Charlotte claire's arrival!! * long*

[MrsBexie]

I just totally realised I had not been on here yet!!!!

I had been getting very impatient and worried DD was not going to come in time because my grandad had died and I needed to give birth to make it to the funeral. I went through all day sunday with nothing but normal braxton hicks. Then We went out to dinner and the entree had just been served when I got my first cx. It was like the most painful period I have had and made me kinda double over. I did not feel like eating cause they were pretty painful! I was getting them every 6mins lasting for about 45-60secs each, So we went home just before 8pm. When we got home they were getting closer (4-5 mins) and more painful so I got the TENS machine on which was good for the back pain!! They got closer pretty quick n by 10 DH was on the phone to my mw, we went into hospital about 11pm and got checked out n I was 2-3cms. We decided to stay in cause my cx were at 3 mins apart lasting from 1-1.5mins each and I was in lots of pain! I got in the shower about an hour later and the water was awesome!!! They had those detachable shower head things on hoses so I had one on the front n one on my back held by Dh... I stayed labouring in there for a while, occasionally changing position, getting up to go to the toilet etc. By about 3 my mw did another internal and I was only 4cm dilated but allowed to get in the birth pool/bath. I was in a fair amount of pain by then and could not get in the water quick enough!! I felt soo good to have the weight taken off my knees cause I had been on my knees the whole time in the shower. I stayed in the bath until just after 5 when I had to get out. By this stage I could barely breathe through cx and kept crying that I couldn't do it, I wanted it to be over etc... Oh and I threw up red poweraid! So gross.. So out of the bath n back into the shower right away, I was exhausted and getting excruciating cx every 2-3 mins still. DH, mum N my MW kept telling me to breathe thru the cx and all I could do was scream. Lol. I could not physically breathe during the peak! I remember crying over and over I couldn't do it, I just wanted it to be over, get her out etc... Dh was there telling me yes I could, keep going, she is almost here etc, encouraging me and helping me get through each CX.
My waters broke in the shower at around 6 and the pop was the weirdest feeling!! After that my mw did another internal cause I was begging to go back in the bath... I also asked for pethadine because I was in soo much pain, but DH and mum knew I wanted drug free so they both said no! I was about 8-9cm at 6 and at 6:15 was told I could get back in the bath, 6:30 I jumped back in and my mw said In a bout an hour I'd feel like pushing. I was devastated because I wanted it to be over and was in so much pain I didn't want to go another hour. I got back in the pool at 6:30 and the first cx that hit I has the overwhelming desire to push... Now when I saw overwhelming, I mean you cannot do anything about it, you have to push!! My mw came running over and was telling me to put all the effort n concentration in to pushing not roaring! It took 2 cx until the head started to crown, 3 cx to crown, which the last one, her head was almost out and I had to sit for 3 mins with her head almost out (so pretty much a 33cm diameter!!) until the next cx came! Sooo painful but amazing to have my hand on the top pf her head! The next cx her whole body came shooting out! I pulled her up onto my chest n me, her and dh had our first family snuggle as she started to wiggle n cough n scream. I was soo relieved it was finally over and she was this cute little purple bundle!
I had a scynto shot to get the placenta out cause I was too tired and sore to be bothered doing it myself (lol) we got out and jumped on the bed and she attached right away for her first feed!
I got a 2nd degree tear on my labia (tore it in half sidewards!) but my hole and perineum were intact thank god!!!!!

Official stats are:
Name: Charlotte Claire
Time born: 6:50am on 03/01/2011
Weight: 6lb 8oz or 2.95kgs
Head: 33cm
Length: 49.5cm
Pre labour (up to 4cm dilated): 8hrs (7pm-3am)
Actual active labour (4-10cm dilated): 3hrs and 50 mins (3am-6:50am)
2nd degree external tear
Back at home by 12pm!

We are both doing great! She is breastfeeding like a champion! Attaches right away and has a good strong suck, my milk came in yesterday so she had a huge sleep wed night and last night another 4.5hrs bride I woke her up to feed, shes now back asleep next to dh! We did make it down to Coffs for the funeral (where we are now) yesterday so it's been a BIG trip and I am still very very sore and stinging from stitches and having to sit so much. But I love her so much and wouldn't ever change our decision to have a baby no matter how bad It freaking Hurt!!! And I love that I delivered her myself in the pool with dh behind me supporting me. No-one interferred and I did it all drug free like I wanted!!!

Thanks for reading!!