by Megan Stephenson
Having
had a false alarm early in the morning of 11 January, my parents had come to
stay until the birth.
At about
12.30 am on 15 January I woke up needing the loo and felt a crampy sort of
feeling, but since nothing else happened, and having had a false alarm already,
I went back to sleep. Woke again sometime between 3.00 am and 3.30 am, having
what definitely felt like a real contraction. After a couple more I decided to
time them, and between 3.30 am and 4.15 am I found they were coming regularly
at about 7 minute intervals.
I decided
that I'd get up at 4.15 am, and make up a birthing space (plastic sheeting and
old towels) in the lounge. Then I made myself some porridge and drank a glass
of apple juice, to keep my blood sugar up.
I watched
some programme about ancient civilisations on the tele, and then, at 5am
decided to call for a midwife. First I phoned my named midwife, but she was off
duty and her mobile was switched off. Then I called the pager service, where
they told me I should instead call the delivery suite at the maternity
hospital. I called them, and after lengthy questioning they said they'd get the
duty midwife to me. Meanwhile, my contractions were fairly strong, but
bearable, and now coming about 5 minutes apart.
Shortly afterwards the delivery
suite called back to ask if my named midwife had asked to be called out (she is
keen to attend her named patients herself), but I said that I thought she'd
appreciate being allowed to sleep longer, and we'd call her out at a more
civilised hour. Then the duty midwife called to ask for directions, which I
gave her.
I decided
to have a shower, using my clary sage (aromatherapists believe that this
encourages strong, productive contractions) shower gel. Then I watched some
morning news reports until about 6.10 am when the duty midwife arrived.
The duty
midwife rang the doorbell, after which the rest of the household started to
emerge, although Lucy stayed asleep. She unloaded some of her birthing kit out
of the car, and we talked through what was happening. After having the shower
my contractions had slowed down again, and I had to tell her when I had a contraction.
She checked my blood pressure, listened for the baby's heart beat, and checked
a urine sample. The urine sample had trace amounts of protein and lucozytes (I
think that's what she said) in it, which can be evidence of an infection, so
later on I did another, which was fine.
Mum, Dad
and Paul all gradually got up, had cups of tea (as did the midwife) and
breakfast. At around 7 am we called the student midwife, who I had agreed could
observe the birth. At 7.30 am we called my named midwife at home, but we had to
leave a message on her answer phone. Lucy woke up at around this time, she came
downstairs, had a look at Mummy, and then went to get dressed and have her
breakfast (thanks to Nan). Shortly afterwards (7.45?) we called my named
midwife on her mobile, and she got the message just as she was arriving at the
maternity hospital for a course, so she turned round and came back out of
Cambridge.
By this
time I was moaning through contractions, which were coming more frequently and
stronger. My mum, Paul and the duty midwife took turns rubbing my back, and I
leant over the birth ball, kneeling, for each contraction. The midwife wanted
to check the baby's heartbeat again, and got me to lean back so she could do
this, which was very uncomfortable, and had to be abandoned whenever a
contraction came. Lucy came in to the room at about this time, and Nan held her
and talked her through what was happening. The midwife got the gas and air
ready - but it didn't seem to help, so I abandoned it after a few goes.
Contractions were now coming thick and fast - transition I think - and I
remember moaning “No, no, no” through them.
My named
midwife arrived at around 8.20 am, I think, although by now I was in no state
to look at the clock. Very shortly after she arrived I felt a strong pushing
urge, and said “push, push, push” although I remember being concerned that it
was far too early to be second stage already. I pushed only when my body
wouldn't let me do otherwise, and was relieved to feel the head against my perineum,
and then my waters breaking and pouring down my legs. My named midwife wanted
to check the baby's heart rate again, but didn't try to make me move, the
second time she did this though I pushed the sonicaid away, as I couldn't bear
the slight pressure of it.
Another irresistible
pushing and I felt the head almost out. In three pushes the head was out, and I
felt my named midwife fiddling around, untangling the cord from round the
baby's neck I guessed. Another two pushes and the body was out too, it was
about 8.36 am. Baby was passed between my legs, and I sat back to admire my new
baby girl.
I felt
rather shaky now, and sat down leaning against the sofa. I offered my breast to
Anna, and Lucy had some Mum Milk on the other side. This triggered more
contractions - to expel the placenta - but nothing was produced. Anna latched
on after about 10 minutes, and had a little feed. The trainee midwife arrived
about now and the duty midwife left at around this time since baby was fine.
The placenta was still not coming after about 45 minutes, and I was getting fed
up, I tried squatting over a bucket, but this was just uncomfortable. My named
midwife said she could see that the placenta was just sat there, and offered to
put her hand on my pelvis to give me something to push against, but this didn't
seem to help. Eventually she was able to just gently manipulate it out, which
was a relief, and she cut the cord.
I went
and had a lukewarm bath (the hot water had almost run out) to clean up, and
then we weighed and dressed Anna (she'd been wrapped in a towel having
cuddles). She weighed 4kg exactly. The midwife did various checks (does she
have both eyeballs, do her reflexes work, etc), and then went downstairs while
we had some family cuddles. Anna settled in for a good long feed, and Lucy had
a bit too.
I was
having very strong after pains, which felt just like contractions. Eventually I
needed to wee, and went to the loo, where I passed what appeared to be clot the
size of my fist. I caught it, having felt it come out, and called to my
midwife, as this seemed unusual. She examined it and concluded that it was a
piece of placenta, despite the placenta having appeared to be whole. Once this
piece had been passed the pains were much less.
Having
had a good long feed, Anna slept most of the rest of the day.
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