WEBVTT - The Mum Who Overcame A Spinal Cord Injury “Your Body Will Just Take Over” 

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<v Speaker 1>You're listening to a MoMA Mia podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters

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<v Speaker 2>that this podcast is recorded on. We pay our respects

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<v Speaker 2>to elders past, present and emerging and feel privileged to

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<v Speaker 2>continue the sharing of birth stories and knowledge that has

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<v Speaker 2>been a fundamental part of Indigenous culture. Hi. I'm Cassenia

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<v Speaker 2>Lukic and this is diary of a birth. Today's story

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<v Speaker 2>is a rare one. The challenges of people with the

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<v Speaker 2>disability are seldom spoken about in Australia, let alone mothers

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<v Speaker 2>living with a spinal cord injury. But in speaking about

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<v Speaker 2>it today, I was in awe of the way today's

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<v Speaker 2>mum overcame the obstacles in her path.

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<v Speaker 1>You've got to adapt in many ways, I guess, to

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<v Speaker 1>get things done. It's not necessarily the physical, like not

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<v Speaker 1>having been able to walk, But there's so much more

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<v Speaker 1>to having a spinal cord injury. And i'd beg part

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<v Speaker 1>that is that you have a neurological bladder and DAO.

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<v Speaker 2>And did so with the sense of humor.

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<v Speaker 1>So I've gone to the bathroom, I've gone to put

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<v Speaker 1>a catheter in, and as I've gone to put a

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<v Speaker 1>catheter in I could just feel his head, so his

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<v Speaker 1>head was just there and I just started screaming on

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<v Speaker 1>the toilet.

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<v Speaker 2>So let's meet her now.

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<v Speaker 1>Hi, my name is Georgia Inglis and this is my

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<v Speaker 1>dary of a bath with little Austin.

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<v Speaker 2>Georgia Inglish is an Australian wheelchair basketball player. She was

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<v Speaker 2>part of the Australian women's national wheelchair basketball team and

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<v Speaker 2>is a Commonwealth Games silver medallist. But her proudest moment was,

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<v Speaker 2>of course becoming a mum in the face of so

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<v Speaker 2>many challenges because Georgia suffered a tragic spinal cord injury

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<v Speaker 2>as a child.

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<v Speaker 1>I acquired my spinal cord injury when I was ten

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<v Speaker 1>years old. So we were in there a backyard of

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<v Speaker 1>a neighbor's house and pro'll be doing things that we

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<v Speaker 1>shouldn't have, playing around with a lawnmower. I often say

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<v Speaker 1>that my accident was a preventable accident, but a very

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<v Speaker 1>wise woman who once told me that I guess anything

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<v Speaker 1>is preventable. Literally with this second, things can change, So

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<v Speaker 1>it is what it is. But yeah, I was run

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<v Speaker 1>over by a rather lawmower, so just a tractor in

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<v Speaker 1>our neighbor's backyard by a young boy who was driving.

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<v Speaker 1>So my spun I've got injury resulted in a teach

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<v Speaker 1>one complete paraplegic, So that pretty much means like no

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<v Speaker 1>feeling from below the waist.

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<v Speaker 2>After this life altering event, she built an incredible mindset

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<v Speaker 2>in her love of sport. It was in her blood.

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<v Speaker 1>I got to learn, I guess how to adapt and

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<v Speaker 1>minimize my disability, if that makes sense. So like I

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<v Speaker 1>would make do I use the example of say my

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<v Speaker 1>friend I'd be saying at her house and she would

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<v Speaker 1>have stairs. I would just comb up the stairs is

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<v Speaker 1>what we call it when they and she would carry

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<v Speaker 1>my wheelchair. So like, I've just learned to adapt with

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<v Speaker 1>my disabilities. I come from an extremely sportive family. I

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<v Speaker 1>was always going to get into sports. After my accident.

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<v Speaker 1>It was just kind of finding what sport that would be,

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<v Speaker 1>and then yeah, I found basketball and it was life changing.

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<v Speaker 1>When I went to basketball, you kind of surrounded with

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<v Speaker 1>people who are very very similar to your disability, and

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<v Speaker 1>then there's a lot of opportunities that come with playing sports.

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<v Speaker 1>So I was able to go and travel to America

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<v Speaker 1>and play overseas. So I went to the University of

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<v Speaker 1>Alabama and I did my masters over there, which is

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<v Speaker 1>probably my proudest moment with sport.

