asked for advice again. Amy asked me again if I was sure and I said yes. He said given heart rate, blood pressure, no change in cervix and the blood loss, plus my history and anatomy that it may be a good idea to calm my body down with epidural. I could definitely sense concern from him which was different to the first time he came in. I had written in the birth plan that epidural could be mentioned if I asked for help more than 3 times. I asked for time, he left, and I spoke to my midwife and Amy. We agreed fairly quickly that it was a logical step. I asked for him to come back in and I asked for the epidural but wanted to give it one hour to kick in and if things weren’t calming down, then I will opt for a section over instrumental delivery. He echoed the idea of the midwife saying the pain relief may calm my body and allow my cervix to dilate more. I thanked him for considering my wishes and the epidural was under way.

Nothing changed in the next hour and a bit, 159 BPM average heart rate as per the CTG, BP had risen further, and I was now presenting with a temperature of 39degcel. Furthermore, the catheter that had been placed in bladder was protruding under the skin and it was up near my belly button. That was a very strange feeling. I had another bleed on the bed, this time much more blood. It was at this point the intensity in the room rose again. The two doctors with me now called my midwife over to the bed and told me they were very worried about me, my bladder, my body. They said they don’t know what is happening exactly but considering my circumstances, my history, and all that has happened in the last 12 hours we ask that you consider heading to the theatre. I asked him for a minute alone with my partner and midwife. He said he would wait outside. I looked at my midwife and she said I know this is not what you want but I believe this is the best thing for you and your baby. We agreed, and my baby boy was out within minutes.

Uterus Didelphys, birth challenges, King Edward Memorial Hospital, physiological birth, vaginal birth, Back to Basics Birthing, antenatal classes Perth, midwife Perth, Perth midwife, how to birth out of my vagina, two uterus, two cervixes

The section was by far a more intense, quicker experience, a production line that was so efficient. A completely different experience to the first birth. It was longer too, as they ran a number of tests on my bladder. I spent two nights in the Adult Special Care Unit, and then two more nights on the ward. I had no issues with breastfeeding again, and no baby blues this time. I did end up with a lower abdominal hernia, the protrusion the size of three fingers, unrelated to the section or pregnancy, and likely from the enduring pressure in my abdomen during labour. I have managed to reduce its size with rehabilitation. I had faecal incontinence for a number of months which, after a lot of physio, has ceased. Apart from that, the issues with my body during the labour eventuated to very little.

Despite the rapidness of the surgery, I was still able to use my voice. I asked the anaesthetist as we were heading in to refrain from administering morphine as a pain relief. I also asked her to refrain from administering antibiotics until after my son was out as I did not want this pumping through my placenta. There was some push back from the paediatricians, however having my birth notes on file and asking them to simply read them ensured my baby was placed on my chest and my partner announced the sex, amongst other things I knew I wanted to decline. These prepared notes were invaluable.

The consultant came to see me twice in ASCU in the 48 hours post birth. I asked him what he thought happened. He said to me he was sorry he couldn’t answer my question because he really didn’t know. He said there is a mass of scar tissue between my cervices, my left cervix only had dilated to 6cm and the scar on my right uterus was fine. He was sorry he couldn’t help facilitate my vaginal birth and hoped my recovery was okay. His departing words were you and your uteri are a mystery! Some may have taken offence to this comment. I found it honest, as many have tried to tell me things without actually knowing, which I find lacking humility and patronising. Whilst I can sit here and read into the series of events that took place and lay blame on the coercion that does exist in the system, I know in my gut everyone who was by my side during those birthing hours wanted me to achieve my vaginal birth and attempted to get my there with respect and kindness.

The birth of my boy was empowering in many respects. I am proud of the way my body managed to endure all those hours of surges and urges to push my boy out. The primal roar is with me for life.

However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. What if I had accepted the rupturing of my membranes? Why did I have so many hours of involuntary urges to push, all the signs of a baby’s imminent arrival and no change to my cervix? Was there a position I missed to move my baby into a better position? Should I have ignored the readings of my vitals? Is my anatomy truly playing a role in my dilatation? Should I have waited longer? Should I have birthed at home without stepping foot in the system? All these “what ifs”, many that I will never have answers to.

A year later I feel more at peace. I have never felt traumatised. I am so lucky to be English speaking, literate and articulate, and my knowledge empowered me to look after myself and my baby in the system. A lesson in itself. In regard to processing the birth, this past year has been a grieving process for the childhood fantasy of childbirth that I thought I would have. As an athlete for much of my life, I wanted my body to perform the ultimate athletic act which I truly believed it was capable of doing. I imagine it is like training for that gold medal, to then get a silver with a slower than your best time. A bit cheated by my body! I know I did my utmost to prepare myself and those around me, and assert my needs and desires, especially when it counted. It has given me a strength I never knew I had. Sometimes in life things happen without any control, and our capacity to pick up the pieces, join the dots and rise again in all our strength and power is what is most important.

Nicola
Perth, 2024

Contact Vicki

If you have any questions or would just like more information please don't hesitate to get in touch by clicking the button below and filling out the contact form.

Contact Vicki
Vicki Hobbs

Fill Out The Form Below

    About Vicki Hobbs

    My name is Vicki Hobbs and I am a Childbirth Educator (Back to Basics Birthing), Hypnobirthing Practitioner, Certified VBAC Educator, Remedial Massage Therapist specialising in Pregnancy & Postpartum Massage, Birth & Postpartum Doula, Certified Placenta Encapsulator, Hypnotherapist, Aromatherapist, Reiki Practitioner and Life Coach.

    Read More