Becteria
29-04-2007, 06:51 PM
The final weeks of my pregnancy were such a relief in comparison to the rest. Maikyra had finally started sleeping through in her own bed. My heartburn was manageable. And I knew the end was coming! I woke up at 6.50am on 17 April 2007 with pains. I was booked in for a stretch and sweep and 3pm to get things moving to try to avoid a second c-section, however I wasn’t due until 22 April .Jules had left early to install some shutters, and I had to let the Enviro saver guy in to change the light globes, made him and me a cup of tea and had a piece of toast whilst he was changing the globes. I started to have contractions, and timed them using contractionmaster.com. They were fairly regular, about 4-5 mins apart and lasting 30 -40 secs. I called my mum at work at 8am to tell her it was happening today. She left work and headed over. I had a shower to ensure this was it, and of course logged on to bub hub and had a little msn chat with a few of the April Mammas! Maikyra woke about 9am, I made her some pancakes and a chocolate milkshake and tried to keep active. I had a shower, checked my bags and called Jules and Tiz, my complete support team. Tiz came over and you could feel the excitement between her and mum. I was staying upright through the contractions, they were all very pelvic and hippy, so I was swirling and spiraling my hips, and bracing myself on walls or tables. It was working well for me. The plan was to stay at home for as long as possible. Maikyra was to go with her Aunty Peta, so I called Peta to let her know that it was happening, no rush though. I continued staying up, not swearing, talking, timing the contractions and breathing through them. Turned on Music max and they had the top 100 soul songs which was great! All my faves! That helped heaps. My mum and Tiz started to get nervous that I would have trouble making the 30 minute trip as my contractions were 2 -3 mins apart. So I called the midwife at the RPA Birth Centre and spoke to them, told them we would be coming in. This was at about 12.45pm. Also, I rang Jules to let him know he should meet us when he finishes the job he was on…
We headed off, and that’s when the contractions started to really hurt. Sitting down wasn’t nice. I actually had tears in my eyes for one. I think I was also a little nervous!We arrived at the hospital, Mum and Tiz were fussing over me and carrying my bags (so cute! They are such amazing women!) Got into the birth suite which has a bed, birthing ball, courtyard, shower and birth tub, bean bags etc… Started having more contractions more regularly. Pain was intensifying, but I was focused on a drug free natural birth. Jules arrived, with the music – I had made a playlist “Bec’s having a baby” which came in handy as a distraction! I paced the courtyard a bit, talked through contractions and breathed (http://bp1.blogger.com/_bHo5ebyE4-g/Ri7iAbeYyiI/AAAAAAAAAHM/mh3zoO6d62I/s1600-h/100_2583.JPG). My belly had dropped dramatically. Decided that we’d like an internal to see how we were progressing. Only 3cm dilated, this was at about 2pm. Ok, we’ve got a while to go. Contractions were increasing in intensity, continued to walk through them, or sit on the ball… they were coming every minute or so, really intense and I was breathing very hard through them. I started to feel really tired. Tried the shower, which helped for a while. Kept weeing but it was only ever a dribble. I had a show, got a little excited. But then I felt extremely tired. The doctor came in to insert the IV tube thing for in case I was having issues (due to past c.sect). Had a heap of goes in between contractions. I was getting angry, frustrated and actually swore at them. Ended up with a very bruised hand and another doctor having to come in to sort out the IV on the other arm!Tried to rest and nap between the contractions. Couldn’t get comfortable no matter what position – over the bean bag, on the ball, in the shower, walking… it was so painful – I had taken to mooing through the painful parts. It was such a low and sad noise. I hoped no other woman was in the birth suite next door! It got to 6pm and we decided to check dilation again. I hadn’t progressed at all, and his head had moved up rather than down. I asked the wonderful midwife, Kelly, what she thought I should do. She suggested that I continue trying for a while longer, and then consider my options. I couldn’t have the gel, and having an epidural would slow it all down even more. My best option would be to take the c-section. I said I would could continue for a while, she went off on her tea break. It all went to sh!t. The contractions became unbearable. I looked in my mums eyes at one stage and saw her teary, from watching me in pain. Jules was nervous and worried. They had both seen me go through the pain of labour with Maikyra for 25 hours to end up with a c-section, and knew I wanted to have a natural birth!At 7pm, I decided that I had given it my best shot. I wasn’t dilating, I was exhausted and the pain was unbearable. It was possible I would be there for days, and potentially need a c-section at the end anyway. I asked for the offered cesarean. Actually I screamed for it. It was now that the tank of gas was brought in. Once I started giving the gas a go, I wondered how I had made it so far. I was biting down hard on the mouth piece (my teeth are still a little sore!) . We tried sitting in the shower and the gas. Poor Tiz was trying to hold the chair in place while I stretched out and sucked the gas. The contractions were so nasty…. We waited for the registrar. I thought I would need to be transferred to the maternity ward and then prepped for surgery, and was become frustrated and impatient. I was throwing my arm in the air and grabbing at … who knows what … during the contractions. Knowing that I was not going to be able to birth normally but was still enduring the worst pain of my life was incredibly disappointing and frustrating. I felt like a failure. I was relieved to find out that I would be prepared for surgery in the birth centre and taken straight to theatre. Jules was given some scrubs, told to get ready. The paperwork was brought in, and signed in between contractions. I just wanted it to happen, and fast. I started to feel as though I was having the cesarean without any drugs, like my insides were being cut open. They dressed me in a gown and put me onto a trolley. We said goodbye to my Mum (who later admitted she cried as they wheeled me away) – well I think we did! I was wheeled down the hallway, on my side, with Jules and Kelly… thankful she was with us.
