The strangest day of my life!

Hi Everyone,

I never thought I would post my birth story but I think this story has to be told.

Ok, so my birth plan was elective C/S. Right from the day DH and I decided that we were going to TTC I knew I wanted a C/S. For many reasons I knew that VB was not for me and that an elective C/S was. (I'm not going to discuss my reasons here. So pls, no C/S debate or lecture is wanted). The date for bub's arrival was set for June 11 - 38w4d...... bub (Aidan) had different ideas.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, about 1:15am I awoke (as I usually do) and go to the loo. So I did and then went back to bed. I had some trouble getting back to sleep (I usually do) and after tossing and turning for about 25mins my hips started to feel sore. My DH was about an hour away staying overnight as he'd been at a buck's party. I sent him a txt letting him know I was up if he wanted to chat. We had a quick chat and he went to bed. Meanwhile my hips were getting more and more painful. I was having trouble lying down and walking made it feel better. So I got up for a while. After half and hour or so of this I decided to ring my hospital and get some advice. I was not at all concerned really.... I was 35w1d pg and I'd had a growth and devleopment scan 2 days before - bub was all good, head not engaged, everything perfect. The midwife suggested a heat pack and panadol and to call back in an hour if it didn't improve. Do you think I could find and panadol or a heat pack?.... no. I called my DH (he was ALWAYS using that heat pack......) he had no idea where it was (of course). I found some panadeine so I called the midwife to see if I could take that. She suggested that I come in and get checked out.

I quickly threw some clothes into a suitcase (just in case) and got dressed. I stopped at the loo on the way out the door and there was a tiny bit of bright red blood..... I knew then that something was going on. The hosp was about 15mins away. As I was driving the pains were definitely coming in waves - extending from hip to hip and very low down. The pain was not excrutiating but was certainly not nothing.... this must be early labour?

I arrived safely at the hospital (I think about 4-5 contractions in the car). The midwife examined me and said that she thought the baby was well on the way! My response.... "I'm not pushing this out, I'm having a C/S so can we get that organized pls." Her response..... "Sorry love but I don't think you're going to be able to". My respone....... " I REALLY want one" Her response - "We'll wait for the OB and see what she says" I phoned my DH and told him to come home as bubs was coming. Another midwife came in and examined me then and told me that "bub had black hair" and that there was no way I could have a C/S. I didn't panic, just sucked on some gas and waited for the OB. When the OB finally arrived she said it was way to dangerous to attempt a C/S with bub nearly out so I was going to have to have a VB. My response...."OK then, whatever's safe". As I've learnt before I'm very calm in a crisis.

So after about 20mins of pushing Aidan was born - 5:24am. He had a beautiful loud cry and I got a short cuddle before he was taken away to be looked at by the paediatrician. He was 2.42kg (approx 5lb6oz) and 48cm long with a beautiful head of black hair. I ended up with one small internal stitch. DH finally arrived at about 5:45am.

So there you have it. We were totally the talking point of the hospital - "she drove herself in fully dilated and he was away at a buck's party". I've been undeservedly crowned a "legend". My OB told me that in her 18 years of obstetric practice she has never had anyone have happen to me what I've had happen.

So that's my story. I think things worked out for the best in the end. Cos I had a VB I was able to walk around straight away and so have been able to visit my little man in special care as often as I want to. It was a shame DH missed our son's first cry but at the end of the day I had the most wonderful midwives and OB it was a very comfortable womanly environment. I feel a little bit sheepish about the whole thing too. I had a grand total of 3hrs 40mins labour (I'd say at least 2 hours of which I didn't even know was labour) and ended up having an extremely easy VB with no pain relief. My advice to those thinking about their big day and their VB....... don't over analyze and over prepare. Just go with the flow, you're body is going to have a mind of its own. Sometimes ignorance and denial are best!

Wow, what an awesome birth story! You are an amazing woman and should be very proud of yourself :)

Congratulations on your little man, I hope he comes home with you really soon.

Best laid plans of mice and men hey? Even though it isn't what you wanted originally, I'm glad that you are very happy with yourself for having had a natural birth - well done.

Wow!!! I am glad everything went so smoothly for you, even if it wasn't the birth you'd planned! You are right, sometimes you just have to go with the flow and do what's best for you and bubs!

Congratulations!

Wow what a great story hun!!!!! Congratulations on the arrival of Aidan!!! :hooray:

WOW! Congratulations.

Thanks for sharing your birth story. I'm glad everything went well and you should be proud of yourself.


xx

Congratulations on an awesome birth!!!!

LMAO at you driving yourself to hospital and having bubs shorly after!!!!!

Glad all went well for you.

xoxoxo

What an awesome story!! That is certainly one I will remember for a while, I love the "legend" status, certainly shows what a woman can be capable of doing - even if completely oblivious to what is actually happening!!