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<v Speaker 2>But Georgia wanted a baby so much.

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<v Speaker 1>We were trying for a while, and to be honest,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't really believe it. I a few years prior

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<v Speaker 1>had a miscarriage, so it was something that didn't really

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<v Speaker 1>feel real for the entire pregnancy, to be honest. But yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>we were super excited. It didn't feel real for so.

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<v Speaker 2>Long, so when it finds only happened, she was navigating

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<v Speaker 2>a whole new world.

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<v Speaker 1>My partner and I, like were known to be very,

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<v Speaker 1>very cruisy, and we just didn't plan or do anything.

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<v Speaker 1>We did all the main things for the pregnancy, But

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<v Speaker 1>I guess when I very first found out I wasnant,

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<v Speaker 1>I was searching, searching for what specialists or people that

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<v Speaker 1>had had experience with people with a spinal cord injury,

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<v Speaker 1>and I got talking to this lady. It was just

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<v Speaker 1>a brief phone call at the start of the pregnancy,

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<v Speaker 1>and she kind of was like telling me what to expect.

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<v Speaker 1>And then part of that phone call was she did

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<v Speaker 1>tell me she was like, you'd be amazed at what

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<v Speaker 1>your body can do. It will just take over and

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<v Speaker 1>give birth. And she was like, I've had experienced quadriplegics

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<v Speaker 1>and they've done nothing and then able to give birth naturally.

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<v Speaker 1>So she was like, if anything, I'm going to tell you,

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<v Speaker 1>it's just go to the hospital when you're in labor

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<v Speaker 1>because it will happen relatively quickly as your body will

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<v Speaker 1>kind of just take.

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<v Speaker 2>Over bathing in the glow of pregnancy. Georgia then ran

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<v Speaker 2>into some complications.

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<v Speaker 1>Throughout my entire pregnancy. I had a lot of kidney issues.

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<v Speaker 1>So like I would say, my pregnancy was relatively smooth

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<v Speaker 1>besides for a lot of having kidney issues. So as

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<v Speaker 1>I use a capatter to go to the bathroom, so

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<v Speaker 1>like that kind of leaves me vulnerable to infections and

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<v Speaker 1>like euties, so obviously with a low immune system when

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<v Speaker 1>you're pregnant, it kind of makes it ten times worse.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, I experienced a lot of utiyes and there

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<v Speaker 1>was a few times where it like went so quickly

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<v Speaker 1>up into my kidneys, like I'm talking within the day.

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<v Speaker 1>And that pain was the pain that I just cannot explain.

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<v Speaker 1>It was pain that I've never experienced in my entire life,

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<v Speaker 1>Like honestly, to this day. I've never had pain like

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<v Speaker 1>that with the kidney infection, so I had to be hospitalized.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it ended up being like three or four

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<v Speaker 1>times throughout my pregnancy, which was pretty traumatic. And then

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<v Speaker 1>on top of that, there was one time that was

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<v Speaker 1>really really bad infection and my body started like because

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<v Speaker 1>it was like, okay, I've just got to fight this infection.

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<v Speaker 1>So like it was projecting Austin, so it was like, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>like spasmy like contracting almost to push Austin out to

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<v Speaker 1>like fight this infection. So that was super, super traumatic.

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<v Speaker 1>Besides for the kidney issues, my pregnancy was relatively normal.

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<v Speaker 2>After overcoming her kidney infection. George's pregnancy was pretty conventional,

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<v Speaker 2>and her and her partner Mitch, approached the whole process

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<v Speaker 2>in a unique way.

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<v Speaker 1>I guess we didn't really know what to expect because

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<v Speaker 1>it's your first pregnancy, and I'm someone who didn't really

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<v Speaker 1>look into it. I was just kind of like, okay,

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<v Speaker 1>like I'll just go along and experience it as it

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<v Speaker 1>is and I'm sure they'll tell me along the way.

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<v Speaker 1>So my partner and I we went to baby bunting

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<v Speaker 1>and this is like our first like like real shop

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<v Speaker 1>that we were going to do, and we went in

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<v Speaker 1>and we both just looked at each other and unbelievably overwhelmed,

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<v Speaker 1>and we just walked out and we went to the

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<v Speaker 1>tool shop next door and bought a dropsaw to like

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<v Speaker 1>do like renovations instead. We thought that was more important.

