Isla Jewels long awaited arrival.
Well this i's going to be one of the shortest birth stories around I think!
I was 41 + 4 days overdue. I was dead set against making this baby come before she was ready. I was delighted when I started to get some tightening in my back on Saturday evening, yet when I went to bed they all fizzled out.
Sunday night I had some more, nothing major. Then at 8.30pm I had a show! I was like YAY!!! & thought for sure that things would be happening by morning. But again nothing much happned.
Monday morning rolled around & still nothing major to report. I went into the hospital for my daily montioring on the CTG machine & also a check with the Ob. The Ob on duty didn't even look at me, or speak to me! The midwife just kept going back & forth between us. She said after doign the CTG that she wanted to do an internal, to which I agreed as I wanted to know if the tightening I had been getting were doing anything. I was 4cms! Off she went back to the Ob to report her findings & then back again to me to tell me he wanted her to break my waters. To which I replied with a firm NO!
So later that day I had to have an U/S done to check everyone was still happy.
I went home, We all went for a long walk & I started to get the tightenings a bit closer together, about every 10 to 15 mins apart. We headed home so I could have a rest & then off to the U/S. U/s showed that all was well & no reason to rush her. But even the u/s guy sound this will be your last u/s, she is really well down.
Mum came around later that afternoon, she planned on sitting up at the local shops till I rang for her to come to look after the boys. But I tol dher not to be silly, if she is keen to be here to just come now. I honestly didn't think that I would be needing her to well into the night, early hours on tuesday. So there was no way I was letting her sit at the local takeaway till then!
The tightenings became about 10 mins apart, yet still not what I would call contractions. I joked with DH that it would be good if it call hold off till just after the boys go to sleep & then they will be none the wiser & there would be no tears when they where left with Grandma.
Who knew that this was excactly what happened! Mum pretended to leave just before we took the boys to bed so that there was no distraction with getting them asleep & as soon as I was able to leave their room, the NOW contractions started rolling in between 5 & 10 mins apart. DH came out from the boys at 9.30 & said he was going to try & sleep. So mum sat up with me & again I joked with DH that I will give him 1/2 an hour & then off to the hospital. Well come 10pm the contractions were now 4 to 6 mins apart, but still barable. I thought I better call the hospital & find out when I should go in seems I needed IV antibiotics for GBS+ before the birth. The midwife said well you are a bit huffy & puffy, you should probably head in now. So I pottered around a bit getting my bags etc & when in to DH & said well I gave you a bit extra but its time to go. We left home at 10.30pm & in the car the contractions started to hit closer together & while they were more painful I put it down to the way I was sitting in the car. About 10.45pm we arrived at the hospital & went in through emergency when the lady at the desk just looked at me & said Maternity? I smiled & said Yep! She offered me a wheelchair but I said Nah, I'm right & even used the stairs over the lift.
Once we got to the birthing suit Jenny, the midwife on duty wanted to put me on the CTG machine. I wasn't too keen about this as again I was sitting just like I was in the car & I couldn't handle the pain the way I wanted in that position. I argued & said this is Bull ****! But she basically said too bad, I need you on there for 20 minutes. I kept saying I can't stay like this its making it harder & has changed the pain. She said the babys heart rate was too high (around 175 -180 ) & that she needed to see it slow down a bit. I said that it was high because of the way I was sitting, she was kicking about also, so I knew she wasn't comfortable either. Jenny finally agreed to letting me sit on the edge of the bed if the monitor could still get a good reading once she had performed an internal. I was 5 cms.
Sitting on the edge of the bed wasn't alot better but the babys heart rate did settle back down to 155 - 160 ish. This is when I got all teary & said I didn't want to do this anymore. Simon said YOU can do this, you have done it before you know you can. I said I know I can, but I don't want too! Jenny put in the IV catheter, which she blew the vein on! So then had to use my other hand. Once that was in & she gave me the IV Ab's she let me get off the monitor & get up. I said I wanted to get in the shower, so headed to the bathroom & leaned on the towel rail while another contraction hit, Simon was just coming in to turn the shower on & I said I need to push! Quickly! He ran out & called for Jenny who came running back in & said WHAT, already! So she helped me back to the bed & I said I don't want to be on my back. She got Simon to raise the bed so I could lean over the side of the bed while I stood on the floor. Jenny was getting her table of things ready when I said I can't hold this back much longer & She said thats ok, just go with it. Again I said No I think you should be down there! She came over & told Simon to push the yellow button on the wall. I didn't realise he couldn't reach because I had his hands. Again Jenny said PUSH THE BUTTON! He said I can't reach it, LET GO OF HER HAND & PUSH THE BUTTON! Simon again said she wont let go, this is when I realised & let go & started saying Sorry as Jenny said PULL AWAY FROM HER & PUSH THE BUTTON!
I was standing there with my left leg ****ed up in the air & there was a pop & a splash on the floor. Jenny told me to put my leg down, but I said I can't. Jenny had to grab my leg & put my foot on the floor. I felt like the floor was a good metre below my foot. But Once I had it down I started to bare down. I wouldn't say I pushed, But my body did. I felt that buring pain & thought here we go. There was another sting as my body pushed & then a splash on the floor as more fluid was relased. I asked if the head out yet, to which Jenny replied the whole baby is out! 11.35pm she was born.
I hosnestly couldn't believe it! I was just shocked that she was already out. I received my baby from in between my legs & placed her on the bed in front of me & just patted her all over while saying "Oh good girl!" Over & over again. Even Simon said its amazing how I went from the "i'm in pain" mode to giggly & pretty much speach less in a matter of seconds, well in the time I took Jenny to say "the whole baby is out" . The second midwife in the room Ila (yep I was just as shocked that the assisting midwifes name was also Ila, spelt different but still). Jabbed me with the syntocin to help with the placenta. I think if I was aware she was going to do it I would of asked not to have it. I am not bothered that I did get it, as I had my baby girl. But I said Oh you bugger! you got me good! She snuck up behind me & I didn't even realise till I felt the sting what she was doing. Actually she is lucky I was all giddy about the quick birth otherwise I might have punched her one LOL. 3rd stage happened very quick as well, no pain & little bleeding.
Simon cut the cord & had a cuddle while I got up on the bed. She was put on the breast & she took to it like any true ABA counsellors baby should! She stayed there for a good 40 minutes & then some more on the other side. Once she was finished she was weighed etc.
8lb 4 oz, HC 34.5cm & 51 cm long. Except for head, she went from being expected to be my smallest baby yet to my biggest! She also took the longest to decide to come yet the shortest of labours. We aimed for less the 6 hours & I hadn't even been at the hospital an hour! I'm not sure what they classed as active labour for her, But I will find out.
Well that turned out to be longer then expected but wow she came out quick! I had not even a graze! Who was it that posted about the body naturally "vomiting" the baby out?? Again I don't like the description but I don't think I physically pushed her out. My body did all the work on its own.
All future babys will born with me standing up! it was so easy!
