Hayden&Ryan&Joel
12-07-2008, 03:54 PM
Sorry... this is MEGA long! (It was my therapy to get it all out! )
On June 30th I got my first real feelings that Joel would arrive early. I had some very mild contractions before i got out of bed first thing in the morning, and later that day i had a bloody show. This was the first time i had ever had a show! Nothing much happened the rest of the day, just some mild period like pains.
That night i had a horrible night's sleep, as Hayden kept waking, as did Ryan due to the wild windy weather. Made all the worse at 2.30am on July the first, when i had just started to drift back off to sleep after getting up for about the 20th time, when i felt a very small warm gush. It wasn't even enough to make my undies wet, but i grabbed a towel from next to the bed, and put it between my legs before i sat up. I was grateful i did as i had another small gush as i stood. I headed to the loo, where i realised that yep, my waters had broken, and i had a very small trickle going into the loo! Again, this was all a new experience for me as i had my waters broken during my 2 previous labours!
I was very excited! Ryan AGAIN woke due to all my fluffing around looking for towels to stick between my legs, so i decided that i would go and spend the rest of the night in his bed, and put him on his trundle next to me. (His bed has the waterproof fitted sheet, so i felt much better sleeping on there! HAHA)
It continued to slowly leak the rest of the night, and i continued to get up to Hayden as he kept waking. Eventually at 4.40am i gave up on getting him to settle, and put him out in the lounge in front of the telly! I headed back to ry's bed, and FINALLY got over an hour and a bit's sleep. Then it was all starting to excite me too much. I was having some VERY mild contractions, but they were never regular etc. Mum came over and spent some time with us, took me for a walk around the park etc, trying to get them to come on, and come stronger. (i had one of Joel's nappies in my pants to catch the fluid) By lunch nothing much was happening and my midwife had called to see what was going on, and told me to go into the hospital for a proper check etc. So i did. They were SO full that they had no bed to put me in, so i went to fetal monitoring, and was then checked by a doctor in the clinic room. They asked if i was happy to go home and just see what happens... I was thrilled! They couldn't fit me in for an induction though till Friday, but i would have to come in for monitoring daily, and take oral antibiotics.
I headed home, and continued to wait it out.
The next morning (2nd July) i woke at 6am to another mild contraction. 15 minutes later i had yet another. These were REALLY mild, but they were regular, and they didn't stop when i got up out of bed. They continued at regular 15 minutes, then started getting stronger.
I called mum who, yet again, came over after doing a few odd jobs. We just waited together till they were about 4-5 minutes apart. They were still quite mild though, and i was coping quite easily through them. We rang the hospital and they said to come in. So in we all went. (me, matt, My mum, and Emma (my sister)). They continued at this light strength for ages. They were coming about every 3-4 minutes when my midwife (Aristea) entered the room and found me sitting on the birth ball, joking with everyone in the room, while also flicking through the big W toy catalogue.
She told me that this was it, got me to get some shoes on, and took me out the back of the birth ward to the stair case! Up and down we went for about 20 minutes and OMG the effect was very good! I started getting MUCH stronger ones. Still i was able to breathe through them and i was using my calm birth skills and was focusing on my cervix opening etc to get through them. Aristea was a fantastic coach, as my mum rubbed my back, easing my pain.
We continued on back in the labour room, and i felt i was doing fantastically well coping with the pain etc. Aristea knew that i was keen on using the bath, so went and filled it for me. We then walked around there, and i found the water so relaxing and peaceful! It was fantastic and really helped. Mum stood in the water behind me, rubbing my back, and pouring the warm water over me. I laboured in there for quite some time before i started to feel things were changing. I got the shakes, Nauseous (without wanting to actually vomit though) and was finding it very hard to get comfortable. Classic transition i thought. Then came some feelings of needing to push, and i did so under the support of Aristea, and my team. However the feelings of needing to push came and went throughout the contraction. It was very confusing for me, and the pushing was not making anything change. I did this for quite some time before i found it too hard being in the bath, as i just couldn't get comfortable. I was angry as my midwife had even said that i could birth there if i wanted! So they got me a wheel chair and RUSHED me back to my room. Once there, i kept at it, trying to push with and against the mixed feelings i was getting. Then Aristea decided to do a check, and found i had a VERY small anterior lip of cervix that just wasn't moving. All Joel had to do was rotate slightly and it would be out of the way. Unfortunately, he wouldn't rotate, and it wouldn't move!