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<v Speaker 1>And like towards the end of my pregnancy, my mom

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<v Speaker 1>kept she was like, Georgie, you don't have anything, like

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<v Speaker 1>you need more than a pram and a bit like

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<v Speaker 1>you need more stuff. So we were just very, very

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<v Speaker 1>cruisy throughout the entire pregnancy.

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<v Speaker 2>Georgia carried her breezy outlook the whole way through.

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<v Speaker 1>So like when I get to my birth, that was

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<v Speaker 1>kind of like could not have been more us if

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<v Speaker 1>we tried. I was finishing up for my PhD, So

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<v Speaker 1>I was just doing interviews, and I even had interviews

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<v Speaker 1>on the day that I gave birth because we weren't

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<v Speaker 1>planning to convert that day. My plan was to get

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<v Speaker 1>induced the following week because so I was like a

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<v Speaker 1>high risk pregnancy, and the doctors kind of wanted to,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess, control what they could control, so they were

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<v Speaker 1>going to plan to induce me and have me in there,

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<v Speaker 1>and so like I thought I had a list time,

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<v Speaker 1>so I hadn't packed a hospital bag, I hadn't done

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<v Speaker 1>any thinking like that. The room wasn't really even set

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<v Speaker 1>up yet. I just thought that I would get to

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<v Speaker 1>it once I kind of switched off from my PhD

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<v Speaker 1>and had the last day of that.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know about you, but I did not sleep

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<v Speaker 2>well during my pregnancy at all, so Georgia waking up

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<v Speaker 2>in the middle of the night didn't really cause her

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<v Speaker 2>much concern.

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<v Speaker 1>So I woke up at two am, and like, I

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<v Speaker 1>just thought it was another you know, insomnia, and I

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<v Speaker 1>had read about Braxton Higgs contractions because I started getting

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<v Speaker 1>tight feelings over my belly and then on top of that,

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<v Speaker 1>I started getting a very very similar pain to when

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<v Speaker 1>I had kidney infections, so I was also thinking, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>it's probably another kidney infection. And then previous tobout what

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<v Speaker 1>I would do is I would wait for my partner

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<v Speaker 1>to wake up. He's terrible on nose, like terrible, so

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<v Speaker 1>I was like, I'll wait for him to wake up.

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<v Speaker 1>His alarm was five point thirty, so it was two AM,

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<v Speaker 1>and I was kind of like just kind of like

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<v Speaker 1>in pain, but kind of just like rolling with it

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<v Speaker 1>and kind of going. I went into the lounge droom,

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<v Speaker 1>and I was like part of me thought, oh, oh,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe I am in labor, but then I was like,

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<v Speaker 1>surely not. So then I've gone like to the bathroom

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<v Speaker 1>and then like my waters had broken, but little did

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<v Speaker 1>I know that at the time, And then on top

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<v Speaker 1>of that, amitious plug later past, So like you think

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<v Speaker 1>I would put two and two together, but I just didn't.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know why. So I just thought I pete myself.

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<v Speaker 1>So I'm just like deal with that. And then it

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<v Speaker 1>got to like four thirty maybe five ish, and like

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<v Speaker 1>my belly was starting to tighten, but again, it wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>what I pictured contractions to be like. And I'm sure

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<v Speaker 1>that I couldn't feel actually what was going on in

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<v Speaker 1>my body, so I just feel like it was very

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<v Speaker 1>like on the surface contractions. So I started to like think, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe I am in labor, like we seem sauce. So

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<v Speaker 1>then I called the hospital and I just kind of

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<v Speaker 1>told them some of like what was going on and

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<v Speaker 1>about the like nucus plug and stuff like that, and

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<v Speaker 1>I was like, Okay, bring your bag in, we'll just

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<v Speaker 1>check you out. And in my head I was like,

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<v Speaker 1>haven't you packed my bag? So it was like ten

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<v Speaker 1>past five this stage, and I'm like, okay, shit, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to pack my bag. So I'm like racing around

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<v Speaker 1>the house like trying to pack my bag, and my

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<v Speaker 1>partner wakes up and he was like, what's going on?

