Luca's very long but very positive birth story (includes pics)

**PRGirl_Cesca** · 24-04-2011, 06:51pm

Hello girls!!!!

Sorry it's taken me so long to get on properly, it's bloody madness having a newborn :smt042

On Sunday we went for a long walk in the morning then had lunch round my sister in laws. I've been feeling pain in my bump/back for weeks so I didn't feel much different, only my back was a little more niggly pain than normal. We went home and I had lots of pineapple and bounced on my ball as usual, then we ended up deciding we wanted to have sex, so we did! Anyway about an hour after we did I woke up feeling very wet down there, I just thought it was man stuff but I got up and went to the toilet and when I wiped I noticed it was very pinky/red streaky so realised it was probably my 'show'. I also heard quite a pop in the toilet bowl when weeing but because I was weeing in the dark I hadn’t noticed it was my waters. Almost immediately afterwards at around 11pm I started getting contractions. I tried to sleep through them until about 2am when I got up and came downstairs and started timing them. They were every 5 mins and lasting about 40-50 seconds and painful so I assumed I was in labour.

I was bouncing on the ball and breathing through them until about 7am when enough was enough and I woke Rich up to tell him I thought this was it! We went to the hospital and I was hooked up to the monitor and everything slowed right down, it was very frustrating and I was very upset when the midwife told me I wasn't even in labour yet - given I hadn't been to sleep that night yet and was exhausted only to be told nothing was happening and I wasn't even dialated. However she confirmed my waters had gone which I wasn't expecting at all as I thought I would have got a big 'gush' or something. So I was sent home but luckily because my waters had gone it changed procedures and baby's heartrate was dropping ever so slightly with contractions so they told me to come in at 8am on Tuesday to be induced. I was gutted, but my contractions slowed a little bit to allow me to get a few hours sleep over the course of monday daytime and night.

Tuesday morning came and after another mostly sleepless night we arrived at the hospital at 8am to be induced. I was still having contractions but they were only every 10 mins, however stronger each time than they were on Monday. I got checked in and examined and was told I was 3cm dilated already which was fab as I knew I had made progress since Monday so it wasn't all for nothing. She also felt more waters around the baby’s head so broke those for me. At about 12:30pm I was put on the hormone drip to induce labour (as I was dilated I missed the pessary phase thank god) and well it all kicked off then!!! Almost immediately the contractions got closer together and more intense and they gave me the gas and air to use. I didn't particularly like it I must admit, although some of the drunk feeling was fun! I don't think it really helped the pain, but it really helped focus on my breathing and get in the zone with each contraction. So this went on for about an hour or so then I said I really wanted an epidural as the pain was too much and because I was wired up to all the machines it was so tough to get in an comfortable position, the only comfortable position I found was on the ball and that kept losing the baby’s heartbeat on the monitor. All I know is although at that moment I felt I COULD handle the pain, the idea that that level of pain could last hours and hours more made me feel I couldn’t cope. They called the anaestatist and my midwife went on her break and a wonderfully hippy midwife and a student midwife who I had met earlier when I was admitted came in. I asked her to examine me even though the 4 hours they usually wait to examine wasn't up as the pain was so intense and I wanted the epidural but needed to know if I was progressing first. She did and said I was 7cm already! More waters also started gushing out of me and soaking the bed.

