Grace Clare's Birth

Hi I thought I better get around to doing this, since I have a spare moment!

My waters broke at 3 am on Sunday 24 October when I got up to go to the toilet. It was just a trickle but I knew this was finally it. I woke up Stephen and my mum to tell them but then we went back to bed to wait and see if I would start having contractions. I got up at 6 and started getting myself organised, but I still hadn't had any tightenings or contractions. At 9 we rang the hospital and the midwife said to come in when we were ready. I didn't want to go into the hospital just yet as I wanted to see if things would start happening on their own, but after a long walk and some lunch still nothing was happening so we went into the hospital at about 1 o'clock.

We went straight to birth suite where I was put on the fetal heart monitor and then the OB came and examined me. I was 2 cm dilated and he recommended that I be put on the syntocinon drip to get labour started. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do that, but with no sign of labour starting naturally I agreed and the midwife assured me I would still be able to move around the room and not stay strapped to the bed.

The drip was put in at about 3 pm and over the next couple of hours was slowly increased, as I gradually started to feel tightenings and then mild cramps and then full on contractions. By about 5:30 I was in established labour and the contractions were getting increasingly painful. I asked for the gas and found that helped me cope but then the contractions started to get very painful and were coming a couple of minutes apart. At this point the gas was losing it's effectiveness and I asked for pethidine. The midwife told me I would have to wait for the OB to come and examine me again. After what seemed like an age (but was only about 20 minutes) he came back and an internal showed I was nearly 8 cms. I asked if I could still have pethidine but my mum and the midwife looked at each other and I knew what that meant! The midwife told me I was in transition and that even if I had the pethidine it probably wouldn't work in time! I never imagined that I would be giving birth with no drugs, it certainly wasn't something I planned for myself but now it was happening. I was starting to feel scared and I was in a lot of pain but the midwife, my mum and Stephen were fantastic, encouraging me and reminding me to breath.

Very soon after that I started to feel a lot of pressure down below then with the next contraction my body took over and I started bearing down. My mum reminded me to keep breathing so I tried to focus on that, but it wasn't easy as the contractions were intense and coming constantly. I was no longer using the gas as it wasn't working but I was still gripping the mouthpiece. DH told me later that he went to take it off me and I wouldn't let him! I felt huge pressure in my bum as the head moved down then next thing I knew the midwife was telling me she could see the head. I felt encouraged by this as bub was almost there, and two contractions later the head was born. There was a lull for almost a minute and then on the next contraction our beautiful daughter was born. Instantly I felt relief, then elation as I held my baby.

After the placenta was born I stared to hemorrage, just as I did after giving birth to DS. This time the OB estimated that I lost about 1 litre, but thankfully he and the midwife were prepared, as they knew my history. They even had blood on standby but I didn't need a transfusion in the end. I also had a rather large tear that had to be stitched up but I didn't mind that too much, I was too wrapped up in my daughter.

Grace Clare Wood was born at 7:58 pm on Sunday 24 October, she weighed 7lb 10oz , measured 46 cm long and had a head circumference of 35 cm. I could not believe that I had given birth drug free and I felt quite pleased with myself, although it is definitely not something I would like to do again! But I am glad in a way that I did have that experience.

Bon

What a beautiful story Bon, and YAY for drug free !!!! =D> =D> =D>

Love :hbeat:

Bon, thanks for Grace’s wonderful story. I hope (unrealistically) to have a similar labour to yours. I will just have to wait and see! After watching the birth video at the ante natal class on Saturday, yours is the first birth story that I completely understand. I feel confident I have a good idea of what childbirth really is, just a shame I can’t predict the feeling of contractions or the amount of pain. But from reading your story I have some idea of how I want it to be – whether it works out that way or not is another thing!

Grace is such a beautiful name too!

Jess

Bon,

What a great story. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us. I agree Grace is a beautiful name.

Take care
Trish

Such a great birth story

Thank you for sharing it

Woo Hooo for no drugs

Thanks for sharing your birth story Bon, it was beautiful!! And well done on getting through it drug free!! =D> =D>
I love the name Grace too :)

Congratulations on making it through labour again and your new baby girl :girl: . And I agree, I'd never give birth drug free again cause it sux and you don't get a medal for doing it. Great story though, well done! \:D/

What a wonderful story, thank you for sharing it with us. :)

Congratulations Bon on doing everything drug free and thank you for sharing your story :)

Thanks for sharing your story Bon!

Gace is a lovely name!

Isnt it a great feeling doing it drug free! :D
What a great story and you must be so proud!
Congratulations again!!

Thanks for sharing Grace's birth story. I'm hoping to have a drug-free labor and birth, I just hope the contractions are too intense for me.

wow ! thanks for sharing your birth story. it sounds very encouraging!
Congratulations again - especially on the drug free labour!

=D> =D> YAY!!! Well done bon!!

Wow.....well done Bon!!! You did an amazing job bringing little Grace into the world!!!

Congratulations Bon!!!!!!
Welcome to the world little Grace!!!! I hope everyone is happy and healthy and enjoying the new arrival.

What an amazing birth story! Well done, Bon! Congrats again :D

Congratulation Bon and welcome to little Grace.

Nic

Well Done Bon!

Welcome to little Grace!

I love the name - my sister's name is Clare and we've always wanted to include it in our daughter's name (if we ever have one!).