I had always dreamt about being a mum and giving birth naturally.
When I was 20 I found out that DH and I were expecting and although it was a bit of a shock at the time we were quite excited to be parents!
Then at 20+4 weeks I went into labour which was very unexpected and very quick.
We had a beautiful baby boy and named him Phoenix, which we had already picked out for him when we found out he was a boy only 5 days earlier.
Only after we named did we realise how much his name would suite him. I knew he would always be watching down on us.
We then had a beautiful baby boy in March 08 after a long and scary pregnancy. At 22 weeks I found out that I had a short Cervix and would require a stitch to be placed in my cervix to try and hold it together so I didn't go into early labour again. Luckily I had it removed at 37 weeks and our lil guy arrived just over 1 week later, happy and healthy. Though I ended up having an emergency C-sect after a 22 hr labour all I cared about was having him in my arms and hearing his cries that I never got to hear from our precious Phoenix. I knew that a part of him had been reborn and was a part of us once again.
Then in July 09 we found out that we were expecting again. I was a little worried about it being so soon after having our beautiful boy who would just be turning 2 when our next little bundle was due. I guess I was worried and a bit unsure about being pregnant and giving birth after having a C-Sect. I always had it in my mind that the next birth, I was going to try for a VBAC. I wasn't too sure if I would be able to after having DS only 2 yrs before but I was determined to give it a go.
This pregnancy seemed to go by so quickly and had no complications what so ever! My cervix was perfect and stayed the same length all through the pregnancy to my relief.
So on Thursday 11th March I had started to get some strong BH. I didn't think too much about it as I was only 38 weeks. DH and I decided to grab some last minute snacks for the hospital bag though and get DS's bags packed and ready to stay at Grannies house.
Friday 12th, woke up at 3am feeling a bit crampy and had a bit of a sore belly. I instantly thought I had caught some kind of tummy bug and was starting to stress a bit as bub's was due soon. So I sat on the toilet on and off for about 2 hours and finally got back to bed at about 5am. Just as I closed my eyes I felt a bit of a cramp in my stomach and it started to get a bit stronger. So I lay there trying to sleep for a bit longer but the feeling keept coming back and then I started to wonder if I could be having contractions or just strong BH. They weren't too bad just uncomfortable so I decided to just let my DH know when he woke up that he may have to stay home from work today.
It was now 8am and had now decided that I was defiantly having contractions, though they were quite irregular.
I decided to call the birth suit just to let them know I had been having contractions though they didn't last for too long and were all over the place. Helen a lovely midwife answered and said to pop in at about 10am if I was still feeling contractions or to come in earlier if anything happened like my waters breaking.
By 10am the contractions didn't seem to be getting more regular so I though maybe I was just having pre labour pains. I decided since I was trying for a vbac that I didn't want to risk it and went into the hospital anyway.
My DH dropped me off at about 11am and went home with DS to try and get him to have a sleep.
I waited for a midwife to come and grab me from the waiting room and at about 11.30 I was taken to a small room where I was hooked up to a monitor and given an internal and found that bub was still high up and my cervix was totally closed. The older midwife said that I was just having strong BH and would see what the doctors said and that I would probably just go home. So I called my DH and told him I would probably be coming home soon and felt a little disheartened as I thought we would be having our baby today.
So I waited in that small room for a doctor to finally come into so me and by then I was having stronger and regular contractions and was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable. They decided that I should stay and they would transfer me to the maternity ward when there was a bed free. Another doctor then came in and put in a cannula, which she didn't do very well and it really hurt!
She noticed my contractions were close together and said she would let a midwife know and to come check on me. It seemed to all be happening so quick. Not that long ago I thought I would be going home and now I knew for sure that our little man was on the way.
Now it was about 2.30pm and I decided to call my DH to come in. It took him about 30mins to get to the hospital and by then I had to breathe through my contractions and they seemed to last longer.
Finally DH got there and just in time too. I had been labouring by myself in that tiny room for about 3 hours and no one had come into check on me, even after the Doctor said she would send a midwife in.
I decided it was time to call my other support partner in, a great friend of mine who has just started her first year of midwifery and thought it would be a great experience for her.
So she got there at about 4pm and opened her bag and got out 2 redbulls, the biggest redbull's I had ever seen!! I had to laugh as her and my DH cracked them open straight away as they thought they were there for the long haul as my last labour was 22hrs and I didn't even get all the way.
So DH and my friend sat with me and rubbed my back during contractions. By this time I couldn't move as the contractions just kept coming one after the other. I suddenly felt so much pressure down there. I didn't say anything at first but then after another few contractions and some loud grunting noises I though that I felt like pushing. I told my DH to go tell one of the midwives, as still no one had come to check on me. He didn't believe me so he didn't go tell them
By that time I couldn't speak through the pain and just screamed. I suddenly just felt the urge to do a poo, I really thought that was what it was. Finally it seemed to get the attention of one of the midwives and she came racing in. I just yelled at her I need to do a poo (sorry TMI) but she said "NO you don't, I think your about to have a baby". I told her "no I'm not I just want to do a poo"! My DH and friend didn't know wether to laugh or panic.
5.30pm The midwife pulled my pants down and told me to get on the table to do an internal. She said I was 9cm and had to be taken to birth suit straight away. By this stage I felt paralysed and couldn't move so they wheeled me in on the bed. On the way there I started to vomit which was horrible as I was laying down and it ended up all over me.
I finally got to the room and had a midwife there had no idea what was going on and just kept saying don't push, don't push and I don't know whats going on I haven't read your file or birth plan. I had no idea what was going on either and just kept asking to let me go to the toilet in between screaming I need to push.
Finally they got 2 midwives in and they read my file and found out I was having a vbac so they instantly hooked me up to the monitor to check bubs heart rate during the contractions. The pain was almost unbearable by then and they suggested I try some gas which I did but it just made me so dry and thirsty.
6.00pm The midwives told me it was now time to start pushing and although it felt great to finally go along with my body it was also agony. They asked me to try all different positions but found that laying on my back with my legs up was getting the best result. I had my friend on one side wiping my face with a wet cloth and my DH on the other side holding my hand. They were both amazing.
I suddenly felt a bulge down there and then my waters broke. Everyone backed away at that point thinking it would go everywhere but it was just a small gush. Which was quite funny and I managed to have a little laugh through all the pain.
Finally I was ready to push his head out and I felt the strongest burning sensation, I was then told to stop pushing as the burning meant it was stretching. I was then told to push and his head came out. Suddenly they pushed a button and an older midwife ran in and told me to I had to push hard and then soft as the cord was wrapped around his neck twice. Then his shoulders got stuck and they had to reef my legs up as far as they would go and to push as hard as I could. FINALLY he popped out at 6.24pm and they placed him straight on my tummy. Thats when my DH told me we had a beautiful baby boy, Lennox Jasper Cadwell!
DH then cut the cord and I had the injection to deliver the placenta which was a pretty horrible feeling.
I ended up 2nd degree tearing and had to be sewn up by 2 doctors as the first one didn't do it properly. That was by far the most horrible pain I have ever been through, the local didn't work on some parts and I felt them putting the needle through.
I am so happy that I achieved my VBAC and drug free apart from the gas.
So in total it took about 6 1/2 hours to bring my lil guy into the world. A lot quicker than I expected!
Thank you for taking the time and reading my Birthing experience.
My VBAC Baby Lennox Jasper 12/3/10 (long)
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