Pielette
Mum to little men
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Well I've now been a mum for 11 days to my beautiful boy Noah and I used to love reading birth stories, so figured I'd like to share mine 
I went into labour on Friday, and my little man was born on Saturday 29th October. The contractions started off mild in the morning, then by the evening I was starting to think hmm, maybe this is it... By about 3am I realised it was and it was getting very strong and intense. My husband had rung the midwife in the evening and she said she would wait to hear from us when they got to about 3/4 minutes apart (I had a home birth). So there I was waiting for it to get regular and here's the thing - they never did! My contractions were irregular all the way through and I was waiting for something that wasn't going to happen. I was also vomiting - I threw up about 5/6 times throughout my labour which was something I wasn't prepared for. Still, in the grand scheme of things I barely noticed.
By 6am I was starting to climb the walls and knowing my own body, I thought I need my mum and the midwife, like NOW! My husband rang them both and my mum dashed over, and he started to fill up the birth pool. They got me downstairs and in the pool, and the midwife and a student midwife arrived at about 7am. I felt better in the pool and it soothed me a bit.
I got to the pushing stage at about 10am. I was surprised by it actually, I thought it would be like in the films with one long push, then a break and so on. But for me it was like 'undulating waves', my belly was doing it all of its own accord and I had no control.
A second midwife arrived about then and wanted to get me out of the pool to examine me and have me go to the toilet. I was reluctant; I hate the thought of vaginal examinations and didn't really want it, but I agreed and let them take me to the toilet. I sat on the toilet and all of a sudden I thought oh my God, I'm going to give birth on the loo! I said as much, almost getting slightly hysterical I think, and they looked down and sure enough, there was his head! They dashed me back to the pool as quickly as they could and within minutes his head was out. One of my overriding memories of the birth was feeling him look around, moving his head under the water (so so odd, but amazing!). Two pushes later and his body was born, and he was up and on my chest, with the most alert little newborn face I'd ever seen, huge eyes taking me in
I have to say this - if you can make yourself go slowly at the end it is so worth it. I managed to remember what I'd been taught at NCT and I think this is what saved me from tearing. I did get a slight graze which didn't warrant stitching, but my perineum was safe!
It was the most amazing experience of my life, and everything I wanted it to be. I had wanted a home birth for a long time and it was perfect. Unfortunately, later on that day I collapsed from severe dehydration (thanks to the vomiting and being unable to keep even water down) and had to be transferred to hospital for two days while they sorted me out. Still, the birth itself was a wonderful, difficult, intense challenge!
So here is my little man, Noah Christopher. He weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces
https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x66/VanessaCH/Mobile119.jpg
https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x66/VanessaCH/Mobile120.jpg
I went into labour on Friday, and my little man was born on Saturday 29th October. The contractions started off mild in the morning, then by the evening I was starting to think hmm, maybe this is it... By about 3am I realised it was and it was getting very strong and intense. My husband had rung the midwife in the evening and she said she would wait to hear from us when they got to about 3/4 minutes apart (I had a home birth). So there I was waiting for it to get regular and here's the thing - they never did! My contractions were irregular all the way through and I was waiting for something that wasn't going to happen. I was also vomiting - I threw up about 5/6 times throughout my labour which was something I wasn't prepared for. Still, in the grand scheme of things I barely noticed.
By 6am I was starting to climb the walls and knowing my own body, I thought I need my mum and the midwife, like NOW! My husband rang them both and my mum dashed over, and he started to fill up the birth pool. They got me downstairs and in the pool, and the midwife and a student midwife arrived at about 7am. I felt better in the pool and it soothed me a bit.
I got to the pushing stage at about 10am. I was surprised by it actually, I thought it would be like in the films with one long push, then a break and so on. But for me it was like 'undulating waves', my belly was doing it all of its own accord and I had no control.
A second midwife arrived about then and wanted to get me out of the pool to examine me and have me go to the toilet. I was reluctant; I hate the thought of vaginal examinations and didn't really want it, but I agreed and let them take me to the toilet. I sat on the toilet and all of a sudden I thought oh my God, I'm going to give birth on the loo! I said as much, almost getting slightly hysterical I think, and they looked down and sure enough, there was his head! They dashed me back to the pool as quickly as they could and within minutes his head was out. One of my overriding memories of the birth was feeling him look around, moving his head under the water (so so odd, but amazing!). Two pushes later and his body was born, and he was up and on my chest, with the most alert little newborn face I'd ever seen, huge eyes taking me in
I have to say this - if you can make yourself go slowly at the end it is so worth it. I managed to remember what I'd been taught at NCT and I think this is what saved me from tearing. I did get a slight graze which didn't warrant stitching, but my perineum was safe!
It was the most amazing experience of my life, and everything I wanted it to be. I had wanted a home birth for a long time and it was perfect. Unfortunately, later on that day I collapsed from severe dehydration (thanks to the vomiting and being unable to keep even water down) and had to be transferred to hospital for two days while they sorted me out. Still, the birth itself was a wonderful, difficult, intense challenge!
So here is my little man, Noah Christopher. He weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces
https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x66/VanessaCH/Mobile119.jpg
https://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x66/VanessaCH/Mobile120.jpg
Congratulations!!
