Jared's wonderful birth (long)
This was such a wonderful experience - exhilarating and empowering :)
January 19th 2009
At 3:30am I woke up with what I thought were gas pains. I was really annoyed because Ben had only gone to bed a few hours before and had had me up around midnight for some milk and a cuddle. After a few pains close together, my brain kicked into gear and I realised that since I was due in less than a week, it could actually be labour starting so I got up to walk around and see what happened. After 15 minutes I realised that these pains were in fact contractions, all in my back and happening 5 minutes apart for about 40 seconds. I decided to call DH at work and let him know that things might be happening. It was now 3:45am. He said it was probably a good idea to call mum who was down at Ulladulla so she could start coming home, and to call him back when I needed him. I still wasn?t entirely convinced it was labour, but I called mum anyway ? only to find that she wasn?t answering!
At about 4:15am I decided it was the real thing. I?d finally managed to get a hold of mum just after 4am and they were on their way. I called my midwife, Kate to let her know what was happening and I called DH and he also started to come home. I was timing contractions and they were getting longer and stronger. By the time DH got home just before 5am, they were three minutes apart and lasting a minute each. DH had called his parents on the way home and they were coming over to look after Ben.
DH finished packing my hospital bag for me and I managed to get dressed. As soon as DH's parents arrived, his mum asked how far apart the contractions were and when she heard they were three minutes apart, she told us to go to the hospital NOW! I still thought I had a fair way to go because I remembered the contractions with Ben being much more painful. We headed off to the hospital, calling Kate to let her know we?d be there in about 20 minutes, it was now 5:30a.m
The drive to the hospital started off in excruciating agony. I told DH that I just couldn?t do it, but of course there was nothing else to do! From then on, I went into a kind of trance. I remember everything about the drive, every little bump, all the traffic (I remember thinking there was an awful lot of traffic on the road for 5:30am!) and the good run of traffic lights we got. We parked and went in through Emergency. We checked what we had to do and then started the loooooong walk up to the delivery suite. I was now having very intense contractions and walking was rather difficult. Every minute or so I had to stop to lean against the wall or to crouch down as a contraction hit me. A nurse saw us on the way up and asked if I was going to be able to make it or if I needed a wheelchair. The idea of sitting was not a pleasant one so I told her I?d be fine.
We made it to the delivery suite at long last at about 6am. I?d started to push in the last five minutes, but I felt a bit guilty because I didn?t think I was fully dilated. When we got shown into a delivery suite, I was offered gas, but I was in the middle of a contraction so didn?t even answer the poor midwife. I?d walked straight over to a high-backed armchair and knelt on it with my head on the top of the backrest and holding on to the arms. Kate arrived about five minutes after we did and told me she didn?t think it would be too long. I didn?t really believe her, since my waters hadn?t even broken yet, but she said that sometimes that didn?t happen until pushing was well underway. She also said I could start pushing as soon as I felt ready. I was amazed, that I was fully dilated, and confessed that I?d already pushed a couple of times on the walk up!
After two or three contractions where I was pushing and a suggestion by Kate that I should do so, I thought ?I?d better take my shorts off?, but on that push it was too late?my waters broke! What a relief! Suddenly most of the intense pressure was gone. It was a relief, but it was short-lived as there was still a lot of work to do ? not to mention the pain. This was the first time I was able to really talk though and I think I even let out a bit of a laugh!!! Kate was able to check bubs? heartbeat and all was well on that front.
About five minutes later I was back to pushing again. Now the contractions were far more intense and I climbed off the chair onto the floor, resting my head and arms on the seat of the chair. Kate got a mattress for me to kneel on, she?d already got my pillow for me since I was grinding my head into the back of the chair earlier. I felt like I was getting nowhere. Kate said I was making progress, but after about half an hour, she asked if she could give me an internal (the first and only) to see if a bit of my cervix was holding the baby?s head back. This is where it was really helpful to have the same midwife that I?d had for Ben?s birth, as Ben had done the same thing so Kate was half expecting it. Kate checked and sure enough there was a tiny bit of cervix holding bub back. On the next contraction, it was held back and I pushed the baby?s head past it. Things finally felt like they were moving along. With each contraction now I was on the floor with my head down?not an ideal position really, trying to push the baby uphill basically. This was about 6:45am, and mum finally arrived. Kate pointed out that it would be better if I could keep my head up so baby was going ?downhill? and it did the trick. After a further 15 minutes of alternate pushing and breathing, the baby?s head was born! He had a few gurgles and squeaks to let us know he was alright. Another five minutes or so and the rest of my gorgeous baby was born! Kate put him through my legs onto the mat in front of me (I was still on all fours) and I remember saying ?It?s another little boy!? with a huge grin on my face. I couldn?t believe it was over and my beautiful little boy, Jared Ray, was with us. It was 7:07am.
After a few minutes to catch my breath, I rolled over to a sitting position and with Kate?s assistance, I delivered the placenta and had the shot to help control bleeding while DH got to cuddle his new son. After a few more minutes I got a quick cuddle and then was helped up onto the bed for more cuddles and my stitches. I only tore a little bit so only got three stitches, which isn?t too bad after Ben?s birth. I felt totally exhilarated and even said I felt like Superwoman a couple of times! After I?d been stitched up and had a shower, Jared had a feed and was weighed and measured. None of us could believe that he was 8 pound 4 ounces! He was 52cms long as well so he didn?t look that heavy. It wasn?t long before my dad brought Ben in and then the rest of the grandparents came in for a visit as well. Jared had another couple of feeds and I had something to eat, but we mostly just sat around in the delivery suite until I was allowed to leave to go home just after 1pm ? as soon as I could after the mandatory 6 hours. Kate had been back to check on us and tell us she?d be out to see us the next day and Jared had had his hearing check and been looked over by a paediatrician. I couldn?t wait to get home and start to settle in, but of course that day had to be shared with all of Jared?s cousins, aunts and uncles first.