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<v Speaker 1>And I was like, okay, so I've been up for

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<v Speaker 1>the past few hours. I've called the hospital. They suspect

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<v Speaker 1>I'm in labor, and he's like, why did you not

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<v Speaker 1>breake me? Like what is wrong with you, Georga? And

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<v Speaker 1>I was like, I just thought i'd let you sleep

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<v Speaker 1>and like let your alarm go off. So then he's rased,

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<v Speaker 1>had a shower. I couldn't think I haven't barely packed

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<v Speaker 1>anything in the hospital bag. We got to the hospital

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<v Speaker 1>and they've like taken us into the room, and I

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<v Speaker 1>don't think they even really suspected that I was in labor.

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<v Speaker 1>They just kind of, you know, where they checked the baby.

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<v Speaker 1>So they've put like the thing to check his heart rate,

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<v Speaker 1>and then they were started distress because his heart rate

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<v Speaker 1>was really low.

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<v Speaker 2>As her midwife was assessing her, Georgia was keen to

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<v Speaker 2>know how far how long she was.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, she's so casual, and she does the sweep

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<v Speaker 1>and she kind of looks at me and I was like, well,

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<v Speaker 1>am I in labor, Like what's going on? And then

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<v Speaker 1>she calmly said to me, yes, you're about nine centimeters dilated.

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<v Speaker 1>I started crying because I just hadn't mentally prepared and

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<v Speaker 1>she was like why crying, and I was like, I'll

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<v Speaker 1>just stop ready, like I'm not ready for him, and

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<v Speaker 1>she was like, well he's coming regardless. So yeah. So

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<v Speaker 1>then they like took us up to the room and

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<v Speaker 1>they were just kind of waiting for me to be

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<v Speaker 1>ready to start pushing, and I just was not interested yet,

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<v Speaker 1>Like I was just like nope, Like I was just

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<v Speaker 1>kind of hanging out for a little while. And then

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<v Speaker 1>they explained to it, like they were like, Okay, maybe

0:12:07.693 --> 0:12:10.573
<v Speaker 1>it's good to go empty your bladder before you start pushing.

0:12:11.253 --> 0:12:13.372
<v Speaker 1>My partner and I laugh at this part of the

0:12:13.413 --> 0:12:15.013
<v Speaker 1>story all the time. But so I've gone to the

0:12:15.013 --> 0:12:17.372
<v Speaker 1>bathroom and I've gone to put a catheter in, and

0:12:17.453 --> 0:12:19.213
<v Speaker 1>as I've gone to put a catheter in, I could

0:12:19.253 --> 0:12:22.093
<v Speaker 1>just feel his head. Yes, so his head was just

0:12:22.253 --> 0:12:28.293
<v Speaker 1>there and I just started screaming on the toilet and

0:12:28.493 --> 0:12:31.293
<v Speaker 1>Mitch comes like running in and he was like, are

0:12:31.333 --> 0:12:33.213
<v Speaker 1>you okay? And I was like, I can feel his heads,

0:12:33.253 --> 0:12:35.893
<v Speaker 1>Like I could feel his head and he was like, well,

0:12:35.933 --> 0:12:37.493
<v Speaker 1>I'm not really sure what you want me to do,

0:12:37.533 --> 0:12:40.333
<v Speaker 1>but there is like four midwibes out there, so they

0:12:40.373 --> 0:12:42.493
<v Speaker 1>came rushing in and they're like, okay, get on the bed,

0:12:42.613 --> 0:12:45.413
<v Speaker 1>like we're going to start pushing. And then literally, as

0:12:45.453 --> 0:12:48.493
<v Speaker 1>I've transferred onto the bed, the rest of my waters

0:12:48.493 --> 0:12:51.293
<v Speaker 1>are broken, and it like it was like a movie scene.

0:12:51.293 --> 0:12:54.693
<v Speaker 1>It was like just sprayed everywhere all over Midt.

0:12:55.173 --> 0:12:59.373
<v Speaker 2>Given George's spinal cord injury, she doesn't feel labor the

0:12:59.413 --> 0:13:03.293
<v Speaker 2>way that most women might, but after half an hour

0:13:03.333 --> 0:13:04.933
<v Speaker 2>of pushing, she was close.

0:13:05.413 --> 0:13:08.573
<v Speaker 1>Even with pushing, I didn't know whether I was pushing,

0:13:08.973 --> 0:13:11.133
<v Speaker 1>so I pushed for twenty seven minutes, but like it

0:13:11.213 --> 0:13:13.213
<v Speaker 1>was taking a while at one point, and you could

0:13:13.253 --> 0:13:15.853
<v Speaker 1>see that they were getting stressed and I was like,

0:13:15.973 --> 0:13:18.133
<v Speaker 1>I don't feel like I'm doing anything, and she was like, no,

0:13:18.213 --> 0:13:22.293
<v Speaker 1>trust me. When you push, like something's happening, there is movements.

