I had planned from the start of my pregnancy to attend the Belmont Birthing Centre as I wanted to have a natural birth and hopefully a waterbirth at that.
I had a trouble free,easy pregnancy and things were going along brilliantly. As I had 2 inductions previously it was decided that at 38 weeks I would have a stretch and sweep to give me a beeter chance of helping things along. At the 38 weeks I was already 2-3cm dilated and starting to efface. I had the S&S done again at 39 and 40 weeks. By 40 weeks I was 3-4cm and 100% effaced and my midwife said I should go into labour hopefully in the next day or 2. Well that day or 2 turned into a week when I had my next appt. As I had reached 41weeks I was put on the CTG to check on bubs well being. They werent very happy with the trace they were getting so they sent me off to the major hospital to do another trace, ultrasound and to be seen by the Ob there. Everything turned out to be ok and I was told to come back on the monday for a stay at the post dates clinic then I would be booked in for an induction on the wednesday. I walked out of there feeling so upset and that my body had let me down again as I was so determined to go naturally and at the birth centre ( the birth centre dont do inductions).
On the Friday I woke and decided that it doesnt matter anymore so long as I have a healthy baby at the end of it all.
Most of the day on friday I had been getting quite consistent but not regular BH and didnt really think anything of them at the time. We went to the local shops to get a few things and the ingredients for a really nice but time consuming dinner to make that night. While out I was contemplating buying a bottle of castor oil but just couldnt bring myself to do it, that was until late afternoon and I relented and got my mum to drop some off. I decided not to ttake it till after dinner as I didnt want it making me feel sick. So at around 7:30pm I took 30ml in a glass of orange juice and instantly regretted doing it as I thought more about the pains I had been having all day. It was then that I realised that they had been getting more regular all evening.
I cleaned up the kitchen and tidied up around the house after dinner as I was feeling really restless and couldnt sit for to long. Around 9:30 pm I realised the pains were getting even stronger but still very managable and I could talk through them so was still denying to myself that this was the real thing. I trully thought they would just stop and I would still have to be induced on the wednesday. By now I had let my DH in on the fact that I had been having pains for most of the day. He drove me crazy after that asking me constantly wether I had had anymore yet, how far apart are they, do you want to go to the birth centre etc.
By around 11pm I thought I may as well go to bed and get some sleep cause if this is the real thing I will need some sleep before the big job ahead of me. I alsted in bed for not even half an hour and had to get back up as I was just too uncomfortable. I wandered around the house with DH still annoying me with his questions till about midnight when I suddnely had this realisation hit me that I was actually in labour. I msg'd my best friend Trish to let her know as she was one of my support people and told her what was going on but not to bother coming round yet as it would be ages before we had to go to the birth centre. 12:20am I rang my midwife to let her know what was going on although I made no sense as I was still not 100% convinced that I would have my baby that night. She said to ring back when I was ready to come in. By now the pains were getting really intense but had gone from being 10mins apart to all over the place like 8mins to 2 mins to 5mins etc. At 12:50am I rang the midwife back as I thought we had better get going as I started to feel some major pressure in my foo-foo and it was a half hour drive. We met my mum along the way and she followed us up there. !0 mins into the trip my contractions were so strong and had gone to 1 min apart. I thought I was going to have my baby in the McDonalds carpark on the way there. DH went through a couple of red lights as he was starting to panic as well.
We ended up arriving safely and had the long slow walk up to the birth centre stopping for a few major contractions on the way. My midwife was waiting for us and running me the bath. I walked around the room for a bit waiting for the bath to finish filling and as soon as it was I stripped off and jumped in. It was just blissful the relief I felt from the warm water enveloping all of me. By now it was just after 2am and the contractions were really quite intense and I could feel myself groaning through each one. In between each one I was chatting away to everyone and joking still feeling so very much in control of what was going on.
As the time ticked on by (it felt like hours) with each contraction I could feel my baby's head move down further. By 3:30am I remember asking my midi how much longer I would have to put up with this as I had had enough and wanted to go home. She just laughed at me and told me she thought I might be transitional. I understood that it wasnt going to be too much longer till i got to hold my baby.
By now I had gone from sitting in the bath to leaning over the side as it made my pelvis open up so much more to allow my baby's head to move down. The pressure on my lower back was getting horrendous too and the only thing that helped was major counter pressure from my midi.
My DH throughout the whole time at the BC was so amazing and encouraged me with each contraction telling me what an amazing job I was doing and what an incredible woman I am. It was enough to keep me going.
Around 3:50am I could feel the change in the contractions and was starting to get the feeling to push but tried to ignore it knowing that the burning pain was coming. Between each contraction I could feel myself drifting off to sleep. It felt like there was 5 mins between those contractions but in fact it was lucky to of been 30 seconds I was later told. A couple of minutes to 4am I could hold back no longer and had to push. It was such hard work and the burning was unbelievable. My baby had decided to come into the world with his hand up against his head and the midi had to try and get his arm and head out at the same time. Once his head was out she found the cord around his neck as well. By this time I was screaming like a banshee woman to just get it out of me and swearing like a trouper (even in front of my mum ). With the next contraction my baby boy slid out of me and was delivered by my amazing DH. He was lifted onto my back and give a good rub to get him breathing as he had taken in a mouth full of the bath water. The next thing I hear the most wonderful sound as my boy takes his first breath and lets out a cry to let us know he is here.
My darling boy Noah Lucas arrived into this world at 4:03am weighing in at a very healthy 3600gms (7lb 15oz), length of 53cm and hc of 33.5cm's.
Im still in shock that I went into labour on my own and fulfilled my dream of having the drugfree waterbirth that I so desperately wanted.
Thankyou if you took the time to read my long winded birth story.

Mel

P.S. My support people were trully amazing and I know if they were not there to encourage me the whole way through my labour I am certain my experiance could of ended up so different.