PreggyEggy
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Noah Rufus William was born on the 24th of October at 9:01am, weighing 8lb 7oz. He arrived inside the membranes full of water! My DH convinced me that his name should be Noah as he clearly likes water haha (which he does, my DD screamed all through bathtime, where as Noah appears to like it). Despite all my flip flopping about being overdue, I got my homebirth and it was amazing! I want to ramble about it here so I can remember it all!
I started having contractions at around 7am on the 23rd, and figuring that it was the real deal I went about the house like a mad woman, trying to make sure everything was presentable, before getting in the bath to try and relax. I stayed in there for ages until around half 1ish I felt DH should ring the midwife and doula. As soon as I got out of the bath the contractions tailed off and were gone completely when the midwife and doula turned up. I was so embarrassed, and very discouraged!
Contractions did start back up around 4pm and were mild and irregular. This time I wasn't holding my breath, though I kept having contractions all day, which steadily got worse in the evening and I had a lot of show (never did with my DD!). I tried to go to bed around 11, but there was no way I could sleep through the contractions, which were much worse lying down, so I decided this had to be it and went downstairs to sit on my ball. DH and I watched the Labyrinth (favourite film, haha!), then he put some relaxing music on. I think we decided to ring the midwife around 2am, but I decided not to bother the doula because I didn't want to drag her out of bed if this wasn't the real thing, and since it was night time and Poppy was asleep, we figured she could stay upstairs.
When the midwife came, I did feel a bit uncomfortable being watched and disturbed, and the contractions slowed down again, but not completely this time. She decided to stay for a bit to observe and see if they picked up, and they did once I got used to her being there. She was lovely and very unobtrusive!
I had gas an air, which was great, but I reached a point where I felt like it wasn't helping and I couldn't cope and started telling OH that I didn't think I could stay home. He was great and said loads about it being nonsense and that this is what I really wanted. The fab midwife suggested I switch to using a mask with the gas and air, as she felt I wasn't inhaling it effectively even though I thought I was. I was willing to try anything at that point so we switched to the mask and the difference was incredible. I was as high as a kite during contractions and I was able to completely relax between them. If only I'd had a mask with DD, no way would I have had the pethidine, and the epidural that failed!
Things moved on quickly and I was vaguely aware of her getting her equipment out and ready, but at that point I was able to ignore everyone and nothing bothered me. DH tried to get me up and about (he'd taken in what I'd said about active birth clearly ) but standing up really ramped up the contractions unbearably, so I stubbornly stayed put on my birth ball or on the floor. Eventually I moved to the sofa. Around 6am the first midwife had to hand over to the next one. I'd met the next one a few times, and she'd already been to my home to chat about homebirth, which was nice. DH feel asleep on the sofa, and I found myself falling asleep between contractions. A little while later the midwife (S) asked me if it was ok for her to ring the second midwife (G), which I said yes of course to!
This get kind of fuzzy here, and I don't remember G arriving but I was vaguely aware of people moving about and making noise, and DH kept going up to DD who had woken up. DH decided not to risk taking her to playgroup, and set her up in our bedroom with snacks and netflix. At some point I started pushing. I cried at that point, knowing I'd almost done it! My waters hadn't gone, and I remember the midwives putting those absorbent pads everywhere and making jokes about explosive waters. On my notes it said the second stage lasted 6 minutes, but it felt much longer to me!
Crowning was intense, it felt completely different to DD. Suddenly all I felt was pain and I wasn't aware of anything else at all, and I really clearly remember thinking "oh no, somethings gone wrong, this isn't right", but then I could hear the midwives laughing! I could feel DH gripping my hand, and I gripped back and managed to ask what was going on and heard S say "You're having your baby! He's coming out in the waters" and then she reminded me that I wanted to feel his head. I had the amazing experience of reaching down and feeling his head with the sac of waters around it, and I held my hand there until his head was out. I'm not sure when the sac burst as I didn't see any of it, but in my notes it said it was ruptured after delivery. He was put straight on my chest and straight on the boob like a pro!
DH and I had completely forgotten that I wanted to take pictures and video, and even to ring the doula after all that! I felt like the midwives that saw me were really incredible though. They were very hands off and just went off observing me, and I particularly remember S apologising loads when she had to use the doppler when I was pushing, even though I didn't find it obtrusive at all. I very nearly ended up in hospital again with retained placenta, but the midwives did everything to get it out and we managed it eventually after nearly an hour! DD was very upset at that point as she guessed what was going on and wanted to come down, but I didn't feel comfortable with her being there when we tried to get the placenta out. The midwives really were crazy efficient though, they'd bagged up most of the waste in a blink of an eye and DD was able to come down and meet her brother right next to me on the sofa where he'd been born.
I'm so glad I chose homebirth! It really was an incredible experiance. It's amazing how easily and quickly everything went when I was left to do my own thing, such a difference to DD's birth, with the failure to progress and everything. I would do it again in a heart beat, and I hope I get to do it with the midwife team here again and they're wonderful! If you are reading this and trying to decide on a homebirth, I say go for it! Trust your body! My first labour was hell, long, drawn out, and painful, with complications. My second was such an amazing and empowering experience and just goes to show our bodies can do what they were meant to do when left to do it. Noah is such a calm and contented baby, I can't help but think his gentle entry into the world has had a hand in that.
I feel like this whole year and been spent waiting for October and waiting to meet my little boy, I can't believe it's now the middle of November and he's already 3 weeks old! Breastfeeding has been a breeze, no problems what so ever, and DD is back at it too. I'm enjoying cuddles with my brand new squishy baby and my 3 year old! It's crazy to be sat here on the sofa thinking this is where I had him!
