My long but wonderful 2nd labour.
My due date of the 5th came and went, my predicted day of the 11th came and went, still no baby. I was booked for monitering on the 15th but I was prepared to put off induction for as long as bubs and I were doing good.
My first contraction started on the 13th at 4am as I was sitting next to DD1 in her bed as she was falling back to sleep. I was pretty sure this was not just another BH as it felt so much deeper then any BH I had been having.
I climbed back into my bed and waited to see if another contraction would come and 15 minutes later it did. I went back to sleep easily enough, but with a little grin on my face. I had said all along I did not want a 13th baby. It is just a number I really don't like. Infact I don't really like any odd numbers. So the fact that I was now in having contractions made me think I had jinxed myself. Oh well I thought, I am glad she has picked her date to arrive.
DH went off to work at 9am and it was just me and DD1. The contractions were still 15min apart and not bothering me at all. My waters had broken first with DD1 so I just kept waiting for them to go early again. I messaged my dad to let him know not to make big plans for the day and keep his phone with him.
We had decided this time not to tell anyone (besides dad and my bestie) that things were starting. But my dad could not control his excitment so he rang my nana and Aunty. He did say though that he wanted them to know because they lived close to the hospital were as he was 45min away and if need be they could watch DD1.
So I kept on laboring at home and came on BB to let my Belly buddies know that things had started but were not progressing in a hurry. DH came home from work at 1pm and by this stage I was contracting every 10 minutes. Although DD1 had been great all morning, I asked DH if he would mind taking her to the circus tonight if things have not progressed any further so I can have a rest. I am not a fan of any circus that has animals but it was something close by that I knew DD1 would like.
So off they went at 5:30pm. I decided now to call the birthing unit to give them the heads up. I told them I was happy to stay at home and try and rest and they said to ring straight away if my waters brake or my contractions get to 4-5minutes apart. So I went and layed down, but could not sleep. The contractions were down to 8 minutes apart and getting longer and starting to take my focus each time.
I decided now to ring my dad and ask him to come stay the night. He arrived just as DH & DD1 were walking in the door. I put DD1 to bed and told DH to get some sleep because I am guessing this baby will be here soon. I don't like been touched very much and was very happy to continue without his help. So he slept on the lounge and me a dad sat there chatting.
I was so surprised how much easier the contractions were to deal with compared to the contractions I had when induced with DD1. I could breath through them easlily and just focused on pushing the discomfort away with every exhale. This worked wonderfully. Although I could see my dad getting anxious by about 11pm because my breathing was getting heavier.
By 11:45pm my contractions were at 6 minutes apart. I had been sitting back in the recliner but now needed to walk around. As soon as I stood up the contractions started coming every 3 minutes and were lasting about 1.5 minutes. I decided to ring the birthing unit again.
The lovely midwife suggested to try laying down for an hour and see if they go back to 6 minutes as sometimes standing can irritate the uturus and cause contractions to come closer together but do nothing towards dilation. So I tried this. They slowed down at first but 30 minutes later they were back to 3 minutes apart. Dad said he was off to bed and I said it was about time to wake DH anyway. I rang the birthing unit 15 minutes later and said we were coming in.
We arrived at the hospital at about 1:15am and it was then I realised it was now the 14th and I would not be having a 13th baby. Yipee. We walked into emergency. The security gaurd noticed me straight away and let me through and showed us to the elevator. Once at the birthing suit I was hooked up for some monitering. Although I did not want to be on the bed I knew that it was only 30 minutes and then I could be up again. Well unlucky for me, we did not notice straight away the paper had run out and missed half my monitering. The Midwife came and changed the paper and said she just wanted another 15 minutes.
DH made a comment about the fact that he thought the baby would come after 5am because it seemed like I was not in enough pain to be close. I rolled my eyes at him. I was actually feeling good and was managing it easily enough.
The midwife came in and unhooked me and said the words I do not like. 'Time for an internal to see whats happening'. I don't like these at all and so far had not had one all pregnancy. I hoped off the bed and went to pee first.
This is when the contractions really came on hard. I had 2 back to back in the bathroom and then one while climbing back on the bed. I also had that pushing feeling but did not say anything to the MW. I turned to DH with a little smirk, I knew if was nearly time to meet our new daughter.
The MW started and looked at me funny. 'Do you feel like pushing?' I told her about my last contraction and she said lets get you to a room to have this baby right now. I was a bit shocked to have my thoughts confirmed since I was expecting the pain to get so much worse.
We slowly walked to my birthing room and the cleaning lady told the MW the bath was ready to be filled. I had mentioned the hopes of a water birth. My MW replied with, the baby will be here before the bath is half filled. So again there went my chance of a water birth. Oh well, this labor had already gone perfectly for me.
Dh mentioned that my waters still had not broken thinking that it was meant to happen right at the beginning like last time. The midwife said I was fully dilated and that she could break them for me and bubs should follow pretty quickly.
I had just put a gown on and was standing at the end of the bed when pop-gush. There went my waters and they just kept on coming. A towel was put underneath me but it was soaked pretty quickly. The MW said to go where ever I felt comfy but I was happy standing right were I was. I held the end of the bed and with next the next contraction pushed.
Her head came out easily and i stood there panting while i waited for the next contraction. I made a funny noise to which the MW thought was the start of the next contraction but I told her it was just that I could feel bubs moving inside and it felt weird. The next contraction finally came after what felt like forever and out came our beautiful baby girl. The MW passed her up to me through my legs and i had my little girl. I was helped over to the bed to sit down and let DH cut the cord.
The MW checked me and after having 3rd degree tearing with DD1. To hear the words No Stitches Needed were fantastic.
DD1 was taken away pretty much straight away to be checked by a pead because of heavily stained waters but DD2 and us were left alone. This time it was a good hour before anyone came and disturbed us. This time was magical. We had not picked a name yet but the minute she was born I knew her name.
Macey Lee was born on Sunday the 14th at 2:34am after a 22.5 hour labour. She was 3740g, 50cm long, 34cm HC. She took to BF like a pro. We stayed in the birthing room until just before 5am. DH went home to sleep. He brought DD1 in around 11am and she was so excited to see her little sister but very confused as well, she still points to my belly sometimes when we ask her where her sister is.
DH also made the fantstic comment after the birth of 'Well that was easy'. He had also said this after DD1 birth but this time I could actually agree with him. It was an easy labor.
We left the hospital the same day just after lunch. Going home so quickly was the best decision I made. There is no place like home and being with my lovely little family.
Thanks to whoever reads this. Sorry for the length but I wanted to get it down as much for it to be shared but for my memories as well.
