I was woken at around 3am on 26/12/13 (with the number 3.06 very distinctly in my head for some reason....more on that later) with a mild contraction. But when another, and another came, I knew this was the real deal! They were 9-11 mins apart but not too intense. I tried to sleep. By 5:30am hubby was awake too. I told him about the 3.06 - my guess was we'd have Bub at 3.06pm! Yes, wishful thinking I know!
I really wanted to rest and pace myself - who knows how long I'd be doing this and I wanted to make sure I had the energy to push when the time came. I wanted my VBAC so bad! I wandered out for breakky about 7am, still able to easily breathe through my contractions, now about 7 mins apart. I lost my first bit of plug about 7:15am. More came later, about 10am. I even played Lego with my 3.5yo for a bit then had a lovely warm shower around 9am. I spent an hour or so making sure everything was ready for hospital. I wanted to keep as active and mobile as I could, walking, upright or on the fitball through contractions.
Hubby stayed with me after about 10:30am as the contractions were getting stronger and I found it hard to get comfortable. The poor guy was constantly helping me move, holding me upright, repositioning the fitball and rearranging pillows - he was my rock, reminding me to breathe during each contraction and telling me how well I was doing. I was tiring by this time and falling asleep between contractions. We both realised they were getting closer together, lasting a little longer and were definitely more intense. I mentioned heading to hospital soon but hubby said we needed to leave it as long as possible and that my contractions needed to be 3 mins apart and regular, and I was still getting the odd 5-7 minute gap. Gee he'd listened well! He left the room to grab lunch just before 1pm, but was back pretty quickly when he heard me screaming - the first time I'd made much sound!
Around 2pm I grunted/yelled at hubby, 'Hospital! Now!' He put me off another 15 mins before calling to tell them we were on our way, and we headed off around 2:30pm. Less than 10 mins later, hubby pulled up at the drop off area, intending to let me out, park and get the bags, then we'd head up to maternity together. I had another strong contraction as soon as I'd gotten out of the car and felt a small gush. A little bit of leaking waters. Hubby then walked me in. Very slowly. Being a holiday, the receptionist said he was fine to leave the car while he took me upstairs. Waiting for the lift, another contraction hit. A staff member holding the lift took one look at me and said she'd get someone to come and meet us...a minute later two midwives raced down with a birth kit and wheelchair - apparently I looked like I was going to have this baby NOW and they'd come prepared to pull me into the chapel next to the lift to deliver!
Luckily they got me in the chair, upstairs and straight into a birth suite. Monitors straight away (couldn't have cared less by then) and an exam. All the midwife could feel was a big balloon of waters, no cervix....either I was fully dilated or in a critical emergency. Cue second midwife to have a feel. As she examined me my waters broke. I was stuck with her hand there for a good few minutes as bubs head was still high and they needed to make sure the cord wasn't going to wrap around his head. The Cutter (ob on call) had been called to come in quick...he arrived about 3:15pm, pronounced me fully dilated (yay, no emergency!) and said I'd have a baby within an hour.
The ob was actually really helpful, though quite forceful with giving instructions (not sure I'd have liked it earlier in labour, but by the pushing stage I was happy to do anything to get this baby out!) - had some great advice about pushing that helped Bub move down quite quickly. Bub was apparently posterior (I think more likely sideways as he'd been at every appointment since 20 weeks, but who am I to know my own body and baby?!), but slowly turning. I changed position from leaning over the back of the bed to sitting upright with my legs raised. I remember Hubby telling me he could see his head then the ob saying 10 mins til Bub would be out! Over the next two pushes his head came partly out and hubby told me to feel as he thought I was losing the plot (the pain was so bad, I think I yelled at them to get him out themselves!) - holy crap, it was a baby's head! The ob turned him the rest of the way round on the next push and used a small suction cap thingy to help pull his head out on the one after that (so grateful for that as the burn was soooo intense I just screamed my head off and didn't actually do anything!).
Special K was born at 4:15pm. I had skin to skin straight away and hubby, my squeamish, almost-fainted-during-the-hospital-tour man, watched him come out and even cut the cord! No time for antibiotics or IV's, just a perfect, quick, drug free hospital birth! Lots of swelling, some grazing but no tearing or episiotomy. The midwives are also telling the story of the 'crazy lady' who turned up on a public holiday, ready to push! They've joked they'll deliver the next one in the car park for me!
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Special K - JLeigh29's Birth Story
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