kiwimama
Soon to be family of 4!
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My first indication that labour could be imminent was lower back ache and some cramping during the day of the 19th March. I took some panadol for this and continued with our plans for the day.
I headed to bed and woke about 1am needing to pee, so got up and when I wiped, there was blood. It didnt really seem mucousy, so I showed Tim and we googled to see if that was normal. Seemed it was and at about 1.30am, I started having contractions. I put on my tens machine and my rainbow relaxation cd with my birthing affirmations. (This stayed on repeat for the next 12 hours!) I used my hypnobirthing breathing and was coping really well with Tim timing them. After about 3 hours they were coming every 2 mins and Tim was anxious things were going quickly so we called the midwife out at 4.30am. She noticed that I was quite calm and relaxed and easily breathing through them and offered an internal. I hadnt really wanted any if possible but wanted to see where we were at and she told me I was at 2cms and she pulled my cervix forward. I was a bit disappointed at this (was kinda hoping that I was near the end!) She said she would go and get some sleep and to call when we needed her.
Kept my breathing up and called the midwife back at about 8am. She estimates this is probably when I was entering active labour, although we didnt do an internal. I was a bit wobbly at this stage saying I couldnt do it if I was only at 4cms or something. My midwife encouraged me to have faith in my body and we continued on. I was having about 3-4 strong, intense contractions in 10 mins at this stage. Midwife encourages me to start moving, as Ive been sitting on the couch using my relaxation up until now, and says I should try and go to the toilet. So I head down to the bathroom about 8.45am and manage to do a pee, then I hop into the pool, where I stay for about 2 hours. During this time I keep saying I cant do this and midwife again has to give me encouragement to keep going. The midwife does a gentle internal with just one finger and says she cant tell exactly where Im at but there is a lip still over babys head and I move into a deep squat in the pool to encourage that to move.
By 10am, Im getting intense back pain with each contraction. Im getting some pressure but not any urge to push so we try at few pushes with the next few contractions to see if anything happens but it doesnt. By this stage, the midwife says the contractions seem to be getting less intense. She decides to call the second midwife in to assess progress.
She arrives and I hop out of the pool. Internal is done and Im 8cms and after hearing this I am ready to give up. I had thought I was fully dilated and just waiting for baby to move down more. The midwives had a chat with me about what we can do from here. They say they can give me an iv for some fluids as Ive not been drinking much at all and they say that will give me more energy and will give me a chance to continue at home. They set that up and Im starting to doze between contractions.
By 12 noon Im feeling pressure with contractions but still no real urge to push. I head into the shower and the water on my back is just lovely. I lean on Tims arms and after awhile he has the cheek to complain that its sore! He gets growled at.
At 1pm, I get out of the shower and onto the bed. Im fully dilated but still no real urge to push, not like I had with Ella. Im ready for it all to be over so I just want to push, which I do with each contraction. Baby is coming down but slipping up after each contraction. My waters still havent broken and the midwives ponder whether or not to rupture them which might help prevent him slipping back up but we all decide to let them go naturally and keep doing about 3 huge pushes each contraction. Baby comes down really quickly and get that ring of fire, intense pain, then his head is out and relief! Tim comes down to deliver baby and out he pops after just 13 mins of second stage. Seth Harrison entered the world at home, in the same place he was conceived (on our bed), at 1.18pm weighing 3.6kgs. He was born in his waters and they broke as he came out. His apgar was 10 at 1min. I decide I want the injection to get the placenta out and it comes out a few minutes later. I am ecstatic that I only have a small tear that didnt need stitches. We let the cord stop pulsating and its clamped and Tim cuts it.
Tim got me some cheese on crackers and a drink and I just lay in bed relaxing with my new baby. After awhile I get up and have a shower while the midwives clean up. Ella gets brought home and meets her little brother for the first time. She is thrilled with him and such a help. The midwives head home soon afterwards and we start life as a family of four.
Im feeling really good and cant believe that I actually birthed at home with absolutely no pain relief apart from the tens and water (they dont offer g&a at homebirths here.) Believing in your body, letting go and just turning everything over to nature... thats how I did it. I did have to be reminded of it several times during my labour, but it really is those words that got me through the times when I was fully ready to head to hospital and get an epidural.
