http://forum.birth.com.au en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:04:03 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forum.birth.com.au/images/misc/rss.jpg http://forum.birth.com.au http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/86161-birth-no-3-last-son-dane-ethan.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:42:04 GMT This was my third birth and we had been due on 1st November with our third son. My waters had broken with the birth of my first son with labour following a day later and he had been born 3 weeks early. I had struggled a lot physically with incontinence and perineal nerve damage following his birth... This was my third birth and we had been due on 1st November with our third son. My waters had broken with the birth of my first son with labour following a day later and he had been born 3 weeks early. I had struggled a lot physically with incontinence and perineal nerve damage following his birth which had resulted in an epidural and an induction as the contractions had died away naturally, and I believe that all this intervention had resulted in the 2 episiotomies and the third degree tear which I had suffered. I awoke 3 days overdue at 2am in labour with my second son and was able to have a drug free vaginal birth.

I was now 11 days overdue and we were booked in for an induction on 11th November 2009. I had used up a whole bottle of clary sage oil over the past 2 weeks, had walked halfway around the earth, had had 2 sessions of acupuncture and 2 stretch and sweeps by now – all desperately trying to induce a natural birth.

It was now 11th November 2009 and we had to present to the hospital at 7:30am. I woke up at 6:14am after having had my mucous plug come away earlier the night before, giving me a snippet of hope that we would beat the induction. I had had some cramping and labour pains that night but again they died away by early morning and I had decided to go to bed at 1am.

We drove to the hospital and I started to cry in the car park – I felt like I’d failed or that my body had failed me, especially since Cooper’s birth which was a spontaneous and completely drug free natural birth that I had strived for. I was terrified this birth was going to be full of intervention and not the experience, like Cooper’s birth, that I so wanted to repeat, especially given that I knew this was going to be my last birth.

I pulled myself together and we went to the Childbirth ward and our favourite midwife from the clinic, Lisa, was there. She wasn’t supposed to have any patients that day as she was supervising but because she’d seen us so often and knew us she said she would take us on for the day. So we settled into Room 9 and we had 20 minutes of CTG monitoring while she admitted us to hospital. During the monitoring I noticed on the printout that I was actually having regular contractions and by the time Lisa came back I could actually feel the contractions.

Lisa was ready to break my waters but I asked her if we could wait to see if the contractions improved on their own so if we could assess everything in an hour’s time, which was absolutely no problems with her – thank god for midwives!!! At 9:30am (an hour later) Lisa asked if I was still contracting and I was, they were probably 6 minutes apart and definitely feel them and the rest of my mucous plug had come away during that time. We agreed that Lisa could do an internal and see if anything had progressed and that she could break my waters if nothing had changed from the previous appointments. My cervix hadn’t dilated any further and so she tried to break my waters but they were so far behind baby’s head that she couldn’t reach them so she did some more scratching around, another stretch and sweep, hoping that would be enough to stimulate things.

Within about 20 minutes everything ramped up and I was on the floor rocking and swaying against the bed, I had my relaxation music on, leaning up against the bed. I asked for my TENS machine fairly quickly, asked for a sick bag and a cold pack all at once. I stripped off and was shaking and sweating badly, but was swinging between being freezing cold and boiling hot – I had never experienced any of this with my previous births. Paul had massaged my lower back and bottom which really helped but all my contractions were being pushed through the front of my pelvic bone, given baby’s position. The midwives had constantly referred to baby’s position being that low, the only thing holding him in was literally my cervix, hence why they were unable to reach my waters as well.

Within 2 ½ hours of my labour beginning, I was asking for the epidural – something I honestly thought I would never ask for, given that I knew I could birth without it. However the constant pain of the contractions through my front bone, and the fact that they had almost piggybacked off each other for the past hour – meant that I was exhausted, freezing cold and boiling hot, nauseous and tired. Lisa came in to ask me to clarify why I wanted the epidural as she had read my birth plan which was against using an epidural unless I really really needed it. Lisa suggested that she do another internal to see how far along I was just in case I was close and didn’t realise before we finalise the decision on the epidural. Thank god for midwives!!

She checked me and I was only 4 cm along and I was certain that physically I needed a break from the contractions and that I wanted the epidural. Louise (another clinic midwife) explained that I may need to wait a while, which I knew from previous experience, and I kinda freaked out in my head as it was just all too much for me at that point in time. But I guess it was my lucky day as literally within 4 minutes of us finalising the decision for the epidural, Lisa walked in the room with the anaesthetist, who had literally just walked past the nurses station on his way to clocking off for the day. They got me up off the floor and I had absolutely no problems staying still for him to put the epidural in, that’s how desperate I was for it!! He was wonderful, very quick and clean with his work, even the midwives were impressed. Once the epidural went in, the contractions dropped off in intensity and frequency and I started to get the rest I needed and started dozing. If the contractions didn’t pick up again within 1 hour, I would need the syntocin drip to keep things going.

By about 1pm (an hour later after initially requesting the epidural) I was feeling 100 times better, having had a rest and my contractions had started to pick up on their own so there was no need for the drip, thank goodness. I started to feel the contractions back through the epidural not long after, nothing overly uncomfortable, just needed to breathe through them but then my bottom started getting sharp pains through it even when I wasn’t contracting. This gradually built up to the point where I felt an extreme pressure through my bottom plus I was having to work hard through the contractions which were coming back through my front bone again.

By 3:30pm Gayle (another midwife from the clinic assisting Louise) decided to do an internal as she thought the pressure in my bottom etc could be due to me being fully dilated. I was fully dilated but there was a cervical lip so we weren’t ready to push just yet. Gayle was very relaxed and kept telling me baby was happy and there was no rush just yet to push, she wanted to preserve my perineum almost as much as I did – thank god for midwives!! She encouraged me to push gently if it made the pressure in my bottom feel better. By this stage I could feel every contraction and had to really work hard. I started to push gently and it felt better to do so. The cervical lip took about a good hour to receed at which time the pressure I could feel to push increased significantly and I was encouraged to start pushing stronger, with Gayle coaching me as to what muscles to use, so that I didn’t waste any energy with unnecessary pushing. She even showed Paul what it looked like when the right muscles were used and that was so helpful. Only 30 minutes later, my beautiful baby boy, Dane Ethan, was born with only 2 really strong pushes. I pushed and he literally came straight out, with a very small episiotomy and an intact perineum. I’d asked Paul to take a photo of him being born and I have 2 wonderful photos which show his head crowning and his head being born which I am stoked with!!!

He was put straight on my chest and I remember seeing tears in Paul’s eyes and Dane was a lot bluer than either of the other 2 boys had been when just born. He had heaps of mucous in his nose which he blew out immediately all over me and we had to give him a few pats on the back so he gave some good clearing coughs. The midwives told me he was a good size – Amy guessed at 3.8kg. A few hours later, he weighed in at 3.6kg, 50 cm long, and head circumference of 35.5cm. He lay on my chest for a good while, but the placenta didn’t want to come but we put Dane on the breast to feed and immediately the placenta started to come out. He had a great feed straight away and Daddy got his first cuddle, after Daddy had also got to cut the cord.

Dane is a great feeder, an even better burper (thank goodness!), very sucky and cuddly baby boy who has already taken well to the dummy, by Day 2.

His brothers, especially Miles, are absolutely amazed by him and Miles has already had some wonderful cuddles with him.

I am really happy with the resultant birth as I felt everything regarding his birth, and I honestly cannot imagine how I would've been able to birth my son without the aid of the epidural and the rest that I was able to get as a result. I honestly believe that being 11 days over contributed to my needing the epidural - I think my body was so physically exhausted from carrying him around all that time that I was tired even before the birth began - so I would like to recommend to any mummies-to-be out there to rest up while you can and preserve as much energy as possible.

Thank you for allowing me to share his wonderful birth story with you all !!! ]]> Birth stories Kym http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/86161-birth-no-3-last-son-dane-ethan.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/86128-blazes-home-water-birth.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:53:07 GMT A little bit of background information. Justin is my husband he works away during the week on the morning when Blaze was born he was coming home from Melbourne. Jarek is five and a half he was born by em csec. This was a traumatic event for both Justin and I. Koen is two and a half he was a... A little bit of background information.

Justin is my husband he works away during the week on the morning when Blaze was born he was coming home from Melbourne. Jarek is five and a half he was born by em csec. This was a traumatic event for both Justin and I. Koen is two and a half he was a hospital VBAC. Julie is our independent midwife and Renee is a registered midwife who is looking in to become an independent midwife.


Around 24 weeks I went to my normal appointment at our Local GPs. I had made it with a midwife as I really didn't feel that I needed to see a DR as I wasn't sick. Where upon asking many questions about having a water birth and using water in labour I was told no no and no. This really annoyed me I thought oh yeh we will see. Then we were discussing the test for gestation diabetes. I stated that I will decline the test as I knew I all ready had it and didn't really see the point in drinking it to make myself feel like ****. The midwife questioned me about this a lot and made me feel really uncomfortable.


When I got home I started to think about really having a home birth as I felt like I was a very informed woman and felt that my decisions should be supported not argued with. I thought I should stop making excuses and look a bit more in to it. I keeped telling everyone “oh you cant have a home birth in the Riverland as no midwife will come to you”. Secretly I think I was a bit scared. So I got on the home birth SA web site and found who I thought would be the closest midwife to me. I gave her a call and asked her if she would support me to have a home birth. She said "YES". I hung up the phone and was so excited. I then rang Justin to tell him that I had just booked a midwife and was going to have this baby at home. I don't really know what he thought but he was supportive of my decision. That made me feel really happy about things. So I started meeting Julie for my anti natal checks and everything was going really well. I was feeling so relaxed. I didn't get any abnormal sugar readings and was feeling great. I was fast approaching my EDD and was just loving being pregnant still. I was in no hurry about having a baby any time soon.
The only thing that kept playing on my mind was that I was going to have a huge baby Koen was 9lb7oz. In my mind I just didn't want to go to far over and have a huge baby.

