The Birth of Helena Kate 17th March 2012
Sorry another long birth story, grab a cuppa
In July 2011 we found out we were expecting our 3rd baby, due the 3rd of April which was also to be our last baby. DH and I were excited but we wanted to wait until our 12 weeks scan before telling our DD’s, DD1 was super excited and DD2 could not get her head around the concept, frequently saying ‘IM NOT A BAY’ when discussing the pregnancy. Around 7 months as my tummy was getting bigger she finally understood the concept that there was a baby in my belly and was looking forward to meeting her sister.
I had spotting a few times throughout the pregnancy which was stressful but luckily meant nothing. I was thrilled that I was accepted into the midwifery group practice and assigned the same midwife that I had with both DD’s. Although my midwife missed the birth of my first two DD’s, I did have the same back up midwife deliver both girls. Sue, my midwife was determined to deliver this baby
My first two girls came early due to PROM DD1 was 36+2 and DD2 was 35+6 so I was worried I might be considered not suitable for MGP but it was all good, the OB’s opinion was they couldn’t prevent PROM and if I wanted midwifery care then that was fine. Throughout the pregnancy I was convinced I was going to go early and I had been given a 70% chance of not getting to term again. I was hoping to get to term and be able to birth in the birth centre as I missed out with DD1+2 as they were early.
I made it to 36 weeks and started to feel over due, when I was 36+3 I felt I had been pregnant forever and the thought of another month of pregnancy was daunting. All the due date guesses I had made had come and gone. DH had guessed St Patrick’s Day from the start as our other DD’s have significant birthdays; DD1 was born on Halloween and DD2 on Remembrance Day.
I had started raspberry leaf tea tablets like I did with the girls and I also started using evening primrose oil. I had been losing plug for a few weeks, having lots of Braxton hicks and TMI had the runs for a couple of weeks. I hadn’t had any prelabour with the girls so it was a strange feeling
From 36+3 weeks I started walking every day and we were DTD when I felt up to it. At 37 weeks I started having a bloody show. I was wondering if it was more prelabour or if things were actually going to happen. At my last midwife appointment Sue said she would discuss a stretch and sweep at 38 weeks if I hadn’t delivered and was getting over it all.
Saturday the 17th of March we woke up and had a cuddle in bed with our big girls then got up to have breakfast. Around 8.30 I noticed I was having contractions every ten minutes but after 45 minutes it had all stopped. DH had a rugby tournament on the other side of town to play in and he wasn’t sure whether to stay home or go. As I had been having a lot of prelabour and didn’t think it would amount to anything I sent him off. He had been looking forward to it but I gave him strict instructions to get someone to watch his phone while he was playing in case I needed him.
I decided to walk to the park with the girls in the hopes the walk might set something off, that it would entertain the girls and that the house would stay tidy a little longer. They had a ball, fed the ducks made some friends then we walked home and had lunch. About 12.30 I started having contractions 10 minutes apart lasting about 30 seconds so I got my phone out a timed them on an app. They kept coming regularly so I slowly packed a few last minute items in my labour bag and tidied up the house. I was planning on going to mums later in the arvo and staying for dinner so I called her up and let her know what was happening and that we would pop over sooner than planned so she could help keep the girls occupied while I rested and laboured. I also gave DH the heads up but told him to keep playing unless he heard back from me.
Around 2.00pm the contractions were still steady so I called my midwife and let her know I was in early labour and would call back later when things started getting going. I was shocked that she was on call as she had missed both the girls’ births, for a moment I thought it was a sign everything was going to stop!
I chatted with mum and played with the girls, spoke to my sister on the phone and pretty much took it easy for a couple of hours. I didn’t want things to go too quickly until DH was home but around 4.00pm I went for a short walk on my own to see if I could get things moving as with DD2 walking was the only thing that kept labour progressing. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and I had my phone and didn’t go too far. I had 3 more uncomfortable contractions in about ten minutes while walking so headed back to mums, on the way home I walked past a tree with a pair of rainbow lorikeets with a nest protecting their eggs and pushing another bird out the tree, I was probably a bit sentimental at the time but decided it was a sign my baby was definitely on her way. I called my DH when I got back to mums and he told me they had made the final which was starting soon so I told him to play but to hurry back to mums after the game. They lost the game but he was stoked they had made the final when I spoke to him after the game. He had a quick shower and then set off for mums
I let mum know the contractions were getting closer and a little more painful but that it was still early in the scheme of things, I think they were around 6-7 minutes apart when we sat down for dinner. Mum had made a lovely roast chicken, I couldn’t eat too much but had about half what I would normally eat as I figured I would need the energy later. DH arrived about 6.30 and had some dinner then while mum gave the girls their bath. After dinner DH and I went for a walk together which was uncomfortable but got things moving again and the contractions became more intense and I didn’t want to talk during them.
Back at mums DH helped the girls get in their PJ’s and told them they were having a sleep over at nannies house which they were very excited about. I rang my midwife and let her know what was happening, she suggested I call back in an hour and if things were the same to pop in to the birth cenrtre and she would see where we were at. 7.30 pm we kissed the girls goodbye and drove home. We didn’t tell the girls the baby was on her way as DD1 can get really anxious and I didn’t want to worry about her worrying all night.
