louloubabs
Certified Doula
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2009
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Rafe Presley Thompson flew into the world on 20th January 2011 at 5am weighing a whopping 9lb 13oz 
He was born at home.
Steve and I went to bed as normal Wednesday night and watched a film which finished at about midnight. After popping to the loo I came back to bed and felt a slight cramp as I got into bed but didn't think much of it. As I was drifting off I got woken by another pain but decided to try and ignore it and wait and see if it happened again. I got woken up again shortly after by another pain so woke Steve and told him I thought I was having contractions.
We decided to note down the times to see how far apart they were. The first time we wrote down was 00.59. I went to the loo again and when I wiped, noticed I'd had a bloody show. We waited to see if I'd have another contraction and I did. Three minutes later! And it lasted 54 seconds.
Steve then told me he was a bit worried that they were so close together - to which I just started laughing. I don't know why
The next contraction came 6 minutes later so I called the Delivery Suite and spoke to the midwife who said to call back when the contractions weren't so erratic which I was fine with as I didn't want them to send a midwife too early only to be told I was only 2cm dilated!! At this point I was breathing through the contractions and wasn't in much pain.
I then called my mum as she was coming to be present for the birth and lives 45 minutes away. She said she'd be on her way
Steve and I decided to come downstairs so I could roll on my birth ball and so that we wouldn't wake up our daughter.
Steve carried on timing the contractions and we noticed that I seemed to be having 3 in a row back to back then nothing for 5 minutes or so followed by another 3.
By now I was on all fours on the sofa leaning on the arm of the chair rocking back and forth and breathing through the contractions.
Mum arrived at about 2.15am and busyed herself in the kitchen tidying up and doing my washing. (Bless). I was aware of her popping her head in the living room every now and then and asking Steve if I was ok but not really sure what else she was saying.
At about 2.30 I tried to change position to kneeling on the floor leaning on the sofa and as I did my waters broke. I asked for someone to 'check that stuff running down my leg is clear' then proceeded to sit on a white sheet to make a 'print' to check for myself. All was clear
I got back on the sofa as that had been more comfortable and noticed the contractions had stepped up a notch so asked mum and Steve to start inflating the pool which they did then began to fill it.
The thought that I would soon be able to get in the pool kept me going.
The contractions were more or less back to back by now and I managed to tell mum and Steve that I thought we should ring the midwife. I spoke to her on the phone while having contractions and she said she'd come straight over but asked me not to get in the pool until she'd examined me.
While we were waiting for the midwife to arrive my mum sat on the sofa opposite me to keep an eye on me while Steve was in and out looking out for the midwifes car (we live in a new estate that's not on Sat Nav
). I remember having a contraction and feeling a slight need to push then my mum saying to me 'Are you pushing?' and me replying 'No' 
just so that she wouldn't panic.
The midwife arrived at 4.20am FINALLY and checked my blood pressure and babys heartbeat in between the next contractions. She then checked to see how dilated I was and confirmed I was 6-7cm and fully effaced
As she finished checking I felt a gush and the rest of my waters released. Then she gave me the go ahead to get in the pool.
As soon as I stepped in I felt I needed to really push and literally fell to my knees and pushed. My mum was on the opposite side of the pool holding my hands so I had something to squeeze
The midwife told me that just because I was only 6-7cm a few minutes ago, didn't mean I hadn't fully dilated now as I was worried about pushing if I wasn't fully dilated.
At this point Steve was again in and out looking out for the second midwife who was bringing the gas and air (which I was begging for by now).
But then with the next push I felt Rafes head crown and shouted 'the heads out!!!!'. The midwife was writing notes at this point and turned back then she, my mum and I all screamed 'Steeeeeve!!!!' as he was outside helping the second midwife unload the gas and air. He made it back in just in time to video record Rafe being pushed out into the water at 5am on the dot
After some acrobatics trying to lift my leg up and over the umbilical cord I got to give Rafe his first cuddle.
Then the second midwife arrived in the doorway with the gas and air
So all in all, it all happened rather quickly with only 40 minutes between the midwife arriving and Rafe being born and only 15 minutes in the pool itself! The labour lasted 4 hours from start to finish.
I wouldn't change a thing. Rafe was able to go upstairs and have a cuddle in bed with his very proud big sister (who had just woken up as he was born) whilst I had a shower. We all then came downstairs and had breakfast together.
