Arianne Genevieve's birth story
Pregnant with our third child, we expected her to be born relatively "on time" as DS was born on due date, and DD was born by csection 9 days early due to being breech.
However, after 10 days of on/off prelabour, i went to my 41 week appt very keen to book an induction date! The Dr examined me and declared my cervix stretchable to 3cms and performed a sweep. This produced a bloody show and intensified the contractions i had been having since the night before. Though they were not regular, they certainly had some kick now!
By 4pm, i was pretty sure that something was def happening. Contractions were still not regular, but varying by only a few minutes, with a particularly strong one every third.
I txted Mum to come over after work to watch kids, and took to pacing the hallwa and needing to be alone through contractions. DH made tea for kids and Mum and Dad, then Dad drove us to hospital.
In the car, the contractions slowed down (of course) and i was convinced we would be coming home again! We arrived at hospital at 7.20pm and was put on trace machine for 20 mins, which showed contractions and a happy baby. The midwife did an internal at 8pm and found i was 4cm with bulging waters. So i wouldn't be going home, but i felt a little disappointed not to be further along as i had been 8cm when i got to hospital with DS. As i was having a VBAC and was GBS+, i needed a cannula inserted, but after 2 Dr's tried and failed to get a vein, they decided to get an aneathetist(sp?) to do it.
Meanwhile, lying on my back through the contactions became increasingly painful and they seemed to speed up a bit. I needed to stand up and bend over the bed to get through them. A delivery suite was available, so i was moved in a wheel chair to the room, where i was glad to find my favourite midwife, Ron, on duty.
I went to the loo, and felt a little "pushy", but thought i just needed to do a poo! I returned to the side of the bed and began to make some noise. This apparently alerted Ron, who asked me if i was pushing? It was a feeling i'd never had before, not having felt an urge to push with DS, so i honestly replied "i don't know, i think so!" Within minutes it became clear i was pushing, though Ron told me to "blow it away" as he was not sure that i was fully dilated. I tried, but felt like my body was doing what it had to do, not what i wanted it to do! Ron tried to examine me, but i couldn't move to make it easy for him! He announced that baby was right there and had more hair than he did!
With a couple more pushes, a lot of screaming and me standing beside the bed, Arianne Genevieve was born at 9.37pm. From 4cms to delivery in 1hr 40 mins. DH cut her cord, the first time he had wanted to do this, and i got onto the bed for some beautiful skin to skin cuddles, and sucked madly on the gas while the Dr stitched up a tear.
I got my dream birth - a VBAC with no cannula and only minimal monitoring; my body took over and got on with the job, spontaenously pushing out our baby girl while i stood beside the bed, letting gravity help. Yes, i tore and had some major grazing, but feel much better than after the episiotomy during my DS's birth. DH was a bit shocked at the speed and pain involved, but cut her cord and dressed her for the first time. I had S2S until we needed to be moved. The adrenaline hit me after she arrived and still seems to be with me now. I feel very proud of myself and DH and could not have hoped for a more beautiful baby. She completes our family perfectly.
Arianne Genevieve
3420 gms
52cms
34cm HC
Thanks for reading :)