Obviously I was so happy I had progressed 4cm from the morning but still felt like the pain was so bad I wanted the epidural. However I was feeling this really intense pressure in my bum and felt like I really needed a poo, so I asked to go to the toilet. At this point the anaesthetist walked in and I asked if he could wait a few minutes whilst I went to the loo and he said sure and that he would wait outside with the trolley. I also noticed that he was the lovely guy who put me to sleep when I had my ERPC last year when I miscarried. It felt very strange seeing him again. So I sat on the loo for a bit and tried to go but it wouldn’t happen. Then I got a contraction and I panicked and cried for the student midwife who sat there and held my hand for a bit and helped me through. I got myself into a real state in that toilet and from my readings about labour and childbirth I think this was the ‘transition’ phase where your body kind of panics right before it’s time to push. I then decided to get up and in my haze I remember the main midwife telling me to stay standing up and that they’ll make sure they keep an eye on the baby’s heartrate. She then looked at my back and got very excited said to the student “now this is called [something I’m not sure of] – look how her back has swelled up at the base, this means her pelvis is opening so much. This doesn’t happen to everyone to it’s a sight to see!” and then she went and got this massage oil called grapeseed and started massaging it into my lower back. Honestly, that was heaven and I can’t think of that many midwives who would do this. She then told me to get up on the bed squatting as it would be more comfortable and also I still was shouting that I needed a poo but I didn’t want to do one standing up, also my waters were just gushing out of me onto the bed/floor.

What happened next is a bit of a blur, but once I got squatting with each contractions along with the pressure I felt to go to the toilet a massive GRUNT would come from deep in my throat. I couldn’t control it at all. I managed to get them to move rich from where he was positioned behind the bed on a chair (I think he didn’t realise it had progressed so much – he was still chilled out I think) to near me because I didn’t want him positioned behind me as I didn’t want him to see me poo! Yes, I still thought I was just needing the loo. By this point the contractions were almost on top of each other and I was aware with each one this grunt/scream was SO animalistic. Also because it was so hot outside and I was at the front of the hospital where all the people arrive the windows were open – so I got all embarrassed with the noises I was making so made them close the windows and put a fan on. I remember feeling so hot and sweaty (especially my hands which had the plastic thing monitoring my pulse on one finger), but rich tells me my face hardly went red and wasn’t sweaty!

With each contraction I just went for the grunt. At no point did the midwives tell me to PUSH or anything like that which wasn’t what I was expecting, however because of all the programmes I’ve watched about labour and birth etc I knew that this was the pushing stage. I don’t think I consciously ‘pushed’ though, in the way you imagine you would. I think because I was just getting on with it the midwives left me to it, although I’m aware of one of them making me open my eyes inbetween a contraction to tell me that the baby was coming very very soon and I needed to stay calm when the push came. Then when one contraction came I felt an intense sting. Feck me, they don’t call crowning the ‘ring of fire’ for nothing! I slowed myself down on purpose because I know that crowning too fast isn’t great, but I could feel his head so much, I’m sure I felt his nose pop out too. I then thought I’d have a moment before the body popped out but I didn’t – and out he gushed!!

Because I was squatting, he came out and went behind me and all I heard was this little scream coming from his mouth and Rich sobbing his heart out and turned away crying I think because he was so overwhelmed. I kept going ‘what is it? What is it?’ and the midwives grabbed rich and made him look so he could tell me. “Oh It’s a little boy!!” rich cried into my ear and then with that I saw him being passed underneath me. I just could not get over how tiny he was and how warm he was. I couldn’t really hold him because of the position I was in but rich and I just stared at his little face and told each other how much we loved each other. Then rich cut the cord after it stopped pulsing. Although the position was good for pushing/birthing, my legs and feet had gone completely numb and it was quite a job to turn around and get on my back. Immediately my gown was taken off and he was put on my chest for skin to skin, where he stayed for about 45 mins whilst they stitched me up. He came so quickly that I have a second degree tear which required suturing and honestly, this was worse than the birth. It was very traumatic, uncomfortable, and pretty painful until the numbing injection they gave me set in. Obviously there is nothing I can do about tearing and secretly I always knew I would likely tear, but this has probably been the ‘worst’ part of the birthing process and has affected me greatly. I think because I had a natural birth and felt so amazing straight after the birth (he was also very very alert which they said is because I only had gas and air) when I stood up I expected to be fine but it is very painful down below and the moment of walking out of the hospital proudly with my son was a bit tainted because I could barely walk. I’m slowly getting there with regular pain medication and showers with tea tree oil, but I think I’ve got a bit of a physical (and emotional probably) recovery there.

