The arrival of Kate Louise
Our gorgeous little girl arrived 11 days past her EDD, the waiting felt like an entire eternity as I was so anxious to meet our baby, and to find out whether or bundle was pink or blue! I was convinced that bub would be born on 16th October @ 40w + 3d, just like my other 2. Then I was convinced she would be born on 23rd Oct, as my other 2 were both born on the 23rd of the month- wrong on both accounts!
I had a really good labor and birth once I finally went into labor. I was booked in to be induced on Sat 23rd, I rang at 2 pm like I was supposed to, and told they were busy and there didn't have any rooms and that someone would ring me back at 6pm. This caused a mega meltdown as I was just so over it by this stage, and had my mind set that I would be induced that day. We were at Mum and Dad's so decided to leave the kids and go into the city and just spend some time together. We wondered around, then went up to our favourite spot in Kings Park, which over looks the city and the river. Then we headed off to get some dinner.
I rang the hospital back at 6:30pm as I hadn't heard from them and I was told to come in at 7:30. We arrived at the hospital and met the first of our lovely midwives, she checked me over, put me on the monitors and we were left to watch telly. She came back in just before 9 to say that they were still not sure if they would induce me that night, they were waiting for shift change and Dr's to do their rounds at 9:30 to decide if there was enough staff on to induce me that night. Just after 9:30 the midwife came in to tell me that they wouldn't be inducing me that night as they had a woman who was 22 weeks pregnant coming in in labor and they needed all hands on deck. She told me to stay the night and they would induce me first thing in the morning, she told me I could go home if I wanted but it would mean I may loose my bed and if they got busy over night I may not be able to come back in the morning. So we decided to stay, DH was given a camp bed, which he removed the mattress from and slept on that on the floor.
At about 5:00am I got up to go to the toilet, I was in a birth suite that didnt have a bathroom attached, I called it the holding room. I wandered through the ward to the toilet and came back. About 15 mins later my midwife came in and said that had a better room for me, so I could move and they would get started by breaking my waters.
We got settled in our new room, which coincidentally was the same room I had Tori in. The midwife did an exam, I was 4 cm dialated but my cervix was still quite high, so she need to get an ob. in to help her break my waters. My waters were broken about 5:45, and there was some meconium in them, so i was told I needed to have a quick shower as i had to have continuous monitoring, and they wanted to get the drip going as quickly as possible.
The drip was hooked about by about 6:30, and I was on the bed on the mointors. Nothing much happened for the next hour or so, the drip was turned up a couple of times but I was only feeling the odd random contraction here and there, quite strong but nothing consistent.
At about 7:45 I sent DH out to get some breakfast, as I said things would probably getting happening soon and I knew he would be starving- he had actualley been sick with Gastro Thurs night & Friday, so he still wasn't 100% and I thought the fresh air and something to eat would do him good.
Just before 8am I got up to go to the toilet, the contractions were starting to get a little more ouchie and regular now, and I didnt want to be sitting on the bed anymore. The midwife went off to look for the wireless monitor so I had a little more freedom to move around, and I came back from the toilet and stood at the end of the bed, leaning on the moveable table through each contraction. DH came back about 8:15am, just as I was having a contraction and said " oh good that looks painful, things must be starting to happen"! I never really timed my contractions but I am guessing that they were coming about every 2-3 mins and lasting at least 60-90 seconds.
I was managing my pain really well, just closing my eyes, breating deeply, and going up onto my tippy toes during each contraction. The midwife busied herself getting everything ready, and she said to me this baby will born just as I am about to go on my tea break, I can guarantee you.
At about 9:30 I said to the midwife, I really feel like I am going to be sick- so she got me got a sick bag, but she had a knowing look in her eye. It was then I also asked for the gas. After another couple of contractions on the gas I started looking longingly at the bed, I just all of a sudden wanted to be back on the bed, on my hands and knees leaning over the back- it was about here I realise that the baby wasn't far away, because this is the position I had DS in.
I hoped on the bed, and DH sat next to me and held the monitor in place. I kept saying to the midwife that I felt like I was going to need to push soon- and she said yes I think you probably will. At no stage did she check to see how far dialated I was, she just told me to trust my body. Before I knew it I was pushing, it was like my body was doing it all on it's own. Somewhere in the background I hear a midwife come in and say, time for your teabreak, and my midwife- "no I think we are about to have a baby".
I am not sure how long I pushed for, but as the head was crowning I kept chanting in my head- buring ring of fire, burning ring of fire. I felt the head come out half way and the contraction went, and I said F**K that hurts, and the midwife goes, only one swear word, you are doing well. With the next contraction I managed to push the head all the way out, I was very good a pushing and panting when the midwife said, then in the next contraction the body was out. The midwife said to DH- look dad, and I was going what did we have, Dh said "It's a girl".
The Paed took the baby to check her over, because of the meconium, and I turned over the deliver the placenta, which came out in a couple of pushes. We then enjoyed a nice long skin to skin cuddle and our first BF. I was once again amazed at the miracle that DH and I produced, she was just perfect.
I was lucky to only have only 1 small first degree tear that didnt require stitching, it is the first time I got away without needing stiches.
Final stats
3 hrs 36 mins from waters being broken to delivery
2 hours of active labour and pushing
Kate Louise Smith- Born 24/10/10 @ 9:57am
3.8kg (8lb 7oz)
53cm long
36.5 Head circ
Apgars 9 & 9
