Matilda Anne's Birth

I have finally managed to write down my birth story, so I thought I would share it with you. I am very happy with how it all happened!

I suppose things really started on Monday the 27th. I went into the hospital in the morning as I was booked in for a CTG to check on bub and make sure everything was ok. Being 6 days overdue I was starting to feel a bit frustrated, but I also had this feeling that something was going to happen soon. They hooked me up to the monitor and all was well, so I went off to see the doctor and was told that if nothing happened before, I was being booked in for ARM on Friday the 1st. I was really hoping that wouldn’t be necessary.

As I left the hospital I got this urge to call Stephen and tell him to come home from work as I started to feel all insecure, and wanted to get home. I ended up just texting him and saying I felt different, and that something might happen soon. Thinking about it now I suppose that urge to get home was a nesting instinct.

That night I had more energy than I usually have, but found that I had no appetite for dinner. I felt wide awake and ended up sitting up with my mum chatting until 11 o’clock when I finally went to bed. In hindsight I should have gone to bed earlier, because I was awake only 3 hours later with my first contractions. It was just after 2 am, and I woke up with a tightening pain and knew straight away this was it. I had had them before and nothing had come of it, but this time I just knew.

Straight away they were strong enough that I couldn’t sleep through them, although I took some Panadol and tried dozing in between. They were about 10 minutes apart but some were stronger than others – I would get 2 mild ones and then 1 big one that I had to stop and breath through. At about 4 am I woke Stephen up and told him I was in labour and that we should probably ring his mum to come get the kids. She arrived at about 5 am and by then I was feeling pretty tired from lack of sleep. I ended up getting in the shower and that really helped me relax and it really lessened the pain of the contractions too. I then went and woke up my mum and told her I felt like we needed to go to the hospital. I had that insecure feeling again and I didn’t want to leave it too late to go in as I knew this wouldn’t be a long labour. I then had a strong contraction that made me burst into tears and definitely wanted to leave then!

We got to the hospital at about 7 am and got put straight into a birthing suite. Sarah, the midwife, took my obs then gave me an examination and said I was about 4 cm, but my cervix was very soft and could stretch to 6 cm quite easily. My contractions were still fairly inconsistent – a couple would be mild and then I would get some strong ones – but I asked for the gas to help me through the stronger ones, and sat on the exercise ball rocking back and forth. Sarah came back in and told me to try the shower if I wanted so I got in there and the warm water was fantastic – it really made a difference and worked better than the gas for pain relief and relaxation. I ended up staying in there for over an hour, then I finally got out thinking I shouldn’t be wasting so much water! But I found that the contractions, which by then were closer than 10 mins together, were harder to cope with so I got back in the shower. I sat in there on the exercise ball and it was so much better. I couldn’t believe that I was coping so well with my labour so far. The contractions were getting quite painful and lasting longer, but they had nowhere near the same amount of intensity as my previous labours, when I had Syntocinon.

It was while sitting in the shower that I suddenly felt some pressure down below and a popping sensation – I started going “Oh Oh” and my mum ran in, took a look at me and said ‘You have to get out of the shower now, I will get the midwife’. I didn’t want to get out and started crying and suddenly felt really shaky – a little voice in my head was saying, you are in transition. I went over and stood next to the bed, grabbing the side of it while I had a huge contraction, and then the midwife was behind me and encouraging me to get up on the bed – she knew I didn’t want to lay down so they wound the top of the bed up for me and I knelt on the bed holding on the top of it. I was naked, and while I was past the stage of caring who saw me, the midwife thought it would be better to put a sheet over me to preserve my modesty! I am glad she did as it strangely made me feel more secure. There were now two midwives, Sarah and Jenny, and an ambulance officer in the room (she was there to observe, I didn’t mind). My mum and Stephen came around to the top of the bed and Sarah put the gas mask near my head and told me to use that to help me focus and slow my breathing – I was breathing very rapidly and finding it hard to calm myself down. I let myself rest and took deep, slow breaths. There was a long break with no contractions – about 10 mins or so. I knew that this was my body preparing itself for the 2nd stage.

