mum2charli
21-01-2008, 10:10
The birth of Mackenzie Skye
Monday, December 31st 2007
11:47pm
9lbs, 12oz - 54cm
On the night of my due date, just before going to bed, I had a few pains and wondered if it could be the start of something. I had been having Braxton Hicks for a few weeks on and off but this felt totally different. I decided to just go to bed and see what happened.
When I woke up the pains were still there but I convinced myself that I just wasn’t feeling well. I went about the day as normal; Mark was on holidays still so he Charli and I were just hanging around the house enjoying our last few days as a family of three. Around lunch time I noticed that the pains were starting to get a little more painful, although still very irregular. They would go from 3 minutes apart to 10 minutes, and back to 4. This was when I decided to say to Mark that I thought labour might be starting. I still didn’t really believe it myself at that stage so I didn’t make a big deal of it. I finished cooking lunch and started doing some housework.
We decided to take Charli into her pool for a “swim” and I thought it might be nice to laze about in there. It seemed to make the pains stronger and they were coming, still irregularly, but more frequent. We got out of the pool at about 4:30 and I rang my Mum to have a chat and tell her that I thought I was in labour. She wanted me to ring the hospital straight away. I was still in the “No, it is nothing, it is just Braxton Hicks” frame of mind but I rang anyway.
I talked to a midwife and told her what had been happening. She told me that it definitely sounded like I was in labour and to go for a shower, see if anything changed and to call back in an hour. I rang my mum and asked her to come up and get Charli who was staying at their house while we were in the hospital. Whilst in the shower I had a small show but the pains seemed to just stop. As soon as I got out however they were straight back, more uncomfortable and about 6 minutes apart, regularly.
Mum and Dad had arrived by then and Mum watched Charli for us while Mark organised the dogs and the house ready for us to leave. I rang the hospital back and talked to the midwife, she said we could head in as soon as we wanted. Mum and Dad left with Charli and we filmed and took photos of my bump one last time. I was in no rush to get to the hospital, Mark however was very keen to just get there. He had a little freak out moment where he couldn’t find his wallet…..we got through it….just!
We arrived at the hospital and checked in. The lady at the front desk joked that we had to wait until after midnight so they would beat the main hospital in Adelaide to have the first baby of the year! We were shown to the birthing suite! I was so glad we got to use this room. There is only one in the hospital, and if it is taken when you get there you miss out so I was very lucky! It is set up with the goal of a more natural birth and after having DD I knew this is what I wanted again.
I was monitored for a while just to check the rate of the contractions and the baby’s heartbeat and the midwife told us that the contractions weren’t regular still and that she thought it was going to be a long time before we met our baby. This was at 7:30pm. She decided to do an internal to see what was happening and amazed to find out that I was in fact 4 cm dilated and that my waters were bulging. Things really started to happen from then on.
My first Midwife was great she got me some different birthing aids like a fitness ball and some knee pads for the shower giving me options of what I would like to try. I ended up sitting on the fitness ball with the bed lowered so I could lean onto it. I tried to keep upright as much as I could, walking around for part of it, standing still, swaying, leaning onto Mark for support. I knew I wasn’t interested in using the shower. I couldn’t get my head around the part about being naked, insane really giving that I was about to give birth!
My first midwife left at 10:30 and we met our second midwife. I was getting more and more uncomfortable but dealing with it in my own quiet way. Clenching my fists and arms to the point where they were shaking, I could even feel my eyes shaking I was putting so much energy out through them. This labour was much more intense than my first but having been through it before I knew what would be coming and that every contraction meant I was closer to meeting my baby, they were happening for a good reason and they would be over soon. I could hear Mark and my Midwife talking about how I was doing. She said to Mark “Wow she is really good at this isn’t she”. Hearing her say that and Mark saying how strong he thought I was gave me so much confidence in myself and what my body was about to do.
I was coping well and then all of a sudden things changed. I realise now this was my transition stage. I started saying to Mark “I don’t think I can do this, I am so scared” The contractions started coming so fast and fierce I had to ask to use the gas. I used this with my first birth as well and it had worked great, more than anything it had helped me with my breathing. This time I could not breathe quick enough when using the gas, it was limiting my breathing and making everything even more painful so I put it down and went without.