We headed off, and that’s when the contractions started to really hurt. Sitting down wasn’t nice. I actually had tears in my eyes for one. I think I was also a little nervous!We arrived at the hospital, Mum and Tiz were fussing over me and carrying my bags (so cute! They are such amazing women!) Got into the birth suite which has a bed, birthing ball, courtyard, shower and birth tub, bean bags etc… Started having more contractions more regularly. Pain was intensifying, but I was focused on a drug free natural birth. Jules arrived, with the music – I had made a playlist “Bec’s having a baby” which came in handy as a distraction! I paced the courtyard a bit, talked through contractions and breathed (http://bp1.blogger.com/_bHo5ebyE4-g/Ri7iAbeYyiI/AAAAAAAAAHM/mh3zoO6d62I/s1600-h/100_2583.JPG). My belly had dropped dramatically. Decided that we’d like an internal to see how we were progressing. Only 3cm dilated, this was at about 2pm. Ok, we’ve got a while to go. Contractions were increasing in intensity, continued to walk through them, or sit on the ball… they were coming every minute or so, really intense and I was breathing very hard through them. I started to feel really tired. Tried the shower, which helped for a while. Kept weeing but it was only ever a dribble. I had a show, got a little excited. But then I felt extremely tired. The doctor came in to insert the IV tube thing for in case I was having issues (due to past c.sect). Had a heap of goes in between contractions. I was getting angry, frustrated and actually swore at them. Ended up with a very bruised hand and another doctor having to come in to sort out the IV on the other arm!Tried to rest and nap between the contractions. Couldn’t get comfortable no matter what position – over the bean bag, on the ball, in the shower, walking… it was so painful – I had taken to mooing through the painful parts. It was such a low and sad noise. I hoped no other woman was in the birth suite next door! It got to 6pm and we decided to check dilation again. I hadn’t progressed at all, and his head had moved up rather than down. I asked the wonderful midwife, Kelly, what she thought I should do. She suggested that I continue trying for a while longer, and then consider my options. I couldn’t have the gel, and having an epidural would slow it all down even more. My best option would be to take the c-section. I said I would could continue for a while, she went off on her tea break. It all went to sh!t. The contractions became unbearable. I looked in my mums eyes at one stage and saw her teary, from watching me in pain. Jules was nervous and worried. They had both seen me go through the pain of labour with Maikyra for 25 hours to end up with a c-section, and knew I wanted to have a natural birth!At 7pm, I decided that I had given it my best shot. I wasn’t dilating, I was exhausted and the pain was unbearable. It was possible I would be there for days, and potentially need a c-section at the end anyway. I asked for the offered cesarean. Actually I screamed for it. It was now that the tank of gas was brought in. Once I started giving the gas a go, I wondered how I had made it so far. I was biting down hard on the mouth piece (my teeth are still a little sore!) . We tried sitting in the shower and the gas. Poor Tiz was trying to hold the chair in place while I stretched out and sucked the gas. The contractions were so nasty…. We waited for the registrar. I thought I would need to be transferred to the maternity ward and then prepped for surgery, and was become frustrated and impatient. I was throwing my arm in the air and grabbing at … who knows what … during the contractions. Knowing that I was not going to be able to birth normally but was still enduring the worst pain of my life was incredibly disappointing and frustrating. I felt like a failure. I was relieved to find out that I would be prepared for surgery in the birth centre and taken straight to theatre. Jules was given some scrubs, told to get ready. The paperwork was brought in, and signed in between contractions. I just wanted it to happen, and fast. I started to feel as though I was having the cesarean without any drugs, like my insides were being cut open. They dressed me in a gown and put me onto a trolley. We said goodbye to my Mum (who later admitted she cried as they wheeled me away) – well I think we did! I was wheeled down the hallway, on my side, with Jules and Kelly… thankful she was with us.