It was not long after this that my sister got a phone call from my dad, asking her to come back to look after the boys as he wanted to go to a meeting. So my sister left (much to all our disappointment) and it was at this time i just lost it. I couldn't get comfortable, couldn't have my sister there at the birth, and that all just felt so wrong. I was getting mixed signals etc. I was given some gas to calm me a little and help with the pain of the contractions. I was told just to breathe through them and fight the pushing urges. My midwife tried to physically move the cervix lip with her hand... apologising the whole way as she had that done with her child's birth and knew the EXTREME pain it caused! (she later told me she was amazed that i even allowed her to do it for a few minutes, let alone how long she did try for) It was excruciating even with the gas. I was given IV antibiotics through a drip, as it had now been almost 40 hours since my waters broke) It was now that THANKFULLY my sister re-entered the room. She had gone back to our house, but the message with dad had been confused. He wasn't going to go to his meeting meaning she could stay, so she rushed back. The was in tears of relief when she got back and found i hadn't given birth yet! she was thanking me so much for waiting! I was thrilled to have her back, but sadly couldn't show it to her due to how out of it i was (i later told her that it did register she was back and that it had done heaps for me mentally knowing she was back where she belonged!)
I went off my head after this. I was begging for an epidural as i was just so exhausted from it all. I was really fighting everything they were trying to get me to do. They tried to roll me over, and i was literally fighting them off. 5 of them, and they couldn't get me to move! (yeah... real tired i was! HAHA) Anyway Aristea tried again to move the cervix and as she was doing it she finally felt Joels head move and rotate under her fingers, She was confused by the feeling of his head, as it felt very rubbery, and she wasn't 100% sure what it was, as it wasn't my waters, as it was harder underneath etc. She told me to feel it myself, as she knew this would give me the belief and energy needed, and she was right! I got myself together, rolled over and started to push! Eventually, as i pushed he came down, it was sheer relief being able to push, and feel the progress actually happening as it should have been hours ago! As his head emerged, again he provided some questioning as his head was actually totally covered in the membranes still... no water left in them, but his face was covered and squished in them! (i have amazing photos of this!) After 14 minutes of pushing he arrived, perfectly healthy and just gorgeous. As i was so exausted from the labour i ditched my plan of a natural 3rd stage and asked for the injection. They clamped his cord as it stopped pulsating, then cut it. I was given the injection through my IV, and then i turned back over to sit down and give Joel a propper cuddle. (i had given birth on my knees leaning over the back of the bed) As i went to sit down, my placenta appeared! so the injection really did not even get absorbed in time! i had really birthed it on my own anyway in under 5 minutes!
I was totally stuffed. On looking back Aristea explained that although the official stats were that i had a 4 hour 50 min 1st stage, 14 minute 2nd stage, and 5 minutes 3rd stage, she felt i actually had more like a 2 hour first stage, 3 hour 2nd stage, and 5 minute 3rd stage.
But, i was thrilled with my perfect little man, and in the end, as hard as it was, he is more than worth every second! He looks so much like Ryan did at birth, only slimmed down, and smaller. I can't believe he is a KG lighter than ryan was!
Welcome to the world Joel Alexander. 2nd July 2008.
7lb 11oz (3.480g) 49.5cm long, 35.5cm HC.
Being weighed, about 10 mins after birth (i requested this so early)
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7020038.jpg
My little man
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7030053.jpg
Just perfect
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7070044.jpg
Ok, and for anyone who is interested... the "gory" one.... His face still in the membranes- Warning... contains blood and is weird looking! The dark patch is his open mouth, and you can see his squished little nose.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7020029.jpg
His birth Announcement cards:
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/JoelsAnnouncement.jpg
On June 30th I got my first real feelings that Joel would arrive early. I had some very mild contractions before i got out of bed first thing in the morning, and later that day i had a bloody show. This was the first time i had ever had a show! Nothing much happened the rest of the day, just some mild period like pains.
