MrsSixx
Yummy Mummy
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- Apr 22, 2009
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Beth was due on 26th November so come Saturday 28th I was getting very impatient. That evening I went for a walk, not too far, only a mile or so, in the hope that it would get things moving. I nodded off on the sofa about 10pm and was woken shortly afterwards by what felt like a contraction. Didn't pay too much attention to it though, went to bed and about 3.30am was woken up by definite but very irregular pains. Too excited to sleep I got up and started monitoring things - they were all over the place - sometimes up to 12 mins apart, sometimes as little as 6 mins. They were painful but completely bearable. Spent the Sunday bouncing on my ball and distracting myself by packing my hospital bag (so disorganised) and writing all 5 lines of my birth plan! By the afternoon I became convinced it was only promodal labour and managed to nod off. No sooner had I done this and I was woken up by regular painful contractions, about 3/4 mins apart. This was about 5pm so hubby and I made our way to hospital 
Of course, Sod's law, by the time we had made the 10 min journey (if that), contractions started to slow down. Argh! I was admitted to the labour ward none the less, made a lovely cup of tea and the MW discussed my birth expectations with me. She then ran a bath with essential oils including Clary Sage and labour quickly started up again.
By 8pm things were getting really painful (could not concentrate on the X Factor). Contractions had me mooing and baby Beth was constantly jabbing at my cervix. I was examined (my one and only exam during the labour) and was told I was only 3cms dilated, but very stretchy and thin. I was given some gas & air while the MW prepared the birthing pool.
An hour later, and on the assumption that I was now at least 4/5cm dilated, I was moved to the pool room. Going from the normal hospital delivery room to the birthing pool room was like upgrading from a single to the honeymoon suite! Huge room, gently lit, candles, essential oils, huge tub and a load of mats, balls, cushions etc in one corner in case you wanted to get out of the pool. Whipped my clothes off and jumped straight into the water – it was lovely. Good choice!
So it was now 9pm and things progressed very fast from here. The MW stayed out of the way in the background, checking on baby’s heartbeat every 20 mins or so with a Doppler. The pain got worse and worse and by 10.30pm I was being told to go with any urges to push I was feeling. Shortly afterwards my waters went pop and my MW wanted me seated in the bath for the pushing stage as she was worried about my bum lifting out of the water (I was laboring on hands and knees).
I found the pushing stage very hard – I just didn’t feel like I could summon all my strength....I felt the water weakened me a little. I was screaming and screaming (seriously, I pity any new arrivals to the labour ward during this time), the gas & air was doing nothing for me so was tossed on the floor. I really felt couldn’t do it but was getting plenty of encouragement from hubby and MW that I could.
Around 11.20pm I was told the head was crowning and sure enough I could feel the burning. Another MW came into the room so two of them were now attending me (I think it was the ward sister) and around 11.30pm I managed to push out Beth’s head. I was told to wait until the next contraction to push out her body….but where the hell was it? That contraction seemed to take forever to come. I’d estimate 2-3 minutes but maybe even longer. I started panicking in my head that my baby was stuck though the MWs were completely calm. Pushing without a contraction was pointless and I really think that was the longest wait of my life.
At the first sniff of the next contraction I pushed as hard as I could and within the next minute out Beth came into the water! She was placed straight onto my chest. Within seconds she was crying thank God and the agony of the labour immediately disappeared. Hubby (who was perched behind me outside of the pool) and I cuddled her for 5 mins or so with the cord attached to allow it to pulse. It was then clamped and hubby cut it.
Beth was dried and wrapped in a blanket and handed to her daddy. Meanwhile I was taken out of the pool to deliver the placenta. I opted for the injection in the end and it was out within 5 mins. I was then checked over quickly for tears but only a small graze, so no stitches needed, phew! Seriously that was the last thing I could have faced.
We then spent the next couple of hours in the birthing pool room getting cleaned up, cuddling and feeding our baby girl and generally relaxing and feeling very very happy and relieved. She weighed in at 8lb 5ozs with APGAR score of 8 at 1 minute and 9 at 5 minutes (due to her colour – common with waterbirths).
We wanted to leave straight away but were encouraged to stay until morning so the pediatrician could check her over. Reluctantly we went down to the ward but I couldn’t sleep. Too excited and too nervous about taking my eyes off my baby girl. Hubby stayed until about 6am when I sent him home to get a couple of hours sleep. Beth was checked over around 9.30am and we were home around 11am.
