At around 9am, I had a mucousy show. It was around this time that I was starting to feel really uncomfortable, so I jumped in the shower. I loved being in there! When I wasn't in the shower, I was nursing a wheat bag - the heat was great for the pain! I soon found I was no longer comfortable sitting when the contractions hit, so I started to pace the house, tidying up a bit as I went. By 10am, I thought I'd better ring Jeni, whom I wanted at the birth, and my midwife, to let her know what was happening.
By 11am, I was getting concerned that I was wasting a lot of energy with all this pacing back and forth, so I tried to lay on the bed for a while. I was surprised to find I was quite comfortable - then I realised my contractions had stopped! This wasn't going to get my baby out! I ended up kneeling beside the bed, and found this to be very helpful - my contractions returned, and I found I could rest in between. I eventually set myself up in the lounge room with a dining room chair - I had a pillow under my knees, one over my legs (to rest on between contractions), and one over the seat of the chair, onto which I'd lean and rock with the tightenings.
My contractions gradually got more painful, but I was managing well. I wanted to stay at home as long as possible, and had it in my head that I'd probably go to the hospital some time after 4pm - 12hrs after labour had started. It was around 4pm when Neal asked me if I wanted to go yet - I think he was noticing my increasing discomfort! I said not yet, but suggested we start timing the contractions to see where we're at, and have something to tell the midwife when we rang. Neal timed the next contraction - it lasted 40secs! The next one started just 3mins later. In my head, as I'm dealing with this contraction, I thought we'd have to go soon, but I wanted to wait a little longer, as Jeni still hadn't arrived. But then my waters broke, and the intensity of the contraction magnified beyond belief! Thank goodness I'd put on a maternity pad for "just in case"! Then another one came straight on top of that - lasting almost 3mins total! When I could breath again, I said "Time to go!" I went to the toilet, and had yet another contraction - they were coming hard and fast now. Neal managed to help me dress (I couldn't get my shoes on!), load the car, ring the midwife, and ring Jeni, all within a few minutes. Thankfully, Jeni was at a servo just around the corner - Neal told her to stay put, and we'd drive past her on the way to the hospital. We left the house at 4.30pm.
When we got to the hospital, I was struggling to get out of the car as I was having another contraction. Jeni was yelling out "Help! My sister's in labour!", as Neal helped me out of the car. Several staff came rushing out to the carpark with a barouche, insisting that I get on it. I kept telling them I'm in labour, not pushing yet, and I'd be fine to walk, but eventually just climbed onto the bed. They raced me into a private room to examine me. I got my pants off, but before they could do the exam they decided I could go straight on up to the labour ward (I was booked into the birth centre, but my midwife hadn't arrived yet). They put me in a ricketty old wheelchair, and whizzed me to labour and delivery. I had a contraction as I arrived there, after which I was to lay on the bed for an exam, but during that one, someone called out "Bev's arrived!", and so instead I climbed back into the wheelchair and was finally taken to the birth centre, where Bev, my midwife, examined me. I was 8cm! It was now 5pm.
I laboured on all-fours on the bed for a while, leaning into a pile of pillows with the contractions. I followed my body's urge to push, but nothing seemed to be happening. Bev did another exam, and found I had some cervix still in the way, and it'd become swollen. She suggested I hop in the bath to try and help reduce my urge to push for a while, and that was fine by me - I'd wanted to have a water-birth anyway! The bath was great, but I found it difficult to find a good "pushing" position. I wanted to get into a deep squat, but felt like I was sitting on the baby's head. I ended up bringing my knees up to my shoulders while my hands pushed my bottom off the floor of the bath - rather awkward-looking, I'm sure! In between contractions, I'd lay back and relax - Neal helped stop me from slipping under the water. Jeni kept offering me water to drink, and she and Bev kept an eye on my progress!
Pushing was such hard work! In the end, I had to "get angry" - I told myself that I was going to push with all my might, and if that meant I tore completely in two, then so be it - I'll push even harder! I knew the pain would be over once the baby was out, and that any damage I'd done in the process could be repaired. So despite the pain, I PUSHED! I could feel myself tear, and I PUSHED even more! After about 2-2.5hrs of pushing, at 8.36pm, Kira was finally born in the bath! Her eyes were open, and she had so much long, dark (almost black) hair! Bev helped me lift her onto my chest - she c
ried as soon as the air hit her! I lifted her up to show Neal, and asked him, "Is it a boy or a girl?", but before he could answer, Jeni called out "It's a girl!!". I think she had a better view, and I think she was already on the phone to our parents at this time. Kira and I stayed in the bath for a while (about 10mins or so), then Neal cut the cord. Bev wrapped Kira up in some towels and gave her to Neal for a cuddle, whilst she and Jeni helped me out of the bath. Jeni had a cuddle, and then Kira came to me for a feed. She fed very well! Bev stitched me up, as I had a 2nd degree tear.
Jeni left to stay at our house at around 9.30-10pm; Bev left at 11pm. So the first night was just us 3! Kira spent much of that night sleeping on my chest - she was too unsettled for the cot, and I was too sore to get up and down to her all night. Plus I was still high on adrenaline! Neal was very tired though. We settled on her name, Kira Eve, the next morning. And after all the paperwork was done, we were finally discharged by 2pm Friday afternoon.
No comments:
Post a Comment