bklynmum
07-14-2003, 11:52 AM
Hi All,
I really want to share my wonderful experience of Birth. My son, Flynn was born on June 29th at 10.18am.
I started having mediun strength contractions on Saturday evening/morning after nookie with my husband. I was able to sleep through them and then after I got up to our DD (30mths) they went away and by 9am they were completely gone...
So I told my DH and he said we had better get in some more nookie that night. So I took a large dose of Black Cohosh and then went to bed. The same thing happened. I started getting contractions around 3am but I was able to sleep through them. DD awoke at around 4.30 (we live in London and the sun comes up around 3.30am) so she hopped into bed with us for a while. We finally got up about 6.30 and I called the hospital to tell them that I was in labour.
The contractions were very irregular and short and I was able to put my mind to other things if I really concentrated. So the midwife said to call back in an hour because they were changing shifts and it didn't sound like I was in full on labour yet.
I decided to take a shower and try and get on with some of the normal things in the house. DD was watching her Sunday morning shows and DH was making bfast. While I was in the shower I had a couple of good contractions and I noticed that if I swatted down or even just leaned forward they came on stronger and closer. I got out of the shower and got dressed. It had been about half an hour since I had called the midwife.
I told DH to call them back because I started to feel pressure in my butt and I thought it might have been the baby moving down. My water still hadn't broken though so it didn't worry me to much. The contractions were starting to get stronger but they still didn't compare to those that I had with DD.
When he told the midwife what I was feeling and that it was our second child she said quickly that they would send the team straight away.
I was still feeling very clear headed and together. The contractions were getting so that I had to moan through them and I enjoyed having pressure on my sacrum. My DD was an angel and kept asking if I was okay, when DH was out of the room and I had a contraction, she would come and put her hand on my back like her Daddy had been doing...very sweet.
We also called the friend that was to watch DD.
The midwife called to ask directions. DH was talking to them and I could hear that he was saying the wrong road so I was yelling directions through a contraction...still level headed!!! I was quite keen for them to get there at that point!
Anyway, they eventually arrived and checked and very much to my surprise and even more so to theirs...I was fully dialated and ready to go!!!
So they had to run around and get all their things together and ready.
They asked me if I minded going downstairs because there wasn't enough room in our bedroom. So I carefully walked down the stairs to the living room. They said even though I was 10 cm the baby was at -1 station and the water still intact. So I should wait for the baby to come down before I started to push.
It was suggested that I try sitting on the birthing ball but when I saw it I could think of nothing worse! So I continued to lean on the balcony railing which was the perfect height. I spent about 20 minutes leaning there rocking my hips through the contractions. I was actully leaning on a towel that was drying on the rail and I thought to myself, "I should put that down on the floor" no sooner had the thought crossed my mind and my water broke all over the carpet! Nevermind!
So then they said I could start pushing and it felt so good to let go and let the baby come out. I had been holding back and it made the contractions so much more painful.
I tried pushing on my hands and knees for awhile and that was working, then I remembered my yoga teacher saying the best position is squatting. So I had DH get DD's step stool from the bathroom. It was perfect birthing stool height. DH sat behind me on the ball and I supported myself on his legs.
The urge became so strong that I actually lifted myself up, pushing on his knees and pushed with all my might. The burning sensation is amazing and awful I wanted to put my legs together and the midwife looked me right in the eye and said "No, don't put your legs together, you have to push through the pain" That made all the difference and on the next push the baby's head came out. Then one more and his whole body came out.
They lay him on my chest and I realised I still had my top and bra on. Somehow my DH unhooked my bra and I put my son straight to the breast...he was very happy to be there and has hardly left there since!
DD had been watching the whole thing and she was amazed where the baby had come from. I am so glad that she saw her brother born. I hated to think that she would be sent of or taken away and then return to find a baby in her house. SI firmly believe that it will make their realationship stronger.
So I was totally happy with my experience...it's true what they say about second babies....
During my pregnacy I read Spritual Midwifery and Birthing from Within and Fredrick Leboyer's Birth without Violence.
I think that all of the things I learned from those books helped me to have a short and easy labour and delivery. It is definalty something you have to work on and learn about and I recommend those books to anyone who wants to have a natural birth.
