Et viola!
My due date came and went much like any other day, as did every day for the following two weeks. With LC having been induced at 41+5 it shouldn?t have been surprising to be ?late? again, however, family history of second births had me convinced this one would come close to his due date. Keen to avoid the typical cascade of interventions that accompanied my induction I employed every trick and old wive?s tale to get this baby moving, including the reflexologist visiting to pummel my pressure points, dousing myself in clarey sage and gorging on hot curries and fresh pineapple. Supported by my midwife I was able to avoid any discussion of induction but had an appointment on 42+2 to decide on next steps.
On the morning of 42+1 I awoke feeling different ? calm yet energised. Hippo-lady came round for a hypno-session and left an hour and a half later with strict instructions for me to rest ? not something that comes naturally to me. Fortunately she left me so relaxed that two hours passed before I felt able to prise myself from the sofa!
As the day advanced some faint tightenings started, however, these sensations had occurred in previous days so I thought nothing of it and simply used them to practise my breathing. By bedtime there was some regularity to them, coming roughly every 20 minutes. Too preoccupied with timing them I was unable to sleep and by 1.30am they were coming every 6-8 minutes so I decided to wake MrCluck.
We went downstairs and, while I retreated to the sofa, MrCluck called for a midwife. We were somewhat surprised, and a little bit alarmed, to hear that the community midwives had been called into to hospital. Furthermore, both the nearby hospitals were closed to new admissions and we were being directed to a birthing unit over an hours drive away.When he mentioned the name of our MW they called back 10 minutes later to say that, despite being off-duty, she was on her way.
MW arrived at 3am and examined me ? to my relief I was already 5cm dilated and progressing well. MrCluck was spurred into action to set-up the pool while the MW left to collect her birthing equipment. Meanwhile, I continued to rest on the sofa with the dog at my feet and leaning on the birthing ball during the surges.
MW returned 30 minutes later and by 4.15am the pool was almost ready. With the surges becoming increasingly powerful ? not painful, thanks to the HypnoBirthing techniques, but an incredibly strong and intense pressure - I was itching to get in the water. Unable to wait any longer I clambered in and was enveloped by the most heavenly, warm water. With the lights turned low and soft music playing in the background there was an aura of calm and relaxation as the surges grew stronger.
Just over an hour later I experienced a very clear change in the intensity of the surges and I could feel my baby moving down the birth canal. I became panicky as fears from the birth of my first child crept in ? having had an epidural on that occasion this was a sensation I hadn?t experienced and the prospect of birthing this baby seemed impossible. The MW offered me some gas and air but, despite my obvious anxiety, I genuinely didn?t need it.
At 5.47am BabyChick entered into the world in one huge surge and, after a period of intense emotion and exhilaration, calm was restored. For the next 30 minutes I was left to slosh around in the water, holding my amazing baby and nursing him in his first feed. An hour later MrCluck and I were snuggled up on the sofa with our new baby, tucking into the most delicious bacon sarnies and a cup of tea.