Julie came up to see me on the Friday when I was around 39 weeks and had a good feel on the baby and told me that he wasn't going to be a huge baby. Which reassured me somewhat but thought it was time to start getting proactive about thinking about meeting our little one.

Fast forward to Monday night. I had just got in bed had my normal feel of my belly to see where bubs was laying. I poked and prodded him for a bit to get him to kick. I then had a little chat with him to tell him that I am happy for him to come when he is ready ,not when I think he should come. I would trust him and my body to work things out.

I got comfortable in bed and then though was that a cramp??? Then again about ten minutes later was that a cramp. I then decided that it might have been the start of something but then things could go on for days. Go to sleep I told my self. At around 1:30am I woke up again and was really not comfortable laying down. I got up and went to the toilet and grabbed the bean bag and put it up on the bed. I was laying face down on the bean bag it was really nice and the cramps faded to not much when I was laying like that. Because the cramps went when I was on the bean bag I decided that I wouldn't ring my midwife yet as this could go on for days. I finally fell back asleep around 4am. I woke again at 5:30am and laying there in bed thinking that I should ring Julie but I didn't want to ring her yet as Jarek starts to stir around 5:30-6 and I wanted him to sleep as long as possible.

I sent a text message to Julie around 5:45am telling her that today was going to be the day for a baby but I was going to try to get some more sleep. I stayed in bed till around 6am but couldn't get comfortable. So I went to the toilet again and went out side to ring the midwife. It was a gorgeous day and I watched the neighbors feed the cows from our beautiful new deck.

I then rang Julie. When I spoke to Julie thinking that she would have gotten my text and thinking back now she must have thought I was a bit of a nut case in how this conversation went. I also sent a text message to Renee that today was going to be the day for a baby.

Jarek woke up and came out side and looked at me outside and the look on his face was priceless!!! I said to him good morning and he just looked at me an went back inside.

I was starving so I went and made breakfast for myself. I thought I need a drink but though with my track record of vomiting during labour I was not going to see a glass of milk twice today. I had half apple juice and water thinking that I will need the sugar later.
While I was making breakfast Koen woke up. So I made the boys some toast too.

It was around 6:30am. I went and had a shower it was really calming being in there with the water running over my body. Still just having cramps but feeling lots of pressure down my legs. Got out the shower around 7am.

While trying to find some clothes to put on I was finding my self just having to stop and breath a bit the cramps had now increased to something a bit more. I decided that I needed to fill the bath I had a feeling that I wouldn't be in labour long once things picked up.

While standing at the table mid way through a surge I could see that Julie was ringing on my phone. I wanted to get it but it was in the kitchen. I could feel this one ending so I thought I would grab the phone. Julie must have heard that I was still out of breath and the conversation went as followed. Julie ”hows things going?” Me “yeah all right!” Julie “I'm not going to make it am I?” Me “ eh I don't know!” Julie “Oh **** I'm coming”. I went to check on the bath it was full. I didn't feel ready to get in yet.

I went out to see what the boys were doing. Koen had a 500g bag of grated cheese and was about to open it so I rescued that from him and put some in a bowl. I had a chat with Jarek about if he wanted to go to school today. If he wanted to be there when the baby was born or just come home after. He said that he really wanted to see the baby being born. I told him that the baby was going to be coming today. He was very excited. I went over again on what would most likely happen. I also told him that when I stopped talking and was breathing heavy if I had my eyes closed I needed him to stop talking to me.

I thought I might just go and lay down for a bit. So I was on my bed on the bean bag. I was in there for about 10mins when the boys came in. Koen was jumping all over the bed sprinkling me with grated cheese. This was starting to annoy me. I told Jarek to turn the TV on hoping that they might just watch TV with me. But Koen just didn't understand. I told Jarek that there were some new DVDs in the car so off they ran to get them. I could hear Jarek getting frustrated because he couldn't get the DVD to start. I had to get up. The surges were now starting to pick up a bit more. Jarek came in and another one started so I said to him can you just push down on mummy's back. He did and it felt so good. What a champ for a five year old. I put the DVD on and decided that I was now getting in to the bath.

post too long more to come ]]> Birth stories melpel http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/86128-blazes-home-water-birth.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/86015-fast-3rd-labour.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:36:00 GMT This is the story of my fast labour with our 3rd baby. Bub was due Oct 19th and we were very happy. We already have a 3yr old girl and an almost 2yr old boy. I was getting tired of carrying baby around and really wished labour upon myself by the 38th week. For the first time I even noticed I had... This is the story of my fast labour with our 3rd baby. Bub was due Oct 19th and we were very happy. We already have a 3yr old girl and an almost 2yr old boy.

I was getting tired of carrying baby around and really wished labour upon myself by the 38th week. For the first time I even noticed I had Braxton Hicks and I drank Raspberry Leaf Tea in my 36th wk. I started to get some pains a few days before the labour day which went away after an hour so I didn't think anything of these pains I got on Monday morning.

Labour Day:: 12 Oct :: I was spot on my 39th week, we had DTD that Sun arvo. I had pains since 6.30am every 15-20mins. I was getting excited but as soon as I got up and had breakfast I hardly had any. I was so disappointed. DH went to Bunnings and came back after lunch. I didn't have any more good news. But by 4pm though I started to get regular contractions. This was more like it. I took in the washing and DH was timing them. His nephews were over to look after the toddlers. By 4.30pm I had to stop and breath through them. They weren't extremely ouchy but started getting that way. At 5pm I called the birth unit at Westmead Hosp. and the nice lady took down my notes and said I should come in as I had fast labours. I was very happy to go and DH got ready. I had to kick him to speed up as he was taking his time. He wasn't convinced we'd be having a baby any time soon.

We got to the hospy around 5.20pm I believe. I didn't have one ctx in the car but once I got out I felt the pressure and had to lean on the back of the car and swing thru one. We walked up to the birth unit with smiling on-lookers along the way. I was getting anxious as I knew I'd be in full labour soon. We checked in and I had another ctx. The midwife Stephanie took us to our room and I lay on the bed. She took my blood pressure and and we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. It was the first time I'd heard the heartbeat slow down as I had a ctx. She checked me and I was surprised to hear I was already 9cms. Wow, so fast and hardly much pain. I decided to use the shower and Steph said the water would take time to get warm. No Sh#t, it took FOREVER and I endured a ctx with cold water. Steph left us for less than a minute when I felt pressure down there and I knew the head was descending. "Oh God" I said and I hit the CALL button.

A student mw came in to ask what happened and DH said " The head is coming down" Stephanie came and asked how I was going so I told her. She leaned down and said " Yes, I can see it. You'll have to turn the water off. We don't want water running on bubs face" Oh how disappointed was I? I really wanted some pain relief. I told DH to get the camera but he said he'd get it when the baby was out. I just thought it would be too quick and he knew otherwise.

I stood there holding onto the rails and groaned out loud with the contractions. Gosh they were strong. Steph asked me to give her one extra push to get the nose out and then bubs head was out with the next ctx. Steph asked if I was cold and I said I was ok. I told Dh to get the camera again. I was so anxious thinking he'd miss the opportunity. I tried breathing slowly before the shoulders came out and Steph said I was doing really well. I'd also noticed that she had pushed my left leg out to the side too. So the next few ctxs were really strong and Steph told me to breath through them. At one point my body just had to push and it must have been when the whole body started coming out. At 5.49pm the baby was out and I was relieved. She was crying soon after in the midwifes hands.

Steph asked hubby to hold bub but he had the camera so I said I would hold the baby instead. I looked down and saw a wrinkly little hand sticking out. How cute and amazing I thought. Then I got to hold the baby. Someone asked "what is it" and I checked and was confused for a tiny second, then said "It's a girl" even though we already knew it, it was nice to announce it myself.

Hubby took a few pics of baby Jacqueline at this point (pic in my birth album) Then I stepped forward onto a clean towel and he cut the cord. They handed her to him while I walked to the bed to deliver the placenta. I was really sore but so glad labour was over. I only had grazing and I had a nice warm shower after she had a feed. Jacquie was 3300gms, hc 34 and length 47cms. Apgars were 9 and 9.

The first few weeks were really hard but she's settling in now at 5wks and I can't wait for her first smile and giggle etc. Thanks for reading. ]]> Birth stories Tubby http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/86015-fast-3rd-labour.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85945-heath-byrons-natural-birth.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:47:14 GMT Labour started, ironically while watching a Harry Potter movie on a Saturday night after having a bath, the same as it did when I had my first child – exactly the same. My husband and I joked and it was probably BH as I was overdue and had been having them for over a week already. However the... Labour started, ironically while watching a Harry Potter movie on a Saturday night after having a bath, the same as it did when I had my first child – exactly the same. My husband and I joked and it was probably BH as I was overdue and had been having them for over a week already. However the contractions continued mildly and about 10 to 15 minutes apart and varying in time.

Around 2am DD woke and the movement seemed to get the contractions going more regular. By 4 am I decided to time them and for the next hour and a half they were 7 minutes apart. At this time I woke DH and he told me to relax and spend as much time at home where I was comfortable and then he rolled over and went back to sleep – lazy bugger!

At 5.30 I woke him again and told him we need to go to the hospital. Mum and Dad were called to look after DD. Once we got to the hospital I had three contractions and then all labour just stopped. The nurse said we could go home and I was ready to go but DH refused, thankfully. The nurse did an internal and I was 4cm dilated. DH and I decided to go for a walk and soon labour started again and the contractions where 4 minutes apart.

However it felt like labour could stop again if I didn’t continue moving and at one stage I got tired and laid down for a few minutes and sure enough, contractions stopped. DH came over to give me a belly and bang, another contraction started. I got up and DH was rubbing my back through the contraction. Next thing I felt my waters break, like a water balloon bursting between my legs. I was so glad to have experience that as I didn’t get that opportunity with DD.

Thankfully that allowed me to have a warm shower which helped ease my back and leg pain. All the time DH was rubbing my back and legs or letting me hang off him. When labour progressed he was right with me, encouraging me and helping me with the gas which I used to help me breathe through the contractions. At one point the nurse told me to lay off it as I was trying to get as much as possible.

