lilpearl
31-05-2007, 12:38 PM
Where does one start? This was my third pregnancy, and I was planning my second VBAC. My first birth ended in an emergency caesarean after 18 hours of active labour in a birth centre. I had reached full dilation but he was stuck. Once transferred to the labour ward, I was "made" to lie flat on my back, had a CTG machine strapped to me, my waters broken and was told "we'll give you an hour". Of course it ended in a caesarean!
My second pregnancy, we were living in Sydney and I booked into the RPA's birth centre at about 6 weeks gestation. They encourage water birth there, and see VBAC as (practically) a normal birth. My 2nd baby was born in the big birth bath in the birth centre at the RPA, after 5 hours of active labour. I did tear quite badly with her though, and needed some expert needle work after loosing quite a bit of blood from the tears.
This pregnancy, my main concern about birth had nothing to do with VBAC, but the fear that I would tear again and feel like I was being "skinned alive" during 2nd stage. As far ads VBAC was concerned, I was never worried about it's safety - I've always viewed VBAC as a normal, safe birth. However, I guess I had a niggling thought that "what if last time was a fluke?" I felt I had something to live up to, and the thought of another caesarean was just dreadful. I have two toddlers, how would I pick them up? I really didn't want a caesarean, and being back in Melbourne, my options surrounding VBAC were VERY limited. I went to a booking-in appointment at our local hospital, were I was practically threatened by the med-wife that "uterine rupture means you start bleeding and buy-buy baby". I rolled my eyes in anger before giving her the real statistics of VBAC and it's actual safety. "They'll want to monitor you continuously" I was told. I told her I would not have continual CTG monitoring and the reasons why (no better outcomes, just higher rate of caesarean). She told me I'd have to debate it with an obstetrician and that she was "just a little person in this hospital" (!!!) and she was a midwife! Alarm bells were sending me deaf. I decided there was no way I'd have my baby in that hospital. Homebirth was an easy decision after that experience!
My biggest concern with homebirth was that I'd tear badly and need a trip to the hospital after a great birth, just to have stitches. Early on, I didn't likle the idea of the neighbours hearing me labour, but I soon let that silly fear go completely. I was't going to have access to gas and air, which I'd had in my previous two labours, but that didn't worry me after learning how much it'd cost to have it available! I knew I certainly didn't need it, it was just the idea of not having the security blanket I'd had during my other labours.
I was very nervous leading up to the birth, as it was going to be my third birth in three years, and I was a bit daunted by the idea of finding the courage and strength all over again. However, just before labour began, I chose not to think of that, but just focus on getting it out of the way (funny, as I see the process of birth as a amgical right of passage to be experienced and embraced).....I guess I just needed to distance myself a little fromt he thinking and get into the physical. I wanted a slow pre-labour, as I'd had slow pre-labours with my other two births and liked the build up, the time to think and prepare. I didn't expect it'd be two days of on-off intense pre-labour that left me completely confused.
Late on Saturday 19th may, '07, I bagan to have contractions that lasted a few hours into the early morning of Sunday 20th. Then they went awaya nd I got four hours sleep, before they returned for a further two hours, stopping at 8am. My parents had our two children ont he Saturdaynight, and I desperatly wanted our baby to be born that day, as I didn't want the children to be brought home only to have to be picked up again soon after (I knew I wouldn't be ablet o get into the zone with the children around, I really needed space and quiet). So, I rang my parents and arranged for them to have the children on the Sunday night, then my husband Anthony and I set out on a somewhat long walk to the shops, where we hired some DVD's to help pass the time. "You may not make it to the third DVD" said the woman at the counter. I hoped not!
Once we got home, I spoke to my sister on the phone and she suggested we order pizza, as no one wants to go into labour after eating pizza, and therefore I would be more likely to (my reasoning, which I gave to her 12 weeks earlier when she was in a long early labour with her first child). So, we ordered pizza and began on the first video. A few minutes after eating my last slice of pizza, I suddenly had three contractions, one on top of the other, followed by another, two minutes later. I couldn't believe it! I was in shock though, thinking it was all moving very fast. Anthony jumped up to call the midwives and family friend who would be filming the event,a nd then we blew up the birth pool. I began to walk around the house, tidying up last-minute things and getting together bits and pieces for the birth. Anthony put his big coat on me, as I was shivering with nerves. However, things slowed down a bit as I potted around, and we had just sat down again to try and re-esstablish things when the family friend dropped by to see with her own eyes that I wasn't about to have a baby. I knew I wasn't ready to labour in front of anyone, so when she arrived, i knew things would stop, and they did. After an hour or so, we sent her home with the promise that we'd call her with plenty of time to spare. Then we put on the second DVD. It had sub-titles,a nd I was not int he mood to read, so I missed most of the movie, but contractions, although well-spaced and irregular, became more intense. It was still stop-start though.
Through Sunday night, things were intense enough that I didn't sleep at all. I was sitting on the gym ball at 2am, thinking "I'll trya nd let Anthony sleep until 4am". I made it to 3:45am, when I woke him, feeling I needed his support, and for the birth pool to be filled thank you. So we set about trying to fill this birth pool with a hose but it just wasn't working in any way, so int he end, Anthony filled it using buckets! We had to wait for the hot water to heat up a cpuple of times, so luckily things didn't speed up at that point! I knew I HAD to birth in water, I couldn't imagine not having that protective water around me.
