I got the birth I wanted first time around :)
I would like to thank BB & the amazing women I met on here throughout my ttc journey & pregnancy for helping me to achieve the birth I wanted. Without the knowledge, support & advice of the ladies here I don't think it would have been so perfect.
I woke up @ 7am in the morning feeling a little wet downstairs, turned on the light & bolted to the bathroom, made it just in time for a big gush. My waters had broken & I couldn't believe that today was the day, it was a week early. I was excited, I was going to finally meet my baby girl. I was also nervous, I had prepared for this day as best I could but the unknown was still daunting.
I called the hospital & was told to come in for monitoring. Got to the hospital at 8:30am and bubs heart rate was monitored for an hr. All was fine & a midwife came in and said "ok so you're happy to be induced tomorrow morning" :o ahhh no, I told her I didn't want to be induced and that we would reassess in the morning, don't book me in, I want to give me body enough time to start on its own.
After we left hospy we went grocery shopping and waited for something to happen. We went for a walk & still nothing. Finally at about 5:30 in the afternoon I felt a mild contraction, it felt like mild period pain. The contractions started at 10-15 mins apart and this continued for approx an hr, they gradually got closer and closer together and increased in intensity. I put my tens machine on & it was fantastic. I felt alot of pressure in my bum and felt most comfortable sitting on the toilet so I spent most of the time from 5mins apart onwards on the loo. By about 9:30 pm contractions were 3 mins apart, quite intense but still fairly easy, like painful period pains but manageable because you get a break between each one. They'd been 3 mins apart for about an hr so we rang hospital and they said they weren't painful enough yet so call in another hr. They continued to increase in intensity and by 11:30 they were coming fast and strong 2-3 mins apart. Again we called the hospy & they said they were not painful enough & to stay at home but I was getting less and less of a break between the contractions and they had really ramped up so I was ready to go in. So we headed to hospy at 11:30pm. When we got there I gave the MW my birthplan & was told I couldn't have the birthsuite as it was for 2nd time mums & because it was my first baby I'd most likely be having an epidural which they can't administer in the birthsuite. I told the MW I wanted the birthsuite & wouldn't be having an epidural. I got into the birthsuite & had a VE & was 4.5 cm dilated (MW told me my CX were mild & that I'd most likely have at least another 10hrs to go) This was really disheartening as to me my CX were intense & I felt like it would be over soon. My mum whispered in my ear to be strong because my baby would be here soon. Bubs heartrate had to be monitored, a whole hr lying on the bed in the one spot was really difficult. By this time it was just after 12:30am and the CX were coming hard and fast. By 1:30am there was no break, the pain was so intense and was continual, I was now in a world of my own. My body was doing it all by itself, I was moaning my way through the pain with loads of encouragement from my hubby and mum of what an amazing job i was doing. At approx 2:30am towards the end of each CX my body started to push. It was a natural and strong urge that just happened. My mum called the MW in & said she's ready to have this baby, she's pushing. The MW said no she shouldn't be pushing she won't be fully dilated she's not ready to push yet & told me to stop. She did a VE & sure enough I was 10cm & she could feel bubs head. I pushed with every CX & eventually I could feel bubs head with my hand, I could feel hair which was such a shock, I thought my bub would be bald. Her head was crowning and the Ob made it for the last cpl of CX. He told me bubs head had no more room & that he needed to cut me to which I said no. My birthplan stated that I would prefer to tear naturally rather than be cut but he didn't have time to read it. But I told him not to cut me. Bub was coming and I asked the ob to tell me when to push & when to breathe to avoid tearing. Breathing through the crowning was really hard and waiting for the next CX was really difficult too but I did it, I wanted to avoid a tear as much as possible so I focused myself and breathed. Bubs head was out, I looked down and watched her come out, I couldn't believe it, it was amazing to look down and see my baby being birthed. One last push and I caught my baby as she came out and lifted her to my chest. I suffered a 1st degree tear requiring 2 stitches. I cried and cried and so did she, I couldn't believe I was holding my little miracle girl in my arms. We had cuddles skin to skin & bub looked up at me with big blue eyes. She wriggled around until she finally found my breast. I helped her to get the nipple in her mouth & she gently suckled. She was sleepy & cuddly & stayed in my arms for the first 2hrs of her life her chest against mine. My DD birth was an amazing experience. Yes it was painful but I feel so strong to have done it without drugs and without interventions. So many ppl told me I couldn't do it, so many ppl laughed when I said I didn't want drugs but I did it :)
So thankyou bb and thankyou ladies for giving me the confidence to go after the birth I dreamt of.