0:13:22.373 --> 0:13:24.973
<v Speaker 1>So it was nice to get that reassurance from her.

0:13:25.413 --> 0:13:28.573
<v Speaker 1>And then Austin Yeah, came into the world. So he

0:13:28.733 --> 0:13:31.173
<v Speaker 1>arrived and it was a moment of relief, like he

0:13:31.333 --> 0:13:38.213
<v Speaker 1>was here and just like absolute happiness. To be honest,

0:13:38.213 --> 0:13:41.093
<v Speaker 1>Like I almost agree the first few minutes because it

0:13:41.133 --> 0:13:42.733
<v Speaker 1>was like a bit of a shock to the systems.

0:13:42.773 --> 0:13:44.453
<v Speaker 1>So they've like brought him up, and you know how

0:13:44.453 --> 0:13:45.253
<v Speaker 1>they bring him up in.

0:13:45.173 --> 0:13:48.253
<v Speaker 2>A rush like many of us, those first few moments

0:13:48.253 --> 0:13:51.413
<v Speaker 2>with Austin aside were not as Georgia expected.

0:13:51.773 --> 0:13:53.732
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, they brought him off onto me and I kind

0:13:53.733 --> 0:13:55.933
<v Speaker 1>of like was like, what is going on? And then

0:13:55.973 --> 0:13:58.813
<v Speaker 1>I felt sick afterwards, so like my partner had to

0:13:58.853 --> 0:14:00.813
<v Speaker 1>take him and do the skin in the skin and

0:14:00.933 --> 0:14:03.933
<v Speaker 1>I was just recovering. I think it was like for

0:14:04.053 --> 0:14:04.893
<v Speaker 1>like two hours.

0:14:04.973 --> 0:14:08.853
<v Speaker 2>So after their first few nights and weeks together, the

0:14:08.933 --> 0:14:10.453
<v Speaker 2>mama instincts took over.

0:14:10.893 --> 0:14:14.093
<v Speaker 1>I guess maybe it's normal, but I had overwhelming anxiety

0:14:14.093 --> 0:14:16.133
<v Speaker 1>in regards so I just had to protect him, which

0:14:16.173 --> 0:14:19.893
<v Speaker 1>I'm sure as partly normal. And then what I've learnt

0:14:19.973 --> 0:14:22.773
<v Speaker 1>later on is I just saw him as so vulnerable

0:14:22.813 --> 0:14:26.413
<v Speaker 1>and then having my injury also when I was younger,

0:14:26.493 --> 0:14:28.693
<v Speaker 1>I just it was like a little bit of a trauma,

0:14:28.773 --> 0:14:31.413
<v Speaker 1>if that makes sense. Like I was just so I

0:14:31.613 --> 0:14:34.733
<v Speaker 1>just wanted to protect him. And I was very, very,

0:14:34.893 --> 0:14:37.773
<v Speaker 1>very stressed the first few days, if not months, to

0:14:37.813 --> 0:14:40.773
<v Speaker 1>be honest, just because I guess anything could happen like

0:14:40.813 --> 0:14:43.773
<v Speaker 1>it did with me, so I was. It was very heightened.

0:14:44.413 --> 0:14:46.213
<v Speaker 1>I wish I couldn't say it was a beautiful time,

0:14:46.293 --> 0:14:49.573
<v Speaker 1>but I was just so heightened and so stressed. And

0:14:49.613 --> 0:14:52.733
<v Speaker 1>then Austin was like a severe colic baby for a

0:14:52.773 --> 0:14:57.053
<v Speaker 1>few months, so and not knowing obviously anything about a newborn,

0:14:57.533 --> 0:14:59.453
<v Speaker 1>it took me weeks to kind of realize that, like

0:14:59.493 --> 0:15:03.453
<v Speaker 1>something wasn't right and this wasn't normal what we're experiencing,

0:15:03.533 --> 0:15:05.333
<v Speaker 1>so like it was like a bit of a double whammy.

