The thought of labour always made me feel anxious, especially after hearing my mum's experience with her 26 hour ordeal with episiotomy and forceps delivery whilst the umbilical cord was wrapped around my brothers neck not once, not twice but three times. Thankfully I didn't have to share that same experience but I still went through my fair share of "labouring".
It was Friday afternoon when I started experiencing contractions that were 15 mins apart. This lasted several hours and by 9pm the contractions were 10 mins apart. By about 10pm I thought to myself if this is the start of labour my contractions should be 5 mins apart by 2am. So with that thought in mind I shuffled into bed to get some rest. I was able to sleep through the contractions and at 2am the contractions were exactly 5 mins apart and my waters broke at 2.30am. Luckily I'd been wearing a pad so I didn't leave a mess in the bedroom. I went straight to the bathroom and the contractions got extremely intense, it was so intense I began shaking & could hardly speak. I called out to my husband (who was in the living room 'staying awake' for that moment when we had to go to the hospital- he knew I would be going into labour so he didn't want to be asleep and drowsy). I called the hospital and told them the situation and they said I was ready to go in.
We arrived at the hospital at 3am and they got us settled in to my room (I still can't believe how large the birth suites are). The midwife checked baby's heart rate and then got me to walk around, she said it would help the labour progress. I walked up and down the corridor a few times until the contractions were so regular I hardly had rest in between contractions. The midwife came and did an internal examination and at 4.30am I was about 4 cm dilated. Because the contractions were so intense and regular I asked for an epidural. I had been told they can take up to an hour to organise and administer so I thought if it's already this intense imagine if I had a few more hours of it, so I better ask for now. The nurses didn't seem like they were going to organise the epidural for me so they gave me information about alternative pain relief. I went on the gas for a little while but it didn't seem to relieve enough pain. They suggested I go into the bath with the gas. So after one contraction on the bed with the gas I quickly rushed over to the bathroom to get back on the gas before the next contraction. This is probably the only time I wished the room wasn't so large. Once I was in the bath it was quite comfortable, however I think it was a tad too hot, I started to feel really light-headed. I really liked being in the bath, it took the weight off my back and hips which did help relieve some pain from the contractions. But I didn't stay comfortable in there for long, I started feeling the "pushing" sensation so we quickly got the midwife back and they moved me back to the bed and by that time I was already 8 cm dilated... by this time I knew I definitely wasn't going to get an epidural.
From this point on the pain was pretty tough so I just kept mediating words like "open wide, push down" (something I learnt from the Birth Skills book I read). I didn't say much through my labour, but instead I was concentrating so hard in my mind using 'self-talk' methods I'd used previously in hard physical exercise challenges. I'd read about different birthing positions and the one I thought looked the easiest and most comfortable was leaning over the head of the bed. I went into this position and when it was almost time to start pushing the midwife got me to turn around and lie on my back! This was the last position I wanted to deliver in, just anatomically it was much more effort and gravity was not on my side. Anyway I preserved through it & they did this so have a better view as I needed an episiotomy. With a few pushes he was out. He was put straight onto my chest and it was absolutely the most amazing feeling. I met my little baby boy, such a precious little thing! He was so perfect, it was truly love at first sight.
Nathan had asked to cut the umbilical cord so with the sharp shiny scissors he went in for the cut. [Weeks prior to labour we had read about a mid-wife cutting a baby's finger while cutting the cord. So in my mind I was thinking maybe I should hold back Charlie's little fingers, but at the time I thought it should be ok.] As Nathan was cutting the cord, it was rather tough so it required 2 snips and as he finished the second cut Charlie's little hand went to grab the scissors!! I'm so glad nothing happened, but that was a close call.
Looking back at my experience I have gained a great appreciation for mothers and understand why it is necessary to experience labour. It is a path that helps us develop unconditional love for our precious children. After having been through labour I believe it has refined me to be a more loving mother.
From this point on the pain was pretty tough so I just kept mediating words like "open wide, push down" (something I learnt from the Birth Skills book I read). I didn't say much through my labour, but instead I was concentrating so hard in my mind using 'self-talk' methods I'd used previously in hard physical exercise challenges. I'd read about different birthing positions and the one I thought looked the easiest and most comfortable was leaning over the head of the bed. I went into this position and when it was almost time to start pushing the midwife got me to turn around and lie on my back! This was the last position I wanted to deliver in, just anatomically it was much more effort and gravity was not on my side. Anyway I preserved through it & they did this so have a better view as I needed an episiotomy. With a few pushes he was out. He was put straight onto my chest and it was absolutely the most amazing feeling. I met my little baby boy, such a precious little thing! He was so perfect, it was truly love at first sight.
Nathan had asked to cut the umbilical cord so with the sharp shiny scissors he went in for the cut. [Weeks prior to labour we had read about a mid-wife cutting a baby's finger while cutting the cord. So in my mind I was thinking maybe I should hold back Charlie's little fingers, but at the time I thought it should be ok.] As Nathan was cutting the cord, it was rather tough so it required 2 snips and as he finished the second cut Charlie's little hand went to grab the scissors!! I'm so glad nothing happened, but that was a close call.
Looking back at my experience I have gained a great appreciation for mothers and understand why it is necessary to experience labour. It is a path that helps us develop unconditional love for our precious children. After having been through labour I believe it has refined me to be a more loving mother.
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