Thomas Henry was born at home on 8th May 2010 at 4:30pm, weight 9 lb 4 oz. (42 weeks!) He is as big as Naomi was at 6 weeks and I needed some stitches, but so far he seems placid and has slept much of the time. His most spectacular achievement has been to wee on our Wii as soon as his nappy was off!
He didn't feed during the first period of skin to skin (while waiting for placenta to deliver) but latched on well once I was all stitched up and settled.
I thought my waters might have gone at 10:15 this morning as contractions started (every 6 mins from the start but not unbearable) however I was examined at 1pm and the membranes appeared intact with "head not fully applied to cervix" and only 2-3cm dilated. I was able to cope with Naomi without letting on what was happening so they can't have been that bad.
The midwife left and came back at 15:15 to check on me. I asked for an internal because I wanted confirmation that something was happening and because I had read stuff about waiting to get in the pool at about 5cm. I was 4cm and the midwife stayed but still had not arranged for any gas & air etc. I managed with breathing but was getting less happy. Fairly soon she got on the phone to arrange for a second midwife to bring Entonox from the hospital. I got in the pool at 15:50 approx and demanded the Entonox as soon as the second midwife arrived.
I didn't feel it was at all effective for the pain until the point at which it took me into a drunken state (I think - having never actually been drunk) and they started trying to encourage me to take some breaks to avoid my slipping into the water and drowning! I don't think they needed to worry, I hung over the side and was aware of what they said but just didn't feel like opening my eyes and communicating with them.
Thomas was born at 16:30 with only about 2 or 3 pushes. David and the midwives report that the membranes only broke a couple of minutes before he was born. They did not do any intrusive monitoring once I was in the pool. 1st midwife checked baby heartbeat with waterproof probe soon after I got in (before 2nd had arrived) and at the point of birth, I told them I had to push and they made sure I was properly beneath the water so that he was not half in, half out. A friend was minding Naomi in the other room and brought her in as soon as she heard Thomas cry.
I had decided to get out of the pool for 3rd stage (physiological) but didn't really feel like it for a while. I got out about 20 mins later and as I stood up I could feel the placenta moving and expected to hear a splash! The cord was still intact and as it happened the placenta didn't come away fully for another 10 mins or so. The pool looked very red and I was sat on a very soggy towel.
I started with very severe shakes and shivers as soon as I left the pool and these continued for some time as I sat, wrapped in blankets, holding Thomas.