A bit about my story for people that don't know. DS was an elective c-section as I didn't believe that I could give birth naturally (for a few different reasons) and it just seemed like the way to go. When he was 4 months old, I realised what a huge mistake I had made, and that my next birth would be a natural birth. I fell pregnant when he was 9 months old, went to 42 weeks with DD1, another c-section because of cord dysfunction and placenta was failing. I was determined to have my VBA2C however. Fell pregnant when DD1 was 7 months old. I had my support team lined up, my fabulous OB, my totally amazing birth attendant, Deb, and DH was right behind me with his support. Then we had the opportunity to move to Tassie, so I lost my support, however, got accepted into the independent birth centre in Launceston.
My due date was the 16th November.
I had been having prelabour signs for a few days, and I didn't really think anything was going to happen - what was taking so long - and why was I overdue AGAIN. I had been inserting EPO capsules since 36 weeks, and taking homeopathic remedies as well to help my cervix soften. DH turned into my midwife every night, duly inserting the EPO for me and noting any changes (gee it seems... softer... ooh there is pressure on my finger now.. ewww I feel like a vein... eww this is gross etc etc) and every night I would talk to Feebs on MSN and told her the newest update (thanks Feebs *mwah*)
A couple of days before going into labour I got the complete craps with everyone asking when the baby was coming - when I was expecting it to be born blah blah blah - so logged off completely - even from Facebook! No emails, DH took my phone so I didn't get hassled by text messages because I was just SO over it.
9 days over. My midwife came to see me and told me to start shakin my booty - apparently new research that indicates that it is better than sex for starting things off. So I had a few shakes of the tail feather, and got a weird pain sensation in my bladder - every time I would shake I would get this. I'd had it before on and off but wasn't sure what it was - baby headbutting bladder?? Who knows.
11 days over. Went to see an osteo and she did some myo-something on my belly to release the muscles around the baby. She booked me in for another appointment on the Monday - when I would be exactly 42 weeks again.
That night - admitted at bed time that I was freaked out about going into labour, and maybe that was attributing to me not going into labour. Sent a text to the beautiful Deb (I love you!) and bawled solid for about an hour, feeling like a big baby. DH tried to comfort me, however DS chose that exact moment to have his own little emotional breakdown and just screamed and screamed in our bed, wouldn't settle until he went out on the couch and spent the night out there (first time ever!).
Sat - 28.11.09
5am-ish - had a few of those weird bladder pains again, thought nothing of it, even though belly was tightening. Had them pretty sporadically through the morning, and sent messages to Deb and Jean (my midwife).
8.40 - Bladder pains 14 minutes apart. Sent message to Jean saying that I didn't know if they were anything, lasting 30-45 seconds, so yeah, dunno if that meant anything.
9.00 - bladder pains were 7 - 14 minutes apart, very irregular, not in that much pain.
12.00 - Jean called me - bladder pains were between 6 and 7 minutes apart, more consistent. I told her that we had been keeping track of them on the computer, and apparently at 10.40, it was the first time that I said "F**k" during one of them and had to rock through it. I had been texting Deb and speaking to her on the phone, and took her advice and had a little walk. So that made things a little bit more regular I think. Jean suggested I took a warm bath, see what happened. DH ran me a bath, it was heaven, just chilled out for a bit, until the pains got a little bit more ouchy. Still thought it was prelabour though.
1.28 - sent Jean another message. Pains are 5 minutes apart, very ouchy. I told her that I thought I was still in prelabour, had no discharge, no show - nothing!! Just felt like peeing after every pain but that was all. She told me she was coming to my house to check things out.
2.01 - DH sent Jean a message asking if she was almost here, was quite ouchy! She rang at 2.10 and spoke to DH, pains were down to 2 minutes apart and I was on my hands and knees in front of the couch rocking through them. She told us to come into the birth centre if I could get into the car.