Once I got out of the shower the contractions were coming faster and strong and I begged for anything and everything. I was given pethidine but was told my baby would most likely be in my arms before it took effect. This helped me get through the intense pain of the final stage.

Just as I thought he would be born I was told to stop pushing and to take a break. Leaning over the top of the bed I just kept on sucking onto the gas and thinking that this was natural and it would be over very soon. It wasn’t until after bubs was born that I was told the cord was around his neck and that they were trying to remove it. One last push and he was out and past under my legs and into my arms.

Before long he was nestled into my chest and suckling like it was the most natural thing in the world. ]]> Birth stories rachtann http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85945-heath-byrons-natural-birth.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85867-birth-our-second-little-princess.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:27:23 GMT Our second baby was due on the 27th October 2009. All through my pregnancy id had a funny feeling i would have the baby on the 30th October and it would be a girl i couldnt believe it when i was right about both. i had my 40 week ob appointment on Wednesday 28th October and had been having pains... Our second baby was due on the 27th October 2009. All through my pregnancy id had a funny feeling i would have the baby on the 30th October and it would be a girl i couldnt believe it when i was right about both.

i had my 40 week ob appointment on Wednesday 28th October and had been having pains all morning and lost some of my plug so was hoping i would go to my appoinment and be told i was in labour lol. I was given an examination and told that he was confident i would go into labour naturally sometime in the next 7 days but he would book me in for an induction the following Wednesday if i was still around but he doubted i would be.

The pains continued through the night and thursday morning i was having them around 7 minutes apart but i could still walk and talk through them so thought i was more than likely in early labour, my labour with dd1 was very long and slow until i had ARM when things kicked in so i wanted to stay out of hospy for as long as possible to try to get things happening on my own.

Thursday is dd1's swimming lessons so mum came over and we headed into town after she made me grab my labour bags just incase. The pains kept coming all day and started to get stronger and about 4-5 mins apart i still wasnt sure if this was 'the real thing' or not until strangers started asking me if i was ok when i was having a contraction while we were looking at the shops. Mum made me ring the hospy to see if i should go in there and they said to come in luckily she had made me take my bags with me because i didnt end up going home again.

I was put on the monitor and checked out and i was a stretchy 4cms dilated they said i should stay i rang dh to come in and mum took dd1 for the night. Unfortunatly i am destined to have very long slow labours and continued at the same pace through the night, in the morning things hadnt changed much i was a bit more effaced and they could stretch me to 5cms but that was it so they suggested having my waters broken but i had to wait until one of the other women already in established labour gave birth as they were short staffed. While we were waiting we could hear the woman in the room next to us giving birth (she was very vocal) i remember commenting to dh that i hoped this was her first baby because she was starting to scare me lol.

Finally at lunch time someone came in checked me out again and still no change but the contractions were really painful now and lasting between 1-2minutes. My waters were broken after a long discussion (i really didnt want any intervention this time but oh well) and i was put on the monitor for a little while. bubs heart beat was dropping and she wasnt moving around much, it was suggested they put me on a saline drip to get my fluids up as they thought i was dehydrated and that was the problem this freaked me out a bit cause i didnt want to feel restricted and i hate needles and i was scared of too much intervention, they rang the ob and he said to put me on the drip so after another long discussion i agreed....turns out they were right.

I started feeling better almost as soon as they put me on the drip and when the bag was about half way through the contractions started coming closer together. All i wanted was to go get in the shower but they wouldnt let me off the monitor until they were satisfied with bubs heart rate so i was offerd some gas which i accepted and OMG it was wonderful. Bubs heartrate picked up and she started moving around alot more. It took about an hour for the bag to go through and then they put another one up and i was starting to get really uncomfy but they still wouldnt let me off the monitor which was really frustrating i did not want to labour sitting on the bed!!. Finally dh made them take off the monitor and i was able to have my shower, as i got up off the bed a contraction hit me and i remember saying 'now im in labour!' lol.

The shower was bliss but then the gas stopped working for me and the said they couldnt turn the portable one up any more and id have to go back to the bed if i wanted more NOOOOOO!!! lol. I started feeling like i needed to poo and i heard myself telling dh i wanted to go home and didnt want to do it anymore and thought 'transition!! not long now!!'. He asked me if i needed to push because he remembered me saying the same thing last time, i told him no i just need to go to the toilet and tried to go to the loo but of course didnt need to go but no one could convince me lol they finally got me back to the bed with the promise of more gas.

I kept telling the midwife i needed to go to the toilet and i just couldnt stop holding it in. She said it was just the babys head and eventually i wouldnt be able to hold it and i would push. she also told me to start using the gas properly or she would take it off me because when the contractions were really bad i kept having little sucks coming off and roaring then having some more sucks so i wasnt getting the full effect lol. It felt really weird for me to be making so much noise because at my dd1's birth i was so quiet throughout the labour they kept forgetting i was there lol but it felt so good to just let it all out and i think hearing the lady in the room next door earlier gave me the confidence to make as much noise as i wanted lol.

On the next contraction i made myself suck the gas for the whole contraction and it was just what i needed i felt myself relax and my body start to push but the midwife had left the room so i panicked and stopped and told dh to get her back right now, he did i started pushing then they helped me turn over so i was leaning over the back of the bed. Dh sat next to me and was such a wonderful support through the whole birth reminding me to take big deep breaths and letting me almost break his hand during each contraction while telling me what a great job i was doing. The midwife i had was fantastic and she helped me push out Alana's head slowely telling me to pant and when to do little pushes and as a result i ended up with a small 2nd degree tear. 14 minutes later Alana was out and dh told me we had another little girl.

After the birth i felt amazing i was able to hold Alana and know what was going on i even asked if we could wait for the cord to stop pulsating and if i could cut it. I was also able to deliver the placenta without having the injection i didnt even have to ask the midwife just let it happen, we also had a good look at the placenta and a bit of a lesson on how it works and we got some photos of us with bub strait after which we didnt get last time. I am sooo happy with the way it went although it was slow to start with the way i felt afterwards and i feel now is just amazing!. Alana was born at 4.14pm on 30th October 2009 weighing 7lbs 9oz, 52.5cms long and 34cm hc. She's just the most amazing little baby, im so lucky to have both my beautiful girls, our little family now feels complete. :043: ]]> Birth stories Jen82 http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85867-birth-our-second-little-princess.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85836-tavish-our-fallen-star.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:05:32 GMT I hope that it is ok to post my story here. I mainly want to share this with those who have been so wonderful in supporting me through the stress of my pregnancy and since Tavish was born sleeping.
Please be aware that this story does not have a happy ending, so please don't read it if you are likely to be distressed.

When DH and I decided to start trying for our second baby to grow our family, we both tried really hard to not get our hopes up that it would happen quickly. It had taken several miscarriages and the longest year of my life to fall pregnant with Jack, our first son, and I was so afraid of repeating that experience, but we were lucky within the first month or so of trying to conceive. We could hardly believe it, the universe was making everything ok. We had wanted two years between children, we had made some big life changes in the last twelve months and were really looking forward to our future and our growing family.

The first trimester was very uneventful, just more tiring with an energetic toddler to run around after. I had a few weeks of feeling a bit off and then at 9 weeks came good. I felt little twitches around this time as well, and would wonder if I was cooking a boy or girl. We were happy with either but secretly we were both hoping for a boy. Jack was still breastfeeding and he seemed to know something was new/different and became obsessed with my tummy, patting and hugging it often.

The 12 week scan showed baby with a strong heartbeat and spot on for my dates and extremely active! We were planning another wonderful homebirth and my midwives were as excited as us about bringing this little one into the world. Based on my previous pregnancy (low risk and healthy) we decided that they wouldn’t start seeing me until after the 20 week scan. I would go through my local GP for referrals and tests as required. I felt great – I was determined to try and enjoy this pregnancy as much as possible, as it was likely to be my last baby. I was going to be nearly 36 when baby was born and while I’d have loved more children, I didn’t think physically I could do pregnancy again!

Three days after the 12 week scan I start spotting small amounts of blood. I had really severe thrush on and off for weeks and suspect it was causing the bleeding. The GP did a urine test to rule out a UTI and advises me to try canisten to clear the thrush up. I have no cramping or pain but we decide to have another scan just in case. The baby is fine, cervix closed and placenta where it should be. I’m told to keep an eye on things and go straight to hospital if I start experiencing any pain. My doctor thinks it is likely the bleeding will be short-lived and just one of those things that happens in pregnancy. It isn’t.

The bleeding increases and for 4 very long weeks I experience bleeding every single day. My only reassurance is the baby moving and the complete absence of any pain. I have regular checkups, each time nothing can be determined as the actual cause and I have to carry on, with the words 'threatened miscarriage' echoing in my mind. The emotional toll of this is extreme. I am living with the constant expectation that I could lose the baby at any time.

I have to rethink my birth plans and choose a hospital to birth in, as I am now in high risk territory. We organise to have our primary midwife come with us to hospital as support and to make sure I am able to have the birth I want, even if it’s not at the venue of my choice. We keep hoping the next day will see the end of the bleeding. I am tired all the time and really sad because I feel detached from the pregnancy and am not connecting with the baby.

At 18 weeks, I pass a large blood clot and am sent off for an emergency scan. Baby still has a strong heartbeat, but a new problem has come up – the amniotic fluid is quite low. The sonographer is rushed and flustered and I’m trying to get her to check the cervix and see if there is any cause for bleeding, but she doesn’t seem concerned about that. She tells me to head back to my doctor. By the time I get there the GP has spoken to the sonographer and has organised for me to have another scan in hospital in two days. I go home without being any more informed that I already was. I’m so over the stress and worry.

The second scan shows the baby curled up due to not having much room to move, a strong heartbeat and not much fluid. The obstetrician does an internal exam to see if there are any waters leaking but it is quite difficult to tell due to the bleeding. We discuss the possible causes and outcomes. The obstetrician thinks that either the membranes are leaking or the baby’s kidneys aren’t functioning properly. If the membranes are leaking, they could heal up but it needs to happen soon or baby won’t develop properly and I’m at risk of preterm labour. If the baby’s kidneys aren’t functioning properly then it could be due to chromosomal or structural problems, which could mean the baby dying before term or after birth. The obstetrician tells me that things aren't looking good and we should prepare ourselves for some rough road ahead.

