Would You Like Fries With That Baby??: The birth of Gabriel Timothy Kaelin

[OJandMe]

Would You Like Fries With That Baby??: The birth of Gabriel Timothy Kaelin



NOTE: This is a book.... I've written it in 3 parts.. lol. Should be good reading though. :D

Prologue:
On February 10, 2005 Jordan and Oliver were delivered by emergency caesarean section at 35 weeks gestation.

2 and a half years on we are ready for them to become big brothers. I desperately wanted a ‘natural’ birth this time, but the red tape surrounding the ‘VBAC’ delivery is daunting to say the least. The risk of uterine scar rupture is minimal, but by the way it’s talked about you’d think it took place as commonly as a cold. They (the obstetricians) talk about coming in to hospital earlier during labour and having continuous monitoring throughout labour. Would this limit the amount of activity a woman can do? Yes. Would this increase her risk as having another caesarean? Yes! An active labour is essential for minimising the need of another caesarean. Which is why, at 39 weeks pregnant, I had a meeting with the lovely Dr. Gardener at the Mater Mothers and discussed (read: told) him that I did not want continuous monitoring throughout my labour, nor did I want to spend the majority of my labour in the hospital.

Part 1: In which something begins… or at least I thought it may have.

Gabriel Timothy Kaelin was born at 8:39am on the 18th August, 2007. His due date. Like clockwork this little guy! He’ll probably grow up to be a bus driver!

Lying in bed at 6:45am I wake up to the cries of “No MILK! NO MILK!!” coming from the lounge-room.
“Oliver,” I hear my very patient husband explain, “If you are going to have rice bubbles, you need to have milk.”
“NO MILK!!” CRASH (I suspect it was the bowl of these rice bubbles in question). I stumble out of bed and waddle into the kitchen. I was still feeling the ‘braxton hicks’ I was experiencing the night before; that constant menstrual-like pain that one would associate with periods.

They had started the night before at about 8pm. But seeing as they were so mild I didn’t think anything of it, theorising that if it WAS the beginning of labour, they would get stronger during the night and wake me up. So I’d gone to bed.

The rice bubbles were indeed all over the floor, and poor Carlo was busily trying to make cups of tea, cook bacon and control the 2 tornados who people kindly remind us on a regular basis are our ‘children’, rather than every natural disaster rolled into one and walking around in pint sized, blond haired, blue eyed form.

“Tea, honey.” He pushes the earl grey over to me and I drink it without thinking. I get another Braxton hicks. I look at the clock. 6:54. I continue drinking my tea.

I get another one. 7:01. and another: 7:05. I clean up the rice bubbles and pick up the bits of toast which have found their way onto the carpet, trying not to smush the strawberry jam in anymore than it already has been.

“I think I’m in labour.” I mention to Carlo.
“Are you?”
“I’m not sure… I keep getting these cramps, but they’re so mild. But they’re coming ever 3-4 minutes apart… so it could be the beginnings of something.” We decided to call my midwife and let her know. She told me to have a hot shower and some breakfast and let her know how I’m doing in an hour, if they’d gotten any stronger and were lasting any longer (they were only lasting about 20-30 seconds…sometimes less).

I called my Mum on the Sunshine Coast and asked her to come down to watch the boys, as I suspected that these cramps I was having weren’t just a ‘false’ labour.

7:15am- I called my doula and asked her to come over. I felt a bit silly as the pains weren’t getting any stronger, but they were regular. And me being every bit as terrified of having a vaginal birth as a mouse is of a king brown snake, I thought it best to have her there to hold my hand… just in case it WAS labour.

7:20am- My Dad calls. And so follows a menial discussion about tennis (which I don’t play, but my father thinks everyone should), Patrick (my father’s much adored late life son to his 3rd wife), my father (his favourite topic), and the fact that it’s my due date. Throughout the conversation I feel my contractions getting stronger… and stronger… and stronger. At 7:33 I say goodbye to my Dad… as I double over in pain, realising this IS something and that was probably the last contraction I’d be able to talk through.