All of a sudden I was sure that I could feel her head crowning while sitting on the ball. It scared the **** out of me because my midwife was still saying that she thought it would be another two hours before she was born only minutes before. I said to her I think I might need to push, she took one look at my face, realised that I was serious and said “I suppose I had better put my scrubs on”. She went and got changed and got everything organised.
By the time she came back I knew that I was definitely needing to push. I had told Mark and my midwifes that I wanted to be forced to get up to birth my baby. I had laid down with DD and I had never wanted to give birth lying down but once I was there no way in hell was I moving! I wanted this time to be different so Mark helped me to get up. I asked for the bed to be raised and had it about chest height with a few pillows on top of the bed to lean over.
About two contractions later my waters burst all over the floor and the poor midwife who was checking what was going on. From then it was about 7 minutes until my beautiful Mackenzie came into this world at 11:47pm on New Years Eve 2007. DF was organised and had the camera ready and snapped our first photo together! I will never forget that feeling and every time I look at the photo I am taken back to the overwhelming sense of love and accomplishment I felt at that moment. We had another gorgeous girl and our family had grown.
We rang our parents and sent messages to all of our good friends some time after 1am and everyone replied straight away which was good because they were all still welcoming in the New Year. We didn’t even realise that it was 2008 until the midwife said Happy New Year at about 12:15am! Could there be a better start to a new year?
I had another bad tear so had to be stitched up while Mackenzie got weighed and measured and then we had our first feed together. Mark was able to stay because the suite had a double bed. He fell asleep, exhausted, and snored his head off all night. I lay there looking at my gorgeous girl, feeding her and dreaming about how life was going to be from now on, floating on cloud nine. I didn’t get a wink of sleep but didn’t care at all.
We had Charli, who fell instantly in love with her little sister, our parents, my sister and brother in-law and their gorgeous 4 day old son come to visit us in the late morning, had Mackenzie checked out by the paediatrician and my stitches checked and were on our way home by 3pm.
I could not have asked for a more empowering experience. I am so proud of myself, and my little family. Mark was amazing the whole way through such a fantastic support for me, no way could I have done it without him. It was worth every single moment of pain for what I get to now be a part of every single day. They are my world and I am so lucky to have all three of them in my life
Monday, December 31st 2007
11:47pm
9lbs, 12oz - 54cm
On the night of my due date, just before going to bed, I had a few pains and wondered if it could be the start of something. I had been having Braxton Hicks for a few weeks on and off but this felt totally different. I decided to just go to bed and see what happened.
When I woke up the pains were still there but I convinced myself that I just wasn’t feeling well. I went about the day as normal; Mark was on holidays still so he Charli and I were just hanging around the house enjoying our last few days as a family of three. Around lunch time I noticed that the pains were starting to get a little more painful, although still very irregular. They would go from 3 minutes apart to 10 minutes, and back to 4. This was when I decided to say to Mark that I thought labour might be starting. I still didn’t really believe it myself at that stage so I didn’t make a big deal of it. I finished cooking lunch and started doing some housework.
We decided to take Charli into her pool for a “swim” and I thought it might be nice to laze about in there. It seemed to make the pains stronger and they were coming, still irregularly, but more frequent. We got out of the pool at about 4:30 and I rang my Mum to have a chat and tell her that I thought I was in labour. She wanted me to ring the hospital straight away. I was still in the “No, it is nothing, it is just Braxton Hicks” frame of mind but I rang anyway.
I talked to a midwife and told her what had been happening. She told me that it definitely sounded like I was in labour and to go for a shower, see if anything changed and to call back in an hour. I rang my mum and asked her to come up and get Charli who was staying at their house while we were in the hospital. Whilst in the shower I had a small show but the pains seemed to just stop. As soon as I got out however they were straight back, more uncomfortable and about 6 minutes apart, regularly.
Mum and Dad had arrived by then and Mum watched Charli for us while Mark organised the dogs and the house ready for us to leave. I rang the hospital back and talked to the midwife, she said we could head in as soon as we wanted. Mum and Dad left with Charli and we filmed and took photos of my bump one last time. I was in no rush to get to the hospital, Mark however was very keen to just get there. He had a little freak out moment where he couldn’t find his wallet…..we got through it….just!