Seth Harrison - born 20th March 2011 at 1.18pm. 3.6kgs or 7.9lbs.
I headed to bed and woke about 1am needing to pee, so got up and when I wiped, there was blood. It didnt really seem mucousy, so I showed Tim and we googled to see if that was normal. Seemed it was and at about 1.30am, I started having contractions. I put on my tens machine and my rainbow relaxation cd with my birthing affirmations. (This stayed on repeat for the next 12 hours!) I used my hypnobirthing breathing and was coping really well with Tim timing them. After about 3 hours they were coming every 2 mins and Tim was anxious things were going quickly so we called the midwife out at 4.30am. She noticed that I was quite calm and relaxed and easily breathing through them and offered an internal. I hadnt really wanted any if possible but wanted to see where we were at and she told me I was at 2cms and she pulled my cervix forward. I was a bit disappointed at this (was kinda hoping that I was near the end!) She said she would go and get some sleep and to call when we needed her.
Kept my breathing up and called the midwife back at about 8am. She estimates this is probably when I was entering active labour, although we didnt do an internal. I was a bit wobbly at this stage saying I couldnt do it if I was only at 4cms or something. My midwife encouraged me to have faith in my body and we continued on. I was having about 3-4 strong, intense contractions in 10 mins at this stage. Midwife encourages me to start moving, as Ive been sitting on the couch using my relaxation up until now, and says I should try and go to the toilet. So I head down to the bathroom about 8.45am and manage to do a pee, then I hop into the pool, where I stay for about 2 hours. During this time I keep saying I cant do this and midwife again has to give me encouragement to keep going. The midwife does a gentle internal with just one finger and says she cant tell exactly where Im at but there is a lip still over babys head and I move into a deep squat in the pool to encourage that to move.
By 10am, Im getting intense back pain with each contraction. Im getting some pressure but not any urge to push so we try at few pushes with the next few contractions to see if anything happens but it doesnt. By this stage, the midwife says the contractions seem to be getting less intense. She decides to call the second midwife in to assess progress.
She arrives and I hop out of the pool. Internal is done and Im 8cms and after hearing this I am ready to give up. I had thought I was fully dilated and just waiting for baby to move down more. The midwives had a chat with me about what we can do from here. They say they can give me an iv for some fluids as Ive not been drinking much at all and they say that will give me more energy and will give me a chance to continue at home. They set that up and Im starting to doze between contractions.
By 12 noon Im feeling pressure with contractions but still no real urge to push. I head into the shower and the water on my back is just lovely. I lean on Tims arms and after awhile he has the cheek to complain that its sore! He gets growled at.
At 1pm, I get out of the shower and onto the bed. Im fully dilated but still no real urge to push, not like I had with Ella. Im ready for it all to be over so I just want to push, which I do with each contraction. Baby is coming down but slipping up after each contraction. My waters still havent broken and the midwives ponder whether or not to rupture them which might help prevent him slipping back up but we all decide to let them go naturally and keep doing about 3 huge pushes each contraction. Baby comes down really quickly and get that ring of fire, intense pain, then his head is out and relief! Tim comes down to deliver baby and out he pops after just 13 mins of second stage. Seth Harrison entered the world at home, in the same place he was conceived (on our bed), at 1.18pm weighing 3.6kgs. He was born in his waters and they broke as he came out. His apgar was 10 at 1min. I decide I want the injection to get the placenta out and it comes out a few minutes later. I am ecstatic that I only have a small tear that didnt need stitches. We let the cord stop pulsating and its clamped and Tim cuts it.
Tim got me some cheese on crackers and a drink and I just lay in bed relaxing with my new baby. After awhile I get up and have a shower while the midwives clean up. Ella gets brought home and meets her little brother for the first time. She is thrilled with him and such a help. The midwives head home soon afterwards and we start life as a family of four.
Im feeling really good and cant believe that I actually birthed at home with absolutely no pain relief apart from the tens and water (they dont offer g&a at homebirths here.) Believing in your body, letting go and just turning everything over to nature... thats how I did it. I did have to be reminded of it several times during my labour, but it really is those words that got me through the times when I was fully ready to head to hospital and get an epidural.
Seth Harrison - born 20th March 2011 at 1.18pm. 3.6kgs or 7.9lbs.
x x x
That was a lovely birth story, thank you so much for sharing it 