I went to run the shower as my midwife suggested….. and then the bomb went off.

[OJandMe]

Part 2: The birth scene to make Hollywood jealous


I turn the water on and just as I’m about to enter the cubicle I think to myself... “Hang on, I need to ‘poo’”, so I turn off the water and head off to the toilet. The contractions are getting stronger, and coming about every 2 minutes. But I still thought I had heaps of time, as the pain was so bearable… nothing like the excruciating, ‘I-want-to-kill-myself’ pain that I’d been gearing up for.

Sitting on the loo… nothing’s happening. I’m moaning and groaning with every contraction and gripping to the hand basin with all the strength I have… Strange that, for some reason applying immense pressure onto something you’re holding on to seems to help get you through the contractions.

Meanwhile I can hear Carlo in the other room chasing the boys down the corridor waving a BlueBerry diaper above his head and trying to bribe them to get dressed with a multivitamin (lollie.. lol.). “Are you okay, hun?” He calls out to me. Well. What do I say? What can I say?
“Yes, fine.” I reply. In the next break between contractions I dash into the shower and turn the hot water on. I’m standing under the water pushing into the corners of the shower cubicle with my hands and leaning into the wall with each contraction. The boys keep running in and out thinking that all my moaning and groaning is a game… as each contraction seems to coincide with them running into the bathroom. (At least that keeps them occupied). During all this Carlo is dashing around trying to do breakfast dishes, make the beds, tidy up the lounge-room and still check up on me.
“Are you alright, hun??”
(groaning through a contraction) “Yes, fine.”

I again feel the sudden need to ‘poo’, so I leave the shower and rush back to the loo. This time something happens… but not the something I was expecting. Instead of a ‘movement’ I feel something come between my legs, my water sack has broken, I can feel it. I start yelling to Carlo.
“My water’s broken! Call Jo (my midwife) Tell her I’m coming in!”
Carlo fumbles through my mobile to find Jo’s number… and I overhear this conversation.
“Hi, Is this Jo the midwife?...... Gretel’s water’s have broken, we’re coming in to the hospital… What?... Jo, Gretel’s midwife????... Oh! I gotta go!!”
He had called the wrong Jo.. LOL. (who also happens to be a midwife)
He gives me the phone, I’m still on the loo. I call Jo (the right one) and tell (read: yell) that I’m coming in.
“Get Alli!” I scream to Carlo. “Tell her she has to get here NOW!” (Alli is my best friend, she lives 7 minutes away)
Carlo calls Al: “Um Hi Al. It’s Carlo, can I ask a favour, I know it’s early. Gretel’s waters have broken I need to get her to the hospital, can you come watch the boys till her Mum gets here… yeah It’s all happening really fast.” (Meanwhile in the background I’m screaming: “Get here!! Get Here NOW!!!!”)

7:50am
Another contraction… and I now realise that the ‘poo’ feeling I’ve been isn’t isn’t a ‘poo’ feeling after all… but must be a ‘baby’ feeling. I had assumed it was a ‘poo’ feeling as I knew a lot of women did eliminate while in labour… and I have to admit... I was pretty hung up about that! Having everyone watching my lower bits for a baby is one thing, but people seeing me poo is something totally different!!

We needed to go. We needed to go right then! I didn’t think Alli would make it in time. We called Melissa (my doula.. QTB :) .. now fully certified.. congrats chickie! And on the BFP!! ) and asked if she could watch the boys instead. I was panicking… If someone didn’t arrive to watch the boys SOON this baby was going to be born in my shower!

Then an angel appeared. My next door neighbour, in her pj’s shows up at the door and says. “Gretel, do you want me to take the boys.”
“YES!” Carlo and I both yelled together. She and Carlo bundled them up kicking and screaming and she took them next door to play with her daughter.

