Rory's birth story - 12 Sept 2007 (A bit all over the place)
I honestly don?t remember much about the birth of our first son Rory. Im not sure why but there are just whole chunks of time missing from my memory. So its hard to put into words exactly what happened but ill try my best.
We were booked in for an induction on the 11th September, as I was 9 days overdue.
1:00pm Dwayne and I arrived at Joondalup hospital. As I introduced myself to the midwifes at the desk I could hear my voice start to tremble and I started to tear up. I was starting to get really scared so Dwayne cuddled me close. One of the midwives showed us to my room and brought me in some lunch. I was so nervous I couldn't eat. Poor Dwayne seemed to think I would be induced as soon as we got there and we would have Rory in our arms by dinnertime.
2:00pm came and they took me to a birthing suite to insert the first lot of gels. My first of many internals. By this stage I was still only 1cm dilated which was the same as the 4th September when they booked my induction! I had to lay on the bed being monitored for what seemed like hours! After I was taken back to my room. At 8:00pm visiting time was coming to an end and Dwayne needed to leave and get some rest. I occupied my time by watching Crime Investigation Australia (I even remember the episode). I was still hooked up on the monitor and I remember looking at the screen and seeing contractions spike and thinking ?oooh that must be a contraction, im doing so good?. Obviously I didn?t know what a contraction felt like haha.
10:00pm one of the midwives came into to check on my progress, another internal and still only 1cm dilated. I wasn?t happy. I wanted so badly to naturally progress so I didn?t have to go onto the drip, which was booked for 7:00am the next morning. The midwife gave me a stretch and sweep to try and move things along.. After she left the contractions hit me like a ton of bricks. I paced up and down my room, I tried sitting, standing, laying down and nothing helped. After a few hours I was vomiting non stop, I was in so much pain already. I had no idea how I was going to get through. I called the midwife to tell her how much pain I was in but it seemed she didn?t believe me. I was having contractions every few minutes apart. She gave me a Panadine and left. The panadine didn?t help at all and after a few more hours a called the midwife again. I didn?t know what I expected her to do but I just didn?t feel right. She suggested a bath and I eagerly agreed. The bath helped slightly but once I was in I realised it hadn?t been cleaned after the last person. There was dirt around the side of the bath and hair floating around. I was left there until 6:00am when I managed to get myself out and head back to my room.
7:00am Dwayne walked into the room and I started crying AGAIN. I was so happy to see him but I was in too much pain to let him know. We were taken back to the birthing suite, problem was I couldn?t make it to the suite! I had Dwayne and a midwife helping me haha all the while continuing to throw up. Another internal and I was mortified when they told me I was only 2cm dilated! When they broke my waters it was the strangest feeling. It took them quite a while and I could feel him tugging away but it just wouldn?t break! Once they did it sounded and felt like someone broke the glass at under water world! They gave me a drip to keep me hydrated and then asked me to go to the toilet before I was put on the drip to get my contractions started. I waddled to the toilet and I saw my mucus plug which made me vomit everywhere, I couldn?t believe all the blood! Then I got a massive contraction half way through going to the toilet! OUCH! I remember looking up at Dwayne who was peeping around the door to keep an eye on me. I will never forget the look on his face!
Once they got the drip started the contractions started coming hard and fast. I asked for the gas but I couldn?t use it properly and ended up getting dizzy because I wasn?t breathing properly. It also made me go stupid. I kept apologising to Dwayne for being a drama queen! There was a painting of cats at the end of my bed and I kept asking why they didn?t have red cats and where was Milton (my red cat). I figured the painter had a problem with ginger cats! Then there was a staff change and another two midwifes came and with that another lot of internals. Time became a bit of a blur from here. I asked for pethidine which didn?t do a thing for the pain. I then asked for an epidural. I couldn?t believe how long it took! They came to the conclusion that I don?t have a straight back. After 45 minutes and 3 failed attempts, two of which I could feel scrape the bone I was epiduraled up! I loved the epidural I was calm, chatting with Dwayne and eating lollies. I didn?t like it when it ran out though haha
After the epidural I completely lost track of time. I don?t really know the order of what happened next. I know I wasn?t progressing past 6cm and I had stayed that way for quite some time. There was another midwife change and again another lot of internals. It seemed each midwife that came into the birthing suite needed to see where I was at by doing an internal. By about 6:00pm I was being given time limits by Drs which I kept pushing further and further ahead. I was dead against having a caesarean. At one stage I was told I was fully dilated and prepare to have a BABY! I was so excited I psyched myself up by telling myself I could do this. But after an internal by a doctor I was still only 6cm but thinning out on one side?? I still don?t know what that meant. Then my body decided to start pushing all on its own. I tried so hard not to push but my body just curled with each contraction and pushed down. This is the part that I found the hardest, it took all my strength to try to stop my body from pushing. It was a overwhelming natural reaction and I couldn?t stop it. Dwayne was amazing the whole time. He was so concerned about me I ended up worrying about him worrying about me HAH! He held my hand, stroked my hair and told me how wonderful I was doing. I?m tearing up writing this! I just wanted to kiss him over and over again. I didnt think it was possible but I love him that little bit more after going through the labour together.
I?m not sure how or why but I developed a infection in my uterus but it caused me to shake uncontrollably and my temperature to go up dangerously high. I didnt even know I was shaking so much. Luckily Rory was a cool cat and all the drama didnt worry him at all. A dr came in and told me I needed to have a caesarean. I agreed and from that moment the mood completely changed. People were rushing around everywhere, no more music and no more oil burner. It was time for another internal which made me cry my heart out. It hurt more than anything I have ever experienced. I tried moving away but she kept going. It left me sobbing. I found out after that they had cancelled an emergency caesarean that was being prepped before me to get ours done straight away. I never realised that it was serious but im kind of glad I didn?t.
Here I was lying on the operating table and it hit me. I was having a baby! Through my whole labour I never stopped to realize that. Looking back I was so selfish, I was so concerned with my pain I didn?t appreciate the face that I was about to meet our son. Then at 10:44pm he appeared over the sheet I couldn't believe it. Dwayne cut the cord and he was placed onto my chest. He was 9 lbz 3 oz!!! I don't remember him crying I just remember thinking how amazing he was. He had an old soul, so calm. I found it hard to comprehend that he was ours! He was so beautiful, just so perfect. We were now a family of 3.
I was taken into recovery while Dwayne and Rory went up to the nursery. After a while I was taken back up to my room. I was allowed to hold Rory for a short time but then he was taken back to the nursery for the rest of the night to be monitored. As I had an infection they wanted to make sure it didn?t affect him in any way.
13 Weeks on and we are just so in love with out little man. I wouldn?t change anything for the world.
