I have wanted to write this for weeks but just haven't had the time. I wanted to make sure that I didn't leave anything out for DD birth was more than perfect and I want to never forget the feeling of birthing her.
I started having a some pains on Thursday morning, nothing major just like slight period pain. We thought nothing of it as my SIL was in labour having my neice, her 2nd at the time, we put it down to sympathy pain as I was only 37wks 3days and thought I had a while to go. I stayed at home that day and pottered around the house. I had finished work the Thursday before as we had a little issue with my waters leaking, it corrected itself after spending the night in hositpal.
DF and I decided that we should stay at my partner Thursday night, as I had a MW appt on the Friday and didn't think it was the best idea for me to be driving if I were having contractions. I thought they were just BH, if anything, but DF wanted to be safe. I was up most of the night as the contractions were starting to be a little more noticeable, nothing that I couldn't handle, I think I was more awake as my neice wa born Friday morning at around 1.30am and I was waiting for the txt. Looking back I think it was a great distraction from the contractions I was having.
By Friday morning my contractions were irregular and I didn't think it anything was going to happen anytime soon. My MW appt for at 11am so mum and I headed to the shops and did some shopping as we do. Mum started to notice me holding my stomach every 15mins or so and suggested we head home before the appt. When we got home Mum secretly started timing me and I was shocked when she told me I was 11mins apart and had been for almost and hour. This made me a little excited!!
We go the MW appt and while waiting NOTHING, it's like the contractions knew I was at hospital and decided to stop I was so disappointed, all I was getting was a dull ache in my side every now and then, I couldn't tell you how often as I thought it was nothing. I told the MW what had been happening and trying to explain the pains I had been feeling as in the dull ache, while feeling my tummy I had a 'dull ache' which she told me was actually a contraction. So I now was having contrations every 7mins, but not intense like I thought would happen. I asked to be examined to see how far along I was, but when she read I was only 37wks 4days and said should would prefer not to as I 'wasn't quite ready'.
Mum drove me back to her house and waited for my dad, they were heading up north to see their new grandchild and was dropping me back at mine. While we waited for Dad the pains started to become a little more intense. I now had to stop talking when I was having one. Mum didn't want to leave me but I assured her everything was fine and that it would be days, if not a good week before this bubba was coming and to go see the new arrival.
They dropped me at my house around 2pm I tried sleeping through the contactions, I lasted until 4pm then rang DF to come home as I couldn't do it any more by myself. I was still sure that things would take quite a few more hours as I hadn't even had my show yet. When I got off the phone with DF I went to the toilet and had my show lol! So I then starting to think this baby might be here by the weekend.
DF gets home and then the fun begins, I try to eat dinner but I really don't feel like eating, it's about 7.30pm Friday night and I know can't talk or move during the contraction I find a nice spot in the dining room to lean against the wall and rock on my tiptoes as I have a contraction. DF times them and I am 11mins apart.
At 10pm we decide to try and sleep, which doens't work at all. Every contraction I had I had to get up on all fours on the bed and breath deeplky through each one. DF would try and rub my back but I didn't want him touching me. By 1am we decide to hope in the shower and see if the hot water helps, it does a little bit but I don't want to stand up any more, DF fills the bath with warm water.
Walking from the ensuite to the bathroom and have another contraction and DF tells me I have now 8mins. We call the hospital to let them know what is going on and if they can suggest any other ways to help ease the pain. We try everything, nothing works... I tell DF that I want to be at home until the last minute and head up once we're at 5mins apart.
I last until 4am, and thankfully I am now 5mins apart, the drive to the hospital is flashes of contractions and red lights, I swear we got every red light possible, at 4.30am how is that possible!! We get the front of the hospital and walk up the stairs, I was determined to walk those stairs and get gravity to help me along.
I'm examined by the MW at 5am and am absolutely shattered when I'm told I'm only 2-3cm dialated!! I almost cry, I think you have got to be kidding me I have gone through all of this pain and I am not even in active labour yet!! COME ON!! I'm told I can try and sleep and see how I am in an hour or two or I can go home. I tell DF I don't want to move just yet and we'll see how I am in an hour and head to my parents, which was only 5mins away from the hospital.
Those 2 hours seemed to be one long and painful contraction. I was determined to go natural and refused pethadine when it was offered. I figure if I was only 2cm I have a hell of a lot more pain to come and might need drugs later on!! Shift change at 8am...
New MW comes in and wants to check how I am before letting me go home. I hop onto my back and the MW takes a look and tells me with delight, 'Oh you're going to have a baby very seen, we best get you off the birthing suite.' Within 2 hours I had gone from 2cm dialated to 8cm, no wonder I felt like I was having a 2 hour long contraction.
Walking to the birthing suite I have 2 more contractions and have to stop in the hall way with other pregnant woman looking at me as if to say, I know you're pain. We are given a gorgeous suite overlooking blue skies and tall green Gum trees!
I get undressed and into my oversized man shirt, I didn't want to be totally naked as I walked around the suite. We try the shower and the bath but I just feel too uneasy on my feet. The MW suggest raising the bed so I can lean over it. This is where I stay. DF says he did nothing during the birth of our DD but he was amazing. I didn't want anyone touching me or talking to me, I was in a zone and wanted to concentrate on having our baby.
The MW sets up the gas for me and I try to use it, but I just can't breath the gas as I'm having a contractions I needed to be able to moan through it... I actually had a fairly quite labour, no screaming or anything just a moan or 'mmmm'ing' as I was going thorugh a contraction.
I yell out that I need to push, the MW suggests I hope on the bed so she can do an internal, I'm now 9cm, not sure what the time is here, but I stay on the bed on my back, what a relief to be off my feet. What seems like 10secs later I again yell out I need to push, I need to push. The MW comes back in and suggests that bubs is just pushing her head down and I'm not quite ready.
Not so true! the MW tells my DF to take a look. My waters hadn't broken yet, but they were visible when the MW moved me slightly. She asked if I wanted to break my waters and have a baby. Of course I say yes. Because this happened so fast the MW had to use DF has her assisant, which I think it just amazing. DF actually broke the waters!
I'm told that with each contraction I can push. It was so nice having longer breaks between each contraction, but I would get distracted looking outside and would just make a pushing face, without actually pushing lol... I remember pushing and feeling a burn, this was buba head crowning, the MW went to get some warm lap pads from behind her to help ease any tearing, by the time she had got them and turned around she caught Audrey mid air! She literally flew right out of me!
It took 34mins from when my waters were broken to when our daugher waw born. It was the best feeling I have ever had. I couldn't comprehen that I had actually given birth. I had done the one thing I thought I would never have the chance to do.
Audrey Lorraine was born at 10.14am Saturday 11th September 2010
6lb 14 oz - 3.110 kgs
49cm Long
33cm H/C
No tearing, 100lms of blood loss.
Apgar 10/10
A calm, relaxed quiet birth of our first born. I feel that I have expereinced the best birth possible. It was perfect, the second she waw born I looked at DF and said I can't wait to do this again.
It was a perfect birth and she has been a perfect child!
wow what a beautiful first time experience im glad you werent distracted and could concentrate on meeting your new baby!!
congrats on your little girl!!
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Audrey's Arrival.. **LONG** and a little bit late
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