I’m booked in for another scan at 20 weeks and sent home to wait, with instructions to call the hospital immediately if I have any waters leaking or any contractions. DH and I feel so sad for our little one who is fighting so hard to stay with us. We talk about the ‘what ifs’ but it is so debilitating, we’re already in such a low place, we can hardly bear thinking about having to terminate or the potential of an extremely premature baby. We decide to be as positive as possible and take each day as it comes.

We make it through another week and at 19 weeks suddenly the bleeding stops. The baby has been moving quite a bit and I am praying to the universe this means that things are ok. I have some light pinkish discharge and some Braxton Hicks contractions, which are short and irregular. We start to feel an enormous sense of relief and trust that this is the beginning of everything going smoothly. We are sure that we’ve turned the corner and our little one is going to be fine. ]]> Birth stories samiam http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85836-tavish-our-fallen-star.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85758-anticipated-arrival-emilyn-rose.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:26:48 GMT After being induced with Isaac I was optimistically hopeful that this would be a natural labour and far easier to endure! Come d-day and I was booked in for an induction, immediately emotional, trying to remain positive but really panicking about the labour. I don’t have a very good pain... After being induced with Isaac I was optimistically hopeful that this would be a natural labour and far easier to endure! Come d-day and I was booked in for an induction, immediately emotional, trying to remain positive but really panicking about the labour. I don’t have a very good pain threshold and I don’t do any activities that develop endurance or any of those good qualities either!

I enlisted all the usual natural methods – DTD, inserting EPO, long walks, spicy food, clary sage baths and rubs. I didn’t get any niggles or BH or anything which made the panic worse. Every day seemed like an eternity waiting! I had some monitoring over the weekend of week 41. I tried unsuccessfully to convince the midwives at the hospital to move my induction back a few days so I could have a chance to go into labour naturally but to no avail. Actually, the day before my induction when I was due to have monitoring and then the prostin gel they actually asked if they could move it forward because the birth unit was empty – God no!

So that was the Tuesday. My internal the week before had shown a totally closed and unfavourable cervix. I’d had a bit more pressure down low over the weekend so was quietly hoping something had changed. After monitoring in the morning I had another internal before the gel was to be applied. It showed I was 2cm dilated! I didn’t need the gel - Woot! The Dr did a stretch and sweep and said that hopefully it would be enough to let me go into labour naturally before my induction the next morning.

Had some pains after that but figured it was just from the internal. 3pm in the afternoon I started getting noticeable contractions every 10 minutes or so. DH was keeping himself busy washing the cars and mowing the lawn so I was just looking after DS. 5pm they were getting a bit stronger and longer. 6pm I started timing them and they were getting longer but anywhere between 3-7 minutes apart and I was still able to do other things. 6.30pm my Mum came (she was staying the night to watch DS because we’d have to be at the hospital 7am for the induction in the morning) and we had dinner. I was in noticeable pain but hadn’t felt natural contractions before and didn’t want to be too optimistic that this was it! Jaybe came around 7.30pm (without any idea of what was going on, we’d arranged in the afternoon for her to come give me a relaxing massage).

By this time I was assured I was in labour (much to Jaybe’s shock and delight). With DS, I was sitting in the bath on the gas with induced contractions. This time around I found leaning over the couch/bench and rocking my hips was the best way to deal with the pain. Jaybe and DH were supporting my belly and applying pressure to my lower back to help with the pain. I was feeling a lot of pain in my butt (had been all afternoon) but was determined to make it past watching Packed to the Rafters. Come 9.30pm the contractions were getting 3 minutes apart and about 1 ½ minutes long. I started worrying about dealing with the drive to the hospital – managing the contractions in the car. I didn’t want to go in till it was necessary but also didn’t want to leave it too late. At 10.30pm we rang the hospital and decided it was best to come in. Just before we left I went to the toilet and had a bit of a show. The thought never occurred to me to have anyone besides DH at my births but Jaybe asked if we wanted her to come along too. Normally I would be far too prudish to let anyone else see me naked but it’s funny how labour takes away any sense of modesty! DH and I decided that it was really helpful having two pairs of hands (to meet all my labouring needs!) and he had enjoyed the support of having someone to talk to whilst I was in the midst of things. So, DH went through 2 very orange lights (intersections not corners) with Jaybe following behind. I only had 2 contractions in the car (and one on the car in the hospital car park) and it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

To be continued... ]]> Birth stories eire http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85758-anticipated-arrival-emilyn-rose.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85634-out-popped-peanut.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:38:00 GMT he arrival of Ella Marie. Well, I had been dealing with pre labour since around the 36week mark. On the 22nd Oct, went into hospital as things seem to be starting. But it all stopped dead at 3am on the 23rd, by this time I was 3-4cm dilated and 50%effaced. So ready to go, whenever Peanut was... he arrival of Ella Marie.

Well, I had been dealing with pre labour since around the 36week mark. On the 22nd Oct, went into hospital as things seem to be starting. But it all stopped dead at 3am on the 23rd, by this time I was 3-4cm dilated and 50%effaced. So ready to go, whenever Peanut was ready.

On Friday the 6th Nov, had a normal busy Friday planned, posted some items at the post office, paid bills, picked up some snacks before the big groc shop over the weekend. Did the kindy drop off and pick up for Tahlia. Also went out to the bush track and watched DH and his mates ride their moto bikes.

Had a wicked craving for PIZZA for tea, so wham, thats what we had... Although a whole pizza and pack of pork spare ribs was what i had. lol!

Once again another day had passed and nothing, so i showered, and watched my show on TV, then off to bed we went at around 930pm.

130am I woke up to some kind of pain, got up went to the loo and thought nothing of it, untill it happened again. So i got up and went into the kitchen to grab a drink of water and some panadol as i thought, bloody BH's again. ONLY this time it didnt ease at all, didnt really amp up either was just F**k!ng painful.

walked around the lounge room, kitchen a couple of times, and every time the pain came i had to stop and remember to breath. I found swearing like a trooper, helped heaps, didnt even matter if some of the words coming out of my mouth i would never say anyways. (if you can think of it, i sure as **** said it)

At around 215am i rang the ward and spoke to a mid wife, had to stop at least twice as I couldnt talk through the pain. She said oh you better come in. I told her i had to call my SIL to come look after the girls and get hubby up and we would be in... so about 1/2hour.

I went and told DH to get up we needed to make a trip. Told him i had called Trac to come look after the girls. he got up and said he needed a shower, i said no rush. (while he showered i had to sit on the loo, then i couldnt get back up for a bit as was in pain... )

Trac got here and DH was ready so made sure we had the bags ready and hoped in his UTE. (yes i went to hospital in the UTE..lol!) Got to the hospital at around 3am.

Had to go through emergancy and it was pakced with police and people everywhere as something must of happened Friday night out at the clubs... I stood in line waiting to get to talk to the guy at the desk to let him know where we needed to go. Grabbed DH on his shoulders and held tight while i had another contrax.. The sercutiy graud came out and said materinty ward right??? hell yes, as i couldnt walk, hoped into a wheel chair and off we went. He stopped once as he thought i was about to fall out of the chair, but nope just another contrax.

got put into a room straight away and Anne, came and asked me to pop on the hospital gown and she would do an exmaition. (pfft to you women, she tried but i almost kicked her in the head, opps)

She said shall call your mamta midwife and tell her to get here NOW!!!

Anne, and Liz, (the midwife i spoke to on the phone) came into the room and i ws given the gas, I had a suck when the contrax came and that is when my waters broke. NO POP or anything just a gush down there. I told them "i think my waters just broke.." Anne checked and yep, i was right.

by the time she did that, i said i need to push... so started pushing, i felt the head start to come down... About this time i decieded i didnt want to do this any more.... pulled the gas thing out of my mouth and told them so, "i'm going home, lets stop..." Had another contrax and had another huge push and the head was out. DH had a look, they asked if i wanted to feel and i said no, have to push.... pushed again and "CRACKED', Peanut popped out. the door openned just as it happened an my midwife walked in. opps she missed it.

Baby was born at 336am, given straight to me on my breast and DH checked the sex of baby... It was a girl, DH cut the cord and the gave me the injection to have the placenta... while all this was happeneing baby was at boob sucking.

MY midwife Paula, was in charge now and left us alone with Elle Marie for a good hour while we bonded and disscussed names.. Had to make sure DH was happy with the name... (men)

Paula came back in and got thing organised. Had to get stitches as had a 2nd degree tear. At about 530-6am got taken down to my big private double bed room and Dh went home to the girls.

Ella Marie, wanted to make a speedy arrival. (so much for me being a "trial of scar" and needing to be monitored through labour, happened a little to fast for that.) Paula gave me a huge hug and said how proud she was of me, and how lovely Ella is.... I was the talk of the midwife staff in the tea room as i did it..

One very successful VBAC.... ]]> Birth stories Triumph http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85634-out-popped-peanut.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85350-hayden-georges-very-speedy-arrival.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:49:23 GMT I had another fairly textbook pregnancy, although I felt quite yucky until about 16 weeks, and had more tiredness and headaches than the first time around. I was very fortunate to get into the Midwifery Group Practice programme again at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, and had a... I had another fairly textbook pregnancy, although I felt quite yucky until about 16 weeks, and had more tiredness and headaches than the first time around. I was very fortunate to get into the Midwifery Group Practice programme again at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, and had a lovely midwife called Fiona, and also a student from UniSA, Penny, who found me and came to all my appointments! And of course Due in October 2008 on here!

At my 34 week appointment I was told that bubs was already 1/5 engaged and that I could be on for an early delivery as second babies ‘usually’ don’t engage until labour itself. Each appointment bubs was more and more engaged and I carried very low and large for those last few weeks. However, I told myself it would come around my due date (30th October 2008).

