On the morning of Mason’s due date, Sunday, September 9, 2001, I woke at 7:30 am and went to the toilet. After I’d finished weeing I noticed that I was still dripping. I guessed that my waters had broken as I remembered that in our antenatal classes that it was not always a big gush. There was no blood or meconium.
I rang Trevor who had gone into work. He was on the road doing his delivery so I said don’t rush I’d ring him if I got worried. I rang the hospital and after talking to the Midwife who told me to time the contractions when they start and write it all down then ring when they were about 3 mins apart or too painful to bear.
I had a few mild cramps while I had breakfast, then I went and checked over my bag called Mum and Dad and Trevor’s parents, which was so exciting.
Trevor came home at 9:30 am, we had a shower together and then he attached TENS pads to my back, I got dressed and waited.
Around 10am I had the first the real contractions and I found the TENS to be very helpful. They were 5 mins apart and were lasting about 45 seconds. I had the urge to go to the toilet so I got Trev to ring the hospital while I sat on the toilet. The midwife said 5-min contractions were still too far apart to come in. After a good empty out I wanted to use wheat bag on my tummy so as I was in the kitchen microwaving it I got another urge to go to toilet. I yelled to Trev to ring the hospital as I’m going in anyway. He was putting the bag in the car and I was remembering other things I wanted. I had him running around like a lunatic!
It was a 15-min drive to hospital and I had 6 strong contractions. When we got to the hospital they settled down a bit, but I wanted to be admitted anyway. I was delighted that my midwife was the one who took our antenatal classes and when she examined me I was already 3-4 cms dilated. When OB came in at Midday he said that waters hadn’t broken that dripping was the show. He offered to break waters there and I agreed so after that things really started!
My sister in law arrived as I was rocking on a ball and started rubbing my back while Trevor had his free hospital lunch. I was feeling annoyed but managing the pain ok. Midwife offered the bath to me. I had to take off the TENS then so she got the gas for me.
Mason’s birth
I laboured in the bath for 3 hours. The gas really helped (when I could get it from Trev!) I had a new Midwife start but I was too into what I was doing to take much notice. I started feeling like I couldn’t handle it anymore with one contraction after another. Then the pain eased and I had an overwhelming urge to push. When I said that I wanted to push I has to get out of the bath with help from Trev and the Midwife and go to the bed.
The original Midwife came back in the room and wanted to stay for the birth on her own time as she didn’t realise things would move so fast.
I started pushing and after a few the OB came back in and examined me. He found that a lip of cervix was in the way so he held it back while I pushed and his head came through the cervix OK. Then after a few more pushes he was crowning. The most bizarre sensation I’ve ever felt was my baby turning himself around in the birth canal to be in a better position to be born.
I was getting tired at this point and so the OB and Midwife grabbed my feet and pushed my knees up to my shoulders and with the next contraction I pushed hard. I vomited from the pressure and Masons head popped out. He cried very loud. Another big push and he was out.
He was placed straight onto my chest. His eyes were wide open and he was having a good look around.
Mason was born at 4:32pm after a 9 hour labour, weighing 3.4kg or 7lb8oz and was 51cm long with a head circumference of 34.5 cm. He had a head full of jet black hair and no I never had indigestion!
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