Claire's Birth - by Debby Miller.
11th September 2002 I had a wonderful day. I had arranged to go over
and spend the day with Ann my doula, mostly to give me something to
do as I had already cleaned all my cupboards, weeded the garden, planted
a new garden bed and attended to just about every other little job
you can think of around the house.
Margo (MIL) had stayed the night before as we weren't sure if the
previous days "niggles" were going to develop into anything, so I
dropped her off on the way to Ann's (they live near each other) and
told her that if I had any suspicions things were going to happen
I would pick her up to come home with me again that afternoon.
Once I got to Ann's we had a bit of a chat and a cuppa and then
we went off to Bunnings (hardware store) to get some stuff for Ann
to finish the body cast she had done on me to use as an example for
her ante-natal classes. We spent about two hours wandering around
Bunnings discussing different finishes that might work and looking
for ideas. I had a few niggly contractions - like I had the day before
- but nothing too substantial. Just as we got to the queue to pay
for the stuff Ann wanted I got a sudden desire to go to the loo -
so off I went while she waited at the checkout. When I went to the
loo I discovered I had a small glob of clear jelly like stuff in my
knickers - similar to what I had had when I was in the early stages
of labour with Jack. I didn't think much of it though as the niggles
I was having were barely noticeable and certainly much less than Jack's
had been when I had the show with him.
Ann and I went and had lunch at a cafe near Bunnings and then went
"window" shopping around the shopping centre. Another desire to go
to the loo - more jelly - but still no "real" contractions just niggles.
I helped Ann buy a beautiful outfit for her sons wedding and she bought
me a lovely bunch of carnations.
We then went back to her place. Another strong desire to go to the
loo - more jelly and this time loose motions too, so I began to wonder
if maybe something was starting. I rang Margo and left a message that
I would come and pick her up after I had left Ann's around 3pm. Ann
gave me a lovely massage which was very relaxing. She does reflexology
as well and rubbed some Clary Sage onto the uterus points on my feet
which is supposed to help with induction. While she was massaging
my tummy she also said that she thought Claire was quite low.
I picked Margo up at 3pm and we went to my ante-natal appointment
with Marg at the Birth Centre. I told her about the three little jelly
shows and she said it might be but normally they only consider a show
a significant sign of impending labour if it has a lot of blood in
it and is of a substantial size. She said Claire was fine and felt
that she had started to engage in the pelvis more.
Went and picked the boys up from preschool and then went home. Phil
was already home and cooking dinner. We did the normal evening routine
and I put Jack to bed at 7pm and Margo put Thomas down (he wanted
Grandma) at about 7.30pm. I told Margo and Philip that I thought something
might be happening as the "niggles" had picked up in intensity a bit
and now felt more like my usual braxton hicks. I went and had a shower
(to wash the massage oil off) and while I was in there had a few stronger
braxton hicks - but at this stage they still weren't regular at all.
I did a self check and could hardly feel my cervix - but sometimes
it is hard to find anyway so didn't think much of it. Philip went
off for his usual evening walk while I was in the shower. When he
got back about 8pm I told him I was feeling a bit uncomfortable and
restless - not from the BH just generally - and I would sleep on some
cushions in the lounge room so I didn't disturb him. I went and made
a cushion "nest" while he showered. I read a chapter of my book then
decided that the contractions really were starting to pick up a bit.
I went and got Philips watch and timed them and discovered that I
was having about 3 every 8 minutes and lasting about 40secs - still
not strong but getting a bit uncomfortable. I told Philip I was going
to ring Ann as I felt I wanted her there and asked if he would come
and rub my back when he was finished in the shower.
Rang Ann just after 9.30pm, and rang Marg to tell her I thought I
would be in a bit later tonight. Philip came and rubbed my back during
the contractions. He timed them and they were now 3mins apart and
lasting 50 - 75secs. Still not too uncomfortable but I was finding
groaning through them and listening to my relaxation tape very comforting.
About 10pm they were starting to get pretty heavy and I decided
I wanted to get into the shower so Philip came with me to the bathroom.
I told him that I thought once Ann got there I would want to go to
the hospital. The contractions weren't outrageously painful just feeling
rather intense and constant. I groaned down (not pushing just low
noises) with each one and did hula hips and this felt really good.
Ann arrived about 20mins later and came and saw me. I told her I wanted
to go to the hospital and she thought that was a good idea. Philip
loaded Ann's bag and Thomas into the car while Ann rubbed my back
in the shower. I got out and chucked on some clothes once the car
was all loaded. Phil told his Mum we were going. We left home just
after 11pm.
Driving to the hospital was pretty horrid. Thomas wanted to tell
me all about the lights and how everyone was awake to welcome the
baby. I told him that it was hard for Mummy to listen when the squeezes
came and asked him if he could just talk to me when I wasn't making
my funny noises. He said "sure Mummy" and was so good to stop talking
as soon as I started moaning again. Ann talked me down to relax during
the first contraction in the car - but didn't after that which I found
a bit strange (she later told me she thought I was in transition then
and didn't want the baby born in the car and if you are tense the
contractions aren't as effective) - although I tried to do what she
said anyway (relax my shoulders, don't frown and keep my mouth open
and noises deep and low). I had five good contractions in the car,
told Philip which way he was to go (he works at the darn place - so
like he didn't know) and hated going around corners during the contractions.