That night i had a horrible night's sleep, as Hayden kept waking, as did Ryan due to the wild windy weather. Made all the worse at 2.30am on July the first, when i had just started to drift back off to sleep after getting up for about the 20th time, when i felt a very small warm gush. It wasn't even enough to make my undies wet, but i grabbed a towel from next to the bed, and put it between my legs before i sat up. I was grateful i did as i had another small gush as i stood. I headed to the loo, where i realised that yep, my waters had broken, and i had a very small trickle going into the loo! Again, this was all a new experience for me as i had my waters broken during my 2 previous labours!
I was very excited! Ryan AGAIN woke due to all my fluffing around looking for towels to stick between my legs, so i decided that i would go and spend the rest of the night in his bed, and put him on his trundle next to me. (His bed has the waterproof fitted sheet, so i felt much better sleeping on there! HAHA)
It continued to slowly leak the rest of the night, and i continued to get up to Hayden as he kept waking. Eventually at 4.40am i gave up on getting him to settle, and put him out in the lounge in front of the telly! I headed back to ry's bed, and FINALLY got over an hour and a bit's sleep. Then it was all starting to excite me too much. I was having some VERY mild contractions, but they were never regular etc. Mum came over and spent some time with us, took me for a walk around the park etc, trying to get them to come on, and come stronger. (i had one of Joel's nappies in my pants to catch the fluid) By lunch nothing much was happening and my midwife had called to see what was going on, and told me to go into the hospital for a proper check etc. So i did. They were SO full that they had no bed to put me in, so i went to fetal monitoring, and was then checked by a doctor in the clinic room. They asked if i was happy to go home and just see what happens... I was thrilled! They couldn't fit me in for an induction though till Friday, but i would have to come in for monitoring daily, and take oral antibiotics.
I headed home, and continued to wait it out.
The next morning (2nd July) i woke at 6am to another mild contraction. 15 minutes later i had yet another. These were REALLY mild, but they were regular, and they didn't stop when i got up out of bed. They continued at regular 15 minutes, then started getting stronger.
I called mum who, yet again, came over after doing a few odd jobs. We just waited together till they were about 4-5 minutes apart. They were still quite mild though, and i was coping quite easily through them. We rang the hospital and they said to come in. So in we all went. (me, matt, My mum, and Emma (my sister)). They continued at this light strength for ages. They were coming about every 3-4 minutes when my midwife (Aristea) entered the room and found me sitting on the birth ball, joking with everyone in the room, while also flicking through the big W toy catalogue.
She told me that this was it, got me to get some shoes on, and took me out the back of the birth ward to the stair case! Up and down we went for about 20 minutes and OMG the effect was very good! I started getting MUCH stronger ones. Still i was able to breathe through them and i was using my calm birth skills and was focusing on my cervix opening etc to get through them. Aristea was a fantastic coach, as my mum rubbed my back, easing my pain.
We continued on back in the labour room, and i felt i was doing fantastically well coping with the pain etc. Aristea knew that i was keen on using the bath, so went and filled it for me. We then walked around there, and i found the water so relaxing and peaceful! It was fantastic and really helped. Mum stood in the water behind me, rubbing my back, and pouring the warm water over me. I laboured in there for quite some time before i started to feel things were changing. I got the shakes, Nauseous (without wanting to actually vomit though) and was finding it very hard to get comfortable. Classic transition i thought. Then came some feelings of needing to push, and i did so under the support of Aristea, and my team. However the feelings of needing to push came and went throughout the contraction. It was very confusing for me, and the pushing was not making anything change. I did this for quite some time before i found it too hard being in the bath, as i just couldn't get comfortable. I was angry as my midwife had even said that i could birth there if i wanted! So they got me a wheel chair and RUSHED me back to my room. Once there, i kept at it, trying to push with and against the mixed feelings i was getting. Then Aristea decided to do a check, and found i had a VERY small anterior lip of cervix that just wasn't moving. All Joel had to do was rotate slightly and it would be out of the way. Unfortunately, he wouldn't rotate, and it wouldn't move!