So there is my birth story!! I got the natural birth I wanted, but it wasn’t without its ups and downs. I didn’t want to be induced and I did (so I guess not a completely ‘natural’ birth?) and I imagine the labour wouldn’t have been so quick had I not have had the hormone drip. I also DID give in to the pain and want the epidural but obviously there wasn’t time, so I’m not going to be too smug about the lack of pain relief, haha! From my notes my first stage of labour was 2 hours, second stage was 6 mins and third stage was 11 mins, so very quick!

My tips learnt from the birth are:

As most people know, things won’t go to your ‘birth plan’ make sure you are flexible and you won’t get disappointed. I put that I wanted to go in the pool and although I didn’t get a chance to go in the birth pool because I was induced I haven’t been too downheartened by it because I was flexible.
Seriously, watch as many birthing programmes on TV you can, even if they scare you. I honestly think the hours of watching one born every minute, Portland babies, home birth diaries etc helped me understand so much of what was going on and letting my body do what it was meant to do.
Do massage your perineum. I didn’t and I wonder if I wouldn’t have torn so badly had I have done them.
Don’t be scared about doing a poo! By all means, make sure you are in a position so your husband is nowhere around to see it, but my allowing myself to release that pressure, turned out it was just his head! If I would have held back the pushing would have taken longer. I don’t think I ever did poo in the end…
Drink lots of raspberry leaf tea. The midwife actually asked me after if I had been drinking it as it was obvious I had as my contractions were so powerful!
Do consider having a student present. I know some people don’t like the idea, but the student midwife we had was so supportive and tactile and I think they are more personally attached to the situation. My student was so in love with Luca after the birth, it turns out she was the one who actually delivered him and he was her third baby, so he will always be special to her which makes me so proud.
Tie your hair up at the beginning of labour! I didn’t and it was all in my face when I was trying to look at him!
Buy shit loads of maternity pads. I have already gone through 4 packs and I am only on day 5 after the birth, though I am having to change more frequently to prevent my stitches infecting.
Make sure you buy big pants for after the labour, HOWEVER also bring some smaller knickers with you. My bump has gone down so much my huge primark size 16-18 knickers I bought for hospital didn’t fit me, yet my pre-pregnancy size 12s are still a bit too small. I don’t know if this is normal, but I read that you should imagine to look about 5/6 months pregnant after the birth, but I look like I probably did at about 15 weeks or so (just a baggier version), so I’m finding clothes very difficult as my maternity clothes are too big but my prepreg clothes are too small.

Anyway some pics:

The last bump shot taken on monday before going in

Skin to skin with Daddy

Kisses

Daddy's boy

Coming home

Exhausted but happy family!

**Lilacgirl** · 24-04-2011, 07:04pm

I haven't time to read it at the sec but he's gorgeous! And how amazing do you look?!
Congratulations! x

**MoominMaiden** · 24-04-2011, 07:04pm

WOW!!! Thats some brth story, thanks for sharing , have always been a bit terrified of ending up on a drip but yours sounds a really positive experience and its really helpful to read

Love the family pic, your glowing

**bluekat** · 24-04-2011, 07:06pm

Fab story and beautiful pictures!

Congratulations!

**Stephi103** · 24-04-2011, 07:15pm

Ah what a lovely birth story and he is just beautiful. Well done you.

**parkejm** · 24-04-2011, 07:16pm

Wow, thank you for sharing! they are beautiful pictures, you all look fabulous

**ChelseaHarvey** · 24-04-2011, 07:17pm

Awwwww he is gorgeous

I felt like you i dont think the gas & air did much. I to have gone through loads of sanitary towels as well so def agree with that to buy loads.....

Lovely pics love the family shot - i dont have one of us 4 like that. I really should