I felt the next contraction starting and I felt a lot of pressure and the urge to bear down – I thought this might be the head coming down, but there was a huge pop and I felt the warmth of my waters pouring out. Next thing I had another huge contraction and the same pushing feeling. I just went with it, and found myself being very vocal! Stephen later said I sounded like a cow (thanks dear). Sarah told me to try and breath slowly and use my energy the help push the baby out. So with the next contraction I made myself focus and take a deep breath and push with my body. I felt the head crowning and was thinking please let this be over soon! I felt the stinging sensation as the head pushed against my perineum and tried hard to breath slowly and deeply – I heard someone say ‘Her chin is out’ and then with the next contraction I felt her whole head come out. I felt a fair bit of relief then, and had a rest between contractions, while the midwives encouraged bubba’s head to turn the right way. Apparently she didn’t turn her head on her own. At the same time, Sarah checked bub’s heartbeat with the little Doppler machine and it was good – no distress, she was very calm. There was some concern for a minute that bub might have shoulder distocia, but with the next contraction and a big push, out she came! Straight away all the pain was gone and I couldn’t believe I had done it! One of the midwives said, She’s a big girl! And she was - she had chubby cheeks and fat rolls on her arms and legs, and she was beautiful. I had a 2nd degree tear, but I didn’t feel it at all, and thought it’s no wonder with the size of her!

Matilda Anne Wood was born at 11:17 am on Tuesday 28 November 2006. I don’t know how long the second stage of labour was, it felt like forever, but I think it was only about 20 minutes. Third stage of labour was a different story however – I got the shot of synto straight after the birth but the placenta didn’t come out for about an hour! There was just one small section of it that was still attached apparently. They called a doctor in as I needed stiches anyway, and there was still the possibility that I might haemorrhage. Eventually the placenta came away, with help from Jenny the midwife kneading my tummy and the doctor gently tugging on the cord. Then it was time for me to be stitched up (the local almost hurt more than the labour!) and finally I was free to get up, cuddle my baby and have a shower.

Matilda weighed 9lb 9oz, by far my biggest baby (my other were 7lb-ers). This was by far my best birth experience – I achieved everything I wanted this time around. Spontaneous labour, no synto, no ARM, no drugs (except the gas) and best of all, no PPH! And I felt well enough to come home the next day. All up it was a fantastic experience for me, and I am so glad I got the birth I wanted for my last baby.

Well done Bon!!!
& Welcome Matilda!

I have to agree the local almost hurt more than the labour... crazy isn't it? After labour your squeal in pain over a local LOL

Congrats Bon on the arrival of your baby girl Matilda, thankyou for sharing your story with all of us.:D

Oh wow! So well done!
And Matilda is just GORGEOUS!!!
Yay for a happy last birth!

Beautiful account Bon!! i also agree about the local, ouch...i didnt even want the synto shot after labour even though i had been through labour but luckily they gave it through the drip, funny though we whimp out at the simple things...

Well done Bon!

Really enjoyed reading Matilda's birth story...

LOL about "worrying about wasting the water"!!!

Congratulations once again Bon on the safe arrival of Matilda.

Thank you for sharing such a well written story with us all :)

Thanks Bon I enjoyed reading that. I'm so glad you achieved everything you set out to.

Well done Bon :D

Finally the pieces got put together of what happened over those days, cos it was a big shock to hear miss Matilda had made her entrance finally.

Im so glad it was a good experience and everything you wanted and most importantly no PPH.

Well done again and she looks absolutely gorgeous :D

Bon, I'm so glad that it was everything you wanted. This time round was for me too. and I must write my birth story down. would you believe that Matilda and Aston are 24hrs & 13mins apart? very nearly birth buddies.

Matilda is gorgeous - I love all her hair!

What a great birth story, you give inspeartaion for by next baby

Wow Bon, what an amazing birth story!! You did an amazing job, and Matilda is just beautiful!
CONGRATULATIONS!! :D

Bon,

What a beautiful Birth Story, no wonder you are really happy with the labour & the birth - it was PERFECT!

Jayne xox

Great birth Hon! Congrats she is a cutie!!

Bon that is a wonderful birth story, great job!!

Bon - Congratulations!! What a fantastic story!

I think I'll be trying the shower this time around!!