We got to the hospital at about 11.35pm.
Phil dropped Ann and I off out the front and went to park the car
with Thomas. As Ann and I walked in a man was coming out so we didn't
have to buzz security we just got him to hold the door so I could
walk in. I had another three good contractions in the foyer - much
to the amusement of the cleaning lady - and managed to get to the
lift and up to the birth centre before the next one came. Marg waved
us into the room she had prepared and as soon as I got in there I
stripped my skirt off and asked Ann and Marg to turn the shower on
for me. Another contraction in the room before the shower was the
right temp and then I stripped off and climbed into the shower. One
nozzle was pointing on my back and I held the other (as Marg advised)
onto my tummy. I did my hulas and Ann rubbed my back through another
two contractions quite close together. I told Ann not to rub so hard
and she later told me she was barely touching me.
Marg asked if I wanted to try the birthing ball and I said yes. She
gave me the ball to sit on and in the middle of a contraction I promptly
fell off it - ouch - "no ball"!! Phil arrived then and bought me in
the stool I had bought from home. I sat on this for another contraction.
I have no idea how close they were at this stage, they were very intense
but seemed to be over fairly fast (although I know they must have
been lasting more than a minute) and I did feel I was getting break
in between them - not much of them but enough to feel as though it
was intense but still cope able. Marg asked if she could examine me
so after the next contraction I stood up and put one leg up on the
bath so she could do it without me having to lie down. I was absolutely
blown away when she said "a good 7cm". I said to Ann "do you think
I am in transition then" and Ann said "yes for sure". I asked Marg
to run the bath and then had another contraction at the end of which
I felt a pushing urge. Ann asked if that was what I felt and I said
yes. The next one was the same but more intense, the bath only had
a couple of inches of water in it at this stage but Marg said I could
get in but if the baby started coming out now I would have to keep
my bottom out of the water (it is apparently not good for them to
be delivered half in and half out of the water. Thomas came in for
another peak at what was going on (he had been playing trucks quietly
in the main room). I asked him if he wanted to come and see the baby
born but he said "no its ok Mummy I will come in later I am playing
at the moment".
Philip sat at one of the corners of the bath and I leaned into his
lap while he poured jugs of water over my back - it felt wonderful.
It was a big bath so I was still able to do my hulas. Marg listened
to the baby again and the heartbeats were good and strong.
At this stage I totally lost track of how many contractions I was
having. I could feel and worked with really good strong pushing urges
and the bath filling up around me felt great. Marg got me to move
into the far corner of the bath as I was comfortable in the kneeling
position, and this gave her better access to see what was going on.
Philip stayed in his corner and continued pouring water over my back.
Marg told me to push really hard into my bottom and if it felt like
I was doing a poo not to worry as I wasn't - so I just followed her
advice and with the next push started feeling the head moving down.
I pushed really hard even when I wasn't having contractions as it
felt like the right thing to do. Marg asked if I was doing this and
I said yes but felt I need to so she said that was fine. My waters
popped then and Claire crowned fairly quickly but then her little
face was hard to get out. Marg had warned me before that she would
get assistance if it was a water birth and by this stage the bath
was full so it was looking that way. She told Ann to push the assist
button for the other midwife who arrived very quickly and she told
the other midwife to get a paediatrician. She said Claire was fine
but was a tight fit she tried to manipulate her under water with the
aid of a mirror during my next couple of pushes. I was watching this
go on in the mirror although the movement of the water made the picture
a bit unclear it was absolutely amazing. I was also surprised at the
bits of blood that were floating in the water but knew this was normal.
I reached down and touched Claire's head and encouraged her to come
out. She gave me three really hard kicks inside which was amazing.
Marg asked me to stand up and told me that Claire's shoulder was
stuck and she was just going to use her fingers to pull it down -
Christ that hurt!! Ann helped me lift one leg while Philip supported
my other side so Marg could manipulate Claire. One more big push and
the shoulder was out and the next push and Claire was out.
She didn't cry straight away and was rather flat so they gave her
to the paediatrician to give her some oxygen. Marg told me she was
a bit traumatised but would be fine. Ann had to help poor Philip out
of the bath and to sit down as it was all a bit much for him while
Marg helped me out of the bath. I actually felt really good and not
in the slightest bit concerned about Claire - it was like even though
I knew she was having a rough start that she would be ok - I was actually
more worried about Philip - but he was ok too just shocked by the
intensity of it all.
Marg took me out of the bathroom and sat me on a birthing stool to
deliver the placenta. She gave me an injection of some stuff a bit
stronger than they usually do (with my consent) as she said with hard
births the mother often bleeds a bit more. The paediatrician turned
the paediatric bed where Claire was around for me so I could see her.