Home was only 5 minutes away but I managed to have a contraction in the car which wasn’t pleasant. I jumped in the shower at home for about 20minutes and the dual shower heads were great, I had one on my back and one on my front and it was bliss, after a while though I was getting too hot so hopped out and got dressed and wandered around the house during contractions. 8.30pm I called my midwife and she was just getting out the shower and said she would meet us at the birth centre at 9pm. So off we went
The contractions in the car were very uncomfortable as sitting down is not one of my favourite positions to labour in! They were 6 minutes apart but every 3 minutes I was having a weird ½ contraction. Finally we got to the hospital (it was only a 20 minute drive but seemed longer) and headed up to the Birth Centre. We had gotten there before Sue but another midwife showed us to our room. It was great double bed, ensuite, kitchenette, lounge area and a big birthing pool in the room. DH proceeded to make himself a cup of tea while I sorted out my stuff and got out our drinks and snacks.
Sue arrived and we chatted no big rush, I was having 5 minutely contractions throughout but coping well. I kept leaning against a high bench and rolling my hips through contractions. Sue and my DH chatted and I joined in between contractions. I was getting frustrated though as I kept going to say something, Id have a contraction then by the time I was though it the conversation had moved on!
Sue then took my obs, we listened to bubs heart beat with the Doppler for a minute then I agreed to a vaginal exam, the only one I had during labour. I was 4cm dilated and apparently my cervix was so thin she thought a student may have had trouble feeling it. During the exam she gave me a bit of a sweep to see if that would get things moving. My waters were bulging but she didn’t want to rupture them as she said it would make labour hard and fast and if the water was meconium stained we would have to pack up and move to the labour ward, I was happy with this I was after less intervention. She said if things stalled she could talk about AROM again in a couple of hours. She asked if I wanted a waterbirth and I said I hadn’t made up my mind still but was open to the idea and would like to try the bath during labour at least. The bath takes about 25minutes to fill so at 9.30 she started running the bath but advised I wait a little while before getting in as it may slow things down if I got in too early.
I kept walking around the room, not talking so much as things were progressing and around 10:30 I wanted to try the bath. Contractions were about 3 minutes apart now, still lasting about 30-45 seconds but I could really feel them. The water was bliss, I loved being able to float and move in all directions though contractions. For a while I sat on my bum and would lift myself up through each contraction. DH was bringing me drinks and got me cool face washer for my neck as my head felt hot but the rest of me was just the right temperature. During this Sue would occasionally listen to bubs with the Doppler, bubs was very happy in there! About 11 things were getting more intense and I moved onto my knees and asked DH to push on my lower back during contractions. I don’t know why I didn’t get him to do this during my other girls births it was fantastic and really helped me cope with the pain. At one point I felt like a golf ball had popped out of my cervix during a contraction. When I told Sue and my DH they both checked for a head, trust me I knew this was not the head! I thought my waters had broken sue said normally the bath would be a lot cloudier if I had but they may have and must be very clear, turned out they had and my contractions quickly got closer together then I told them I was feeling pushy. I thought I might want to get out the bath but that feeling quickly left. Sue ran off to get some hot towels and blankets and DH kept helping me by pushing on my back.
I then started pushing, for some reason this is the one part of labour I like people taking to me, I think all I got out was ‘keep talking to me’ and both Sue and DH encouraged me telling me I was doing a good job. I could feel her head coming down and had an urge to put my hand down and support her head and myself. Sue had a mirror in the bath but couldn’t work out what she was seeing, I actually managed to blurt out ‘it’s my hand’. I think the contraction she was crowning and I kept asking them to ‘help me’ but I didn’t need their help and with my hand her head came out. The next contraction I delivered her shoulders in two pushes, she has her Dad’s broad shoulders too! Then the rest of her body. The plan had been for DH to guide her through the water to me but as I had my hands there already Sue got me to pick her up myself. She came straight onto my chest and let out a big cry, she was absolutely beautiful I was so happy. Sue quickly took a photo of me holding our beautiful big girl, its one I will cherish as I look so happy and over the moon. She was slathered in vernix and her head looked like she had a beanie on.
We had cuddles in the bath and DH cut the cord. Sue thought I might be having a small bleed so tony took bubs and Sue helped me onto the bed. Once up on the bed I got bubs back to my chest, got covered in a hot blanket and Sue had a check and said the bleeding was okay and it was only that my placenta was coming away, so I didn’t need the syntocin injection and delivered the placenta fairly quickly. It was quite a relief to deliver the placenta, I felt lighter. Sue asked us what names we had picked and we announced she was Helena Kate :). She started feeding about ten minutes after she was born and kept going for 45 minutes. At one point she was a little dusky in colour because she was sooo busy sucking she wasn’t bothering to breathe! Sue wasn’t worried though and a little rub on her cheek and she remembered she needed to suck and breathe and kept going with her feed. Sue checked me while we were feeding and I had no tears or grazes (which I could tell anyway). When our little piggy had finished breastfeeding sue weighed her and measured her and I hoped in the shower. Sue headed home and we tried to get some sleep. Helena had other ideas but around 5.30 I called the midwife on duty to take my obs as Helena was feeding again and I had a feeling she was going to settle after the feed, luckily she did then we all got a couple of hours sleep. We called the girls in the morning and told them her sister was here, they were super excited and came in to visit and meet their sister. At midday sue came in and discharged us home jsut over 12hours after our little girl arrived. It’s so nice to be home now
Helena Kate, our own little St Patricks Day Miracle was born at 11:38 on 17th March 2012 weighing 3.810kgs or 8lb 6oz and was 55cm long. Labour was 1st stage 6:08 minutes, 2nd stage 3 minutes and 3rd stage 14 minutes.
2333
The birth of our last bay was amazing and I couldn’t have asked for anything to be different although Sue suggested that I birth so well we should go again as the hospital is starting up a home birth option through the group practice! As wonderful as it sounds our family is now complete.
The Birth of Helena Kate 17th March 2012
Absolutely beautiful :)
Congrats on the birth of your beautiful DD :)