I finished work at the beginning of October and kept Charlotte in childcare three days a week. I spent most of the time eating apple and walnut scrolls, watching Lord of the Rings and hoping that the baby would come either on the weekend or on a childcare day. It was a big stress for me! I had an internal on my due date and my cervix was still very high and closed. So much for the early delivery. I then had another internal about a week later, still closed but slightly softer. There was honestly not one sign that I was due to go into labour. There were more aches and pains generally at this stage but that was it! I really didn’t want to be induced but we booked one anyway at 41+4. At 41+1 I got really miserable and said I wanted to get induced on the weekend. My midwife’s partner, Lisa, talked to me for a long time and afterwards I felt really strong and ready to wait for it to start naturally. At 41+2 Fiona came and did another internal – I was 3cm! I had had some mild backache the previous day but nothing more. She did a stretch and sweep and said she expected to see me later that day. She explained about nipple stimulation so I did that fairly religiously that day.

Unbelievably to me (and Fiona, apparently) I woke up at 6.45am on Sunday still with an enormous bump. DH, Charlotte and I got up and made tea and biscuits and went back to bed. I hadn’t even had one sip of tea when there was an almightly downward ‘clonk’ in my pelvis accompanied by a huge pain. I leapt literally out of bed and said ‘my waters are going to break’. I got to the toilet and there was a big gush. The pain was there immediately and it didn’t leave, a horrible pain right on top of my pelvic bone. I thought I needed to do a poo but nothing happened and I really didn’t want to strain as I thought the baby might fall out, literally!

I called my MIL and told her to come NOW to get Charlotte. Then I called Fiona and said we had to go now. She told me she needed an hour to get there and I said fine, I can still talk so we’re not there yet. I should add that contractions were coming thick and fast and very painfully about 3 minutes apart, along with the constant pain above my pelvis. I managed a shower but by the time I got out I could barely do anything with myself. I tried pacing, leaning, but it was all unbearable, so I locked myself in the loo until my MIL had come round. I texted Penny to say we would be at the hospital by 8.30am and rang Fiona again to say it was really bad and we were leaving right now (this was about 8am). I can’t remember DH at all in this but he got me into the car and we drove (me with a towel over my head so no-one could see me) and got to the hospital about 8.15am.

The pain was constant. In the car I kept telling DH to tell Fiona that I needed to do a poo but hadn’t done one and thought that I needed to get the poo out before the baby would come!!!

Thankfully Sunday mornings are very quiet and there was no-one around. I went straight to the Birthing Centre without checking in and leaned against the wall in a right state. DH went to find someone and finally a midwife came and got me into room 17, the same one that we were in before! My waters were pouring at this stage. The lovely midwife helped me get my knickers off and got me kneeling. This was no mean feat, I can tell you! I kept thinking, just give me gas and air but didn’t say anything. Finally she offered me gas and air and then I was fine. I can’t actually remember much, just thinking, wow this is fast and amazing and I’m so happy! DH got all the stuff up from the car and Fiona arrived about 8.45am. I remember thinking can someone please call Penny but then I heard her voice. I was kneeling on the floor leaning on the bed with gas and air clenched between my teeth breathing through each contraction! I asked Fiona to do an internal to see where bubs was. She told me to feel and I could feel its head quite high up but there nonetheless. At one point DH asked “how long is it going to be?” I thought what a stupid question, until Fiona answered and I realized he wasn’t talking to me. She said not long!

At one point I got really obsessed by the fact that I needed to poo. I told Fiona and they tried to get me to the toilet but I said I need the gas and air so they scurried around trying to find the mobile one. After a while I thought it’s no good I will just have to poo here and now and I did and once I did I felt so relieved mentally and physically! DH said they whisked it away quick smart! Things kicked along really well after that with no mental block in the way. Suddenly my body did an almighty push by itself, then there was a long period of absolute quiet where I rested my head on the bed and felt so peaceful and thought, COME ON! I felt again inside and its head was right there and I knew it wouldn't be long.

To push I was literally on my knees with my chest pressed into the floor with my bum in the air and the gas and air still clenched between my teeth. It was an amazing position for pushing and I did it no worries this time. I could feel the baby moving down with each push and was fully in control. I’m sure there was stinging but I was still in control and fully aware of what was causing the pain. Fiona told me to do little pushes and I could hear them all laughing. Apparently its lips were all stretched! Then the head was out and I had to wait. Then another push and the body was out and the physical relief was immense. You have to picture the three of them crouched on the floor just inside the door of the room with so little space and my bum right in their faces! Mark looked down apparently and saw a little willie (he’d thought all along that it was another girl) and said it was a boy! I was laughing and crying with happiness and elation that my birth had been so amazing. They passed him through my legs to me. He was yelling and the first thing I thought was ‘he’s so blonde’ after Charlotte’s thick dark hair!

It was 9.16am so we had only been at the hospital for about an hour. Fiona made it with 30 minutes to spare, and Penny about 20 minutes!

I had a managed third stage which I don’t remember but it must have been over very quickly. I had a rest on the bed, no shakes or pain like last time. I had a big plate of toast and tea as I was starving. We weighed and measured him and he yelled the whole time. He weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces and measured 53cm. I think now he was just so low for all that time to give himself more space to grow!

DH rang his Mum and she brought Charlotte in. She said “what’s that” pointing at the crib? We said "that’s Hayden". She said “is it Maiden?” as in Iron Maiden her favourite band! She still talks about the hospital now and how he was called Maiden!

So that’s my amazing, fantastic birth story. My little man turns 1 on Monday. He has been an absolute dream baby and is now a very cheeky little boy. ]]> Birth stories annieb73 http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85350-hayden-georges-very-speedy-arrival.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85341-jacobs-home-birth.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:04:23 GMT Once my second pregnancy was confirmed, I started looking into caregiver/birthplace options in Perth. The care I received during my first pregnancy and the birthing centre we chose was close to perfect, but was also on the Sunshine Coast. I wanted another water birth as this was the only pain... Once my second pregnancy was confirmed, I started looking into caregiver/birthplace options in Perth. The care I received during my first pregnancy and the birthing centre we chose was close to perfect, but was also on the Sunshine Coast. I wanted another water birth as this was the only pain relief I needed first time around and was sure all I needed this time. I soon discovered that there were two options in Western Australia for having a water birth; 1 – King Edward Hospital has a birth centre with ONE bath (so all I would have to cross my fingers that no one else was in labour at the same time as me) and 2 – Home birth. It was then that I found the Community Midwifery website and thanked my lucky stars! They offer a home birth choice with continuity of midwifery care which is Government (Medicare) funded – i.e.: it was free! I submitted my application really early to ensure I would be accepted should it be what I/we wanted. The Program is only available to low risk pregnancies and they have an excellent backup hospital transfer procedure. DP wasn’t convinced it was the best idea, but I knew once I did some research on home birth (still wasn’t 100% convinced myself) I’d be able to persuade him. I read just about everything there is about natural birth, home birth, water birth and the more I read the more I knew it was completely safe for low risk pregnancies and was what I wanted. In the end, DP was happy to go along with what I decided. He knew it was my choice in the end and he trusted, as I did, in my body’s innate and natural ability to birth. It was comfort to know that should anything even look like “going wrong”, we’d have a fully qualified and experienced midwife who I also trusted and had built a good relationship with over the months, with us who would know when to transfer. We simply would go to hospital…if we needed to. I had antenatal appointments in my own home with Heather and some at the CMWA clinic. Everything during pregnancy was perfect. The only real complaints I had was heartburn and the usual discomforts. I worked till 36 weeks.

Fast-forward to 1am, Friday 30th October 2009. 39+4 weeks pregnant. I had been having strong Braxton hicks contractions for the last couple of months and didn’t think anything much of these. The fact that they were coming every 15 mins and were down below, like period pain was the only difference to the norm. I continued to sleep in between them until at 3am when DP stirred. I told him that this could be the start of something and from then on, neither of us could sleep. They were coming every 10 minutes now but only lasting about 30 sec and sometimes less. We were laying in bed just chatting for a while and reading up on the usual way labour starts, trying to gauge whether this was the real thing or just pre-labour. At about 4am we got up, DP made me a cup of tea and I was just walking around breathing through each surge, sometimes laying on the fitball or leaning over a bench/on a bedpost. DP started to get the birth pool ready and discovered that the hose wasn’t going to fit the tap in the ensuite (we had done the filling-up trial run in a different room) so he was out to the work ute getting tools and ended up having to cut the hose and tape it to the tap.

At 5am, DS woke up and came in to our room. I told him that we thought the baby was coming and he was so excited, yelling “Mummy, there’s no more minutes till the baby comes!” I still didn’t feel like I needed my MW yet, but I asked DP to call Mum to come and get DS as I was starting to need a lot of concentration and couldn’t quite manage it with him around. Contractions were coming very rapidly and quite strong but still not lasting long at all. Just before mum arrived, I started feeling nauseous and faint and getting hot flushes (in hindsight, I now know this to be an extremely fast transition) which is when DP called my MW. He had also started filling the pool, which I was now standing at and leaning on as my body had decided that a 2 minute transition is all it needed and was ready to push. Along with the need to push, came some quite vocal grunting and when I heard DS ask “why is mummy hurting?” I yelled for mum to take him to her place NOW – she lives about 5 mins away. Everything was happening so fast and I just wanted in the pool but it was nowhere near full enough. I yelled out to DP to put a plastic sheet under where I was standing because “THE BABY IS COMING NOW!! IT’S RIGHT THERE!!” I could feel the sac/his head probably only about two of my knuckles up inside and I just couldn’t refrain from pushing. DP was starting to panic now as we were on our own and when my waters gushed all over the floor (thank goodness for the plastic) he raced to phone my MW again. She said was only 2 minutes away and I was concentrating on breathing and trying not to push baby down too quickly. MW arrived and quite obviously pointed out that there wasn’t enough time to administer the antibiotics that I needed for GBS. The pool was full enough to get in and she and DP helped me in. Instant bliss. For a few seconds at least, till the next contraction came. I’m not sure exactly how many surges there were before Jacob was born, but time-wise, my MW was in the house for 15 minutes. I caught my newborn baby from underneath me and bought him up to my chest. He is perfect. All up, my labour lasted 2.5 hours. Natural 3rd stage took about an hour and Jacob has breastfed vigorously from the very start. We were all cuddled up in our own bed straight away, ready to start life together as a family of four. I am so happy with my choice to home birth and can’t recommend it enough to those that are confident in their ability to birth naturally and have uncomplicated pregnancies. It’s such a shame that women will soon lose this choice of birth. There should be a nation-wide program like WA’s Community Midwifery Program, at the very least.

