OK, so while we wait for more people to pop over to join us, I thought I'd tell my birth story. Get it out of my system and generally share my experiences.
So, last sunday afternoon (about 3ish) it all started with a show - green snot-like stuff. No blood, just green gunge! Shortly after that, I got a persistent back ache.
I found an online contraction timer and sat on the yoda ball trying to see if the aches had any definite start/finish time. They did, and the pains (low in my belly & back, definitely different to BHs) were coming every 3 minutes and were lasting 30 seconds.
I went in the bath to see if they'd go off, or continue. The water felt amazing! But I couldn't stand lying back and instead sat cross legged, sideways in the bath (rather wedged in!) listening to my natal hypnotherapy cd. The water took the edge off the contractions, the hypnotherapy cd helped me think about my breathing etc.
After about an hour in the bath, I got out, accidentally discovered while picking up my clothes that squatting felt really good! I called DH home from work, rang the MLU (who confirmed it most definitely did sound like labour, and to hang on until the contractions were lasting longer before coming in) and then got bouncing on the yoda ball again!
My concept of time went out the window. The contractions got more intense, although at the time I couldn't recognise that, as I could only focus on the present one, and had already forgotten about the previous one. This made it hard to explain to the MW that I felt I needed to come in (I wanted to get in that birth pool!). DH arrived home, tidied the house up a bit, made some pasta and got the last few bits together.
We went down to the MLU and the MW started making noises like she thought we should go home. She examined me and found I was 2cm dilated. I think things then proceeded relatively quickly (i.e. quicker than the 1cm per hour). I wasn't allowed to get into the water until I'd got past 5cm dilated, so I spent a couple of hours knelt on the floor leaning on the bed, breathing through the contractions. Apparently I was doing well. However, the contractions were so painful! I was whining and whimpering all the way through, generally complaining that it hurt and I didn't want to do it! DH was amazing. I felt bad that I wasn't doing the hypnotherapy stuff well enough, as it still hurt. Looking back, I think I actually was doing really well. The pain was unreal, focussed at the front under my bump.
I was eventually allowed in the pool after being examined (around 8pm I think? I was definitely in the water by the time Wonders of the Universe was on!) and being found to be 7cm. I stayed in the same position - I found being up and walking was actually really uncomfortable, and lying on my back even worse. On my knees, head resting on the side of the pool during contractions. (The next day I actually had a red & peeling forehead where I'd rubbed it against the edge of the bed/towel on the edge of the pool! But it helped at the time).
I started feeling the urge to push before I was fully dilated. Pushing was happening anyway, I couldn't stop it, but there was a lip of cervix at the front (what had been causing that intense white-hot pain) which wouldn't budge.
My waters finally went in the pool - I could see they looked dark and had a feeling this meant I'd have to be transferred to hospital. I wasn't worried, I could hear the doppler each time the MW checked his heart rate, and it was all fine. I knew this was old meconium (I swear I'd felt a farty feeling under my ribs the week before!). The MW wasn't convinced, and I stayed in the pool a little longer. The next time I had to get out to be examined, some more liquor came out and she confirmed the meconium. Policies stated I had to go to the big hospital ~30 miles away. It was about 12:30-1am ish by now.
As if by magic (my perception of time was completely warped by now!) two ambulance men arrived and strapped me to a trolley. I lay on my side, which felt awful, and had a strap around my legs, keeping them together. Going into the ambulance was ok, it was nice to feel the cold air outside! They gave me gas & air in the ambulance, I don't think it touched the pain at all, but gave me something else to think about in the ambulance. With hindsight, it turns out that I was in transition in the ambulance. DH following behind says they suddenly went from a nice sedate 80 mph to 95+! He panicked! But I think they just realised that this baby was on it's way.
We got to the hospital, I was hooked up to a monitor, but was allowed to stay on my knees. The monitor kept losing his heart rate, and I was aware enough and rational enough not to let the fluctuations worry me. I just knew he was ok.
By this point, the pushing was on, the pain had almost completely gone. It was just this monumental physical effort. Strangely satisfying. The midwives kept complaining that I wasn't in the best position for them to see. I have to say that I didn't really care! I compromised a bit, tried their suggestions, and eventually ended up with DH sitting on the bed, his knees in my armpits while I squatted. The pushing seemed to go on forever - I could feel his head coming down, sometime in a contraction I'd feel that sweet spot in the push, but when I had to breathe I could never get that back. His head would stay for a few seconds, and then I'd feel it slip back. This seemed to last into infinity.
Then all of a sudden (the MWs were quiet, I think I'd expected a running commentary like you see on discovery channel!) I felt him right there. I remember saying "so that's why they call it the ring of fire!". It stung, it really hurt, but I knew why and I knew this was not the time to panic!
I tried to gently squeeze his head out (which took a lot of effort still!), and then looked down to see his blue little head sticking out of me. I expected to see his head turn, I waited, then another contraction came and he didn't turn. I pushed him out how he was - with his fists up by his face! Because he didn't turn, his shoulders were in the wrong plane. You'd think you'd stretch whichever way he came, but apparently not. I didn't feel it at the time, but apparently I tore as his shoulders came through.
All of a sudden, this bluey blood & gunk covered baby was passed to me. And I thought of the lady on OBEM! ("I've just had a baby!"). It was surreal - I really had forgotten why we were doing this! And amazingly, the pain did stop, I was back in the room & with it, whipping my (DH's) t-shirt off to hug this gunky little thing. He looked at me and started to scream (it turns out he's a bit of a screamer!). Because of the meconium, they'd called a paediatrician - who took him as the placenta was delivered. I'd originally planned to have a physiological 3rd stage, waiting for the cord to stop pulsating, but because of the meconium he had to be examined quickly. So I was injected (MW: "sharp scratch" Me: ) and the placenta was gently pulled out. I was surprised at how big it was. It was fascinating!
So then, back on the bed, comfortable on my back for the first time in months and thinking "brilliant! I really do feel so much better!", I was snuggled up with Felix. The hormones really are amazing! I felt so elated, so alive, so awake! And they told me I had a nasty 3rd degree tear, and I'd have to have surgery to fix it!
So a couple of hours later, DH looked after his son for the first time, while I had a spinal block (which was amazing! I'd totally have one of those again!) and several people pulled concentrating faces at my downstairs for a while while I attempted to chat up the anaesthetist!
So, all in all, it wasn't the hippy hypno birth I'd 'planned' - I did feel pain, I would consider an epidural next time - but I did it all, bar the 20 mins in the ambulance, without any pain medication at all. And as a result Felix scored 9/10 on the APGAR at birth, which made it worth it.
The tear wasn't that bad. The stitches aren't that bad. The catheter I had for 24 hours after wasn't that bad.
It's amazing how quickly my memory has faded. I know it hurt, I know I didn't like it, but now it doesn't seem so bad. Already I'd consider doing it again!
So, new April mummies, how was it for you?