So pretty much this exact time 7 years ago I was well and truly in labor and on my way to becoming a mummy for the very first time ever. I thought I'd share my journal entry about that;
Tuesday 19th December 2006
Man, I know it's taken awhile for me to write in here but so much has been going on!
I gave birth to our baby girl last Tuesday it was cray. I had a hospital appointment on Monday 11th at 2.20 pm and when she checked my blood pressure, it was high, so they sent me to have a blood test, then up to the birthing unit where they would monitor the baby and stuff. They said they might have to keep me there is my blood pressure didn't go down so they could monitor it and keep an eye on me.
Well, my blood pressure was staying the same, so they were talking about inducing me. So the Doctor did an internal examination to see if I had dilated at all and I was 3 cm. Which meant to induce me he just needed to break my waters and put me on a drip to bring on contractions. Then the results of my blood test came back and found that there was a problem with my kidneys not working properly.
So at about 5.30 pm they broke my waters and about 45 Min's later contractions started to come. The first hour or two were easy compared to what was coming, then they started getting more and more intense and painful.
I'm not sure what time it was when I started taking the gas, but it didn't feel like it was doing much anyway - later I found out I wasn't using it properly.
At about 9 or 10 pm my midwife changed and the new one was really abrupt and we didn't like her much at first, she suggested if I wanted to hop in the bath which would help me to relax, boy was she right about that! Can I just say, I love
LOVE baths! always have always will!
The warm water was soothing, by this time they had taken me off the drip which was forcing my body to contract, I continued to have contractions which was good, but I was still only 3 cm.
After an hour or so in the bath I dilated to 5 cm which they said was pretty fast, but because of the pain I was in I was already screaming for an epidural, even though before labor started I was dead set on
NOT having one!
So in my gassed up state I surrendered 'Yes, I want an epidural now!'
The midwife was not too keen on it as she said it would probably only be an hour or two longer, but to me it was already and hour or two too long! The pain in my stomach was crazy and I was sucking on that gas as if my life depended on it, and when the contractions stopped, I slept!
Yup, there in the bath, naked, my husband, mum and the midwife all staring at me, I slept, I was so exhausted and in so much pain I just wanted the pain to stop
Right Now!
So the midwife 'surposably' went away to arrange an epidural,
45 MIN LATER! she cam strolling in and did another internal examination,
while I was having a contraction! Which was so horrible I could have shot her to make her stop, I had dilated to 8 cm, only 2 cm to go!
The next couple of contractions I started to feel her (the baby) head moving down, getting ready to come out. She was coming and I knew it, the pain was crazy and I knew by the look on the midwifes face she was not going to give me an epidural!
I wasn't in the bath for much longer, I could feel her head coming down with each painful contraction, I sucked on the gas and kept repeating to myself 'Relax, relax, relax' then I'd detach my lower body from my mind to numb the pain and force myself to relax my lower body throughout the pain.
I think the gas must have started getting to me because I started 'twitching' my head so, everyone made a mad dash to get me out of the bath and onto the bed.
This is where is all started! Yup, she was coming. As I had another contraction the midwife showed Kerry the head which was still inside, but right there! coming out more with each push and contraction. So I started pushing with each contraction. I surprised myself as I never made a sound as I was pushing, it was like I was using every muscle in my body to push but relax my lower body as well.
Apparently I wasn't pushing hard enough and the midwife left he room to phone the doctor and let him know it would be a while, so there I was, legs wide open, sprawled out on the bed, tears streaming down my face, mum on my left and Kerry on my right each holding a hand, Kerry crying because he saw our baby's head, and the contraction came, this time it was HUGE! and I pushed, and pushed, and pushed so hard, when the midwife came back in, the head was coming out! she was coming!
Now that one was huge but the last one was even bigger! and I screamed! I screamed so loud I couldn't believe it was really me, my voice could go that loud! It felt like the midwife had shoved her hands and arms into me and was slowly pulling my baby out ( of course she didn't it just felt like it) as I was screaming my lungs out I could feel my baby's body coming out of me, which is really strange!
Then sudden relief! at last, she didn't cry out at first, they placed her on my tummy, my head was still flung back, I was crying from the pain, so exhausted and tired to move, I slowly looked down to my stomach to see my beetroot colored baby lying on my tummy, I watch Kerry cut the cord, then they took her to the side so I could finish the third stage, and push out the placenta, which looked like a liver or something, then they hoisted my legs up in the air, gave me anaesthetic and three stitches as I kept sucking on the gas which was very much working!
Every now and then I'd gather all my energy to turn my head and see MY baby girl lying on the scales.
12.40 am on Tuesday morning 12th December 2006, 3065g (6 pounds 12 ounces) 51 cm, black hair ... and the most beautiful button nose I'd ever seen! she had a nose and a mouth, and she was beautiful.
So after 6 and a half hours there she was, our Taylah-benet Alice Pemberton
XxArdeth