0:15:05.973 --> 0:15:08.813
<v Speaker 2>As the storm settled, Georgia felt a deep sense of

0:15:08.853 --> 0:15:12.693
<v Speaker 2>gratitude for her village and her love for Austin. She

0:15:12.813 --> 0:15:16.933
<v Speaker 2>believes that village is vital for other mothers, but particularly

0:15:17.053 --> 0:15:18.813
<v Speaker 2>those women with a disability.

0:15:19.213 --> 0:15:23.253
<v Speaker 1>I'm so lucky. My partner is beyond amazing. I don't

0:15:23.293 --> 0:15:25.333
<v Speaker 1>know what I would have done without him, So he

0:15:25.493 --> 0:15:28.813
<v Speaker 1>was kind of like my stability and rock throughout that,

0:15:29.133 --> 0:15:32.013
<v Speaker 1>especially the firstew weeks, both sides of the family, I

0:15:32.013 --> 0:15:35.453
<v Speaker 1>guess help us. It's very like a shock to the system.

0:15:36.093 --> 0:15:41.253
<v Speaker 1>A simple task just become so much more time consuming,

0:15:41.533 --> 0:15:45.973
<v Speaker 1>and like you've got to adapt in many ways, I

0:15:45.973 --> 0:15:48.653
<v Speaker 1>guess to get things done. I guess the one thing

0:15:49.693 --> 0:15:52.653
<v Speaker 1>that I've learned is that they also will adapt, so

0:15:52.933 --> 0:15:56.013
<v Speaker 1>your baby or your child adapts with you. And that's

0:15:56.013 --> 0:15:59.093
<v Speaker 1>probably been the most amazing thing to experience. Like Austin

0:15:59.213 --> 0:16:02.453
<v Speaker 1>is just so children, so happy. And I was actually

0:16:02.453 --> 0:16:04.933
<v Speaker 1>talking to a friend about this, who's a quadriplegic, and

0:16:04.973 --> 0:16:08.493
<v Speaker 1>he was saying how it's like his kids know, they

0:16:08.533 --> 0:16:11.493
<v Speaker 1>know when to mic around and I guess misbehave with

0:16:11.533 --> 0:16:14.813
<v Speaker 1>the parents and not too with another one. And that's

0:16:14.853 --> 0:16:17.453
<v Speaker 1>been the really, really, I guess, cool thing about it.

0:16:24.933 --> 0:16:29.493
<v Speaker 2>Georgia's story is very unique, so we've got Australia's favorite pediatrician,

0:16:29.573 --> 0:16:33.213
<v Speaker 2>doctor Gollie on hand to break down the medical perspective

0:16:33.613 --> 0:16:36.093
<v Speaker 2>on what their focus is when someone is giving birth

0:16:36.253 --> 0:16:38.573
<v Speaker 2>without any feeling below the waist.

0:16:39.133 --> 0:16:43.453
<v Speaker 3>Certainly, pregnancy and childbirth in particular present very unique challenges

0:16:43.493 --> 0:16:46.933
<v Speaker 3>for women who do have a spinal cord injury. There

0:16:46.933 --> 0:16:49.533
<v Speaker 3>are obvious reasons from a mobility point of view, but

0:16:49.933 --> 0:16:55.053
<v Speaker 3>they also require specialized care and awareness about specific complications

0:16:55.573 --> 0:16:58.893
<v Speaker 3>that may exist in those with a spinal cord injury.

0:16:58.973 --> 0:17:01.333
<v Speaker 3>So the easiest way to think about it is to

0:17:01.373 --> 0:17:04.773
<v Speaker 3>break it up to the pregnancy period and then the delivery.

0:17:05.173 --> 0:17:08.773
<v Speaker 3>During the pregnancy, there is a condition called autonomic dis

0:17:08.773 --> 0:17:12.973
<v Speaker 3>reflex out, which basically means that your autonomic system, which

0:17:13.133 --> 0:17:17.853
<v Speaker 3>controls your heart rage, your blood pressure, all the things

0:17:17.933 --> 0:17:20.573
<v Speaker 3>we don't have to think about, you can get sudden

0:17:20.773 --> 0:17:23.532
<v Speaker 3>spikes in blood pressure that can occur, especially if we've

0:17:23.532 --> 0:17:28.213
<v Speaker 3>got a spinal cord injury high T six above, et cetera,

0:17:28.733 --> 0:17:32.013
<v Speaker 3>and that specific this reflex can be triggered by labor

0:17:32.053 --> 0:17:35.173
<v Speaker 3>contractions or bowel issues bladder issues, which are very common