(If she hadn’t shown up at that moment, Gabby would have been born at home.. as Alli still hadn’t arrived by the time we left for the hospital)

8:00am.
Carlo has grabbed my bags and his bag. Locked the house and is telling me to go and get some clothes on.
“No. I’m going like this!” (stark naked). I’m yelling everything now… seems to be the only volume that works between contractions which are now at one minute apart
“You can’t go like that… You need to wear SOMETHING.”
“I don’t care!!” He pulls on of his t-shirts over my head and throws a pair of his shorts at me.
“Come on Gret.. we’ve got to go!”

8:10am
Somehow I’ve made it to the couch where I’m sitting perched on the edge. I can’t stand up. I can’t move. I feel as though if I move this baby will drop out. I decide while I’m waiting for a break to put the shorts on, I’ll call Alli and tell her the boys are next door so she knows where to get them from and I also called back Melissa and told her to meet us at the hospital. I take a deep breath, stand up, pull the shorts on. And then think to myself “The car seat! I don’t want to ruin the car!” I run to the linen cupboard and pull out the boys Thunderbirds beach towels (quite fitting I thought.. Thunderbirds are go.. and we certainly were GOING!)

8:20am
I waddle to the car as fast as I can… imagine a duck trying to run while carrying a beach ball between its legs… that’s how I felt. We jumped in the car and raced to the Mater. Breaking every speed limit and inventing some completely new turns along the way. I’m gripping the ‘Jesus’ rail and the middle console with all my strength and Carlo hurtles along the freeway as fast as our poor little Mitsubishi can go (without getting pulled over by the cops)

Halfway down the freeway my midwife calls. She can sense I’m panicking and spends the rest of the drive to the hospital coaxing me to breath and talking reassuringly to me.

I can feel bubs pressing down, and am absolutely convinced that the only thing keeping him in there was the fact I was sitting down.

8:35am
We pull up to the emergency parking at the hospital and rush inside. Luckily the lift doors are open as the breakfast trolley ladies are coming out with their trays.
“4TH FLOOR 4TH FLOOR!!!” We’re both yelling.
“Hurry the baby’s coming!!!!” I grip the railing in the lift and ride the one floor up to birth suites.

8:36am
We race past reception.
“Name?” The girls call out.
“Diluca” I reply.. not stopping my run.
“Room 10!” they call out to my back as I rush down the hallway.

We get to room 10 and they are still cleaning/setting up. My midwife was there.
“Gretel. How are you feeling.”
(contraction) “Jo.. I need some Panadol”
She throws a yoga mat and a birth ball on the floor (no time to set the bed up). “I don’t think Panadol’s going to help.”
“I need to poo” I struggle my/Carlo’s shorts off.
“Ok, that’s probably the baby pushing down.”

8:37am
I lean over the birth ball and feel another contraction. The reception girls call down asking if I’m expecting a Melissa.
“Yes! Send her in!” (That’s me)
“That’s the doula!” Calls Jo….

Contraction

“I can see the head!” (that’s Jo)

8:39am
I feel a stretching, burning sensation. You know the feeling when you’re constipated or when you need to pass a really large movement (gee, childbirth and eliminating sure are similar!!) That stretching, burning sensation… that’s what I felt. I could hear myself hollering louder and Jo telling me to push when I was ready. I could here Melissa saying I was doing really well, and Carlo was rubbing my back. I saw nothing. It was all black. I could hear but it was muffled, like they were speaking through blankets. All I could concentrate on was my body. I saw stars… and felt myself pushing. I could hear Jo and Melissa ask Carlo is he wanted to catch the baby… but they’d only got halfway through the sentence when I felt him slide through and land on the yoga mat. I was told later that Jo only just had time to catch his head!

It didn’t hurt. That was the thing which I thought first. It didn’t really hurt. Not the pain I was expecting, not the ‘worse than being stabbed to death by a thousand tiny needles’ pain that I’d heard it was.

I looked down at my gorgeous boy and thought to myself: I did it! I had a successful VBAC. I did it myself. I had no drugs. I had no continuous monitoring … I cracked up laughing. Everyone looked at me like I was mad…

“Dr. Gardner is going to have a fit!” I grinned. We all laughed.