Thanks for reading :001_smile: ]]> Birth stories keljono http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85341-jacobs-home-birth.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85288-our-little-miracle-nicole-s-birth-story-warning-its-little-long.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:28:00 GMT DH is a lot younger than me (another story), and when we first started going out DH didn’t want kids. Given his age I understood and stayed with him as I decided: I’d rather be happy with someone who I love and who loves me, than be with someone who didn’t just to have kids. And who knew if I could... DH is a lot younger than me (another story), and when we first started going out DH didn’t want kids. Given his age I understood and stayed with him as I decided: I’d rather be happy with someone who I love and who loves me, than be with someone who didn’t just to have kids. And who knew if I could have kids anyway – as I had a benign tumour in my pituitary gland (the headquarters of all our hormones).

Fast forward to 2005: When Dh asked me if I still wanted to have kids. Of course I did!

Fast Forward to July 2006: We eloped to Heron Island to be married and I went back on the drugs to ensure the tumour wasn’t mucking up my hormones.

2008 and still no baby: so given my age and not liking the side effects of the drugs I stopped and resigned to never being a mum.

New Yrs Eve (2008/2009) a friend of ours told us they were 10 wks pregnant and we made a separate salad with no salami and soft cheeses. I remember saying well I am not pregnant and tucked into the cheeses, salamis and alcohol and sang very loudly to garage band all night!

A few weeks later I had a bit of a tummy and I thought age had finally caught up with me and stacked the kgs on after a few weeks of Xmas & new yr partying. I started to run around the block to lose the excess, but it wouldn’t budge. Then my boobs started to hurt and get really big. Stress is normally when my tumour starts mucking up and I had just started a coaching business and with the economy the way it was I was beginning to think it had been a bad time to choose to start a business. Stress was therefore pretty high. The symptoms of my tumour were my period stops, and my boobs get big. I was in a bit of denial hoping the symptoms would go away and I wouldn’t have to take the drugs. But this time my boobs were spilling out of my bra and I knew I better do something. Just after I swallowed the first tablet I suddenly thought maybe I am pregnant – no I couldn’t be, could I?

So I told DH and we went to get a pregnancy test from the chemist. I tested when we got home and both lines appeared but very smudged. I showed it to DH and said do you think that is right 2 lines or the first just smudged into the 2nd? So I decided to wait until morning as it said to test first thing upon waking.

About 5am I tested again (I had been awake most of the night). It took less than 1 sec to show 2 lines – wow I was pregnant, and naturally conceived! I couldn’t believe it. I was going to have our little miracle child. I was excited, teary, excited and in surreal disbelief all in the space of a second. I told DH and we were both all of those things again, which continued throughout the pregnancy and I am still looking at her in disbelief some days.

We went to the Doctors the next day and had to wait 3 more days (!) for the tests to be confirmed. :) Then it was off to the Ob, who told me we had probably got pregnant in between Xmas and New Yr – and there I had been living it up New yr’s eve. :011:

Fast forward to the 12 week U/S and we were given a 1/69 chance of down syndrome & 1/33 chance of her being abnormal. :( Luckily DH had access to medical research journals and we realized the husband’s age contributes 50% but it wasn’t taken into account. Also in 70% of down syndrome kids they had no nasal bone present at the 12/13 week scan – our photo clearly showed a nasal bone. My PAPP-A blood test had been low, but still in the OK range. However research showed this was a recent test and not a lot was known about this blood test – DH found other research that showed my own growth hormone may have affected the PAPP-A due to a high protein diet and stopping doing the weight program at the Gym. So I decided to not stress about it and trust all would be OK.

My pregnancy was a dream. I have a herniated disc and the whole pregnancy was pain free up to the last 2 weeks, so I was very lucky. Also morning sickness was hardly there and if it was I was just a bit nauseous. We had a little scare at week 32 when the Ob thought Nicole had stopped growing, but while a little under average all stats showed she was within the normal lines.

Fast forward to due date Sept 26th: nothing happened. I was due to be induced Mon 8pm 5th Oct 2009, if Nicole didn’t arrive before that so I settled in to a week of cleaning the house from top to bottom, whilst walking for miles, hopping in & out of clary sage baths, acupuncture for labour and raspberry leaf tea. Still no labour.

Sat 3rd Oct 1am I woke and went to the toilet as usual. I tried to go to sleep but I felt something was up and couldn’t sleep. At 4am the show arrived and I realized labour had begun. Still not sleeping I went upstairs and yo-yo’d between the bath, the toilet and curled up in a fetal position in the spare bed.

I had contractions and they were painful and full on – I couldn’t sleep and every time I dozed I woke to a contraction. I started timing them and they were irregular and all over the shop – lasting from 30 secs to almost 2 mins, and anywhere from 4 min to 27 mins apart. There was about 5 contractions within the one wave, the middle one being the most painful.

I rang the hospital and they told me I wasn’t in labour they were BH’s – what! So I rang a friend who had just given birth – sounds like a contraction to me she said so I was a little relieved. Well this went on all Sat and I rang the hospital again. Again I was told I wasn’t in labour – even though I told them most of my contractions were over a minute the irregularity they told me meant my cervix wasn’t opening. I told DH and said I didn’t believe them because it felt like something was opening down there.

So another night yo-yoing between the spare bed, the toilet and the bath (dozing not sleeping and waking to wave after wave of contractions.) Sun morning I rang the hospital again. This midwife said I would be in in a couple of hrs and to eat and drink something…. And then everything stopped. So a walk around the block to start everything again, now I knew I was in labour as the contractions while still all over the shop, in length and time between them, they had reached a whole new level in pain, with the movie “Sound of Music” in the background – the hills were alive alright and it wasn’t with music…. And that was my Sunday afternoon.

I had now not slept since 1am Sat morn and I wasn’t looking forward to another night & maybe day of this. I just wanted to bring it to a close. So Sun evening 6:30pm I rang the hospital and asked if I could bring forward my inducement. The midwife said no, because then we would have to do that for everyone who hasn’t had some sleep. Then she added and your Dr isn’t on this weekend. Thankfully he was and I told her so. She said I will ring him but I doubt he will change anything, so take 2 panadol, eat and drink something and call me in an hr. Does anyone feel patronised….

7:30pm on the dot I rang back. Did that take the edge of dear was the question. No I said, unless they were going to be more horrendous then that. Oh she said – how many contractions have you had? 18, but they are still all over the shop. Oh, well this is just a check, no promises. Come in and we will see where you are up to.

So we race in. My biggest fear was everything would stop again and they would send me home. But I had 12 contractions by the time we got there, the most painful in the car, with me telling DH to watch the road and not to worry about my screaming. We get there and I ask for an epidural. I wasn’t going to have any pain relief in my birth plan but exhausted and in a lot of pain I gave in. Not yet I am told we need to put you on a machine and measure contractions first and only if you are close will we give you an epidural.

20 mins turns into 1hr – she was waiting for the change in shift (B%@ch!) but luckily that next midwife was clued up. She told me she could tell the position of the baby by my irregular contractions and that I would be pleased to know I was 6 cms dilated. I was so angry as I would have given birth in the bath that night on my own if I hadn’t come in. Apparently when your baby is posterior and turned on its side you do not get to regular 10 mins, 5mins, 2min labour! Why didn’t all the midwives know that and why hadn’t anyone called me back to see how I was doing? This was private insurance too. I could have come in on Saturday! Also that midwife showed Michael how to turn the baby – otherwise I would have had a c-section. So I could have been in less pain if I had come in earlier. The reason everything kept stopping was because the baby couldn’t make it down there any further, but I was still dilating and wanting to push.

They get the Ob in and in the meantime they give me an epidural. I was actually a little relieved when the Ob turned up to say he had made a special trip to tell me to take an epidural or I wouldn’t be able to push. Aaah, the relief once it took hold.

So that is how baby Nicole came into the world at 12:50am 5th Oct, weighing 3.224 Kgs (7lbs 1.5 oz) and 50cms in length. I had the shakes before the epidural (shock from each contraction) but post the birth and epidural I thought I must be scaring little Nicole I was shaking so much holding her.

4 weeks later we are doing well although we are hoping she puts on more weight this week to get back to her birth weight and to start getting bigger. We are very much in love with each other and our little beautiful addition. ]]> Birth stories Excited http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85288-our-little-miracle-nicole-s-birth-story-warning-its-little-long.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85231-speedy-arrival-jared-mex.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:46:08 GMT Birth Story of Jared Max Oldfield – 14th October 2009 Baby2 was due on 10th October and as per most babies he was running late! On Monday 12th I had a final check up with the GP who said everything was OK and baby was starting to drop. Tuesday afternoon I had a chiropractors appointment and... Birth Story of Jared Max Oldfield – 14th October 2009

Baby2 was due on 10th October and as per most babies he was running late! On Monday 12th I had a final check up with the GP who said everything was OK and baby was starting to drop.

Tuesday afternoon I had a chiropractors appointment and was hoping that this would help move things along as I was starting to get very tired in the afternoons.

That night I was tired but also full of energy I was hoping that was a sign that things might happen soon.
I was on the computer for most of the night and sat up until about 11.30pm when I thought I really should go to bed. Once in bed Anthony woke up at about 12am and I got up to resettle him when I felt a bit of fluid and thought it could be a sign. Went to check and came back to bed to tell Tony that I thought we would have a baby by breakfast time.
Although I didn’t have any pains by about 12.30 I couldn’t sleep so texted my doula Rachel to let her know that things might start soon and went down stairs. I chatted to a couple of friends on line and posted on the forum.