It was not long after this that my sister got a phone call from my dad, asking her to come back to look after the boys as he wanted to go to a meeting. So my sister left (much to all our disappointment) and it was at this time i just lost it. I couldn't get comfortable, couldn't have my sister there at the birth, and that all just felt so wrong. I was getting mixed signals etc. I was given some gas to calm me a little and help with the pain of the contractions. I was told just to breathe through them and fight the pushing urges. My midwife tried to physically move the cervix lip with her hand... apologising the whole way as she had that done with her child's birth and knew the EXTREME pain it caused! (she later told me she was amazed that i even allowed her to do it for a few minutes, let alone how long she did try for) It was excruciating even with the gas. I was given IV antibiotics through a drip, as it had now been almost 40 hours since my waters broke) It was now that THANKFULLY my sister re-entered the room. She had gone back to our house, but the message with dad had been confused. He wasn't going to go to his meeting meaning she could stay, so she rushed back. The was in tears of relief when she got back and found i hadn't given birth yet! she was thanking me so much for waiting! I was thrilled to have her back, but sadly couldn't show it to her due to how out of it i was (i later told her that it did register she was back and that it had done heaps for me mentally knowing she was back where she belonged!)
I went off my head after this. I was begging for an epidural as i was just so exhausted from it all. I was really fighting everything they were trying to get me to do. They tried to roll me over, and i was literally fighting them off. 5 of them, and they couldn't get me to move! (yeah... real tired i was! HAHA) Anyway Aristea tried again to move the cervix and as she was doing it she finally felt Joels head move and rotate under her fingers, She was confused by the feeling of his head, as it felt very rubbery, and she wasn't 100% sure what it was, as it wasn't my waters, as it was harder underneath etc. She told me to feel it myself, as she knew this would give me the belief and energy needed, and she was right! I got myself together, rolled over and started to push! Eventually, as i pushed he came down, it was sheer relief being able to push, and feel the progress actually happening as it should have been hours ago! As his head emerged, again he provided some questioning as his head was actually totally covered in the membranes still... no water left in them, but his face was covered and squished in them! (i have amazing photos of this!) After 14 minutes of pushing he arrived, perfectly healthy and just gorgeous. As i was so exausted from the labour i ditched my plan of a natural 3rd stage and asked for the injection. They clamped his cord as it stopped pulsating, then cut it. I was given the injection through my IV, and then i turned back over to sit down and give Joel a propper cuddle. (i had given birth on my knees leaning over the back of the bed) As i went to sit down, my placenta appeared! so the injection really did not even get absorbed in time! i had really birthed it on my own anyway in under 5 minutes!
I was totally stuffed. On looking back Aristea explained that although the official stats were that i had a 4 hour 50 min 1st stage, 14 minute 2nd stage, and 5 minutes 3rd stage, she felt i actually had more like a 2 hour first stage, 3 hour 2nd stage, and 5 minute 3rd stage.
But, i was thrilled with my perfect little man, and in the end, as hard as it was, he is more than worth every second! He looks so much like Ryan did at birth, only slimmed down, and smaller. I can't believe he is a KG lighter than ryan was!
Welcome to the world Joel Alexander. 2nd July 2008.
7lb 11oz (3.480g) 49.5cm long, 35.5cm HC.
Being weighed, about 10 mins after birth (i requested this so early)
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7020038.jpg
My little man
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7030053.jpg
Just perfect
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7070044.jpg
Ok, and for anyone who is interested... the "gory" one.... His face still in the membranes- Warning... contains blood and is weird looking! The dark patch is his open mouth, and you can see his squished little nose.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/P7020029.jpg
His birth Announcement cards:
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l301/jane1979/baby/Joel/JoelsAnnouncement.jpg