Congratulations on the safe arrival of little Aidan :dance:

That's such an amazing story!!! I'm in shock. You sound so calm and collected. I would have been FREAKING out, going into labour that early and not having my DH at my side.

Well done you. You should be proud that you had faith in your body to birth your son. :clap:

Thanks for the congrats everyone!

Its funny, I do go totally calm in a crisis. The hormones and adrenalin rush certainly happened after it was all over though. My BP was shocking for the first couple of days after - required some sedation to get to sleep the first few nights. I was just totally buzzing and couldn't calm down. Its like as long as I was moving I didn't have to sit and realize what had happened - and what I had done on my own. Reality is kicking in now..... so is the milk! :dance:

Little Aidan is an absolutely amazing little man. He's actually really quite advanced.... he just must have been ready to come out. On day 1 he was breathing normal air after about 10 hours (they started him on 30% oxygen and then just turned it down from there). He started BF on day 2 and is up to 3 BFs per day which is amazing for a 35wk bub. Hopefully we'll be able to take him home early next week.

Thanks again for the kind words.

Wow Congratulations!!!

I am neither pro or anti c/s..... I think that it is great that patients and doctors have a choice.

I am however wondering if - and I emphasise if - you were to decide to have another baby in the future, would you again be electing to have a C/S or would you try for another VB?

3hrs is a fantastic job BTW - I wish my VB had been so short! I was one of the unlucky ones who's baby just didn't want to come out...for over 40hrs..

That is amazing!!! Looks like Aiden had other ideas when it came to the c/s. You certainly are a legend for driving yourself to the hospital, blissfully unaware that you were fully dialated!

Well done :clap:

What a story!
Thanks for sharing... you made me cry (as most things in these days... hormons!!!).
Congratulations!

ROFL!!! Top story, I just love it. Put that legend crown firmly on your head :dance:.

Well done!! :clap:

Congrats on the birth of Aiden! :D

I have a friend who also doesn't feel contractions until full on labour. Where we live you can't have babies so we have to drive approx. 1 hour North or South so she just makes it to hospital!

Way to go MAMA!!!

Your birth sounds like my XMIL's. 37 years ago in August she woke up with a niggle in her side, and went to sleep on the sofa because XFIL was a roof tiler and needed his sleep (so he didn't fall off the roofs when he was working). She tossed and turned on the sofa a wee bit, then needed #2. Went to the loo and couldn't go, so gave up and went back to the sofa. As she sat down her waters broke and she sort of lifted her weight and shuffled her bum back, looking down to see how much mess there was, and XP's head fell out, followed, as she stood up in shock, by the rest of him. She shouted to her mum (they were living with her folks at the time) "Mum, i've had the baby!" and her mum got up (it was about 4am by then) and went mad because the sofa in question was WHITE and only 3 months old. ROFL.

I was wondering what Naomi asked too, if such a brilliantly done VB has made you consider it for next time or if your choice for CS would still stand if you had the choice? Saying that, if second labours are quicker you might have the next one at traffic lights!!! :)

Well done hun, i'm glad it went so well for you.

Bx

Aaah, now that's the way to have a baby! How nice are the hormones your body creates?! No wonder you couldn't sleep!

On a side note: Hoobley, that's hilarious! Spech with the new sofa!

How fantastic is that :D

Well done :D

CONGRATULATIONS :D:D

Congratulations Principessa :D

I don't check in here very often but am glad I did this morning (even though I'm a few days late :rolleyes:).

That certainly is an amazing birth story! It makes me a bit nervous about my DH going away to Noumea for 2 weeks- he gets back when I'm 37w!!

I hope little Aidan is doing really well and you are enjoying every precious moment!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks everyone for your well wishes and congrats.

An update, Aidan came home with us on Tuesday (36w3d gestation). He did really well in hosp and is continuing to BF like a little champion. Its so good to have him with us all the time. DH and I are so happy - we can't stop looking at him!

A few of you have asked questions about whether I would opt for a C/S or go for another VB next time. While its going to be some time before we think about having #2 I have thought about this. At this stage I think I would still schedule a C/S and if I went into labour before that date then I would have a VB. Like I said in my original post I have many reasons why I originally wanted a C/S and those reasons still remain. That's my thoughts at this point, things may change though. I must say I had a brilliant recovery from the VB and that will certainly be a consideration when I have Aidan running around and I'm trying to look after a new bub.

Peekay - Great to hear from you. I hope you are keeping well. Prior to this happening to me, I wouldn't have hesitated to have my DH go away before 37weeks. Next time around though, he'll be staying close by from 30weeks :) Premature birth is one of those things that can happen to any of us and is quite common - or so I've now seen while hanging out at the special care nursery at the hosp. For one Mum there, it was her 4th pg and her son was born at 33weeks (all her other pg had gone to term). Apparently they still don't know what causes labour to begin. I'm sure you'll hang in there until your DH is back. I think what happened to me (with the speed of labour etc) was pretty crazy and extremely rare. You'll be just fine. Take it easy!