Thanks everyone. We're over the moon here.
Any idea why doctors break the sac in a hospital? They broke my water at 9+ right before I started pushing.
They normally break them because doing so speeds things up and makes contractions more intense, it's also supposed to be easier to push the baby out when the sack has broken and I will say that the pain at the point of crowning with my son was pretty extreme compared to my daughter. That being said though, the experience was well worth it I think!
My sons birth was a home birth, and the midwives were very very hands off. I had originally decided to say no to having my membranes ruptured, but forgot to tell them! It was ok though, by the time I was past early labour and in active labour, I was properly "in the zone" and they didn't want to interfere. They were amazing, the only time I was touched was when they used the doppler, and I remember them saying things like "listen to your body" when I started pushing. It was all very very quick once I got into active labour, very relaxed and gentle.
The main midwife remembered that I wanted to touch the head as it crowned and managed to get me to do it when the time came, and I swear it felt nothing short of miraculous...I actually pushed my son out through my own hands and could feel the sack of membranes around him. I'll never forget it!
It is really rare, I read online that it happens in something like 1 in 80,000 births! It's probably rare due to membranes routinely being ruptured. My midwives were very surprised, they had both covered themselves in those fluffy absorbent pads because they were expecting them to pop mid push and explode everywhere!
Also - gas and air is AMAZING. Like seriously, hahaha. My midwife gave me a mask that covered my nose and mouth which was much more effective and comfortable then the mouth piece that is standard. She said I kept breathing through my nose and wasn't getting the full effect, even though I was doing my best not to. Once I had the mask the difference was incredible, I was in loads of pain but so high it didn't matter, haha! If only someone had given me a mask with my first birth, I probably wouldn't have bothered with the epidural that failed on me!
I hope everyone with their babies are doing well, and those left to pop do so soon!
I'm loving having a newborn again, I'm so much more relaxed then the first time. I swear if they could bottle the scent of a newborn they'd make millions! I can't help but sniff him every chance I get. My milk came in today too, I woke up looking like a bloody porn star!
DH and I are still arguing over names, hehe
