The birth story:
Ok, thought it might clear up a few things.
I woke up about 10:45pm on Friday evening, didn't really feel anything, just groggy and tired, had been napping for about an hour and a half (still bummed that I missed NCIS because its the episode I really want to see, the one from after Kate was shot). Anyway, DH asked if I was ok and I said something like 'no, I feel crap, got to go to bed'. So............ I go upstairs to bed, I had no niggles, no show, nothing. I lay down in bed, rolled onto my right side and then BAM, I had a contraction.
I thought 'that's a bit weird' and tried to get comfy to go to sleep. Moved again and there was another one. So, thinking maybe my uterus was a bit upset from my upset stomach (which I thought was down to the extremely hot Chinese I had the night before), I figured I would just go to the loo again and then settle down.
So, I went to the loo again, came back, felt better and tried to settle down. I moved in bed and another contraction hit me and I thought 'WTF is going on'? Yeah, I was tired and confused lol. I tried lieing on my other side which kinda helped but then I needed the loo again. Anyway, by about 11:30, I had become really hacked off with being so uncomfortable and needing the loo so much so I went down stairs. DH was watching some football match so I figured I would use the computer. We had a bit of a joke about me maybe being in labour, I said something about it being a possibility but we will see. Contractions continued but they didn't feel right. They were lasting for between 45 and 70 seconds and coming between every 2 and 6 minutes (I was using contraction master). They were uncomfortable, but not awful. This is why I just wasn't sure, it was just so irregular and it wasn't particularly getting faster or more intense, it was just happening.
Anyway, DH decided not long after I came downstairs, to go get some sleep just in case. I wanted to say something on Bounty but wasn't sure and didn't want to jinx it (ok, so I am REALLY superstitious). Anyway, I posted on bounty at around 12:30am, DH had gone to bed, I was lonely and wondering if anyone was still up. So, had a bit of a convo with those who were still up and about. Contractions were flitting between every 2-3 mins and every 5-6 mins and really didn't feel like they were doing much.
I carried on doing the Bounty thing and playing Mah jong Solitaire on miniclip.com (thats kinda hard, especially when contracting). It was coming up to about 3 am when the contractions were starting to really space out a bit, one every 5-7mins, they became more intense but I was thinking, maybe this is them just tailing off and its false labour. I figured I better call the midwives anyway because in my last labour, I contracted for a few hours, then they stopped and came back with a vengeance. So, I called the hospital, they were worried they might not get anyone out to me due to it being a really busy night on the ward (obviously trick or treaters had been scaring the babies out of mums). They said they would call back in a few mins to see what could be done. I was fine with this. They called back and said someone would be out to just check me over in about an hour, I was fine with this because it still didn't feel like much was going on, I mean, I was having contractions etc but they didn't feel like they were doing much in getting baby out, they felt more like getting baby ready and into position IYSWIM?
So, I decide to get in the bath and wake DH up. The bath was a nice idea but just wasn't working out, looking back now, I realise that I hit transition when I was in the bath, I suddenly got those feelings of 'I can't do this', 'WTF didn't I got to hospital', 'WTF do I have such a small bath', ya know, the negative feelings, the fear. Anyway, I decided the bath wasn't good for me so I got out, told DH the bathroom was free so he could wash and stuff before the midwife got here. I went downstairs, it was nicer, the room was kind of dark, it was just peaceful.
By this point, contractions were bad, I mean, the were really bloody hurting, I was desperate for pain relief. DH came downstairs for a quick coffee etc before his bath. I was having to literally stomp around the room and squat lots to get through the contractions. DH went up for his wash, I quickly laid out a waterproof sheet and blanket because I really needed to make sure all was ready and the next thing I knew, I was having to push.
Last labour I pushed for nearly 3 hours, labour before that I pushed for a good while too, so I was expecting to need to push for a while.
However, imagine my surprise when I suddenly realised she was crowning (my immediate thought when I felt the top of her was 'WTF is her head doing there? OMG', I shouted for DH, but due to having the room door closed and DH upstairs washing his hair, he couldn't hear, I was also a bit worried about waking the children and the neighbours (I had wanted the children to be around for the birth but a) they were asleep and it didn't seem fair to wake them and b) this labour wasn't as peaceful as my last one so it was better for them to not see it).
Anyway, babies head just kinda popped out, I really needed to catch my breath but my body didn't give me a chance and I caught her just in time. She came out with cord wrapped around her neck once, so I unwrapped her and kinda just sat down for minute, holding her at arms length with us both just looking at each other in shock. I grabbed a towel and wrapped her up and just kinda leant back. I decided that seeing as though the midwife hadn't arrived yet and DH was upstairs and I am higher risk for PPH that I had better start feeding the baby.
Anyway, DH came down stairs, was all a bit shocking for everyone, I hadn't even thought to see whether baby was a boy or a girl. Midwife arrived a while later and thats about it.
I did have some issues with the placenta, it just wasn't wanting to shift and I really needed it out for various reasons, anyhoo, eventually, MW managed to get it out, I expect it would have come out eventually, I just didn't want to wait too long. I did have a small 2nd degree tear that was repaired at home.
And thats about it.
It didn't turn out at all the way I planned it, not even close, it wasn't traumatic or anything, in fact, it was kinda nice. I just wish DH could have been there at least!
ETA: She was born weighing 7lb 6oz (ish) at 4:40 (ish) am on 1st Nov 2008.
