SAmummy
mom of 3 boys
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- May 7, 2010
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I am so grateful that I got to experience the birth that I have really wanted and planned for for 9 months ! When my first was born, I was completely unprepared. I had an epidural when I was in transition and he was born shortly after. After that I thought I would never want a natural birth because the pain relief from the epi was amazing. For my second I had the epi at 4cm because I didn't want any pain 
For the 3rd I had started to look into drug free births for various reasons, but when they offered the epi I grabbed it again at 4cm because I was scared. All my births were amazing and I don't regret anything.
This time I had a completely different mindset from the beginning. I did loads of reading and decided that I wanted to experience birth exactly as I my body was capable of doing. I wanted that exhilaration of having pushed past the pain and not having to deal with catheters, drips etc afterward. I also wanted to have a shower by myself after giving birth rather than a bed bath because I still couldn't walk after an epi
Anyway here it is .... It will be long !
I had a preterm labour scare at 34 weeks where I started to dilate and was put on meds to stop contractions until 36 weeks. Because of this I expected that Stella would arrive early, but she was quite comfortable and I was getting super impatient. That, and the fact that everyone around me was expecting an early arrival but it was not to be ! From about 38 weeks I had false labour symptoms on and off which were driving me crazy ! On the 31st March at 39weeks and 6 days, the labour symptoms started again. I battled to sleep as I would be woken by contractions, but they would vary in timing. I had an appointment the next day with the Dr so I decided to rather go to the labour ward instead and get checked. I went in at around 9am and I was 3-4cm dilated.Dr decided to do a stretch and sweep to move things along and come check in about 2hrs. That immediately got things going, but it was very manageable. When he checked again at around 12pm I was 5cm and he broke my water. I didn't really want to do this, but I knew it was going to be really slow going otherwise. Things stayed pretty much the same after my waters broke which surprised me. I expected it to get intense very quickly . At around 3pm there was a shift (after being checked and found to be still 5cm!) and the contractions suddenly got really intense. I was still happy with my decision to go natural though and felt I could cope. Then from about 4:15 I think I entered transition because suddenly I was throwing up, nauseous and shaky. Dr came to check at 4:30 and I was at a 7cm and I was so disappointed ! I was so sure I was near the end, but was now beginning to wonder whether I could cope. Dr was so sweet and really concerned and asked if I didn't want the epi since at the rate I had been going he thought I could still have another 3 hrs or so to go ! At this stage my DH was practically begging me to have the epi . I said I would try gas and air first. That made me feel so nauseous and I only gave it one or two puffs. Then I felt I just couldnt do it and asked for the epi.
Anesthetist came in about 10min later and I was saying the most ridiculous things like, "you stupid girl . Why did you do all that reading ? You could have had the epi ages ago. Jesus help me !" Ha ha Poor anesthetist was looking a little nervous and trying to get all the paper work done while I was saying "hurry up !"
Just then I felt her descending with contractions non stop and I knew it was too late. I was so relieved because now I knew I could do without the epi and I was going to make it ! I told them all "it's too late the baby is coming !" They asked me to lie down so they could check. I told them I couldn't move
I ended up lying down and letting out an almighty scream and she literally started flying out ! I felt that stretching and burning, but it was such a relief as she moved down and I knew she was on her way out. I never thought I would scream and had been pretty quiet until then, but it felt like something primal that came from deep inside. I can't explain it. My poor hubby got such a fright that he grabbed the gas and air and proceeded to try "gas" me by holding the mask over my face and pressing on the release button ... Poor guy didn't know what to do The nurse was asking me to close my legs and lay on my side to wait for the Dr Here in SA only the Dr does the delivery. There was no way I was closing my legs and I didn't even have to push as my body did it for me. Dr literally ran into the room and caught her at 4:56pm. As soon as she was out, the relief was instant. The best feeling in the world ! I was a little bit shocked and all I could think of was she definitely a girl ? Lol. The afterbirth and 2 stitches I got after didn't hurt at all.