We arrived at the hospital and checked in. The lady at the front desk joked that we had to wait until after midnight so they would beat the main hospital in Adelaide to have the first baby of the year! We were shown to the birthing suite! I was so glad we got to use this room. There is only one in the hospital, and if it is taken when you get there you miss out so I was very lucky! It is set up with the goal of a more natural birth and after having DD I knew this is what I wanted again.
I was monitored for a while just to check the rate of the contractions and the baby’s heartbeat and the midwife told us that the contractions weren’t regular still and that she thought it was going to be a long time before we met our baby. This was at 7:30pm. She decided to do an internal to see what was happening and amazed to find out that I was in fact 4 cm dilated and that my waters were bulging. Things really started to happen from then on.
My first Midwife was great she got me some different birthing aids like a fitness ball and some knee pads for the shower giving me options of what I would like to try. I ended up sitting on the fitness ball with the bed lowered so I could lean onto it. I tried to keep upright as much as I could, walking around for part of it, standing still, swaying, leaning onto Mark for support. I knew I wasn’t interested in using the shower. I couldn’t get my head around the part about being naked, insane really giving that I was about to give birth!
My first midwife left at 10:30 and we met our second midwife. I was getting more and more uncomfortable but dealing with it in my own quiet way. Clenching my fists and arms to the point where they were shaking, I could even feel my eyes shaking I was putting so much energy out through them. This labour was much more intense than my first but having been through it before I knew what would be coming and that every contraction meant I was closer to meeting my baby, they were happening for a good reason and they would be over soon. I could hear Mark and my Midwife talking about how I was doing. She said to Mark “Wow she is really good at this isn’t she”. Hearing her say that and Mark saying how strong he thought I was gave me so much confidence in myself and what my body was about to do.
I was coping well and then all of a sudden things changed. I realise now this was my transition stage. I started saying to Mark “I don’t think I can do this, I am so scared” The contractions started coming so fast and fierce I had to ask to use the gas. I used this with my first birth as well and it had worked great, more than anything it had helped me with my breathing. This time I could not breathe quick enough when using the gas, it was limiting my breathing and making everything even more painful so I put it down and went without.
All of a sudden I was sure that I could feel her head crowning while sitting on the ball. It scared the **** out of me because my midwife was still saying that she thought it would be another two hours before she was born only minutes before. I said to her I think I might need to push, she took one look at my face, realised that I was serious and said “I suppose I had better put my scrubs on”. She went and got changed and got everything organised.
By the time she came back I knew that I was definitely needing to push. I had told Mark and my midwifes that I wanted to be forced to get up to birth my baby. I had laid down with DD and I had never wanted to give birth lying down but once I was there no way in hell was I moving! I wanted this time to be different so Mark helped me to get up. I asked for the bed to be raised and had it about chest height with a few pillows on top of the bed to lean over.
About two contractions later my waters burst all over the floor and the poor midwife who was checking what was going on. From then it was about 7 minutes until my beautiful Mackenzie came into this world at 11:47pm on New Years Eve 2007. DF was organised and had the camera ready and snapped our first photo together! I will never forget that feeling and every time I look at the photo I am taken back to the overwhelming sense of love and accomplishment I felt at that moment. We had another gorgeous girl and our family had grown.
We rang our parents and sent messages to all of our good friends some time after 1am and everyone replied straight away which was good because they were all still welcoming in the New Year. We didn’t even realise that it was 2008 until the midwife said Happy New Year at about 12:15am! Could there be a better start to a new year?
I had another bad tear so had to be stitched up while Mackenzie got weighed and measured and then we had our first feed together. Mark was able to stay because the suite had a double bed. He fell asleep, exhausted, and snored his head off all night. I lay there looking at my gorgeous girl, feeding her and dreaming about how life was going to be from now on, floating on cloud nine. I didn’t get a wink of sleep but didn’t care at all.
We had Charli, who fell instantly in love with her little sister, our parents, my sister and brother in-law and their gorgeous 4 day old son come to visit us in the late morning, had Mackenzie checked out by the paediatrician and my stitches checked and were on our way home by 3pm.
I could not have asked for a more empowering experience. I am so proud of myself, and my little family. Mark was amazing the whole way through such a fantastic support for me, no way could I have done it without him. It was worth every single moment of pain for what I get to now be a part of every single day. They are my world and I am so lucky to have all three of them in my life