I grabbed my phone and called BB member, Sterla, who took my demonic growling request to "come. now. please" because I was in the middle of a contraction. At least thats what I think I said, not sure.. lol
2.30 - arrived at birth centre. Jean checked me out, heart rate was good, baby was engaged (finally) so I headed straight to the bath. Was lovely!! DH was helping with pressure points to my shoulders for each contraction, which was fantastic for early labour - did stuff all for the latter parts!!! I was still convinced I was in prelabour though, and thinking "omg, if this is prelabour and I feel that I can't handle it - how the heck am I gonna handle the real thing?"
3.30 - I didn't last in the bath too long, felt like I needed to poop, so got out onto the toilet - passed a lot of wind, and then poop, which impressed Jean She said it was an excellent sign of descent. I was quite embarrassed - even though yay, I was on the toilet, but still, pooping in front of someone is not my idea of a good time. My back started to really REALLY hurt. DH was rubbing my back with each contraction.
3.45 - Another poo - told Jean that my vagina felt funny, but couldn't quite explain why - it was all just toooo weird. I started to feel out of control, my contractions seemed right on top of each other, and I couldn't recover in between. DH was trying to get me to breathe properly, but I couldn't do anything but hiss through the contractions. This wasn't my plan on how to deal with the contractions, but my fear took over. I was petrified of rupturing, the pain at the front of my belly was just insane, right where my scar was. I told Jean that I couldn't do this, I just can't do it. DH and Jean kept reassuring me that I was doing it, I can do it - be strong.
4.00 - got a bit of a grip on myself, and started working with gravity to help the baby get out, I was convinced bubs was stuck in my back because of all the back pain (plus I have a dodgy sway back) so I was hanging off DH's neck and doing semi squats during the contractions. I bit DH on the arm during one contraction as it was sooo painful. Jean made a note in my birth notes that DH and I worked great together. He was pretty awesome. Fear got the better of me, and I asked to go home.
4.30 - could not cope with the pain. Begged Jean to help me, just help me. Transfer me to hospital for another c-section. Give me drugs to stop the pain, I just can't do it. I asked for a VE because I just didn't think my body was doing anything. Jean went in and out of the room a lot, and I remember saying to DH - where the f*** is she!!!! She eventually came back in and gave me the most PAINFUL VE ever. She told me that she could feel the bulging waters, the head and that I was 7- 8 cms. I was then hit by another contraction and screamed and tried to crawl away from the pain (note to self - this is NOT useful and does not work). I felt a weird sensation and then POP - my waters broke on the bed. I got off the bed as all pain and pressure had left and I was in total shock looking at the mess I just made. I remember saying "holy sh*t, look at that. Far out. My god. Bloody hell" then "sh*t, sorry, I messed up your sheets, I'm so sorry". Jean told me it was ok.
4.45 - pain had gotten worse, I really couldn't do it. My fear took over for a few minutes and I was screaming through them. I was trying to use screaming as a distraction from my pain, and it did help - thankfully my contractions were still short in length, so a real long LOUD scream took it past the highest pain level and then I was ok. I started stamping my feet whilst on the toilet and saying "I stamp my feet, and feel no pain" (thanks Juju) which worked, and then it stopped working, and then I started counting with my stamping, each contraction was lasting minute now. I had a massive pain and started singing a tribal type thing, which made DH, Jean and I all crack up at the end of the contraction. DH had tears in his eyes from laughing at me so hard.
5.05 - other midwife arrived. I looked up after a huge screaming session (pretty sure I was using the bath to do push ups on now, and I was kneeling on the floor) and said "g'day Anna, how's it going". Probably quite humorous in the circumstances. I stood up with the next pain and screamed that I was rupturing, the pain was just enormous, I couldn't get a grip on it. Anna reassured me that I wasn't rupturing, the baby's head was at the front of my pelvis, which was causing all the pain. I told them I wanted off this rollercoaster because I'm not HAVING FUN ANYMORE!!!! They told me I was working very well and to keep on going.
