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mumofsix
	Age: 36 Country: New Zealand Province/region: Auckland City: Auckland Partner: Married Children: Yes, 6 Pregnant: Not anymore Occupation: Mum/P.A for home business/Home schooler
	Online: 51 days ago. Last updated: 485 days ago. Member since: 661 days
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21-5-2008 - Baby no.1 birth story

My mood while writing this blog:
Ok

Here's the story of my 1st birth. I was overdue by 6 days and I had been having runs of contractions for the previous couple of weeks. I had wondered each time if this could be labor beginning but all were false alarms.

At about 7am I awoke with period like symptoms. My back ached and I just felt uncomfortable. I tried to rest in bed but couldn't get comfy. I was having mild contractions that were slightly sore but nothing different than the previous 2 weeks. I decided to get up and have a bath at about 8:30am. As I sat in the bath I realized that things were beginning to get more painful and the contractions were quite regular although not unbearable. I finished my bath and decided to tell David that I thought things were really happening this time. I can't remember if he was supposed to be working that afternoon or not but I guess he organised being at home. We started to time the contractions and they were coming pretty fast, 3 mins apart. This was not what I had expected. I thought I would start off about every 10 mins and go from there but oh no, I was heading straight into this quickly.

I phoned my mother at work (we were living with my parents at the time) and told her that things were happening. I hadn't even thought of having her involved in the birth but she turned up back home within the hour of calling her. It was nice to have her around. I went to the bathroom and had a show at about 9:30. Things were really picking up pace now. The contraction were getting way stronger and I was needing to stop and concentrate. We rang my doctor ( G.Ps used to deliver babies back then) and he talked to me during a contraction and decided we should make our way to the hospital as I could not talk too well through the contraction. We put on my TENs machine for pain relief and it was nice initially.

I think my Mum came in the car with us or drove down herself and met us in the birthing unit. I was admitted and they checked to see how dilated I was. 3 cm. I remember feeling a bit discouraged about this as the contractions were still every 3 minutes and my back was aching.

I asked to have a bath but while they were running it my waters broke and there was meconium in the fluid. I was told no bath now as I would need to be monitored from now on. After my waters broke the contractions really picked up pace and by 11:30 my doctor arrived to see me. I was only about 5 cm and he said he would come back about 3:30pm. to check again. At this stage I was thinking I could not do this without pain relief and I was fighting against my contractions. ( I have since learn't about relaxing, I have another blog about this) I asked for some gas. Things became a blur from here on as I have no idea of time frames. The gas made me feel spaced out and I could not talk properly. I tried changing positions and spent time leaning over the bed that had been raised at the top. I felt like nothing was happening. In the end I asked for some pethidine. I was feeling exhausted and could not imagine the pain getting any worse. ( Little did I know that it was at it's worst ) I did not seem to be progressing even though my contractions were strong and regular, about every minute by now. The pethidine caused me to dose of between contractions and I can't really tell you what happened between having the shot and then my G.P arriving somewhat later then he had said. I was almost fully dilated and told I could push at about 6pm. I tried and tried but nothing seemed to happen. They called in an obstetrician and it was decided that I needed some help getting baby out as the head was wedged and not coming down. They could not use forceps so decided to use the suction cup to the head. I didn't care what they did to me at this point as long as baby came out safely. I never felt panicked but just went with the flow. My legs were put in stirrups but not secured in. I felt my legs wobbling everywhere. The room was crowded with people, G.P, obstetrician, paediatrician, midwives, David, my Mum ( I'm glad she stayed even though we had not organized it).

At 7:20 pm. Daya was born weighing 7lb 10. I was so relieved it was all over. She was taken away and suctioned while I was stitched up after a nasty tear ( I never felt it at the time).

It turned out that she was in the posterior position and her head was huge. Above average size head!!! I was told later by my G.P that It should have been a C-section but I am so glad that it wasn't. I now know after having 4 others, it was a very hard labor. It was still an amazing experience and I remember feeling so proud that I had given birth. Even though it was a hard labor, the joy of having my baby over rode any memory of the hardship and I remember telling everyone how well it went. I only learn't later that it could be so much easier. My Mum says she was really worried during the birth and didn't think things were right at all. I guess ignorance is sometimes a blessing.

The pethidine had made me a bit dozey and video footage taken after the birth shows me talking slowly with a dumb grin on my face saying over and over, " she's so beautiful".

It's been 12 years since her birth and things are not so clear in my head anymore but these are a few of the things I remember. Maybe other things will come to mind as I talk it over with David.

I will add my other birth stories soon. They are much shorter and a lot less involved.

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