PARENTHOOD.IE

My name is Eimear O’Reilly and I am Momma to Mia Rose who is four and a half and Finn who is twenty months. I have a physical disability that requires me to walk with the aid of crutches. Other than that I’m quite independent and I do all the things mams usually do.

It was always my hearts desire to have children but like any new mam-to-be, when I found out I was pregnant I was filled with both excitement and anxiousness, all at the same time, and with a physical disability I found the thought of giving birth quite daunting. It was simply a fear of the unknown. I bought a few books on pregnancy and giving birth but found little or nothing on mams-to-be with disabilities.

On my first appointment at 12 weeks in Holles Street I was lucky enough to speak with one of the wonderful community midwives there. I relayed my worries about giving birth naturally and she quickly dispelled them. She first pointed me in the direction of the physiotherapist who was really encouraging and positive about giving birth naturally and from there I attended for a session with her every two weeks during my pregnancy.

She gave me excercises to improve my core muscles and other ones to do on the gym ball that would help make things easier during the birthing process. She also gave me a bump support that protected my back muscles. Later in the pregnancy, from 5 months on, I suffered from sciatica. With the help of the physio, the therapist showed me ways to deal with the pain and discomfort by doing some gentle excercise. I would recommend anyone, but most especially anyone with a disability, to make an appointment to see the physiotherapist at their maternity hospital.

"I suffered from sciatica. With the help of the physio, the therapist
showed me ways to deal with the pain and discomfort
by doing some gentle excercise"

From there the Community Midwife also directed me to the classes that took place in Holle street. The ante natal classes were every two weeks that were veryinformative in relation to what to expect from the various stages of labou. They also had a wonderful yoga teacher, who was also one of the community midwifes that ran sessions of 6 week yoga classses for pregnancy. This was a wonderful class to do and for some of the yoga positions that you would otherwise do in a standing position I used a gym ball to help with these positions in the class. This helped me to participate fully in the classes. I would recommend anyone, despite their physical limitations, to try and participate in the classes, along with the breathing , relaxation and yoga positions, you also come away with a wealth of knoweldge that is both uplifting and empowering.

I was very lucky to avail of all this information early on in my pregnancy, so by the time it came to giving birth I was completely empowered and had an Inner belief that I could do it all myself. As it happened I went 10 days over with Mia Rose and was brought in to be induced. I had my mind made up that I was going to avoid an epidural, if at all possible, as in my case it would completely limit my mobility and I could very well end up having to have an emergency cescarian.

I walked the corridors and stairs around unit 3 in Holles street until I was ready to go up to the delivery suite. The contractions are like nothing you have experienced before, so its very hard to describe them, but if you focus on your breathing when they begin this will get you through them.

"By the time it came to giving birth I was completely empowered
and had an Inner belief that I could do it all myself"

We as women were born to do this and if you just have a little self belief then this carries you through the better half of the labour experience. I would recommend that while you are waiting around for labour to begin or progress, you request a gym ball to sit or bounce on. I found, in my experience, it helped bring the labour pains on and to get the baby in the correct postion for giving birth.

As soon as I arrived at the delivery room I got some gas and air and found this great along with the breathing technique I had learned in the yoga for pregnancy classes. As soon as the contractions are begining its recommended to start taking in deep breaths, it gets you over the peek of the contraction.

The midwife assisting was fantastic and I let her know that I wanted to be able to move around and change position when the time came to do all the pushing. So under her guidance, with a few changes in position and with some mighty big pushes my beautiful Mia Rose arrived into the world.

Another very important aspect for a mam-to-be with a disability, is to get in contact with the patient liason officer attached to your maternity hospital. As they will ensure that any needs or requirements you might have along with your disability are taken into consideration when the time comes for you to give birth. The patient liason officer was excellent in Holles street and facilaited access to an accessible room with a disabled shower and toilet.

"Bit of advice I can give any mam-to-be with a disability is to be vocal,
from the very begining of your pregnancy right through to the birthing process"

The most important bit of advice I can give any mam-to-be with a disability is to be vocal, from the very begining of your pregnancy right through to the birthing process. Let everyone know how you would like the experience to go or else have someone there through your labour who can relay your wishes and desires for your birthing experience.

It is because of this inital positive experience with my first baby, that I sailed through the delivery of my beautiful baby son Finn. I was equipped with the knowledge and know how of all that is involved and my hopes for how things would go.

Last but not least, another positive contributing factor is a great man by your side and I have to say I would have been lost without my husband Sean’s support through my birthing experiences.

I want to wish any mam-to-be with a disability the very best of luck with their own birthing experience and I would be delighted to be a sorce of Light for anyone on any aspect of pregnancy and giving birth as a mam with a disability.