Arrival of Danielle Lucy (Detailed & Long)

[Bubseykel]

It all started about 1am on 6/7/06. I woke up to find myself with wet undies (sorry!!). I honestly thought that I had wet myself!! I decided to go to the toilet and go and see if I could wee. More of this liquid came out but didn't feel like a wee so I decided to get a pad out. A few minuted later I checked and that was no wee - my waters had broke 9 days early!!

I walked into the bedroom and said to Ken 'Are you awake? I think my waters have broken.' I think he was a bit startled and I was in a bit of shock (only being told the day before that I was only 3/5 engaged and wasn't really expecting labour so early). I called the hospital and they said to stay home, as I hadn't had any contractions just yet and call them back in an hour. Almost as soon as I got off the phone the contractions started at almost 4 minutes apart continuously. We both couldn't sleep so we just both pottered around. He cleaned out the dishwasher, I got the rest of my bag together and went for a shower and called the hospital back around 2.30am. I told them what was happening and they said for me to come in.

We packed the car thinking that we'll be sent home again. We left everything in the car and ventured to the labour ward. I was checked out again with a quick u/s as they thought Bubs was breech again but all was well and that I was 3cm dilated and that I was staying there.

For about 2 1/2 hours straight I sat in the shower with hot water running over me. At about 5.45am I came out of the shower in constant pain. I decided I needed something for it but I had this urge to push. I was checkout out again and I was fully dilated and I couldn't have anything but gas and I had to start pushing.

Pushing was hard work. We tried all different positions but it seems like I was getting no where! I ended up sitting up, legs up, pushing off Ken and the m/w. Finally by 7.15am we had a burning feeling of the head. At 7.31am the arrival of the head but after pushing and nothing and the m/w having a feel the yellow emergency button was pushed and every m/w and dc rushed in. Ken was pushed away and my bed was adjusted with my head lower than the rest of my body. I had about 3 pairs of hands down there trying to get her out but she was stuck. The dc couldn't even get her out. Luckily one of the m/w knew the 'corkscrew' method and told me little pushes while they twisted her shoulders around inside me and finally she came out.

But she came out and wasn't breathing. I was more concerned for her than me but the dc thought I was haemorrhaging but I was fine they took her away to work on her under the heat light. Ken was allowed back by my side in tear thinking that she wasn't going to make it. He was squeezing my hand and crying his eyes out. We asked what it was as we didn't know what we where having and told it was a girl which made him cry even more. Finally we heard she's getting some colour and finally a little scream after getting her breathing and cleaning out her lungs. What a relief to hear that she was fine except for a broken shoulder bone due to the corkscrew. At 7.45am she was given to me for our first cuddle. Once we had our first cuddle proud Dad went off and called everyone. Total length of labour - 6 1/2 hours. Not too bad at all!!

I would like to thank Claire from Armadale Hospital who performed that move. If she wasn't there at the time we might've lost our little girl.

We feel very lucky and privileged to have our beautiful little girl - Danielle Lucy Hobbs.