[OJandMe]

Part 3: In which we view the aftermath and I try out for the role of ‘Donna’ on ‘That 70’s Show’


We waited for the cord to stop pulsating, and Carlo cut it. The placenta was delivered soon after in gorgeous condition. Jo told me I’d probably need a few stitches… so I hooked up to the gas. (I didn’t get it in labour, I may as well use it now)

Well… I’ve never experienced a feeling like that ever in my life. I understand now why my sister smoked marijuana for so many years! It was incredible…. I kept listening to my breathing and envisioning sitting around a native American-indian campfire smoking peace pipes. I could hear from the way Jo was talking that I had a pretty bad tear. (2nd degree… and along my vaginal wall… ouch!.. Sooooo glad I didn’t feel that when he was being born) I could hear my voice going lower… the opposite of helium. I sounded like Donna from ‘That 70’s show.”

I loved the gas for my stiches… but I am SO GLAD I didn’t have it during labour. I loved being able to ‘experience’ my baby being born. To feel him wholly and completely. To be perfectly coherent and ‘with-it’ to welcome him into the world.



Epilogue

The birth of Gabriel Timothy Kaelin has got to be the most amazing experience of my life to date. He joined us for breakfast on his due date! And gave us one hell of a ride getting here. Carlo jokes that we’ve waited longer for a cup of coffee at a café.

I did it. I had a VBAC. With no drugs, no monitoring, no medical intervention of any sort. Jo says all she did was catch him, I did everything else. It didn’t hurt.

The birth didn’t hurt. Sure he tore himself a highway to get through, but I didn’t feel it at the time... in all honesty the first 5 days after birth were more painful than the birth itself. But one week later my stitches are feeling great. I can drive, play with the twins in the same way I’ve always done. I don’t have to worry about them jumping on my stomach, I don’t have to worry about infections (not past the first few days anyway). I LOVED my birth experience. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Welcome to the world!
Gabriel Timothy Kaelin…. My Angel of strength. :angel:

[Chickadee]

Absolutely amazing Gretel!! :yelclap:

[Freya]

Wow absolutely beautiful! I have happy tears!! Your amazing good on you!

Welcome to the world Gabrielle!

:yelclap: :smiliedance: :yelclap: :smiliedance:

[Tan-mumof3]

Wow what an amazing birth story Gretel, thanks so much for sharing :) . And congratulations again on the birth of little Gabriel.

[QTB]

Well written hun!! although i think the birth story is longer than the actual birth itself!! lol

You did great :D

[Duchessa]

Wow Gretel. That is fantastic! What an amazing birthing GODDESS!!!! (and a bloody awesome story teller too, if I may add).

Thanks for sharing!

[Bron]

Wow. Wow wow wow. What a story! Huge congratulations on a remarkable effort!!

[BiNdI86]

That is one of the best written birth stories I have ever read :thumbsup:

I love the 'I did it!!' feeling a natural birth gives you.

Well done and congratulations :hugs:

[moonblossom]

OMG you had me tingling from GO TO WHOA...what an incredible writer you are, truly gifted.

An your birth story...WOW...amazing , absolutely amazing, CONGRATULATIONS to you and all your beautiful family...

WOW i'm still tingling LOL :hugs:

[Shanaynay]

Woohoo!! :smiliedance: What a great story and congrats on your VBAC!!!!
Welcome to the world Gabriel :angel:

[mom2jake]

Congratulations...What an AMAZING experience!!!

:yelclap: :yelclap: WELL DONE:yelclap: :yelclap:

[OJandMe]

Yeah.. I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself :D LOL. :laughing:

Was ready to go home at lunch time... but had to wait for the pead... so didn't get home till 5pm..


Still... LOL, Gabby pulled basically a 9-5 shift on his first day in the world! LMAO. :laughing:

The boys keep asking now if there's "more babies coming home?" every time we need to go shopping for the day.

[Tam-I-Am]

Congratulations Gretel! What an amazing, wonderful, very positive birth story! What a fantastic job you did! YAY!

