Hi everyone,
I’ve been wanting to write this for a while...DS is 6.5 months old now so it’s probably about time! I lurk a lot around here but don’t really post too often at all...hoping that will be changing!
Also warning: this is LONG!
My parents had come over from England when I was 39 weeks pregnant and were staying for 3 weeks. For some reason me and DH had it in our heads that DS would be arriving about 38 weeks...he didn’t. My due date came and went...my parents every day are asking my tummy ‘Come on DS when are you coming out?’ they know every day that he stays in is another day less they get to see him! About 3 days after my due date in the evening (Tues) I had some blood tinged CM – finally I think, something is happening! That night I get a few period pain type cramps and I start to get excited! Wake up in the morning – more blood tinged CM and no other signs! This repeated Wednesday night as well. On Thursday I had an acupuncture session which if nothing else I found really relaxing! Not sure if it helped things along or not. Thursday night and Friday night I had the same – period pain type cramps and blood tinged CM. Cramps were increasing a bit as was quantity of CM so thought it couldn’t be far away!
Saturday morning I had another acupuncture session and already that morning I had a feeling things were different. The cramps were getting a bit stronger and there all the time. After the acupuncture session they definitely were getting stronger and I had a feeling today was the day! My parents came over for some lunch then went off to do their food shopping. DH disappeared to the footy as we thought we still had plenty of time left before things got going properly. I was on the phone to DH as the contractions were coming about every 20-25 mins now, when my parents walk through the door followed by my brother! He had flown in from NZ especially as he wanted to meet DS once he arrived.
So we sat around chatting, got some pizza, I bounced on my fitball a lot and by about 6pm the contractions were coming every 15 mins or so. They were getting more intense but still definitely manageable just doing big circles on the fitball. I phoned DH and asked him to come home from the footy. Also phoned the birth centre and the MW said just to try and rest, take it easy as there’s probably a way to go. DH arrives home, my parents & my brother disappear back to their place. We get our bags packed and are all ready to go.
By about 10pm contractions are every 5-10 mins and I have to use my breathing exercise to get through each one. Best position I found was sitting backwards on a chair, leaning over the back of it, while DH massaged my lower back with one of those wooden hand massagers. I was breathing through each one and we were going really well. I got a good break in between each one and was feeling really relaxed in between. We called the birth centre again about 10.15pm and said the contractions were every 5-10 mins now. Again a different MW said things are still a while away, try to rest (yeah right), keep your fluids up and try to stay home as long as you can. OK! By 2am contractions are every 2-3 minutes and getting really intense! I can’t walk around through each one at all and drop to my hands and knees every time I get that tingly feeling at the bottom of my back. DH is fantastic – massaging my back and just being awesomely supportive. I’m starting to struggle to get my breathing right through them and we decide it’s definitely time to go in when I start saying I need to poo....so another call to the birth centre and off we go. The MW on call lives in the same suburb as us so asks us to wait 15 mins to give her time to get there first, which is fine as it takes DH this long to get everything in the car etc anyway.
DH seems to take possible the worst route to the birth centre and drives through the middle of the main night life area of the suburb the birth centre is in. So I’m having contractions leaning over the dashboard while DH beeps at drunk people to move out of the road....not ideal! We get there about 3am. We go straight into our birthing suite and it’s such a nice soothing atmosphere there I feel relaxed again. I kneel on the floor on a nice cushy mat and lean over onto the bed. MW asks if it’s ok to do an internal – yes! I want to find out where we’re at! Although I get the feeling we’re getting close as I feel a kind of watermelon feeling going on! Turns out I’m fully dilated with just a little cervical lip left. Yay! She goes off to run the bath (we are having a waterbirth) and calls the 2nd MW to come in (2 have to be present for a waterbirth). Our MW’s are great. They are so encouraging. MW #1 has read my birth plan and put the gas and air out for me but I really don’t feel the need to use it. We are getting on fine with my big hip circles, DH’s fantastic massaging and wet face cloths, and my breathing and visualisations.
We’re finally in the big tub, nice dim lighting, and I’m feeling REALLY relaxed. Contractions have slowed right down (or it seems like it to me). I lose all sense of time for this part. When the contractions come I push and push. But another one doesn’t seem to come for a while so I don’t feel like we’re getting anywhere at all and start saying that I don’t think I can do it. MW’s are great and so encouraging and tell me that I am doing amazingly and that DS is on his way out very soon. I’m getting so tired though. After what feels like ages the contractions finally start speeding up again and get so intense. Like my whole body is just pushing and contracting to get DS out. I consciously push with each contraction as well – I want to meet him! MW#2 has a small fishing net and is fishing little flakes of poo out of the tub – this makes me and my DH crack up. Finally the MW’s can see DS’s head and I feel this big burning pushing sensation. My waters still haven’t broken and they’re wondering if he’ll come out in the caul. Nope! Next push waters break, blood everywhere. DH quickly moves around to the back of me (otherwise he would pass out lol). I’m finding the pushing really really hard work and am getting exhausted. Fortunately with a few more pushes, this big bursting feeling and his head is out! Such a weird sensation waiting for that next contraction with his head floating around down there! The next contraction comes and DS is out! The MW’s lift him out of the water straight onto my chest and he screams straight away and does a big poo all over me. What an amazing feeling, our gorgeous precious little man had arrived. Love at first sight.
Born 5.57am on 31.07.2011 at 41+1
Weighed 3320g, 52cms long.
Wow what a beautiful raw lovely birth story! It's like being right there. Was this your first baby? What a great birth, just a lovely first time birth. Terrific you had such good support from your dh and the midwives. Congratulations on your baby boy and thanks for sharing your story. It sounds like you prepared really well for birth - did you spend considerable time and effort getting prepared, or did you do anything special to get prepared?
Julie - yes this was our first time birth so we feel very lucky to have had a great experience. I tried to keep active during pregnancy, walked/swam/did pilates. We also found the ante-natal classes focussed on non-pharmalogical pain relief methods which was a great help. Apart from that I did a lot of reading! I was very determined to have as natural a birth as we could and fortunately it all came together for us.
Kristi - Yep in Perth and went to the KEMH birth centre! We're really glad we chose it! Have you given birth there too?
I read Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Sarah Buckley which I thought was great. I had this preconceived idea that the majority of doctors are against homebirth so I was really glad to read this.
The other one that stands out to me is Birth Skills by Juju (can't remember surname) - this was more focussed on having an active birth but I still found some of the techniques useful.
I basically just raided our local libraries! I read one called Birth Crisis but can't remember who it was by! Found it really interesting.
I think it's great that there are so many positive books out there - it seemed when I was pregnant people suddenly decided it would be a good time to share their negative birth experiences. Only one person shared their positive birth experience with me the whole time I was pregnant. I found reading all the birth stories on BB so helpful to get a bigger picture of the variety of different scenarios that can happen.
Thanks for sharing your fantastic story. With both my births I have wanted to have water births, DD1 I had stained waters so could not and DD2 arrived to quickly so the bath did not fill up in time. Hopefully next time I get one just like yours.
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DS's awesome waterbirth
Almost makes me want to do it again lol! Well done!
Awesome, hey??
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