At about 1am I turned the computer off and tried to get some sleep on the lounge. I was feeling really excited and was still waiting for some pains to start. Shortly after laying down I had to go to the bathroom and could feel very low pains but nothing major. I sat on the chair and watched TV in between going to the bathroom. I had my stress balls and was rubbing them on my lower belly to ease the pain which still wasn’t too bad.

At about 2.30 I felt like I was going to be sick so went to the bathroom again and sure enough I was, this also happened while I was in labour with Anthony so I knew it was just something my body did to get ready and thought I would still have plenty of time.

I decided I would go and have a shower to get ready to go to the hospital and to try to relax a little bit. The pain was still bearable but I had my stressball which I kept rubbing on my lower belly and squeezing it during the contractions. After about half an hour or so in the shower I thought I would get out and wake Tony so we could get ready to head up to the hospital. I also called Rachel telling her that the contractions were close together but still bearable but thought I would head up to the hospital soon. She said she would be about 45 minutes and would come to our house first. Then I called my sister to get her to look after Anthony.

I called out to Tony as the contractions were coming in fast now, he came out of the bedroom and I told him to call the midwife to let them know we would be heading up. While he was downstairs I went in to the toilet and sat down. Then I could feel the urge to push and called out to Tony again. He came back upstairs and I had moved down on to the floor on my hands and knees with my head on the ground (I was trying to slow things down at least until my doula arrived). I told Tony that I thought the baby was coming and there was no way I could move and that my waters had broken. By this stage Anthony had woken up and my sister had arrived. She asked me if she could help with anything and I told her just to look after Anthony as I didn’t want him to be upset by my groaning.

Between the contractions I told Tony to call the ambulance as there was no way I was getting down the stairs on my own.
My contractions seem to slow down for me during the pushing stage so I am lucky to be able to have a rest between them. While we were waiting for the ambulance 000 called Tony back on his mobile and I could hear the lady guiding Tony with what to do. In the next contraction I told Tony that I could feel the head and he got behind me and could see the head starting to crown. Then I could feel it go back in again. Before the next contraction came the ambulance guys arrived and one of them swapped spots with Tony.

In the next contraction I pushed out the head. The ambo, Will was telling me to keep pushing and I just looked up at Tony and told him that I can’t push without a contraction. Will was then asking for help from the other ambo Dave and I remember telling him to stop talking! The way he spoke was making me nervous and I knew I had to stay calm to deliver the rest of our baby. With the next contraction I pushed the shoulders out and asked if everything looked ok. I was worried about the cord being around the neck the same as Anthony had but all was OK. Then I heard our baby cry and my sister came up stairs thinking he had been fully born but I still had a little way to go and I remember looking up at her and Anthony and smiling at how calm he was with all that was happening.

After another push I looked down and watched the rest of my son being born it was 3.52am. Then Will handed our son to Tony and I lay on the floor catching my breath and finding the strength to stand up. I was also telling the ambos that I didn’t want the cord to be cut and Dave was asking me if I wanted any pain relief – Um No all the hard work is done now haha
Rachel arrived while I was still on the ground, it was so great to see her but I was sad she missed out on being there for the delivery and so was she.
I was then helped up and handed my beautiful son for skin to skin contact before walking downstairs and out the door to the ambulance. By this stage our son had stopped crying and was looking around in wonder of what had just happened to him.
I took my first ever ambulance trip to the hospital. I found out that it was Wills’ first delivery and Dave had not delivered a baby in 24 years!

Once at the hospital the midwife cut the cord which had well and truly stopped pulsating and I delivered the placenta naturally this time (these were both in my birth plan so was glad to be able to have them happen without any questions).

Our son then found his way to the breast and started to suck like a natural.
Tony and I got to spend the morning together alone before my sister brought Anthony up to meet his little brother again.
After much thought we named our son Jared Max and he weighed 3.63kg.

I went home on the Thursday afternoon after one night of listening to other babies crying and the buzzer in the hospital driving me crazy. ]]> Birth stories Abbey1 http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85231-speedy-arrival-jared-mex.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85201-birth-ronan-gaven.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:19:39 GMT After Ellie was born Gav and I knew that we definitely wanted another child to add to our family. Considering it took us so long to fall pregnant with Ellie we didn’t want to waste any time when trying for our third so when Ellie was 3 months old we started trying again. Finally after 13 months... After Ellie was born Gav and I knew that we definitely wanted another child to add to our family. Considering it took us so long to fall pregnant with Ellie we didn’t want to waste any time when trying for our third so when Ellie was 3 months old we started trying again.

Finally after 13 months of TTC we found out we were pregnant again!

The pregnancy was pretty cruisy with no real issues along the way. I’ve been blessed to have pretty easy pregnancies each time.

From around 35-36 weeks the pre-labour started. What a nightmare!! I was so tired and cranky and frustrated from experiencing contractions all day. I just couldn’t wait to get this baby out!!

Fast forward to Tuesday (27th October) night. Gav and I were watching some TV when I felt a huge urge to go to the toilet. TMI – I wiped when I was finished and there was all this fluid-type stuff. It seemed to be my waters!! I popped a pad on and let Gav know what I thought was happening. I was still leaking but nothing else was happening so we went to bed – me desperately hoping something would start soon.

I woke during the night around 3am and couldn’t get back to sleep. I got up and sat at the computer for a while. I was having the odd contraction here and there, but nothing too regular or painful so at around 4.30 I went back to bed to get some more sleep.

I was back up at 6.30. Tristan was already up and getting himself ready for school. I was at that stage having contractions about 6 minutes apart but again, nothing too painful. I let Tristan know that today might be the day – he was so excited! Gav took him to school while I got Ellie up for breakfast.

By 8.30 the contractions were then around 5 minutes apart and getting a little more painful. I had a shower where I just stood there for most of the time with the water running over my back – which was killing me – I didn’t want to get out! But I did and when I’d finished getting dressed the contractions had spaced back out to about 6-7 minutes apart. Oh no!!

So I thought a walk was in order to try and pick them back up again. I took a walk around the block which certainly did the trick. The contractions came down to 4 minutes apart. When I got home I called my mum and dad to come around. Mum was going to be coming with us to the hospital and Dad was going to look after Ellie and pick Tristan up from school that afternoon.

While I waited for them to arrive I tried to keep myself busy. I unstacked the dishwasher and put a load of washing on, packed bags for Tristan and Ellie (as they were probably going to stay at mum and dad’s that night).

When mum and dad arrived we fluffed around for a little while having a chat. I’d stopped timing the contractions but they were getting really painful and around 11am I asked Dad to take Ellie as I thought we would be leaving really soon. I had a cry when I waved goodbye to her in the car because she wouldn’t wave goodbye to me but was happy to wave to everyone else.

I contacted the hospital and let them know I was on my way in. I struggled to walk now as the pain was just ridiculous. We got my bags in the car and we were on our way.

Of course we got every red light on the way and the carpark was full when we arrived so had to wait to get into the carpark. And when we did get in we had to park on the roof as far as you can get from the ramp back down to ground level. Typical right?

We get to the birth unit at 11.40 and the contractions are now to the point of unbearable. I scrawl my signature on the forms and then apologized for not knowing the date LOL.

I was taken to one of the delivery rooms where I met my midwife and I stripped off to put on the hospital gown. I was pacing around the room or hanging onto the bed as each contraction came rolling on through. The midwife set up the gas for me – thank god – I love that stuff. She had a listen to the baby with the Doppler as I had a contraction and baby was doing just fine. She then did an internal and said I was 6cm. It still seemed so far away!! She said she could also feel my waters bulging so thought maybe I hadn’t broken my waters the night before – but I’m still pretty sure I did – hindwaters maybe?

I sat up on the edge of the bed trying to put pressure “down there” as the contractions came on hard and fast to try to alleviate the pressure that was building already down there. I was sucking on the gas and moaning through each contraction. By this stage there was no break in between – as one finished the next one was already beginning. I laid back up on the bed as I was ready to start pushing. Push push POP – my waters broke with a gush. Things felt slightly better for a brief moment until baby came down more! Push push SUPER POP – my waters really broke that time – in fact they flew across the room about 4 metres, almost copping my poor midwife in the face just as she was positioning herself between my legs – how embarrassing!!! LOL

From then it was all systems go and I was pushing with all I had. Baby’s head was crowning and I had to start panting instead of pushing. Next contraction the head was out and on the next contraction out came the shoulders and I pulled my beautiful slippery little baby up onto my chest. It was a boy!!! I’ll never forget the stunned look on his face as I held him to my chest – he was just perfect.

So on Wednesday 28th October at 12.43pm RONAN GAVEN was born weighing 3560g (my biggest baby ever LOL), 51cm long and a HC of 36cm. All up it was a 13 minute 2nd stage and we'd only been at the hospital an hour.

The placenta arrived minutes later. I asked the midwife if I tore at all, which I thought I did because of the pain I felt when Ronan was crowning, but I only had a graze. I popped Ronan on the breast and he fed so well – he just knew what he had to do. And he’s been like that ever since – breastfeeding him has been really easy.

Afterwards I showered and dressed, had something to eat (I hadn’t eaten all day and was starving!) and chilled out for a little bit before heading to the ward. I still had the shakes from the adrenaline. I wanted to go for a walk to shake it off but by the time I had a chance to do that, I’d calmed down.

Up on the ward I was in a double room, but my neighbour was going home. So I had the room to myself for the rest of the day and night until early the next morning when another lady was brought in – who coincidentally lives across the road from me! But when she arrived I decided that I’d rather be at home where I could really relax so organised when the midwives came around that morning to get things organised so I could be discharged. I was home by lunchtime on the Thursday.

I’ve had the community midwife around a couple of times since then to check up on us but we’re both doing really well. I’ve recovered well and Ronan is feeding well. Tristan’s loving having a little brother and just dotes on him. Ellie took a little while to warm up to him but now gives him kisses and pats (which are more like smacks sometimes – she gets a little overexcited!) whenever she can.

I’ve already got people asking me if we’re going to have anymore. I haven’t truly decided yet. Part of me feels there’s one more in me, another part says no, this is it. We might let fate decide – I don’t know.