[OJandMe]

Pics.


http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s141/OJandMe/Gabriel/

[TyBean]

Oh Gret!!! :yelclap: :smiliedance:

I am sitting here with tears in my eyes!!!! :laughing: You did such an amazing job!!!!.... and I am so happy you got the birth you were after!!!!

I can't wait to see you and give you the BIGGEST hug!!! and meet your new little angel!!!!

Congratulations again!!!! Words cannot express how happy I am for you!!! (all of you!!!) :hugs:

[TeamAwesome]

Congrats once again on your VBAC Gretel!
I'm so proud of you, you did an awesome job!

[Grizabella]

WOW - Awesome job! And fantastic telling of it too!:hugs: Congratulations on the arrival of your Speed Racer :D

[Kizmet]

Congratulations! That was a brilliantly and beautifully written birth story! Thank you for sharing!

[V8]

Wow, what a story, fantastic to read and so much happening! Congrats on your awesome birth and the arrival of your beautiful blue bundle!

[Teto]

What a good story! Thanks.

[Phyllis Stein]

Amazing story!!! Love the bit about "it didn't hurt!" :yes:
Congratulations to you, your family & your support team.

And Welcome to Earth Gabriel!

[~mia&ryan~]

:babydust2: :babydust2: Oh wow Gretel that is the most amazing birth story I have ever read!!! You really deserve to be so proud of yourself!!! Congratulations on your new little blue bundle!!!:babydust2: :babydust2:

[~Emmylou~]

Whoa! What an awesome story (and you're a very talented writer btw!)

Yep you did it!! Congratulations and welcome baby boy! :D

[Mamalicious]

YAY!!!!!!!

I'm so glad you got your VBAC, you did so well!!

Welcome to the world Gabriel!

[reAllytee]

Oh Gretel :hugs:

Seee !!!!!!!!!!!!

You made me cry cause it reminds me of how i was feeling but man oh man i couldnt express it half as well as you just did !!!!

Well done gorgeous & welcome little man earthside :D

[pookiesossige]

:eek: :yelclap: :smiliedance:

WOW. WOW. WOW.
That was ammmmaaazing! I have never read a better birth story... You got the birth you wanted allright! Hooray for your neighbour coming over when she did!!
You are an amazing writer and I am so thankful that you shared such an amazing, unique and beautiful experience with us, with such a cool sense of humour too! There was a lot in there that has left me with moist eyes, Gretel. You should be so proud...

Well done chicky :hugs:

[OJandMe]

hehe..
:laughing:

Hmm... maybe I should take up writing.... :cool:

I LOVED birthing Gabby. It was a dream, the most incredible, utterly empowering experience!

We women are amazing creatures aren't we..... ::yes:

[luckymama]

Wow what a great birth story. I agree, you worded that wonderfully :yes:
Well done on a great birth :D

[IAdoreYou]

:thumbsup: Absoultely AMAZING :yelclap:

I loveeeeeeeeeed reading your birth story, I've read quite a few over the years, your wins hands down.

Congratulations on your VBAC and the beautiful arrival of your son. Well done. Enjoy him. XO :D

[hayleysmummy]

WOW WOW WOW THAT STORY WAS AMAZING YOU DID SO WELL A VBAC WITHOUT EVEN A LITTLE GAS :smiliedance: THANK-YOU FOR SHARING YOUR BIRTH STORY
WELCOME TO THE WORL BABY
happybirthday GABRIELhappybirthday
P.S. HE IS GORGEOUS

[Funkychicken]

I sat riveted reading your birth story! Thank-you so much for sharing with us in such an honest and trusting way.
You are so right, we women are the most amazing creatures! I felt exactly as you described after birthing my babies.

Congratulations on the arrival of your bubba, Gabriel, and I wish you and your family well as you start a whole new journey with him. :yelclap:

:hugs:

[Pixie]

Loved it, I laughed and cried how wonderful you write really well and you give birth EXTREMELY well :D

Welcome Gabriel!!!:hugs:

[Roopee]

Wow! Thats would have to be the best birth story i have ever read!

