Noah's birth 14/9/2007

I had such a wonderful birth experience that I wanted to share it with you all. I went to my OB on the Monday 10th for my 38 week appointment and she asked me if I had been feeling anything of note yet - any period type pains, back ache, had a show etc. I told her that I had some braxton hicks and rib pain and that perhaps some of my plug had come away (though no blood) but that I had not really felt much. So she offered to do an internal and a stretch and sweep if I wanted to see how things were progressing. I decided to go ahead, I was too curious to see how things were going and was keen to get things moving if she thought it was safe. Noah had been engaged for about 2-3 weeks at this point.
Anyway, got undressed and she proceeded with the internal.. I saw her face light up and she said 'are you sure you haven’t been having contractions?'. I told her I had not felt that much pain and she said 'well you are fully effaced and 2-3 cm dilated - it isn’t going to be long now!'. DH and I were amazed and decided we better get organised (no labour bag packed etc yet). She said that she could have felt the baby's head if she wanted and that the waters were hanging down and could break at any time. I then had a bloody show... we made an appointment for the following week 'just in case' but she said that I definitely would not go over dates and she expected to see me before the following week. WOW! We drove back to Dh work in amazement and I went home on cloud nine so excited that it could all happen any time!
As the next few days passed I began to think I had gotten too excited as there was v little action - some mild contraction type pains but no real action to speak of... got a bit despondent and thought that I had over reacted to the news from the OB. Had an acupuncture appointment on the Tuesday and asked for him to keep preparing my body for labour and recovery (no induction points) and also went to Yoga on Wednesday where the teacher was pretty amazed how far along I was (I had a few mild contraction type feelings in the class too). Thursday we had a big lunch at a friend's place and got home around 6. I was feeling fantastic that day, not too uncomfortable and with quite a bit of energy. We came home that evening and watched a movie, had dinner and I went to bed around 10.45ish. At 12.15 I 'heard' a pop and my waters broke! Work up DH and told him that my waters had just broken, we didn’t really remember what we were meant to do? Call the hospital? Sleep? We decided we better call the hospital as I had already been dilated and the OB had said things could happen faster than normal and that I would be considered in labour as soon as contractions started. So DH called and I went to the bathroom. As soon as I stood up I had a v strong and painful contraction... got on the phone to the midwife at the hospital who told me not to rush but to come in and she would see how things were going... so we packed up our things and headed off to the hospital (about 10 mins from home).
On the way there Dh told me to tell him when one contraction started and then the next one so he could understand to some extent the timing... They were so strong I was worried how I would cope for hours and hours and when they were more intense.. Anyway, I couldn’t look at the clock but I told him when they started and ended and the next one started and lets just say I felt the car speed up dramatically (DH told me later that they were not 1 minute apart!!).
Got to the hospital and I was told to take a seat and she would be with me soon - I could not take a seat - the contractions were strong and frequent... we were taken to a delivery suite and the midwife told me that she was also looking after one other woman so she would be back soon... but that I should expect another 10 hours or so and more intensity so I should settle in... she gave Dh a menu for breakfast for him and said I would not be having any breakfast as I would be having my baby... I honestly did not know how the pain could get more intense or how I could last for 10 hours or so... and I told Dh quietly that he would have to demand I be given drugs... she left to talk tot he other woman and I got in the shower to help with the pain. It did help somewhat but it was pretty intense. After about 5 mins I got out of the shower to sit on the loo - but it freaked me out a bit as I felt like I had to push and I could not tell if it was a need to go to the toilet or the baby!!! So we moved into the main room again and I got on the floor on all fours and DH did some massage techniques - this worked really well. Midwife came back and said she would now monitor me for about 20 minutes - so I got on the bed and asked her to come back in 5 mins as I could not lie there for 20 mins.. she came in and looked at the chart and saw that I was having v intense contractions with no break in between... so she did an internal and found that I was about 7 cms dilated... she still thought it would be about 3-6 hours which I did not believe... I got back into the all 4s position and continued with the strong contractions. A few minutes later (may have been max 30 mins) I really felt the urge to push, she told me not to but that we could 'practice' the pushing position I would use - so I got into this position and at the same time she started to see the baby crown so I never left that position... she called my OB and I heard her day 'this baby will be born by 4am' - looked at the clock and it was 3.30am!! I had fully dilated and the baby was crowning, I started to push with each contraction - the pain was v intense but it felt rewarding in a way as I knew the baby was close and that with each contraction and push he was closer to being with us. I was v mentally focused on each contraction being one closer to meeting the baby and on using all my energy to help my baby be born. My wonderful OB arrived and took a quick look and put on her gown. With each push DH, the midwife and my OB encouraged me and saw more and more of the head... after about 5 mins the OB asked me if I wanted to feel the baby's head - I said I didn’t but she encouraged me to and it felt wonderful... I kept pushing harder than I could imagine and then I heard her say - there's the head... a push or 2 more and I suddenly saw this beautiful baby being held up to my chest - he was out... he started crying immediately and DH cut the cord with my OB. I could not believe the feeling I had...a perfect baby lying on my chest... and I had been through childbirth (as it turns out with no drugs etc). Noah was born at 3.51am.
I lay there with my little boy, DH stroking him and kissing me and both of us in tears and my OB ensured the placenta was delivered and examined me for tears etc (I had a 2nd degree tear, one of my biggest fears but I didn’t notice at the time). I cuddled Noah for around 45 mins before it was time to feed him - he suckled pretty quickly and it felt so amazing! Then they weighed and measured him and gave him to Dh to hold while I had a shower. I was so elated it was amazing. We put Noah into a crib and I walked with him to my room... for our first day together!
It was such an amazing experience to go through - to feel so focused on my body and on bringing my baby into the world - DH and I were totally in our own zone and he was a wonderful wonderful support to me - I was so mentally focused on each contraction and on what my body was capable of and I found it very empowering. I was lucky enough not to have drugs - not because I had any issue with them, but there was no time in my short but incredibly intense labour.
Noah weighed 3.28kgs (7 lbs 3 oz) and was 49.5cm.