I had a show throughout Sunday night, but by early Monday morning, things had stopped again. I was fed up. We called my main midwife, who came over and had a feel of the baby, who was found to be a bit posterior, hence the long pre-labour. She asked where i was at, whether I'd like things to stop so i could get some sleep, or whether I'd rather it all just happen. I explained that I had the most energy during a contraction, as it's just given to you, it's beyond one's normal state, so I'd really like to have this baby today! She gave us some suggestions,a nd left mewith some homeopathic remedy to try. As one can't eat or drink (except for water) half an hour either side of taking this homeopathic remedy, I decided I wanted to have a snack and go for a walk first. So we set off on a long walk in bitterly cold gusty winds that hurt my ears. I had one good contraction during the whole walk, and otherwise lots of pressure on my cervix. As I had that contraction, i was putting Anthony's coat on, and someone was walking past. I pretended to adjust the coat as I couldn't move due to the contraction, and didn't want the stranger ont he street to look at me funny. My labour was a private event,a nd I couldn't stand the thought of them "knowing".
Once home, I took the homeopathic remedy and lay on my left side on the couch to try and rest. Anthony put the third film on. I managed to doze, but half an hour after taking that pill, I was woken with a powerful contraction. From then on, they were still well-spaced, but very strong. Each time a contraction began, I woke, called out "sweety" for Anthony to come and hold my hand and vocalised my way through. I was confused as to why they felt so strong being so far apart. I was really hoping progress was being made!
By about 4pm, they finally came every 5 or 6 minutes, and I felt I wasn'ted my midwife there. She arrived at about 4:30pm, as I was still sitting ont he coach. They lost a bit of intensity once she arrived, but only for a short time. By 5pm my second/student midwife had arrived, and my 1st midwife decided I'd started active labour at this point. I sat at the computer desk, sitting n a gym ball, with my head resting on pillows. I'd rock around and bounce a little, vocalise and breathe my way through each contraction. My back and hips were hurting. Anthony pushed on my lower back through contractions, and in-between, i pressed my hip bones in for a bit of relief.
Anthony topped the birth pool up with hot water from the kettle and with buckets to reach the ideal birthing temperature, and at about 6:30pm, I decided I wanted to get int he pool. As soon as I stood up, I had contraction upon contraction and was really hoping I was in transition! It took me some minutes to inch my way into the pool, were I leant over, on my knees, as Anthony continued to push on my back. At some point the support person arrived, but I was in my own world by this stage, needing all my energy to focus on labour, so I didn't greet her.
My second pregnancy, we were living in Sydney and I booked into the RPA's birth centre at about 6 weeks gestation. They encourage water birth there, and see VBAC as (practically) a normal birth. My 2nd baby was born in the big birth bath in the birth centre at the RPA, after 5 hours of active labour. I did tear quite badly with her though, and needed some expert needle work after loosing quite a bit of blood from the tears.
This pregnancy, my main concern about birth had nothing to do with VBAC, but the fear that I would tear again and feel like I was being "skinned alive" during 2nd stage. As far ads VBAC was concerned, I was never worried about it's safety - I've always viewed VBAC as a normal, safe birth. However, I guess I had a niggling thought that "what if last time was a fluke?" I felt I had something to live up to, and the thought of another caesarean was just dreadful. I have two toddlers, how would I pick them up? I really didn't want a caesarean, and being back in Melbourne, my options surrounding VBAC were VERY limited. I went to a booking-in appointment at our local hospital, were I was practically threatened by the med-wife that "uterine rupture means you start bleeding and buy-buy baby". I rolled my eyes in anger before giving her the real statistics of VBAC and it's actual safety. "They'll want to monitor you continuously" I was told. I told her I would not have continual CTG monitoring and the reasons why (no better outcomes, just higher rate of caesarean). She told me I'd have to debate it with an obstetrician and that she was "just a little person in this hospital" (!!!) and she was a midwife! Alarm bells were sending me deaf. I decided there was no way I'd have my baby in that hospital. Homebirth was an easy decision after that experience!
My biggest concern with homebirth was that I'd tear badly and need a trip to the hospital after a great birth, just to have stitches. Early on, I didn't likle the idea of the neighbours hearing me labour, but I soon let that silly fear go completely. I was't going to have access to gas and air, which I'd had in my previous two labours, but that didn't worry me after learning how much it'd cost to have it available! I knew I certainly didn't need it, it was just the idea of not having the security blanket I'd had during my other labours.
I was very nervous leading up to the birth, as it was going to be my third birth in three years, and I was a bit daunted by the idea of finding the courage and strength all over again. However, just before labour began, I chose not to think of that, but just focus on getting it out of the way (funny, as I see the process of birth as a amgical right of passage to be experienced and embraced).....I guess I just needed to distance myself a little fromt he thinking and get into the physical. I wanted a slow pre-labour, as I'd had slow pre-labours with my other two births and liked the build up, the time to think and prepare. I didn't expect it'd be two days of on-off intense pre-labour that left me completely confused.