Congratulations to you and welcome to your little man!!:babydust2:

[HoopDeeDoo]

Oh WOW - what a fantastic story!!!

Reading your story brought back so many memories of Noah's birth, amazing!

Congratualtions, and he is just sooo adorable :D

[honeydew]

Thank you for sharing, that was so beautifully written! Welcome to the world baby Gabriel :)

[Bumble]

AMAZING you had me laughing though the thought of you trying to leave naked sounds just like i did:laughing:


:yelclap: X a million you should be very proud of yourself well done mate :yelclap: :yelclap:

[wantabub]

wow! what a great story! that really had a lot of emotion :D

Congrats!

[GraceUnhearing]

wow

what a great birth story!

you did so well!!

what a great little man you have there!
and so very cute too!

congrats again sweet!

[cmd'smum]

well done, well done, well done!:yelclap: You are an inspiration, what an amazing birth story. Congrats!!!!!!:wizard:

[OJandMe]

Thanks guys. :o

[BabyLs]

OH CONGRATS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GRETEL. WHAT AN AMAZING WOMAN YOU ARE, WHAT A CUTIE GABRIEL IS!!!! WELL DONE, GREAT READ TOO!!:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[BubbaNoogie]

Wow, what an awesome story.
Congrats on your VBAC:yelclap:

Welcome Gabriel!!

ETA- Just saw the photos, he is gorgeous!!

[RoarsomeMum]

That was a classic of a read!!! (note to self, must print it off to read in labour!)

Congratulations OJ!!!! So glad to hear some-one write it did not hurt as much as you expected!!

[laraandzacsmum]

Congratulation on a wonderful effort.... a job well done... :thumbsup: my birth of DD was almost the same..
Enjoy your boys...:smiliedance:

[Kittylou]

Congratulations on the birth of Gabriel!!!

What an amazing (and amazingly written) birth story!!!

[Snugglepot]

Congratulations Gretel, what an awesome birth story. I am so pleased for you!

[Areca]

Amazing!!! Well done!

[mishlc]

OMG!!!!!

So Inspiring. I pray and wish and hope I have an experience like that!

WOW!!!!!

[greengables]

Ooh I loved that! I love your writing :) Thanks for the entertainment :)

[kadownie]

Congratulations!!

I am so happy for you! How inspiring you are you birthing Goddess!!

I hope in a few weeks time I can write a similar tale of my experience-

When I talk to Glen on Tuesday I'll be mentioning you!

congrats again!

[draught]

I can't believe it has taken me this long to read this amazing story - what a wonderful, fabulous, birthing goddess you are!!!!!
Well done and congratulations on the birth of your gorgeous son!

[warriorPRINCESSdaughter]

I still cant stop laughing you write with great humour...i am sitting here at the computer the kids are getting ready for school and one asks what are you laughing at? i say im reading a birth story and laugh even louder..well done chicky you have started my day with a good belly laugh.

oh congrats on VBAC

Jodie

[OJandMe]

..well done chicky you have started my day with a good belly laugh.

oh congrats on VBAC

Jodie

:thumbsup: All in a days work. :D

:p

[cajary]

Such an inspiration you are Gretel! Originally I was all ready to sign up for a repeat c-section however after reading your experience I am now more confident in myself and my abilities to have my baby the way that I want - VBAC!

Kudos to you! :yelclap:

[OJandMe]

Such an inspiration you are Gretel! Originally I was all ready to sign up for a repeat c-section however after reading your experience I am now more confident in myself and my abilities to have my baby the way that I want - VBAC!

Kudos to you! :yelclap:

You can do it sweets!

And you'll be so proud of yourself!

LOL... I think I'll Homebirth next time :D

[MissSookyLaLa]

great story to read and an awesome boy for being born on such a special day! (i'll be generous enough to let him share my birthday with me!)

[Lyglc]

great story - I was laughing lots - especially how you were happy to go to hospital in the nude! Probably better that you didn't turn up that way!
It's fantastic you had such a great experience.
well done.