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/b2_zpsce683fd9.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/3_zps4f6c5ddf.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/baby1_zpsc0fbbd2c.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/b3_zps7d1acb92.jpg
Thanks for reading
I started having contractions at around 7am on the 23rd, and figuring that it was the real deal I went about the house like a mad woman, trying to make sure everything was presentable, before getting in the bath to try and relax. I stayed in there for ages until around half 1ish I felt DH should ring the midwife and doula. As soon as I got out of the bath the contractions tailed off and were gone completely when the midwife and doula turned up. I was so embarrassed, and very discouraged!
Contractions did start back up around 4pm and were mild and irregular. This time I wasn't holding my breath, though I kept having contractions all day, which steadily got worse in the evening and I had a lot of show (never did with my DD!). I tried to go to bed around 11, but there was no way I could sleep through the contractions, which were much worse lying down, so I decided this had to be it and went downstairs to sit on my ball. DH and I watched the Labyrinth (favourite film, haha!), then he put some relaxing music on. I think we decided to ring the midwife around 2am, but I decided not to bother the doula because I didn't want to drag her out of bed if this wasn't the real thing, and since it was night time and Poppy was asleep, we figured she could stay upstairs.
When the midwife came, I did feel a bit uncomfortable being watched and disturbed, and the contractions slowed down again, but not completely this time. She decided to stay for a bit to observe and see if they picked up, and they did once I got used to her being there. She was lovely and very unobtrusive!
I had gas an air, which was great, but I reached a point where I felt like it wasn't helping and I couldn't cope and started telling OH that I didn't think I could stay home. He was great and said loads about it being nonsense and that this is what I really wanted. The fab midwife suggested I switch to using a mask with the gas and air, as she felt I wasn't inhaling it effectively even though I thought I was. I was willing to try anything at that point so we switched to the mask and the difference was incredible. I was as high as a kite during contractions and I was able to completely relax between them. If only I'd had a mask with DD, no way would I have had the pethidine, and the epidural that failed!
Things moved on quickly and I was vaguely aware of her getting her equipment out and ready, but at that point I was able to ignore everyone and nothing bothered me. DH tried to get me up and about (he'd taken in what I'd said about active birth clearly ) but standing up really ramped up the contractions unbearably, so I stubbornly stayed put on my birth ball or on the floor. Eventually I moved to the sofa. Around 6am the first midwife had to hand over to the next one. I'd met the next one a few times, and she'd already been to my home to chat about homebirth, which was nice. DH feel asleep on the sofa, and I found myself falling asleep between contractions. A little while later the midwife (S) asked me if it was ok for her to ring the second midwife (G), which I said yes of course to!
This get kind of fuzzy here, and I don't remember G arriving but I was vaguely aware of people moving about and making noise, and DH kept going up to DD who had woken up. DH decided not to risk taking her to playgroup, and set her up in our bedroom with snacks and netflix. At some point I started pushing. I cried at that point, knowing I'd almost done it! My waters hadn't gone, and I remember the midwives putting those absorbent pads everywhere and making jokes about explosive waters. On my notes it said the second stage lasted 6 minutes, but it felt much longer to me!
Crowning was intense, it felt completely different to DD. Suddenly all I felt was pain and I wasn't aware of anything else at all, and I really clearly remember thinking "oh no, somethings gone wrong, this isn't right", but then I could hear the midwives laughing! I could feel DH gripping my hand, and I gripped back and managed to ask what was going on and heard S say "You're having your baby! He's coming out in the waters" and then she reminded me that I wanted to feel his head. I had the amazing experience of reaching down and feeling his head with the sac of waters around it, and I held my hand there until his head was out. I'm not sure when the sac burst as I didn't see any of it, but in my notes it said it was ruptured after delivery. He was put straight on my chest and straight on the boob like a pro!
DH and I had completely forgotten that I wanted to take pictures and video, and even to ring the doula after all that! I felt like the midwives that saw me were really incredible though. They were very hands off and just went off observing me, and I particularly remember S apologising loads when she had to use the doppler when I was pushing, even though I didn't find it obtrusive at all. I very nearly ended up in hospital again with retained placenta, but the midwives did everything to get it out and we managed it eventually after nearly an hour! DD was very upset at that point as she guessed what was going on and wanted to come down, but I didn't feel comfortable with her being there when we tried to get the placenta out. The midwives really were crazy efficient though, they'd bagged up most of the waste in a blink of an eye and DD was able to come down and meet her brother right next to me on the sofa where he'd been born.
I'm so glad I chose homebirth! It really was an incredible experiance. It's amazing how easily and quickly everything went when I was left to do my own thing, such a difference to DD's birth, with the failure to progress and everything. I would do it again in a heart beat, and I hope I get to do it with the midwife team here again and they're wonderful! If you are reading this and trying to decide on a homebirth, I say go for it! Trust your body! My first labour was hell, long, drawn out, and painful, with complications. My second was such an amazing and empowering experience and just goes to show our bodies can do what they were meant to do when left to do it. Noah is such a calm and contented baby, I can't help but think his gentle entry into the world has had a hand in that.
I feel like this whole year and been spent waiting for October and waiting to meet my little boy, I can't believe it's now the middle of November and he's already 3 weeks old! Breastfeeding has been a breeze, no problems what so ever, and DD is back at it too. I'm enjoying cuddles with my brand new squishy baby and my 3 year old! It's crazy to be sat here on the sofa thinking this is where I had him!
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/b2_zpsce683fd9.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/3_zps4f6c5ddf.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/baby1_zpsc0fbbd2c.jpg
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/SapphireMusings/b3_zps7d1acb92.jpg
Thanks for reading