Late on Saturday 19th may, '07, I bagan to have contractions that lasted a few hours into the early morning of Sunday 20th. Then they went awaya nd I got four hours sleep, before they returned for a further two hours, stopping at 8am. My parents had our two children ont he Saturdaynight, and I desperatly wanted our baby to be born that day, as I didn't want the children to be brought home only to have to be picked up again soon after (I knew I wouldn't be ablet o get into the zone with the children around, I really needed space and quiet). So, I rang my parents and arranged for them to have the children on the Sunday night, then my husband Anthony and I set out on a somewhat long walk to the shops, where we hired some DVD's to help pass the time. "You may not make it to the third DVD" said the woman at the counter. I hoped not!
Once we got home, I spoke to my sister on the phone and she suggested we order pizza, as no one wants to go into labour after eating pizza, and therefore I would be more likely to (my reasoning, which I gave to her 12 weeks earlier when she was in a long early labour with her first child). So, we ordered pizza and began on the first video. A few minutes after eating my last slice of pizza, I suddenly had three contractions, one on top of the other, followed by another, two minutes later. I couldn't believe it! I was in shock though, thinking it was all moving very fast. Anthony jumped up to call the midwives and family friend who would be filming the event,a nd then we blew up the birth pool. I began to walk around the house, tidying up last-minute things and getting together bits and pieces for the birth. Anthony put his big coat on me, as I was shivering with nerves. However, things slowed down a bit as I potted around, and we had just sat down again to try and re-esstablish things when the family friend dropped by to see with her own eyes that I wasn't about to have a baby. I knew I wasn't ready to labour in front of anyone, so when she arrived, i knew things would stop, and they did. After an hour or so, we sent her home with the promise that we'd call her with plenty of time to spare. Then we put on the second DVD. It had sub-titles,a nd I was not int he mood to read, so I missed most of the movie, but contractions, although well-spaced and irregular, became more intense. It was still stop-start though.
Through Sunday night, things were intense enough that I didn't sleep at all. I was sitting on the gym ball at 2am, thinking "I'll trya nd let Anthony sleep until 4am". I made it to 3:45am, when I woke him, feeling I needed his support, and for the birth pool to be filled thank you. So we set about trying to fill this birth pool with a hose but it just wasn't working in any way, so int he end, Anthony filled it using buckets! We had to wait for the hot water to heat up a cpuple of times, so luckily things didn't speed up at that point! I knew I HAD to birth in water, I couldn't imagine not having that protective water around me.
I had a show throughout Sunday night, but by early Monday morning, things had stopped again. I was fed up. We called my main midwife, who came over and had a feel of the baby, who was found to be a bit posterior, hence the long pre-labour. She asked where i was at, whether I'd like things to stop so i could get some sleep, or whether I'd rather it all just happen. I explained that I had the most energy during a contraction, as it's just given to you, it's beyond one's normal state, so I'd really like to have this baby today! She gave us some suggestions,a nd left mewith some homeopathic remedy to try. As one can't eat or drink (except for water) half an hour either side of taking this homeopathic remedy, I decided I wanted to have a snack and go for a walk first. So we set off on a long walk in bitterly cold gusty winds that hurt my ears. I had one good contraction during the whole walk, and otherwise lots of pressure on my cervix. As I had that contraction, i was putting Anthony's coat on, and someone was walking past. I pretended to adjust the coat as I couldn't move due to the contraction, and didn't want the stranger ont he street to look at me funny. My labour was a private event,a nd I couldn't stand the thought of them "knowing".
Once home, I took the homeopathic remedy and lay on my left side on the couch to try and rest. Anthony put the third film on. I managed to doze, but half an hour after taking that pill, I was woken with a powerful contraction. From then on, they were still well-spaced, but very strong. Each time a contraction began, I woke, called out "sweety" for Anthony to come and hold my hand and vocalised my way through. I was confused as to why they felt so strong being so far apart. I was really hoping progress was being made!
By about 4pm, they finally came every 5 or 6 minutes, and I felt I wasn'ted my midwife there. She arrived at about 4:30pm, as I was still sitting ont he coach. They lost a bit of intensity once she arrived, but only for a short time. By 5pm my second/student midwife had arrived, and my 1st midwife decided I'd started active labour at this point. I sat at the computer desk, sitting n a gym ball, with my head resting on pillows. I'd rock around and bounce a little, vocalise and breathe my way through each contraction. My back and hips were hurting. Anthony pushed on my lower back through contractions, and in-between, i pressed my hip bones in for a bit of relief.
Anthony topped the birth pool up with hot water from the kettle and with buckets to reach the ideal birthing temperature, and at about 6:30pm, I decided I wanted to get int he pool. As soon as I stood up, I had contraction upon contraction and was really hoping I was in transition! It took me some minutes to inch my way into the pool, were I leant over, on my knees, as Anthony continued to push on my back. At some point the support person arrived, but I was in my own world by this stage, needing all my energy to focus on labour, so I didn't greet her.