Ok, thought it might clear up a few things.
I woke up about 10:45pm on Friday evening, didn't really feel anything, just groggy and tired, had been napping for about an hour and a half (still bummed that I missed NCIS because its the episode I really want to see, the one from after Kate was shot). Anyway, DH asked if I was ok and I said something like 'no, I feel crap, got to go to bed'. So............ I go upstairs to bed, I had no niggles, no show, nothing. I lay down in bed, rolled onto my right side and then BAM, I had a contraction.
I thought 'that's a bit weird' and tried to get comfy to go to sleep. Moved again and there was another one. So, thinking maybe my uterus was a bit upset from my upset stomach (which I thought was down to the extremely hot Chinese I had the night before), I figured I would just go to the loo again and then settle down.
So, I went to the loo again, came back, felt better and tried to settle down. I moved in bed and another contraction hit me and I thought 'WTF is going on'? Yeah, I was tired and confused lol. I tried lieing on my other side which kinda helped but then I needed the loo again. Anyway, by about 11:30, I had become really hacked off with being so uncomfortable and needing the loo so much so I went down stairs. DH was watching some football match so I figured I would use the computer. We had a bit of a joke about me maybe being in labour, I said something about it being a possibility but we will see. Contractions continued but they didn't feel right. They were lasting for between 45 and 70 seconds and coming between every 2 and 6 minutes (I was using contraction master). They were uncomfortable, but not awful. This is why I just wasn't sure, it was just so irregular and it wasn't particularly getting faster or more intense, it was just happening.
Anyway, DH decided not long after I came downstairs, to go get some sleep just in case. I wanted to say something on Bounty but wasn't sure and didn't want to jinx it (ok, so I am REALLY superstitious). Anyway, I posted on bounty at around 12:30am, DH had gone to bed, I was lonely and wondering if anyone was still up. So, had a bit of a convo with those who were still up and about. Contractions were flitting between every 2-3 mins and every 5-6 mins and really didn't feel like they were doing much.
I carried on doing the Bounty thing and playing Mah jong Solitaire on miniclip.com (thats kinda hard, especially when contracting). It was coming up to about 3 am when the contractions were starting to really space out a bit, one every 5-7mins, they became more intense but I was thinking, maybe this is them just tailing off and its false labour. I figured I better call the midwives anyway because in my last labour, I contracted for a few hours, then they stopped and came back with a vengeance. So, I called the hospital, they were worried they might not get anyone out to me due to it being a really busy night on the ward (obviously trick or treaters had been scaring the babies out of mums). They said they would call back in a few mins to see what could be done. I was fine with this. They called back and said someone would be out to just check me over in about an hour, I was fine with this because it still didn't feel like much was going on, I mean, I was having contractions etc but they didn't feel like they were doing much in getting baby out, they felt more like getting baby ready and into position IYSWIM?
So, I decide to get in the bath and wake DH up. The bath was a nice idea but just wasn't working out, looking back now, I realise that I hit transition when I was in the bath, I suddenly got those feelings of 'I can't do this', 'WTF didn't I got to hospital', 'WTF do I have such a small bath', ya know, the negative feelings, the fear. Anyway, I decided the bath wasn't good for me so I got out, told DH the bathroom was free so he could wash and stuff before the midwife got here. I went downstairs, it was nicer, the room was kind of dark, it was just peaceful.
By this point, contractions were bad, I mean, the were really bloody hurting, I was desperate for pain relief. DH came downstairs for a quick coffee etc before his bath. I was having to literally stomp around the room and squat lots to get through the contractions. DH went up for his wash, I quickly laid out a waterproof sheet and blanket because I really needed to make sure all was ready and the next thing I knew, I was having to push.
Last labour I pushed for nearly 3 hours, labour before that I pushed for a good while too, so I was expecting to need to push for a while.
However, imagine my surprise when I suddenly realised she was crowning (my immediate thought when I felt the top of her was 'WTF is her head doing there? OMG', I shouted for DH, but due to having the room door closed and DH upstairs washing his hair, he couldn't hear, I was also a bit worried about waking the children and the neighbours (I had wanted the children to be around for the birth but a) they were asleep and it didn't seem fair to wake them and b) this labour wasn't as peaceful as my last one so it was better for them to not see it).
Anyway, babies head just kinda popped out, I really needed to catch my breath but my body didn't give me a chance and I caught her just in time. She came out with cord wrapped around her neck once, so I unwrapped her and kinda just sat down for minute, holding her at arms length with us both just looking at each other in shock. I grabbed a towel and wrapped her up and just kinda leant back. I decided that seeing as though the midwife hadn't arrived yet and DH was upstairs and I am higher risk for PPH that I had better start feeding the baby.
Anyway, DH came down stairs, was all a bit shocking for everyone, I hadn't even thought to see whether baby was a boy or a girl. Midwife arrived a while later and thats about it.
I did have some issues with the placenta, it just wasn't wanting to shift and I really needed it out for various reasons, anyhoo, eventually, MW managed to get it out, I expect it would have come out eventually, I just didn't want to wait too long. I did have a small 2nd degree tear that was repaired at home.
And thats about it.
It didn't turn out at all the way I planned it, not even close, it wasn't traumatic or anything, in fact, it was kinda nice. I just wish DH could have been there at least!
ETA: She was born weighing 7lb 6oz (ish) at 4:40 (ish) am on 1st Nov 2008.
Enjoy your babymoon... 
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