5.30 - on knees hanging onto DH's pants. Tried to bite him on the belly but he backed away. Felt a sensation to push but didn't want to - wanted to fight against my body because I didn't feel it was time to push. Could not hold back pushing (or the perpetual poop machine ) and Anna was reassuring me to push if my body wanted to. I still tried to fight against it, convinced my body was wrong and that it wasn't time to push. In my mind, I was still only 7-8cm and I was going to do some serious damage.
I told Jean and Anna that it was coming out my "wee wee", the stinging there was incredible. Jean told me to see if I could feel a head. I couldn't feel anything when attempting to have a feel, just lots and lots of blood.
6.10 - I stood up mid contraction and said "oooh this feels different" inserted a finger and I could feel a head. Holy freakin hell, my pushing was doing something.
6.15 - apparently a slow birth of the baby's head. Didnt feel slow to me, I just wanted it out - so gave a massive push, felt lots of stretching and stinging (no ring of fire though??). Head finally out - weirdest sensation!!!! DH took a look and thought it was the weirdest thing to see too.
6.20 - shoulders and body born in a rush - tried to breathe the shoulder out, but my body just gave a massive push and out it came. I was so overwhelmed by the fact that it was all over, I started crying hysterically, DH was bawling as well and telling me he was so proud of me, we had another little girl.
Placenta popped out easily later on the toilet. Another freaky sight for DH to witness. I believe the look on his face was .
Had a slight bleed afterwards (really, I looked like a stuck pig - just flooding out) so I got a needle in my thigh (which was a bit stingy haha)
I spent the rest of the night saying "I can't believe I did it, I can't believe I did it". I'm not particularly proud of the way that I acted during labour, I wish I had kept more control of my fear, but the rupture element was quite strong, and took over a few times. If I had my time again, I would have not gone with the fear option and had more faith in my ability to do it.
Oh hunny, I am just sooooo proud of you. You have grown so much over the past few years and you've finally come full circle Don't be afraid of the way you acted during your labour, because well, that's what labour is sometimes and you got yourself through it - you got your baby out through your vagina and what a journey it was to get there! and I would be shouting it from the roof tops if I were you.
P.S. When did it click that the 'bladder pains' were contractions? LOL
Good for you Mel. Wow on your determination. Sounds like you had a great team there to help you along. Congratulations. I know an Eden and she is just lovely. Beautiful name.
What an awesome birth story! - Congratulations on getting your VBAC2 - you did an amazing job! - and welcome to the world to your gorgeous princess Eden Elisabeth Grace (LOVE her name btw!!) Big to you and your family
what an awesome birth story. i had the giggles (you biting your DH & trying to crawl away from the pain!) & also tears. i can't imagine how emotional this must have been for you & how proud of yourself & your body that you must be.
congratulations again on the arrival of eden elisabeth grace
Congratulations! You did an awesome job and give me hope that I'll be able to do it all with no intervention one day too! You go girl! Welcome to the world, Eden..
Mel I have no words.... but YOU ROCK!!!!!!
You did it my love, what a fantastic birth story, you have me in tears and i am covered in goosebumps!
Well done to your DH what an amazing support he was.
Congratulations again xx
We all do fun, embarrassing stuff in labour. I screamed at them to 'just pull it' out with DS.
Poop & labour....recall telling everyone how much I stink when DD2 was crowning..lmao
You did an amazing job
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Eden Elisabeth Grace - 28 November 2009
She said it was an excellent sign of descent. I was quite embarrassed - even though yay, I was on the toilet, but still, pooping in front of someone is not my idea of a good time. My back started to really REALLY hurt. DH was rubbing my back with each contraction.
) and Anna was reassuring me to push if my body wanted to. I still tried to fight against it, convinced my body was wrong and that it wasn't time to push. In my mind, I was still only 7-8cm and I was going to do some serious damage.
.
Don't be afraid of the way you acted during your labour, because well, that's what labour is sometimes and you got yourself through it - you got your baby out through your vagina and what a journey it was to get there! and I would be shouting it from the roof tops if I were you.
Woohooo!! Go Mel!!! You do freaking rock babe! you are now my inspiration! Great birthstory, I laughed, I cried, you did so well! xx
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