22-2-2009 - finally my birth story! 7 weeks later...

My mood while writing this blog: happy

finally got round to writing my birth story.... been a busy bee!

tahlia was due boxing day... eventually came on the 3rd of january....after what seemed like ages being pregnant...and getting rather frustrated daily, after my due date came and went, and a few false alarms, i started eating pineapple,drinking raspberry leaf tea, eating currys,and eventually having thought i may have gone into labour new years eve, called my midwife who came to my house (as was having a home birth) and on examination she told me i was rather constipated and would need to empty my bowels in order for labour to start, so the following day i went to the chemist and got some fybogel,left it a couple of days and took it, after realising it wasnt going to happen naturally! took just one sachet and that evening i had very loose bowels (tmi) and went to bed suspecting that she would make an appearance that evening, went to bed at 12pm and woke very abruptly at 1.34am with a real dull ache very very low, sat on the toilet and as i went to wipe myself and check, my waters broke all over my hand! called for my mum (who was staying) and my youngest daughter (no longer) got up and statred to panic, bless her, i asked her to fetch the phone so i could ring the labour ward and get a message to midwife, and then rang my best friend/birth partner and told her to come over. midwife arrived, and on examination told me i was only 2 cms dilated still! so we sat and had tea i got my birthing ball ready and we sat watching catherine tate, at 3am i sent the midwife home, having told her i would call if contractions got worse, was happily bouncing on ball!. At 5am i had strong urge to push as contractions had been coming regular for ages and my friend rang midwife who came back, midwife then rang the 2nd midwife who arrived ready for delivery! no such luck, was still trying to push at 8am! when my regular midwife arrived (yippee) , and shift was swapped, i now had my lovely midwife getting me walking up and down stairs as was having no joy, by now i needed gas and air,(9am) as contractions were getting unbearable, and until know had had nowt! was still trying to push!and extremely tired! on examination i was 9 cms but baby was not aligned!!! absolutely shattered by now, and was flagging badly, having been trying to push for 4 hours, several attempts to get her aligned and failing, midwife said i needed to empty bladder, at this stage, i was very grouchy and when she inserted catheter and flicked my anterior lip! we started to get a little action, was still on gym ball and refusing to walk upstairs for the hundreth time, it was suggested i sit on the loo and give birth! having been swaying, and dancing with birth partner and no joy, we ventured upstairs where after no joy on toilet, we proceeded to my bedroom and laying on bed with midwifes either side of my ankles, my ankles on thier hips and my friend at my head, mum and 12 year old daughter who had been there throughout all crammed into my room, i started to push again! after an hour of trying to push and crown her and losing the will to live lol, refused any gas and air and pushed for england! lol i eventually crowned her head after popping my eyes lol, and biting pillow, and had to wait until next contraction (some 25 mins later,to deliver rest! she was eventually born....she arrived with the cord tightly round neck twice and born blue! and not breathing, midwife shouted to other midwife to call 999 and midwife took tahlia by ankles cut throught the cord round neck, and swung her upside down, she then had to resuscitate, heart compressions and oxygen until eventually she came round, by this time my 12 year old daughter was crying and panicking, so i was trying to comfort/cuddle her knowing babe was in very safe hands but secretly hoping for the best. after some ten minutes of resuscitation and ten hours of labour from start to finish i was finally able to cuddle my much longed for baby born at 11.31am saturday 3rd january 2009! and she is beautiful and im loving everything about motherhood a third time around.

would totally recommend a home birth, my midwifes were fantastic, i felt there was no intrusions and i was constantly being reassured and praised, their support and my sheer determination to have her at home, paid off, my midwife later admitted she had only ever resuctitated one other baby and was very proud of me for my determination and strength! lol and that at one stage they were going to take me into hospital as my labour was getting traumatic and they were going to take me in for a c-section! thankfully that didnt happen,my midwife later brought me a bottle of champers lol.a truly wondeful woman who i will be eternally grateful to.

Despite the fact it was very long and a little traumatic totally totally worth it, and an amazing experience, all the pain and trauma soon forgotten... until now, writing this lol, sorry for delay, but been really busy and had a few hiccups with bubba, hip scan, and nasal probs but enjoying her sooo much.

Wishing you all well. x