0:17:35.173 --> 0:17:39.733
<v Speaker 3>in this population. The other thing which is really problematic

0:17:39.853 --> 0:17:43.453
<v Speaker 3>is that there is reduced sensation, so you can't often

0:17:43.533 --> 0:17:46.773
<v Speaker 3>feel things beneath certain levels, which means that well, at

0:17:46.813 --> 0:17:49.532
<v Speaker 3>firstly you may not even recognize that you're going into labor,

0:17:50.093 --> 0:17:54.092
<v Speaker 3>but there's also more incidence of UTIs you attact infections

0:17:54.253 --> 0:17:57.693
<v Speaker 3>as well as pressure saws, your center of gravity. It

0:17:57.733 --> 0:18:00.813
<v Speaker 3>all changes, and it just adds another layer of complexity

0:18:00.893 --> 0:18:06.813
<v Speaker 3>to an already incredibly challenging thing. And also lung function,

0:18:06.973 --> 0:18:11.693
<v Speaker 3>so breathing is a really important part of maintaining a

0:18:11.733 --> 0:18:15.812
<v Speaker 3>healthy respiratory system is an important part of those with

0:18:16.053 --> 0:18:18.253
<v Speaker 3>spinal cord injuries, and it's even harder if you can

0:18:18.293 --> 0:18:20.573
<v Speaker 3>imagine the lungs are being squashed from the bottom up.

0:18:21.173 --> 0:18:24.613
<v Speaker 3>And then specifically, if we focus on the delivery, as

0:18:24.653 --> 0:18:27.413
<v Speaker 3>I said, detecting labor is a big thing, but then

0:18:27.453 --> 0:18:30.092
<v Speaker 3>also pain relief is important. You know, it becomes just

0:18:30.133 --> 0:18:32.853
<v Speaker 3>a little bit more complicated when we're talking epi drools

0:18:32.893 --> 0:18:35.813
<v Speaker 3>for example, and the choice needs to be made between

0:18:35.933 --> 0:18:39.532
<v Speaker 3>the pregnant woman and the obstetric team. Do you go

0:18:39.653 --> 0:18:42.013
<v Speaker 3>for a vaginal delivery do you go for a caesar?

0:18:42.453 --> 0:18:45.853
<v Speaker 3>And then there is the entire chapter as we discussed

0:18:45.853 --> 0:18:52.373
<v Speaker 3>and heard with Georgia about the postpartum care, so every

0:18:52.413 --> 0:18:57.013
<v Speaker 3>mom after delivery requires significant support. We are adding extra

0:18:57.133 --> 0:19:00.532
<v Speaker 3>layers of complexity when it comes to those with a

0:19:00.573 --> 0:19:04.053
<v Speaker 3>spinal cord injury and also just the ability to mobilize

0:19:04.093 --> 0:19:06.973
<v Speaker 3>and care for not only yourself as the mum who's

0:19:06.973 --> 0:19:11.173
<v Speaker 3>you're covering, but also a newborn too. As a final comment,

0:19:11.213 --> 0:19:13.372
<v Speaker 3>I just want to say, I think it is just

0:19:13.693 --> 0:19:18.293
<v Speaker 3>phenomenal how far we've come to see families have this opportunity.

0:19:18.333 --> 0:19:21.453
<v Speaker 3>As we've heard with Georgia, Mitchen and Bay awesome, but

0:19:21.533 --> 0:19:25.333
<v Speaker 3>with the right planning in preparation, anything is possible.

0:19:28.973 --> 0:19:31.572
<v Speaker 2>Thank you for joining us on Diary of a Birth,

0:19:31.613 --> 0:19:34.213
<v Speaker 2>where we celebrate all the amazing ways that we as

0:19:34.253 --> 0:19:37.092
<v Speaker 2>women bring life into the world. If you'd like to

0:19:37.133 --> 0:19:39.612
<v Speaker 2>share your birth story with us, we'd love to hear

0:19:39.693 --> 0:19:43.173
<v Speaker 2>from you. Details are in the show notes. Diary of

0:19:43.213 --> 0:19:46.493
<v Speaker 2>Birth was hosted by me Kasanya Lukisch with expert input

0:19:46.533 --> 0:19:50.453
<v Speaker 2>from doctor Golly. Our executive producer is Tom Lyon, with

0:19:50.613 --> 0:19:52.533
<v Speaker 2>audio production by Scott Stronach.