Introducing # 5

So we don't have a name yet but here is how he came to be earthside :) - ETA - Rohan Jett now has a name :)

Since about staturday I had been getting signs of prelabor. A few little tightenings through out the day. Nothing major but there. Saturday night/Sunday morning I had those typical signs of thing to come. I had part of the muscus plug come away around 6 in the morning I think it was. Along with those yukky hormone #2's. Tightenings where enough to get me thinking things where not far off.

Thing was. My Mum had come up from NSW for the birth which was meant to happen around the 4/6th of april. She arrived on the 10th & only had the week off. Her plane was due to leave st 1.10pm. I sent her a message saying to call the airport to see if she could get a later flight. She did & could, for Monday afternoon at 5.30. BUT she woucl have received no refund on the sunday flight & the monday flight was almost double what she paid to get up here in the first place. I left it up to her what to do but said I didn't think it was worth the gamble. Even if he did arrive in that time, she would only get a short time with him & really $300 out of pocket to look after my kids. I couldn't let her do it. Plus neither her or us really had the money to pay for it. So sadly she left on her original flight. Poor thing was really upset.

so anyway, Sunday carried on with tightening s ranging from every 10 - 20 - 40 min apart. More of my plug came away around 2ish.
Come the evening things I was getting tightneings every 10 min, then every 7. I went & layed down & things slowed to every 20 or so. During the night things seemed to be more intense but not getting any closer. Around midnight I got up & posted on here, fluffed about & went back to bed. Every 10 min I would get a contraction which by 3ish I had to get up on my knees to get through, was to painful laying down. By 6 am I was getting over it. Tired, emotional yet they didn't seem to be getting closer or longer. Just 7 to 10 min & short & intense. I had a cry & then lost it a bit during one contraction where I wasn't really able to breath through it properly from crying. Not from pain as such. Just the over emotional/hormonal overload. Dh questioned me at this time if I was further then I thought. Its always a sure sign when I break like that.
So 7amish he called his sister to come watch the kids & let the hospital know I would be coming in soon. I think it was around 9 when we arrived & of course things had slowed down. Not as intense etc.

Our midwife was lovely. She & DH actually went to school together.
She asked me what I wanted to happen, did I want the the injection after baby was born etc. We had already talked about how I like my labors & births but it was nice that she asked again. Not once did she offer a vag exam & even though I did want to know how far I was. I didn't ask & she didn't offer. Dh asked me if she had & why not, I simply replied that a good Midwife doesn't need too.

Around 9.30 I got in the shower, I needed some heat on my back as in between contractions my back was aching. But I was getting cold from the ****y shower so asked for the spa to be filled. I spent about 40 min in there but I couldn't do the contractions sitting/reclining in the water & would have to get up on my knees & if I wasn't quick enough it hurt to much to move. So I got out around 11 & said it was too hard in there.
Our midwife asked me in what way.. I said I just can't do the contractions laying down, they are too intense. I was starting to wonder if this baby was posterior as my back was aching & the short but intense contractions just seemed odd & I commented to DH that I didn't remember the others being this way.

Back in the room I stood leaning on the bed with my towel around me, holding the ends with my hands & leaning my back into it. The pressure on my back was nice. I said I didn't think he was far off because there was just so much pressure in my back & bum.
After about 3 contractions (the 3rd being pretty intense) I felt my back/pelvis crack. Which it does. But then moments later I felt a dribble & said either my waters just broke or I wet myself. DH said I thought I heard something! The midwife also said after a contraction like that, it was your waters. Sure enough, while there was no splash there was goopy bits coming away.

I was soon getting contractions every 5 min & really feeling it in my bum & was soon needing to bear down. No real push feeling but I could feel it still.
I got down on my knees & leaned over a chair & tried to go with it but it was so intense & I really didn't think I could do it. Soon though those urges to make noise came & i was breathing out my man. It took a bit. I would say about 15 min I think. I could hear my midwife & the student midwife that had come in also whispering but just kept on going. Our midwife got me to put one leg up. I did feel like I needed to "open" my legs more but just couldn't but putting one leg up on my foot helped. Hurt but helped.
Then there was his head, I think I said something like " Oh I love that feeling!" I looked down & there he was looking back & with another "push" out he came.
I took him & said hello & then turned around to sit & gaze & fall in love.

He got on for a feed pretty soon after & we sat for about 15 or so mins waiting for the placenta. I eventually needed to get up though, I was sore & uncomfortable so we cut the cord which had well & truly stopped pulsing & passed him on to DH for cuddles.

With a little bit of a tug the placenta came out & all was good.
While I got cleaned up they measured & weighed etc.

He was 4.1kg (9lb6oz) My second biggest.
59 cm long!!! I called out from the bathroom "HOW LONG?!" My longest before that was Iain at 52cm.
His had was only 36cm But he was a posterior delivery. Little bugger :)

But he is all good. Feeding well. A bit yellow today, had some bloods to check his bilirubin levels etc which where fine just have to watch though. Keep up those feeds.

Now all thats left to do, is name him :)

eta - I forgot to mention also, that this is my first labour & birth that was completely natural. No vag exams, no drugs, no nothing :) the others I always got jabbed with the synto at the end for the placenta.

WOW!!! 59cm long??? My DD is 58.5 at 15.5 weeks old! LOL
Lovely story Efjay!!

:)

oh wow, thanks for sharing how he arrived, welcome #5 and CONGRATS to you FJ. wow. just wow.

Awww lovely story!!

gorgeous birth story Efjay! and birthing him sunny side up! that is cool!

welcome to the world baby Rohan xx

you are a birthing goddess fiona.... well done and welcome little rohan.

ignore this- not seeing the replies coming up made me sad. But I see it was a glitch in the system :)

Wow your midwives sounds fantastic, you really got to do your own thing :) Your birth sounds like such a lowly experience, and congrats on the natural birth too! Very very inspiring story, I can't wait to experience something similar :hug:

Well done on Rohan's birth.

Bummer your Mum couldn't be here though..

What a beautiful story, thanks for sharing it FJ!! Congrats on gorgeous little Rohan and that all naturale labour and birth, well done :hug:

What an amazing story and well done on the all natural approach.

Thanks so much for sharing.

Wow!! Fantastic birth Efjay!! Welcome gorgeous little Rohan :) What a big little guy, can't believe he was 59cm!

I've been waiting for Rohan's birth story. Can't believe I missed it until now.
He is so tall!
Congratulations on a beautiful birth and a precious son. xx

What an awesome birth and I totally am with you on the pain of a possie baby :D

Fantastic birth FJ!! Thanks for sharing with us! Well done on the au naturale too!!!

Huge congrats, love his name too!

And wow - so long!

Congratulations Efjay! Great birth story :hug:

Welcome Rohan :bluecheer:

Awesome birth story!!
You did fantastic :D
Welcome to the worls little Rohan (love his name)

Wow - fantastic! He just wanted to make sure you didn't forget him - 59cm! What a whopper :)