Emma Josephine's birth - 16/8/07
This may be long.
The date was 15/8/07, I had an appointment with my MW at lunchtime. She did a VE but as her Co-MW (they work in pairs) was trying to get another girl started she tried not to disturb me too much. Not long after she left I started getting contractions approximately 10-20 minutes apart. Sarah went down for her afternoon nap while I rested and hoped that this was really it.
I continued to contract throughout the day but they were bearable so I told DH what was happening when he came home from work. He continued to time them for me and I cooked dinner while he looked after Sarah. This was far more relaxed than when Sarah was born! Around 10pm we decided to call the MW (not my MW, her partner) because it was getting hard for me to talk through the contractions. My IL?s came to collect Sarah and we arrived at the hospital around 11pm
The MW had a look and I was not dilated enough (about 2 cm) but as my first labour was quick she did not send me home due to the amount of time it takes to get to the hospital from our house. She could tell that they were definitely labour contractions and when she examined me ? an hour later I was 4 cm dilated and she rang my student MW while DH rang my sister who was my nominated support person alongside DH. After they had been contacted she went to fill up the bath.
As soon as the bath was ready I got straight in and spent as much time relaxing between contractions as I could. Sometime while this was happening my SMW and sister arrived. The only non-PG female in the room was the main MW! My sister was 12 weeks, and my SMW was 36 weeks! At one point while I was labouring the MW put the Doppler on my belly and then realised it was not a waterproof one ? whoops!
This continued with me spending as much time on all fours as possible due to the majority of the pain being in my back, I sure got a lot of back rubbing that night! Lol
Approximately 4 hours later I was exhausted from being up all day and night and was almost falling asleep between contractions while in the bath ? just a little bit dangerous! Around this time I asked for an epidural so I could sleep! The MW could see that I really did need it so she told me to get out of the bath and she would examine me and break my waters and we would see what happened from there Sometime during this time my sister rang my parents and they arrived. Mum took over from my sister.
When the MW examined me she said I was only 5cm dilated! And I had had the urge to push while I was in the bath! So she broke my waters and there was menconium in them. While she was getting ready to transfer me to the labour and delivery ward (from the birth centre) my body started pushing. I recall the MW saying not to worry about calling the anethesitist as this baby was coming NOW! The SMW came and supported Em?s head while my body pushed and the main MW went to get a bassinette ready and heat up the machine that they check the baby on. Within 5 minutes of being told that I was only 5cm dilated and my waters being broken Emma was born!
She was absolutely stunning! My parents got to spend an hour with her before they had to go and catch a plane to Scotland, as their trip had been planned since before we found out about my pg with Em, so she came just in time to meet them. She has had some health problems since but is now a very happy, thriving little girl and has just learned to squeal! She has the most incredible laugh and loves her sister and vice versa. They entertain each other so much and are always laughing at each other.