She was pinking up nicely but still a bit floppy. Thomas came and
gave me a cuddle while we waited for the placenta to come out. Two
strong contractions and it plopped out of the floor with what appeared
to be an awful lot of blood - but Marg told me it wasn't as much as
it seemed. She then helped me up onto the bed so she could check my
tummy and make sure the uterus was contracting down. Philip was ok
by this stage and Thomas was taking it all in his stride having a
look at everything that was going on. Ann told me that Thomas had
been coming in every few minutes just to see what people were doing
but was quite happy just to keep a back stage view of things.
Claire picked up very quickly and her APGARS went from 3 at 1 minute
to 9 at 10 minutes. The paediatrician was happy with her and bought
her over to me once I was settled. She snuggled in and looked around,
whimpered a bit but didn't cry. They had placed her on me skin to
skin with a warm blanket over us which was lovely and they told me
they always thought it was better for babies this way than to have
them all swaddled up. Marg checked my nether regions and everything
was going back as it should and I only ended up with a small first
degree tear that didn't need stitches despite all the manipulation
that went on down there.
I asked Philip what time it was and it was just before 1pm. I was
amazed I thought it was a lot later than that. Marg said that my 2nd
stage had only been 10mins and with a stuck shoulder this was very
fast. Claire had come down so quickly her head hadn't even had time
to mould and she looks like a csec baby with a nice round head. Ann
later told me she thinks that's why the shoulder got stuck, that Claire
had been lining herself up but just wasn't quite at the correct angle
when she entered the birth canal and my pushes were so strong there
was no time for her to correct her position. We tried to get Claire
on the breast but she wasn't interested.
Marg took me back to a room in the birth centre (I had had to birth
next door 10m away in the birth suite because of my prior csec). I
showered and put on a top and clean underwear. Phil and I had a chat
and decided that it would be better for him to take Thomas home (much
to Thomas' disgust) rather than the two of them stay the night. This
way he and Thomas could get some sleep and he would be there when
Jack woke up too - as Jack didn't even know we had gone anywhere.
Ann offered to stay with me which I accepted and we set up the sofa
bed in the room for her. Ann and I talked for ages, I was really tired
but on such a high I just couldn't sleep. Claire finally decided she
wanted to latch on at about 4.15am and has been very keen on the boob
since.
I slept for a little while and then Ann and I both woke up at about
6.30am. I had a huge craving for eggs which wasn't on the breakfast
menu but Ann very kindly offered to go down to the foyer cafe and
see if she could get me some. They had a breakfast menu so she got
a serve of that, I had the eggs and she had the rest. She left about
7.30am and I had a heap of the birth centre midwives come in and chat
with me and tell me how pleased they were that things went so well.
They said that for a stuck shoulder Marg was the best person who could
have been there - better than most of the doctors - so I definitely
made the right choice.
Philip, Margo and the boys came to visit about 10.30am. Thomas wanted
to kiss the baby and was very excited about his little sister. Jack
was a bit cautious at first. I said to him "what's that Jack" and
he said "baby". I said "can Mummy bring her home?" he thought for
a minute then replied "yes" - just as well I don't know what I would
have done if he said no - LOL.
Claire's blood group ended up being A+ (I am A- as are the boys)
so they gave me a shot of anti-D. Marg told me she was very happy
with how mobile I was and how well Claire was feeding and that I could
go home that afternoon after the paediatrician gave Claire the all
clear. The paediatrician finally arrived at 6.00pm and said she was
a beautiful fit baby and would definitely suffer no ill effects from
her difficult entry. I rang Philip and he and Thomas came and picked
me up at about 6.30pm.
Jack was asleep when we got home and by 8.30pm Philip and I were
in bed giving our new little daughter her first feed at home and she
was still less than 24hrs old. She didn't want to be put down in her
cradle (I don't mind having babies in our bed but was worried Jack
would leap on her in the morning accidentally). I tried to settle
her but she was quite fractious. Eventually I tried feeding her again
and yep that is what our little gannet guts wanted. She fed for about
another half an hour and I took her back to our room sound asleep
at 9.30pm. She slept through until 3.15am when I gave her another
30min feed and then she slept though again until 6am. If she keeps
this up I will be in heaven!!
I am absolutely delighted with how well this has and is all going.
Even though it was a bit of a rough entry into the world I cannot
believe how fast the labour was - real active labour was less than
5hrs - amazing for me after the 27hrs with Jack. I am also amazed
that pain relief - even gas and air - didn't really enter my mind.
The contractions were intense but they felt really good (not like
sex) but really working - although I must admit I was very glad of
the reprieve between each one. The support I had was wonderful and
I was subjected to nothing that wasn't necessary. Not that we are
planning on another baby I definitely think that even if there was
another baby and knowing it was going to be a biggin I would still
prefer to birth it this way with a competent midwife (or doctor) than
have another csec. This was just the most amazing experience and I
am still rather dumbfounded at what my body can do especially when
I am surrounded by people who believe in me.
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