What a lovely experience you had, congratulations!! Welcome to the world little Noah.

Wow, what an inspiring birth story, Pregpan! It's great to hear that first-timers can have a fantastic, positive experience and a drug-free birth :D

I'm so thrilled for you that everything went so beautifully. Your DH sounds like an absolute gem and a wonderful support throughout your labour (his birth announcement was gorgeous btw...had me in tears!)

Thank you so much for sharing :hug:

Love
Belle
-xxxooo-

Thanks Pregpan for sharing your beautiful birthing experience - I'm sure it will inspire many of the BB ladies! xxx

Pregpan - what a wonderful story!! It brought tears to my eyes recalling when my precious bundles were born. (and it's only been 4 weeks since Hannah was born lol) Isn't it a fantastic feeling when you give that last push and they slide out.

Wow what a great birth story, you should be very proud of yourself.

hugs xoxo

Pregpan, that was beautiful hun, you should be so proud of yourself.

Gorgeous Pregpan, Welcome to The Club :)

i love your birth story pregpan- fantastic for me to read at this stage of my pregnancy. thanks so much for sharing

What a lovely story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us :D

pregpan, thanks for sharing...helps those of us yet to go through this to know we can do it.

What a lovely story, congratualtions and well done.

Congrats Pan... That is just amazing! :)

Pregpan that was a beautiful story, thankyou so much for sharing.

It's lovely to read your recollections after reading the touching post from your DH announcing the birth, you sound like such a strong and loving couple. Your little boy is very lucky :)

Bx

That was a really beautiful brith story hun. Fingers cross my birth goes as smoothly as your :)

Absolutely lovely, pregpan :)