I would never change my birth experience for anything. My little girls timing was impeccable .... If I had had the epi and then given birth a few minutes later I would have been gutted ! The recovery was so easy ! After a long skin to skin time I got up and had a shower. I felt like superwoman
For the 3rd I had started to look into drug free births for various reasons, but when they offered the epi I grabbed it again at 4cm because I was scared. All my births were amazing and I don't regret anything. This time I had a completely different mindset from the beginning. I did loads of reading and decided that I wanted to experience birth exactly as I my body was capable of doing. I wanted that exhilaration of having pushed past the pain and not having to deal with catheters, drips etc afterward. I also wanted to have a shower by myself after giving birth rather than a bed bath because I still couldn't walk after an epi
Anyway here it is .... It will be long !
I had a preterm labour scare at 34 weeks where I started to dilate and was put on meds to stop contractions until 36 weeks. Because of this I expected that Stella would arrive early, but she was quite comfortable and I was getting super impatient. That, and the fact that everyone around me was expecting an early arrival but it was not to be ! From about 38 weeks I had false labour symptoms on and off which were driving me crazy ! On the 31st March at 39weeks and 6 days, the labour symptoms started again. I battled to sleep as I would be woken by contractions, but they would vary in timing. I had an appointment the next day with the Dr so I decided to rather go to the labour ward instead and get checked. I went in at around 9am and I was 3-4cm dilated.Dr decided to do a stretch and sweep to move things along and come check in about 2hrs. That immediately got things going, but it was very manageable. When he checked again at around 12pm I was 5cm and he broke my water. I didn't really want to do this, but I knew it was going to be really slow going otherwise. Things stayed pretty much the same after my waters broke which surprised me. I expected it to get intense very quickly . At around 3pm there was a shift (after being checked and found to be still 5cm!) and the contractions suddenly got really intense. I was still happy with my decision to go natural though and felt I could cope. Then from about 4:15 I think I entered transition because suddenly I was throwing up, nauseous and shaky. Dr came to check at 4:30 and I was at a 7cm and I was so disappointed ! I was so sure I was near the end, but was now beginning to wonder whether I could cope. Dr was so sweet and really concerned and asked if I didn't want the epi since at the rate I had been going he thought I could still have another 3 hrs or so to go ! At this stage my DH was practically begging me to have the epi . I said I would try gas and air first. That made me feel so nauseous and I only gave it one or two puffs. Then I felt I just couldnt do it and asked for the epi.
Anesthetist came in about 10min later and I was saying the most ridiculous things like, "you stupid girl . Why did you do all that reading ? You could have had the epi ages ago. Jesus help me !" Ha ha
Poor anesthetist was looking a little nervous and trying to get all the paper work done while I was saying "hurry up !" Just then I felt her descending with contractions non stop and I knew it was too late. I was so relieved because now I knew I could do without the epi and I was going to make it ! I told them all "it's too late the baby is coming !" They asked me to lie down so they could check. I told them I couldn't move
I ended up lying down and letting out an almighty scream and she literally started flying out ! I felt that stretching and burning, but it was such a relief as she moved down and I knew she was on her way out. I never thought I would scream and had been pretty quiet until then, but it felt like something primal that came from deep inside. I can't explain it. My poor hubby got such a fright that he grabbed the gas and air and proceeded to try "gas" me by holding the mask over my face and pressing on the release button ... Poor guy didn't know what to do The nurse was asking me to close my legs and lay on my side to wait for the Dr Here in SA only the Dr does the delivery. There was no way I was closing my legs and I didn't even have to push as my body did it for me. Dr literally ran into the room and caught her at 4:56pm. As soon as she was out, the relief was instant. The best feeling in the world ! I was a little bit shocked and all I could think of was she definitely a girl ? Lol. The afterbirth and 2 stitches I got after didn't hurt at all. I would never change my birth experience for anything. My little girls timing was impeccable .... If I had had the epi and then given birth a few minutes later I would have been gutted ! The recovery was so easy ! After a long skin to skin time I got up and had a shower. I felt like superwoman
