The beautiful birth of my little man (super dooper long one)
Hamish’s Birth Story
Well who would have thought that we would fall pregnant our first month of trying. We just couldn’t believe it. DH couldn’t stop shaking his head or his hands while he finished making his breakfast. We were so excited our third miracle was on its way. My pregnancy was good. I felt this pregnancy more and it took more out of me but I still loved it.
From 36¬-37 weeks I was having really strong Braxton hicks but little bubba was being stubborn and still no engaged – truthfully not even close to being engaged. No doubt at all I would go over. I had my induction date booked – 12 days past due date. I absolutely didn’t want to be induced but me knowing my end date helped keep my sanity a bit.
All I wanted was to experience a spontaneous labour, to be able to move around wherever I wanted without taking a drip and monitor with me. In the back of my mind I was trying to prepare myself for another induction so I wouldn’t be too disappointed if it did come to that. As my due date came and went and the days kept ticking past I was trying really hard to keep thinking positive thoughts about an induction. DH was on holidays and he kept telling me to hurry up because he wanted as much time with bub as possible – gee like I wasn’t trying, LOL!! Being so close to Christmas I made sure that I had everything organised so little bub didn’t think I needed him/her to hang on.
Five days over and we went about another day. We took the kids to their swimming lesson and then went home and chilled out for the day. I even managed a nap. Around lunch time I noticed I was starting to lose my plug – OMG!!!! I was so damn excited I raced into the kitchen I told DH all about it – he didn’t love the details. All arvo I kept losing my plug and my cervix was softening up nicely. I couldn’t believe it I was going to have our baby tonight!!! I was trying so hard to keep calm and remember that you can lose your plug for days/weeks but I couldn’t shake the feeling our bubba was coming tonight. I had DD’s kinder information night and I was so uncomfortable but was secretly hoping my waters didn’t break on their brand new carpet. I went home and tucked the kids into bed and waited.
I started getting niggling contraction around 11pm but they weren’t strong or getting closer so I went to bed. They continued like this and around 1am I decided to get up and finish packing my bags and getting everything organised – just in case. My contractions kept doing the same thing – short and mild. Not getting any closer or stronger and I was getting so ticked off!!! Around 3am everything had fizzled so I went to bed. DH asked how I was. Poor buggar copped a mouthful “go back to sleep. This baby isn’t coming and I’m going to be pregnant for ever!!!”. I dozed on and off until around 4am when I started getting the mild contractions again. I asked DH to get me a hot pack – I love hot packs when I have contractions. I kept dozing on and off until I was woken the strongest contraction just before 5am. I jumped out of bed and WOW I was off at a cracking rate. I had two more contractions before I got to our ensuite. I woke DH up and told him to ring my mum (she was looking after DD & DS), his parents to let them know what was going on and the hospital to let them know what was happening (the girls were so excited I was on my way, finally) while I jumped in the shower. We asked mum to come over because she was an hour away. I told DH to tell mum that we might have to send her home if it’s a false alarm. I was still in denial that I was going to get my spontaneous labour. The shower felt fantastic!! My contractions were getting stronger, closer and longer at last. I did a quick VE and I was dilated beautifully. I was so ticked off when our hot water ran out. I was wandering around our house breathing through my contractions beautifully while leaning over whatever piece of furniture I was next to at that time. I was starting to think about going to hospital as the contractions were getting stronger. I told DH to call his parents and tell them what we were going to head in. DH’s mum had popped into our last two labours just to say hi and spend a few minutes with us and I really wanted it again. They had a 50min drive in. DH and his mum organised themselves. I was now pacing around wondering where the hell my mum was as it had been over an hour. I was starting to curse her not being here when DH said she had just pulled up in the drive. Mum came in and my contractions where coming strong and quick. I tried to rest on the bed for a while but I was struggling to get comfortable.
At work we always say that when a woman curls her toes she is about 7 – 8cms. I had a really strong contraction and I noticed that my toes were curled. I told DH to get in the car we’re leaving right now. Off to the hospital we went just before 7am. I was terrified that I was going too early, we would be there all day and the doctors would put on a clock.
I had a few contractions on the way to the hospital. When we got there I three of the midwives raced out the car park all dressed up with a wheelchair and an emergency bundle being funny and started chatting away merrily to me. I had a huge contraction, they all looked at each other and said “**** she’s sounding really serious we better get her to birth suite”. I walked quickly up the hall with all the girls giving me cuddles and wishing me luck. It was so special.
Siobhan met us in the hall. I made it to the birth suite and had a huge contraction, pop and my waters broke at 7.03am. YAY not on our bed, carpet or in the car but all over my shoes!! Siobhan asked about pain relief and I told her I don’t do drugs. She quickly listened to bub’s heartbeat, had a quick feel to make sure bub was engaged (as bub still wasn’t the day before) and off to the shower I went. I got cranky as my contractions eased off and I thought great here we go my labour is stopping. DH told me it was only three or four minutes between them breaking and the next contraction but it felt like ages. My contractions hit hard and fast. DH was amazing again, talking me through every single contraction while keeping the water on me. I thought I was ages away because I was still able to chat to DH and Siobhan during contractions but I was wrong.
