The Arrival of Tate Matthew!
My due date was the 19th of March. Being my second pregnancy I felt overdue by the 1st of March! I went 10days over and was induced with DS#1 and was worried the same would happen, not that it is of any concern, I am just very impatient and REALLY wanted my body to go into labour naturally! I am lucky to have a neighbour/friend who is a midwife and she offered to do a stretch and sweep (not 100% natural but close enough!). The first one was done around 2 weeks before due date. No luck, not even ripe. Second one was done a few days later, still not ripe. The third one was on the 16th and she noticed my cervix was softer and could stretch it a little more. Nothing much happend afterwards except for a few tightenings, which I had been having plenty of for a few weeks. She tried again on the Saturday night and after that I lost my show. That continued all day Sunday and stopped at night. Was feeling not much on Sunday and even Monday. Went to the shops, walked around, had a few of the same tightenings. That night (19th) the tightenings were coming as close to 7mins apart but didn't hurt very much. I was getting a little excited but they drifted apart again so DH and I went to bed. Woke at 1am to a painful tightening and they were about 10mins apart. Each one getting closer together and more painful. I was in labour! I woke up DH as they were 5mins apart and we needed to organise his Mum to come and look after DS#1. I didn't want to ring her too soon so during a contraction I would say 'yes, lets ring her', then once it stopped I changed my mind! After that happening once or twice I knew it was 'time', so DH rang his Mum, then I rang the hospital. I sounded very cool, calm and collected at the time and I thought she would say to wait at home. I told her they were 4mins apart and lasting 45seconds. She asked me how I felt. I said 'I feel like it's close'. In hindsight I wasn't sure at all but I think deep down I knew??!! So she said 'mosie on down here, see you soon'.
Got to the hospital at 3am, straight into a delivery suite. They checked me and I was.... 2-3cm's. Absolutely devastated. I was in a lot of pain. Got straight on the gas. After a short while, jumped in the bath. I relaxed more in the bath, which was good because I wasn't really coping well, angry and thrashing about during the contraction. I found myself to be very worked up and angry at the pain. The midwife had to remind me so many times to breathe through the contraction. But why was it hurting so much I thought?! I was in the bath until about 4:30am and the only reason I got out was because I wanted them to check me, I was getting a small urge to push but didn't want to tell anyone because I was enjoying the bath too much! I was practically demanding pethadine too and they told me they couldn't give it to me in the bath.
Back to the delivery suite, checked me.... 7cm's. Absolutely devastated (stupid considering I had gone about 5cm's in 1hour!) But at the time I thought I would be 10cms and could start pushing. Anyway, kept demanding pethadine and they were concerned because they knew I wasn't far away from giving birth and it would affect the baby. My noises started really changing now, I was trying hard not to push but really wanted to, but knew he wasn't ready yet. At 5am I suddenly felt his head 'clunk' into place. What a freaky feeling. I was excited and scared. Knew not to bother asking for pethadine now! Pushed slowly but surely for next 20mins as midwife and I were really concentrating on not tearing, it was very important to me as I tore with my first and was in pain for 3months afterwards. After what felt like no time at all, I pushed his head out (what a GREAT feeling!), and then the rest of him. Before I even saw him I heard him cry, what a wonderful noise, and he came straight into my arms. Tate Matthew was born at 5:33am, weighing 9pound 4ounces, 55cms long and HC of 35cm. My second labour (how I dealt with it) was VERY different. I was angry at the pain this time, whereas last time I was more relaxed. Not sure why. I guess it could be I went from 2-3cms to birth in 2.5hours!