But I do know that I am absolutely besotted with my new little man and I can’t wait to watch him grow. ]]> Birth stories Martina http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85201-birth-ronan-gaven.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85162-birth-kennedy-anne-long.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:48:49 GMT We had decided just before our DS turned 1 to start TTC#3. We had a 21 month age gap between our first two and we were aiming for a similar one this time around. We had no problems falling pregnant with our first two. DD was a 'suprise' and DS was first month trying.

Fast forward to 10 months later and still nothing. My GP suggested I go and see my OB which I did. He did an ultrasound of my ovaries and found quite bad PCOS. He told me it would be pretty much be a miracle to fall pregnant without clomid and to come back and see him when I had lost 20kgs and he would start me on it. I left feeling deflated and upset and fatter than ever.

Well, 3 weeks later I laid in bed one morning my boobs tingling, feeling dizzy and knew something was up. I did a HPT and yes - we did it. And by ourselves I may add, and to say we were pretty chuffed would be an understatement.

All went well and I went for my 12 week scan. Bubs looked good and measurements were all fine. However we did get upsetting news a few days from my doctor advising us that bubs had a 1.140 chance of Downs Syndrome but evern more upsetting was the 1.50 chance of T13 and T18 - both of which are very fatal to bubs.

We were booked in for an amnio at 17 weeks and those 5 weeks were the most mentally draining I have ever experienced. I was very anxious and detached from the pregnancy and was worried that it was my brain telling me something was wrong and to prepare for the worst. The support I got from many members on Birth is what helped me get through the weeks without losing my sanity. The day of the amnio came and was just as horrible as I imagined. My husband was with me and we got through it together and were hoping for fast and good results.

When the phone call came the next day with our fast results I have never been more scared to answer the phone. But the words 'perfectly healthy baby girl' were the only ones I heard and started crying with relief and joy. It was like we had just fallen pregnant all over again.

Things continued to go well and I was booked in for a repeat c/section at 39w+2d. I toyed with the idea for many weeks to try for a vba2c and my OB was fairly supportive of it and sent me for a scan of my lower segment (uterus) and the results were that it was on thinner than they would like for that stage and felt a c/section would be better. I reluctantly agreed but due to my OB being very supportive of vbac knew he knew best.

I was admitted a few times overnight due to very mild PE and related issues (have had it with both my previous pregnancies) but was travelling quite well. I was also cleared of GD which I had with my last pregnancy.

37 weeks came and I was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. I had never felt this bad with the other two but put it down to having to very active toddlers to deal with. I was having contractions on and off though rather mild but uncomfortable. I had a horrible pain in my groin and was having trouble sitting, standing and laying making things interesting lol.

37 weeks and 4 days and I went to bed and rolled over to get comfortable and felt a little gush. I laid there half asleep for 10 minutes thinking no it wouldn't be my waters - I've wet my damn pants. I got up and my undies and pants were soaked but nothing on the bed. I wasn't sure what to do next so put on clean clothes and a pad and hopped online on Birth (as you do lol) to see if anyone could help me work out if it was my waters. I woke my DH up who told me to go back to sleep I had just wet my pants (thanks honey!) so after a little while I hopped back into bed just after 12am. Rolled over to go to sleep and whoosh! Yep - it was my waters.

I woke up DH and gladly told him it was infact my waters and NOT wee! Called maternity who advised me to come straight up, called my mum to come over and watch the kids and I packed a bag (no it still wasn't packed - I hadn't managed to pack a bag for any of my births!).

Having had 2 previous c/sections this was as close to real labour as I was going to get. The excitement and anticipation for my DH and I was something we hadn't experiened ever and we were treasuring it. We got to the hospital and was put on a monitor and was having regular contractions. The gorgeous midwife called the OB on call and he advised that he would be coming straight in to perform a c/section.

He got there 30mins later and came and saw me and I was prepped for theatre. I told him of my huge anxieties as I had a lot of scar tissue and adhesions last time and was in theatre for a very long time. He told me that he would see what he could do and that he would see me there.

I got into theatre (not before a lovely encounter with the theatre nurse who had been called in at 3.30am and told me she wasn't happy about it!) and it took 4 painful attempts and 30mins to get the spinal in. Once it was in everything happened quickly and I am glad I didn't have much time to think about anything. My DH came in and all I was worried was him getting the camera ready to take photo's lol.

A quick 20mins later my darling girl was born screaming and most importantly to us - healthy! At 4.25am on 16th October Kennedy Anne was born at a very healthy 8lb 11oz. Her apgars where 9 + 9 so she was truly ready to enter this world when she did.

Another 30mins and I was back in recovery amazingly with NO major problems like I had experienced during my last c/section. I was very alert and not drowsy like I was with the other two. I breastfed her as soon as I could and she latched on wonderfully and had a great feed. My OB came and saw me and strongly advised us against having anymore children as my uterus was very thin and it was lucky she came when she did. I felt relieved at the decision we had made.

I was up and out of bed that afternoon by myself and showered myself. I was in awe at how good I felt - and have put it down to the pain relief I had (intrathecal). It is only just started being used in my hospital and it is were morphine is injected into your back with the spinal. I had no other pain relief other than oral panadol and voltaren and felt wonderful. I left on day 3 and pretty much felt like I hadn't just had major surgery!

Unfortunately Kennedy had to go back to hospital (with me of course!) for 2 nights for phototherapy and I have been readmitted twice with a uterine lining infection. But she has been such a trooper and fed and slept beautifully wherever we have been.

I thank my lucky stars that I have another beautiful precious daughter to love. It sometimes felt like it took a miracle to get her and keep her here (PCOS, amnio plus I have ANA and ACA which make it hard to fall and stay pregnant) but that makes her even more special to us. ]]> Birth stories Samantha2 http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85162-birth-kennedy-anne-long.html http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85109-long-birth-story-james-alexander-horrible-drama-followed.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:20:53 GMT James’ birth started just before midnight on the 13th of August when my waters broke. I was in bed drifting off to sleep when I felt the water. At first, I wasn’t even sure that it WAS my waters as there wasn’t that much there. Having said that, I did manage to soak through my underwear,... James’ birth started just before midnight on the 13th of August when my waters broke. I was in bed drifting off to sleep when I felt the water. At first, I wasn’t even sure that it WAS my waters as there wasn’t that much there. Having said that, I did manage to soak through my underwear, trackies and onto the sheet so it was pretty obvious what it was. I told DH, who was still on the computer, and we both got a little excited thinking that this was going to be the start of everything. We both sat down at the computer and got what I called “awesome birth songs” onto my iPod and waited for something to happen. By two am we both decided to go to bed as I’d had continual small gushes of water but no pains whatsoever. I rang the hospital and they told me to stay home and to come in the next day to get checked.

The next day I started having contractions but they were very light and every ten to fifteen minutes. By the afternoon they’d tapered off completely. I rang my doula for some reassurance of what to do and she was great, reassuring me that the risk of infection (my greatest fear when having waters broken but no real birth action going on) was very minimal and the signs to look out for if I was getting an infection. We (DH and I) decided not to go to the hospital that day because we didn’t want to be pressured into having drugs to speed the labour up.

That evening the contractions started again and by 4am they were every four minutes but I was still able to breathe through them easily enough. I woke DH (who I’d sent to bed so he could get some rest before the big event), we called our doula, called the hospital and headed off, sure that our little boy was going to be born on his due date of the 15th of August.

Upon our arrival at the hospital I was examined and found to only be 1cm dilated. We were left in a room in womens assessment to see how I went naturally as the contractions were definitely getting stronger. I threw up for the first of many times that day and considering how far along I was, we sent our doula off to have a break already. She went and had breakfast with her husband and sat out in the kitchen area to give DH and I some time together. I tried to rest between contractions since I’d already been up for so long.

Four hours later, I was examined again. Our doula (Helen) had told us that if I hadn’t made much progress they’d either try to give me syntocinin to speed up the labour or they’d send me home. If I had made progress I could expect to go up to delivery. I was five cm dilated so we were off to the delivery suite! Being in womens assessment was a little scary as it is the place where every woman in labour starts out. Some of them were very near the end and the noises that they were making were quite daunting for a first timer to hear.

I tried all sorts of positions but found that sitting on the fitball made the contractions stronger so that was where I chose to stay for most of my labour. DH and Helen took it in turns to massage my lower back each contraction which was good as they both had such different techniques. DH pressed my back so hard he was afraid he was giving me bruises! But for some reason pressing so firmly helped me keep the pain in check so I didn’t care in the slightest about bruises and yelled at him if he stopped too early.

Four more hours passed and I was examined again and to our delight I was 8 cms! Not long to go now. However, it was about here that things started not going according to plan. My contractions had slowed and were back to around every seven or ten minutes. Some of them were quite intense still but some of them were quite bearable and we all knew that something wasn’t going quite right.

Another four more hours passed and I was examined again and found that I was only 7cms. Yes, I went down a cm! Well, not really went down but it’s a subjective measurement so essentially I’d not made any progress at all in four hours. The midwife went to speak to her supervisor and came back with a few options which basically meant that I’d have to have the syntocinin. I knew that the drug made contractions stronger and closer together and if it was going to take me another four hours to get fully dilated I wasn’t going to be able to handle it.

I was advised that the doctor would come and do another examination in about two hours time and at that point I’d have to have the syntocinin if I hadn’t made any progress. There was no arguing about it, we all knew that it had to happen but I was going to try my darndest to get things moving again. DH, Helen and I were walking the halls, as walking seemed to make the contractions stronger and closer together. We had a special spot where we’d stop each time and I’d do some squats, I was marching up the stairs with one of them on either side of me, stopping whenever I had a contraction. We did a few laps of the floor this way as the baby still needed to be monitored every fifteen minutes by the midwife so we had to stay close to the room.

The exam with the doctor proved that I’d still not progressed. I chose to have an epidural at this point. To have an epidural was not in my birth plan, I wanted to do the whole thing naturally. ]]> Birth stories esoteriqua http://forum.birth.com.au/birth-stories/85109-long-birth-story-james-alexander-horrible-drama-followed.html