My birth story...
40+3, had a sweep, bishops score 8. Bloody uncomfy but put it down to positioning of the bed in the clinic.
40+6...had another sweep...less uncomfy but discovered baby was back to back. Advised to hug a dining room chair, lots of rocking on the ball, on all 4's, lots of walking. Thankfully DH took the day off so I spent a lot of time on the ball & walking...tho it got to one point that I couldn't put any weight on my left leg without some shooting pain...was in agony that night but looked at spinning babies website which suggested lying on one side with top leg hanging over (pretty much hanging over the other...just optimal foetal positioning really). Kept alternating between each side (in between painful loo breaks & turning over). Felt sick at one point & uncomfortable...think baby had turned at this point.
Next day (41wks exactly), got kids ready & off to nursery. Bounced on ball for a bit & felt wetness but more than discharge...pant liner soaked as was knickers & leaked onto trousers. Changed them but wasnt too sure if it was waters. Put a mat pad on continued with things but it spurred me into tidying up the house!
At around lunchtime I got up off the ball & felt a more definite trickle after I'd been to the loo.
Called the birth centre to say I think my waters had gone & they sent a mw out who confirmed it was. Called hubby but no contractions so said I'd call him back. Started getting period pain so asked him to make his way home.
Nothing much happened but I was trying to sort out who to get kids picked up from nursery by friends & then they stayed at my friends house overnight.
By 8pm I was getting fed up so went for a shower...could feel more waters trickling in there & then contractions started while I was drying my hair. Started timing them at 9pm & called birth centre to let them know. Mw arrived at 10.45 with 2nd one arriving at 11.15. They did the usual ante natal checks & asked if I wanted any exams...this was all between contractions 2 mins apart so I declined them as I figured it wouldn't tell me how quickly I'd dilate...
At around midnight after she had checked position of baby, blood pressure etc I asked to get in the pool...the warm water was amazing. I could feel Adam descending into birth canal & some pressure on my bottom but just let the contractions go with it. At about 12.40 I felt the need to push & mw noticed a change in my sounds!
I found feeling Adam wriggle down the birth canal really weird...hadn't felt that with other two! After his head was out he was still wriggling his shoulders out before I'd had another contraction to get his body out. He was finally out at 1am. Waited for cord to stop pulsating & hubby cut the cord.
Mw's pretty much left me to it throughout & helped untangle the cord from around him. After this, they delivered the placenta (15 mins), did my stitches while I was on the sofa. Was in shock at Adam's weight at 8lb 10iz so I asked them to reweigh him as I dont 'do' babies that size (other two were 6lb 13oz each!)
While hubby helped me with a shower, they sorted baby out & tidied up a bit for us. I attempted bf-ing while they did they're paperwork & baby checks & hubby set the pump on to empty the pool. We all then had some tea, toast & biscuits & mw's left & we got both bed at 4.30am. Got about 4hrs sleep which I remember thinking was amazing as never had that ever on postnatal ward with the others.
Hubby has been amazing sorting house out & collecting kids from our friends house an hour away...kids so far seem to dote on their new little bro!
Well done if you made it to the end!