Here are some pics
(I did have a bikini top and vest ready to put on for the birth but that all went out the window so excuse the bra )
I also have the video of Rafe being born which is a .AVI file so if anyone can help me and tell me how I can upload it on here I would be most grateful
Thanks for reading girls
XxX
He was born at home.Steve and I went to bed as normal Wednesday night and watched a film which finished at about midnight. After popping to the loo I came back to bed and felt a slight cramp as I got into bed but didn't think much of it. As I was drifting off I got woken by another pain but decided to try and ignore it and wait and see if it happened again. I got woken up again shortly after by another pain so woke Steve and told him I thought I was having contractions.
We decided to note down the times to see how far apart they were. The first time we wrote down was 00.59. I went to the loo again and when I wiped, noticed I'd had a bloody show. We waited to see if I'd have another contraction and I did. Three minutes later! And it lasted 54 seconds.
Steve then told me he was a bit worried that they were so close together - to which I just started laughing. I don't know why
The next contraction came 6 minutes later so I called the Delivery Suite and spoke to the midwife who said to call back when the contractions weren't so erratic which I was fine with as I didn't want them to send a midwife too early only to be told I was only 2cm dilated!! At this point I was breathing through the contractions and wasn't in much pain.
I then called my mum as she was coming to be present for the birth and lives 45 minutes away. She said she'd be on her way
Steve and I decided to come downstairs so I could roll on my birth ball and so that we wouldn't wake up our daughter.
Steve carried on timing the contractions and we noticed that I seemed to be having 3 in a row back to back then nothing for 5 minutes or so followed by another 3.
By now I was on all fours on the sofa leaning on the arm of the chair rocking back and forth and breathing through the contractions.
Mum arrived at about 2.15am and busyed herself in the kitchen tidying up and doing my washing. (Bless). I was aware of her popping her head in the living room every now and then and asking Steve if I was ok but not really sure what else she was saying.
At about 2.30 I tried to change position to kneeling on the floor leaning on the sofa and as I did my waters broke. I asked for someone to 'check that stuff running down my leg is clear' then proceeded to sit on a white sheet to make a 'print' to check for myself. All was clear
I got back on the sofa as that had been more comfortable and noticed the contractions had stepped up a notch so asked mum and Steve to start inflating the pool which they did then began to fill it.
The thought that I would soon be able to get in the pool kept me going.
The contractions were more or less back to back by now and I managed to tell mum and Steve that I thought we should ring the midwife. I spoke to her on the phone while having contractions and she said she'd come straight over but asked me not to get in the pool until she'd examined me.
While we were waiting for the midwife to arrive my mum sat on the sofa opposite me to keep an eye on me while Steve was in and out looking out for the midwifes car (we live in a new estate that's not on Sat Nav
). I remember having a contraction and feeling a slight need to push then my mum saying to me 'Are you pushing?' and me replying 'No' just so that she wouldn't panic.The midwife arrived at 4.20am FINALLY and checked my blood pressure and babys heartbeat in between the next contractions. She then checked to see how dilated I was and confirmed I was 6-7cm and fully effaced
As she finished checking I felt a gush and the rest of my waters released. Then she gave me the go ahead to get in the pool.
As soon as I stepped in I felt I needed to really push and literally fell to my knees and pushed. My mum was on the opposite side of the pool holding my hands so I had something to squeeze
The midwife told me that just because I was only 6-7cm a few minutes ago, didn't mean I hadn't fully dilated now as I was worried about pushing if I wasn't fully dilated.
At this point Steve was again in and out looking out for the second midwife who was bringing the gas and air (which I was begging for by now).
But then with the next push I felt Rafes head crown and shouted 'the heads out!!!!'. The midwife was writing notes at this point and turned back then she, my mum and I all screamed 'Steeeeeve!!!!' as he was outside helping the second midwife unload the gas and air. He made it back in just in time to video record Rafe being pushed out into the water at 5am on the dot
After some acrobatics trying to lift my leg up and over the umbilical cord I got to give Rafe his first cuddle.
Then the second midwife arrived in the doorway with the gas and air
So all in all, it all happened rather quickly with only 40 minutes between the midwife arriving and Rafe being born and only 15 minutes in the pool itself! The labour lasted 4 hours from start to finish.
I wouldn't change a thing. Rafe was able to go upstairs and have a cuddle in bed with his very proud big sister (who had just woken up as he was born) whilst I had a shower. We all then came downstairs and had breakfast together.
Here are some pics
(I did have a bikini top and vest ready to put on for the birth but that all went out the window so excuse the bra )I also have the video of Rafe being born which is a .AVI file so if anyone can help me and tell me how I can upload it on here I would be most grateful
Thanks for reading girls
XxX