I am not someone who is ever going to say giving birth is a wonderful experience (sorry ladies, I absolutely hate it) but I will say that I had a great birth thanks to the lack of drugs/intervention, the great support offered by the MWs and the general relaxing nature of the birthing pool. I have given birth previously in opposite circumstances (on my back in bed, pethidine, epidural, the works) and am so pleased with how it all went this time round. It certainly made the transition to 'newborn mum' easier on my system iykwim.
Also, I am not a religious person but am so thankful and feel so blessed that Beth arrived safely and that she is a healthy little girl. She couldn't be more loved if we tried and if I am totally honest I am so ridiculously broody I could start all over again tomorrow!
Of course, Sod's law, by the time we had made the 10 min journey (if that), contractions started to slow down. Argh! I was admitted to the labour ward none the less, made a lovely cup of tea and the MW discussed my birth expectations with me. She then ran a bath with essential oils including Clary Sage and labour quickly started up again.
By 8pm things were getting really painful (could not concentrate on the X Factor). Contractions had me mooing and baby Beth was constantly jabbing at my cervix. I was examined (my one and only exam during the labour) and was told I was only 3cms dilated, but very stretchy and thin. I was given some gas & air while the MW prepared the birthing pool.
An hour later, and on the assumption that I was now at least 4/5cm dilated, I was moved to the pool room. Going from the normal hospital delivery room to the birthing pool room was like upgrading from a single to the honeymoon suite! Huge room, gently lit, candles, essential oils, huge tub and a load of mats, balls, cushions etc in one corner in case you wanted to get out of the pool. Whipped my clothes off and jumped straight into the water – it was lovely. Good choice!
So it was now 9pm and things progressed very fast from here. The MW stayed out of the way in the background, checking on baby’s heartbeat every 20 mins or so with a Doppler. The pain got worse and worse and by 10.30pm I was being told to go with any urges to push I was feeling. Shortly afterwards my waters went pop and my MW wanted me seated in the bath for the pushing stage as she was worried about my bum lifting out of the water (I was laboring on hands and knees).
I found the pushing stage very hard – I just didn’t feel like I could summon all my strength....I felt the water weakened me a little. I was screaming and screaming (seriously, I pity any new arrivals to the labour ward during this time), the gas & air was doing nothing for me so was tossed on the floor. I really felt couldn’t do it but was getting plenty of encouragement from hubby and MW that I could.
Around 11.20pm I was told the head was crowning and sure enough I could feel the burning. Another MW came into the room so two of them were now attending me (I think it was the ward sister) and around 11.30pm I managed to push out Beth’s head. I was told to wait until the next contraction to push out her body….but where the hell was it? That contraction seemed to take forever to come. I’d estimate 2-3 minutes but maybe even longer. I started panicking in my head that my baby was stuck though the MWs were completely calm. Pushing without a contraction was pointless and I really think that was the longest wait of my life.
At the first sniff of the next contraction I pushed as hard as I could and within the next minute out Beth came into the water! She was placed straight onto my chest. Within seconds she was crying thank God and the agony of the labour immediately disappeared. Hubby (who was perched behind me outside of the pool) and I cuddled her for 5 mins or so with the cord attached to allow it to pulse. It was then clamped and hubby cut it.
Beth was dried and wrapped in a blanket and handed to her daddy. Meanwhile I was taken out of the pool to deliver the placenta. I opted for the injection in the end and it was out within 5 mins. I was then checked over quickly for tears but only a small graze, so no stitches needed, phew! Seriously that was the last thing I could have faced.
We then spent the next couple of hours in the birthing pool room getting cleaned up, cuddling and feeding our baby girl and generally relaxing and feeling very very happy and relieved. She weighed in at 8lb 5ozs with APGAR score of 8 at 1 minute and 9 at 5 minutes (due to her colour – common with waterbirths).
We wanted to leave straight away but were encouraged to stay until morning so the pediatrician could check her over. Reluctantly we went down to the ward but I couldn’t sleep. Too excited and too nervous about taking my eyes off my baby girl. Hubby stayed until about 6am when I sent him home to get a couple of hours sleep. Beth was checked over around 9.30am and we were home around 11am.
I am not someone who is ever going to say giving birth is a wonderful experience (sorry ladies, I absolutely hate it) but I will say that I had a great birth thanks to the lack of drugs/intervention, the great support offered by the MWs and the general relaxing nature of the birthing pool. I have given birth previously in opposite circumstances (on my back in bed, pethidine, epidural, the works) and am so pleased with how it all went this time round. It certainly made the transition to 'newborn mum' easier on my system iykwim.
Also, I am not a religious person but am so thankful and feel so blessed that Beth arrived safely and that she is a healthy little girl. She couldn't be more loved if we tried and if I am totally honest I am so ridiculously broody I could start all over again tomorrow!
Zoie xxx
