The past 9 months have been wonderful. I am so happy that I was able to experience being pregnant and so very happy to have such a beautiful baby girl to watch grow up and to love like I have never loved before.
I had a feeling through my pregnancy that I would need to be induced. That feeling was confirmed at my 39 week checkup when my blood pressure was up once again. The very first time seeing a male doctor, he decided to do an internal!! At that point, my body was no where near ready. So I was told that I would need to be admitted for monitoring. No worries, cause I was half expecting it anyways....
At the end of my 24 hour hospital stay, it was decided that I would need to come back on Saturday for monitoring and then back in on Sunday at 1pm to get gels put in to get my cervix ready. And then waters would be broken if nothing happened overnight.
It was such a strange feeling knowing that on Monday afternoon, my little girl would be out in the world. The next few days passed and before we know it, it was Sunday and we were on the way to the hospital.
We arrived at the hospital after 1pm to be told that my room was not ready for me and we had to wait in the lunge. 4pm came around and my room still wasnt ready!! I was a little disappointed because I thought I would have the first lot of gels put in already. I'm finally in my room at 4.30pm and then was taken to birth suites because they were real busy in the maternity ward.
I was put on the CTG monitor for an hour to show one happy baby. Dinner was then given to me while I waited for the doctor to get the gels in. The doctor did an internal and asked the midwife if he could have a 'hook'. I wasnt too sure what this meant but the midwife said we dont do ARM's during the night. The doctor said that I was 3-4cm dialated. WOW!! I got there with not much pain! I was sent home to have a good night sleep and back in at 7am on Monday.
The big day came and we are back at the hospital but were told to wait because they weren't ready once again! By 8am I was in a lovely hospital gown and on the CTG. Before 9am I got the thing for the drip put in my hand - my gosh did it hurt! If I couldnt handle that pain how was I going to handle child birth?! 9am my waters were broken. Trish, my first midwife, said I must have a high pain threshold because I didnt flinch. Getting your waters broken is a funny thing - they actually pop! I was then put on the drip and was getting my first contraction at 10am. By 11.30am the contractions were real bad and on on top of each other. Jason was feeling real bad at this point because I was in pain. I decided it was time for an epidural. By this time my sister had arrived and her, her son and my dad came in to see me. My pain was real bad and dad was worried! They were all sent out of the room at this point while my epidural was being put in (not too sure why tho!) Jason and my sister went to pick up Jason's car as my sister was using my car while over here. I told dad to go home but later found out that he had waited in the waiting room and was worried because it took so long! (The anethesiest was showing a student what to do.)
By 1pm the contraction pain was totally gone only to be replaced with a pressure feeling. Trish was replaced with my second midwife, Jane. She asked how I was feeling at 1.30pm and I told her that contractions cant be felt but I can feel my legs and a pressure like I need to do a #2. I was checked and my baby's head was right there!! Jason got in to position and Susan was ready with the camera. Jane explained how to push when she got the mirror for me to watch.
At 1.40pm I started pushing. It felt like my head as going to explode!! Jason was excellent at this time, between pushes he's stroking my hair and telling me how good I was doing. There were times I felt the urge to push but just didnt want to do it. I just felt like I couldnt do it. Jane said that she was right there, just had to get it past the bend! At 30 mins of pushing, Jane said that when it gets to an hour, forceps may need to be used. This triggered something off in me and I started pushing real hard but it really felt like my head was going to explode!! I just thought that I couldnt do it. I went within myself at this point, everything seemed so far away and distant....
I got an almighty urge to push and then another one straight away. Jason was encouraging me, saying that I could do it and that she is nearly here. After two huge pushes, the head was out, then Jane told me to stop pushing to avoid tearing. Jane then told me to breathe in real deep. This was the first time that I looked in the mirror and saw with each breath, she slid more out in to the world. And then her head was out - what an amazing thing to see!Next, were the shoulders. I gave it all I could and with an groan of pain out came the shoulders and the rest of the body at 2.18pm on the 23rd of July 2007.
That felt instantly better and I was crying while the cord was cut and she was put up on my chest. I looked up at Jason and he was crying too, so was Susan!! I was urging Avaleigh to take her first cry, she was trying but just couldnt get it out. She was taken away from me, Jason was very worried at this stage. She was worked on and she finally gave us her first amazing cry. Our little girl was perfect.
I was stripped of my gown and we were given skin to skin contact. Avaleigh was then given her first feed. Jane said that have lots and lots of milk! Our beautiful princess was then put in her cot.
Avaleigh Jayde Still was born on the 23rd of July 2007 at 2.18pm. She weighed 7lbs 12oz or 3512g, measured at 51cm with a head circum of 35cm.
For the first 30 mins of Avaleigh's life, her proud daddy was calling every person in the world!! Once I was stitched and cleaned up Jason was saying that nothing can top this experience, not even jumping out of a plane at 40,000ft on his own!! Jason is so very very proud and I love him so much.
I am so inlove with our baby girl, Avaleigh. There is no other love like it. I really didnt know how I would be, but it looks like motherly instints just kick right in. The first two night were hard but once my milk came through on the evening of dsay two, everything was instantly better.
I did not get the natural birth that I wanted but I told myself from the beginning that I am just going to go with the flow and I would do it the same way all over again, because in the end, no matter what way you deliver, you have your beautiful baby in your arms.
Jane said that she was right there, just had to get it past the bend!
OMG that brings back memories - my midwife told me the exact same thing about the 'bend' when I was birthing Lindsay - and I can promise you that next time round the bend aint so bendy LMAO.
Veronica that is wonderful for you, and such a good attitude to have WRT having a fully natural brith or not. Sounds like you are well on the way to thinking through how you feel about things and making up your own mind about what is best for you and bub - a VERY important thing for any mum!
Congratulations
Congratulations Veronica - you did a great job! It has been a pleasure sharing the journey through our pregnancies with you. You are a great person and will make a great mummy. Wishing you all the best.
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The Birth of Avaleigh Jayde
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