Hello lovely MNers!!
Just thought I would let interested parties know that I had my beautiful gorgeous DS 11 days ago and I am totally in lurve
Potted version of birth: visited midwife for my 39 wk check to be told that I was in early labour and to expect the baby at the weekend (it was thursday afternoon). Couldn't even feel the contractions so I was a bit and I have to say I didn't take her too seriously - I didn't even pack my bag
Anyway, at around 6.30pm I had a strong contraction but still didn't worry as I'd had a couple before. Had another one about 20 minutes later... started timing them at around 7.15pm when they suddenly started coming every five minutes. Panic ensued - luckily DH had arrived home from work by then so started throwing things in a bag. By 7.45pm they were coming every three minutes and OMG they hurt!
Got in the car moaning and moo-ing like a good 'un. Had no time to drop DD off so we had to take her to the hospital. By the time we got there (about 8.15pm) they were every 2 minutes and I might have lost some of my dignity walking down the corridor shouting "WHY DON'T ANY OF YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT I NEED THE TOILET"!
Lovely midwife led me into a delivery room and tried to explain to me that the baby might be on its way! I might have shouted - I may even have sworn I really had no control over my mouth at that point even though DH and DD were occasionally coming into the room. By then the contractions were pretty much on top of each other - the midwife examined me and I was five cm How the hell did that happen?
Apparently they told DH not to go anywhere as the birth could be imminent. Poor guy was running back and forth between DD in the TV room and me huffing and puffing (possibly swearing at him). I really can't remember an awful lot...
He didn't come as quickly as anticipated - eventually at 11pm, DD was getting quite upset. I could hear her crying for me and the midwife told DH to take her to our friend's but be quick!
All this time it had been mostly just me and midwife - did I tell you she was awesome? She was. She kept saying all the right things, rubbing my back and generally being lovely - who needs a husband! After DH left, I felt the need to get on my hands and knees on the bed and not long after that I felt the need to push. I think I was still complaining at this point but less shouty.
THEN she told me she could see the baby's head and that it had loads of hair. I'm afraid it hardly registered that DH wasn't there. I just started to push. I actually felt the baby coming down AND it didn't really hurt. I pushed and pushed for what felt like ages - it took so long that I actually asked her if she was going to cut me. I must have been desperate to get him out!
She wanted to see if I would stretch and stretch I did. I felt his head come out - I was expecting it to sting but the amazing thing was that it didn't hurt. Then with the next contraction I pushed his shoulders and the one after that I pushed the rest of his body. I was still on my hands and knees and she passed him up through my legs. I saw his litle face and thought "What a pretty face, it must be a girl" then I saw his winkin - it was mahoosive!
He was covered in gunk, so was I but I can't even explain how it felt to be sat on that bed holding my baby that needed no outside help - not a doctor or procedure in sight. I was completely overwhelmed. That's when DH walked in - four minutes after the birth. He said it was like a scene from a slasher movie except that there in the middle of all the blood and gunk was me sat completely butt naked holding this beautiful non-crying baby.
I should explain that DD's birth was pretty traumatic - three days of slow labour followed by an epidural, an induction drip, full episiotomy, DD then had to be turned manually by the registrar (ouch!), had forceps and then the cord snapped so the registrar had to put her hand back up my jacksy to find the placenta (double ouch!). I love her to bits but her birth really did affect DH and I for ages afterwards.
I feel so empowered now. Even more so because DS was eight pound eight ounces (a pound and a half more than DD) and I am told he has an unusually large head. How I didn't tear/need stitches I don't know - I feel ... I don't know .... I still feel so euphoric about the whole thing.
The only fly in the ointment is that he got jaundice on Day 3 so we had to stay in hospital a little longer and he had to go under the phototherapy lamp. He latched on great after the birth (unlike his sister) but I had to supplement with formula because of the jaundice. However, this weekend just gone I've dropped the formula and he's continuing to do well.
He now weighs 9 pound 4 ounces the yellow tinge is finally almost faded. He's beautiful. His sister is the best ever - a little naughty but generally very loving and surprisingly helpful when she's not smothering him with kisses! He breastfeeds all night and sleeps all day but I don't care. today's the first day I've managed to shower and I'm practically throwing myself a party!
Oh and DH - well he's been fab I've even had breakfast in bed while he was off last week - I don't think he's done that since we were dating ten years ago! I don't know how long this feeling's going to last but I'm going to make the most of this while I can.
Blimey - I've gone on quite a bit. Well done if you've managed to get through all this. I guess I just wanted to get it all down so that if things turn to shit, I can remind myself that it wasn't all bad
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Cashncarry's belated birth announcement
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Cashncarry · 09/12/2008 14:05
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