In the next one or two contractions I suddenly felt like I was coping anymore. I kept saying “I’ve lost it, I’ve lost it, I can’t do this”. DH was right there telling me that I could do and I just had to keep breathing. Secretly I wanted to smack him and tell him to shut up what did he know – I had lost it!! He was right through and both he and Siobhan knew I had hit transition. All of a sudden I had a massive urge that I was going to vomit and had to get out of the shower. I just didn’t know what I wanted. I walked to bed to lie down for a minute when I had the almighty urge to push. I caught everyone off guard and poor Siobhan was asking to just give her a second to gloves even just one. I was lying on the side just repeatly saying her name as I could feel my baby crowning. The next contraction Siobhan guided me with little pushes, pants and little breaths to try and slow down my baby. I had had two episiotomies so not much stretch there. I was puffing, panting and breathing and Siobhan was saying there’s the head, nose, chin and a little more. All I could think was how much head was coming. Bubs cord was around his neck and it took a bit for Siobhan to get it over. She later told me that there was no way she was cutting that cord because if the head was anything to go by there was a lot of baby to come and the last thing she wanted was to have cut the cord. Next contraction came the shoulders (they took quite a bit to get out) and then my little man was born at 7.39am. I had been at the hospital just over half an hour. No tears or anything – woohoo!!!
Everything was just perfect. I had just had a completely spontaneous natural birth and it was absolutely beautiful. I smiled at my hubby and said “look, no drip”. DH called mum at home to bring in DD & DS to meet their little brother. Mum couldn’t believe that I was done already, LOL!!. While I we were waiting for the kids to arrive Siobhan felt that my uterus was still quite boggy and deviated to the right. I tried to wee but couldn’t so I got up into the shower and tried that but nope no luck. When I went back to the bed Siobhan checked me again and my loss was a bit heavier than it should be but ok enough for us to wait it out a bit. DD and DS arrived and they got to me their little brother. They were just gorgeous and so excited. Sadly though, I had begun to haemorrhage so everyone had to leave. I was devastated. I put my little boy on to feed and hopefully help settle the bleeding. He took to it like a champ.
Siobhan called for help and it all went pear shaped. I was canulated, IDC inserted and a syntocinon drip was started. The dr arrived and I had to have a manual evacuation of clots – that was the most horrific thing I have even been through. Thank God that DH stayed right by my side and talked me through it all. He was just amazing. To watch his wife crying in agony must have been so incredibly hard for him but he never let go of my hand for a second. They couldn’t stop the bleeding so I had IM Syntometerine and IM & IV Erogmeterine. Unfortunately, now the OB Reg was there and I had to have another manual evacuation as they couldn’t find the source of the bleed. They started prepping me for theatre. I was just gutted. This isn’t how it was supposed to be. I was missing everything. My kids and brand new baby were in another room and I was going to theatre. I sent DH to be with them as I knew the girls would take really good care of me and I was so worried about the kids as they were there when I started to bleed and everyone rushed in and they were rushed out. I needed to know they were ok. The OB arrived and told me if I could cope with another examination I might be able to avoid theatre. I consented – anything to get out of theatre. DH wasn’t there so Siobhan held my hand and “tried to be DH” as she told me later – so gorgeous of her. She knew she didn’t do as good but I really appreciated it. It was horrid. I cried and begged for her to stop – so hard when you work with them all. OB was happy to leave me for a while and not go to theatre – finally good news! DH came back just to collect the bags but found me still there and he stayed with me even through all my pleads to go back to the kids. He promised me they were fine with their grandmothers.
I had to stay in birth suite for a few hours to be monitored before I was moved to my room and reunited with everyone. It was so good to see the kids and let them see that I was ok too. Our little man still wasn’t named and that still took us a few hours to agree. I am so thankfully that everyone took photos for me because although I was in the same room I don’t remember any of DD or DS’s first cuddles just still upsets me.
I had to stay in bed overnight and it was horrible not being to get up and tend to DS2 but the girls looked after me so well. Around midnight they tucked DS2 up in bed with me as all he wanted to do was feed (still hasn’t stopped) so at least this way we might actually get some sleep. It was just beautiful to have my boy back in my arms after missing so much that day.
I give so much credit to Siobhan for me being intact as she guided me beautifully and held Hamish back as he was coming like a rocket and I wouldn’t have had the time to stretch up if she hadn’t. I also believe that had I been induced I would have ended up a c/s as Hamish would have been jammed down into my pelvis too quickly and he wouldn’t have had the time to position himself like he did. Siobhan told me she could just about see him wiggling around getting into the right position, LOL!! I am ok with my PPH and I am able to separate it from my amazing birth so Hamish’s birth isn’t tainted because it truly was the most amazing labour & birth.
Hamish’s vital stats:
Weight: 4620gm (10lb 3oz)
Length: 60cm
HC: 36cm
Labour stats:
1st stage: roughly 2 – 2 ½ hrs
2nd stage: 5 minutes
3rd stage: 7 minutes
PPH: approx 1300mls
All in all he is a perfect little boy and we are so in love with him.
Thanks for reading the novel on how my little man made his safe entrance into the world.
The beautiful birth of my little man (super dooper long one)
Such a beautiful and well told story. Thank you for sharing.
Xo
