A traumatic birth

Hi there,

After 21 years you can afford yourself a lot of hindsight.

So I thought I'd go back into the mists of time, to when my eldest son Anthony was first born - to see if there are any obvious clues as to why Anthony was born with dyspraxia.

Certainly there is some evidence of Anxiety in the family roots, but for now I'll concentrate on the main events leading up to and just after Anthony's birth.

Always being an impatient child .. Anthony decided he'd turn up for duty five weeks earlier than expected - at 01.15 - on 15 May 1987.

I guess we'd done the thing everyone warns you not to do ..

Yes we had moved to a new house - earlier that same day.

I'm told that moving house is only marginally less stressful than family bereavement!... and after the events of that day .. I can certainly believe it.

Shortly after all the furniture had been moved into the new home, my wife, Debbie, who was a trained nurse decided to hang up the bedroom curtains - this was probably a bit too strenuous to do in her condition .. and unknown to me she went into the first stages of labour in the early evening.

I was too busy shifting boxes to notice anything wrong and Debbie despite all the signs that her pregnancy was now at a very advanced stage - remained in denial to herself, even when "the plug" came out and contractions started coming every 2 minutes.

And it was only as I was ready to collapse into our bed at 23.00 that evening, that I heard a small quiet voice say .. "Des I think we'd better go to the hospital ... now".

So in a state of disbelief .. and a Rover 800 saloon ... we made our way to Frimley Park hospital http://www.frimleypark.nhs.uk/


Every one likes the thought of a natural birth .... and the hospital was horribly noisy, the distinctive smell of antiseptic, and harsh lighting everywhere.. but at least you knew there would be a Doctor nearby if things became tricky.

As the Doctors' checked Debbie out - I was holding her hand tightly .. but making sure I was standing a long way from the "business end".

The Doctors - when they realised Anthony's foetal heartbeat was increasing - and he was showing signs of distress, they told us that they'd have to get him out quick ... and that meant breaking the waters and giving Debbie a pretty severe episiotomy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episiotomy

Anthony came out in one quick movement - head first .. and face down .. leaving me with the horrifying suspicion he'd been born with no face!

I focussed my attention on Debbie .. but was acutely aware in the background that Anthony had not cried for at least a minute after he was born .. and it was a huge relief when he eventually cried out and started breathing.

He looked like a tiny doll, weighing in at - a less than strapping - 4lbs 5 ounces (just 2 Kilos)

Who knows if that lack of oxygen in the first 45-60 seconds was partly to blame for his dyspraxic condition?

Anthony was wrapped in aluminium foil - looking for all the world like a hastily made picnic lunch - and rushed off to the SCBU intensive baby care unit.

Debbie was left - lying awake all night in the hospital wondering if Anthony was alive or dead.

While I made my way home at 03.00 to our new house - not sure if it had really happened or if it was a surreal video.

The journey had begun.