Good luck to any of you who have birth ahead...you can do it!
B
I really want to share my wonderful experience of Birth. My son, Flynn was born on June 29th at 10.18am.
I started having mediun strength contractions on Saturday evening/morning after nookie with my husband. I was able to sleep through them and then after I got up to our DD (30mths) they went away and by 9am they were completely gone...
So I told my DH and he said we had better get in some more nookie that night. So I took a large dose of Black Cohosh and then went to bed. The same thing happened. I started getting contractions around 3am but I was able to sleep through them. DD awoke at around 4.30 (we live in London and the sun comes up around 3.30am) so she hopped into bed with us for a while. We finally got up about 6.30 and I called the hospital to tell them that I was in labour.
The contractions were very irregular and short and I was able to put my mind to other things if I really concentrated. So the midwife said to call back in an hour because they were changing shifts and it didn't sound like I was in full on labour yet.
I decided to take a shower and try and get on with some of the normal things in the house. DD was watching her Sunday morning shows and DH was making bfast. While I was in the shower I had a couple of good contractions and I noticed that if I swatted down or even just leaned forward they came on stronger and closer. I got out of the shower and got dressed. It had been about half an hour since I had called the midwife.
I told DH to call them back because I started to feel pressure in my butt and I thought it might have been the baby moving down. My water still hadn't broken though so it didn't worry me to much. The contractions were starting to get stronger but they still didn't compare to those that I had with DD.
When he told the midwife what I was feeling and that it was our second child she said quickly that they would send the team straight away.
I was still feeling very clear headed and together. The contractions were getting so that I had to moan through them and I enjoyed having pressure on my sacrum. My DD was an angel and kept asking if I was okay, when DH was out of the room and I had a contraction, she would come and put her hand on my back like her Daddy had been doing...very sweet.
We also called the friend that was to watch DD.
The midwife called to ask directions. DH was talking to them and I could hear that he was saying the wrong road so I was yelling directions through a contraction...still level headed!!! I was quite keen for them to get there at that point!
Anyway, they eventually arrived and checked and very much to my surprise and even more so to theirs...I was fully dialated and ready to go!!!
So they had to run around and get all their things together and ready.
They asked me if I minded going downstairs because there wasn't enough room in our bedroom. So I carefully walked down the stairs to the living room. They said even though I was 10 cm the baby was at -1 station and the water still intact. So I should wait for the baby to come down before I started to push.
It was suggested that I try sitting on the birthing ball but when I saw it I could think of nothing worse! So I continued to lean on the balcony railing which was the perfect height. I spent about 20 minutes leaning there rocking my hips through the contractions. I was actully leaning on a towel that was drying on the rail and I thought to myself, "I should put that down on the floor" no sooner had the thought crossed my mind and my water broke all over the carpet! Nevermind!
So then they said I could start pushing and it felt so good to let go and let the baby come out. I had been holding back and it made the contractions so much more painful.
I tried pushing on my hands and knees for awhile and that was working, then I remembered my yoga teacher saying the best position is squatting. So I had DH get DD's step stool from the bathroom. It was perfect birthing stool height. DH sat behind me on the ball and I supported myself on his legs.
The urge became so strong that I actually lifted myself up, pushing on his knees and pushed with all my might. The burning sensation is amazing and awful I wanted to put my legs together and the midwife looked me right in the eye and said "No, don't put your legs together, you have to push through the pain" That made all the difference and on the next push the baby's head came out. Then one more and his whole body came out.
They lay him on my chest and I realised I still had my top and bra on. Somehow my DH unhooked my bra and I put my son straight to the breast...he was very happy to be there and has hardly left there since!
DD had been watching the whole thing and she was amazed where the baby had come from. I am so glad that she saw her brother born. I hated to think that she would be sent of or taken away and then return to find a baby in her house. SI firmly believe that it will make their realationship stronger.
So I was totally happy with my experience...it's true what they say about second babies....
During my pregnacy I read Spritual Midwifery and Birthing from Within and Fredrick Leboyer's Birth without Violence.
I think that all of the things I learned from those books helped me to have a short and easy labour and delivery. It is definalty something you have to work on and learn about and I recommend those books to anyone who wants to have a natural birth.
Good luck to any of you who have birth ahead...you can do it!
B