ABOUT US
Intra-maternal cardiac arrest and dural puncture weren't terms I was familiar with when I was pregnant, but they were unfortunately thrown in my face after my first labour.
"I'm sorry but there's no heart beat" were words I wasn't expecting to hear when I was 32 weeks pregnant with my second.
Two pregnancies and two very different experiences, but both have left lasting hurt and the reasons why I started BHOOMI babe. The name.. well growing up my Grandmother and my Mother would refer to a soft feeling, cosy blanket as a bhoomi blanket. Seemed fitting!
Owner of BHOOMI babe and Mum of 2 with a bit of a story to tell...
Due to a high epidural block during the birth of my daughter in 2020, I went into cardiac arrest while in labour. I needed 12 minutes of CPR (my daughter also needing CPR once born) and had a forceps delivery while unconscious, all right in front of my husband. I woke thinking I was permanently blind as my optic nerve had been temporarily affected by the epidural and was told that I had my baby. I saw my daughter for the first time in a photo. I assumed I had a C-section but when I was told they were going to 'start stitching me up' I quickly realised they weren't stitching my stomach!
That was just the delivery, the postpartum period was equally as horrible as I also had a dural puncture. This meant I was leaking spinal fluid and had the worst headache I had ever experienced... for two weeks straight. The only way for me to not feel as though my skull was being crushed was to lay horizontally 24/7.
So, Mum for the first time and I have to do it all laying on my back.
Cool. No problem *rolls eyes*
I was so uncomfortable and cold each nightly feed but desperately trying to enjoy my new baby and begin the difficult journey of breastfeeding. In the early hours of November 2020, the idea for BHOOMI was born.
10 months on and morning sickness and fatigue strikes again. Absolutely terrified at the thought of having to go through another labour I put all my energy into working towards a more positive journey, connecting with my growing baby and trying to re-write my thoughts around birth. At 32 weeks I had noticed reduced movements and spent a couple of days being monitored but all was looking well. With no movements at all we proceeded to go back to the hospital and on the 29th March 2022 we were told that they were unable to find a heartbeat. We were completely blindsided by the news as we had put all of our energy into preparing for the labour and couldn't imagine anything bad happening during the pregnancy.
We had never felt devastation and sadness quite like this before. Our little boy Oakley was born sleeping on the 31st March 2022 at 9.05am and gifted us with the most beautiful labour and birth we could have imagined.
Oakley is why we donate money from every BHOOMI Blanket sold to Stillbirth Foundation Australia and Still Aware, to help them change the incidence and impact of stillbirth.
My family thanks you for taking the time to read our story, support our small business and hopefully make a bit of a difference along the way.
- J