I felt this immense rush of love and happiness having so many women around / Gabby
Alfie’s birth began on Sunday morning bang on 12am the 6th of February 2022! I was very much looking forward to a Sunday of rest together as it was my first week since I had finished work, but the joke was on me! I was 39+3 at this point and I had not experienced braxon hicks, or any real discomforts up until this very point!
I was woken by what felt like a very sharp cramp at 12am. These cramps continued to arise exactly on the 10 minute mark all morning. Out of curiosity I downloaded a contraction timer app and was very surprised to see the accuracy!
I was quite measured in thinking, this could be the start of something, but this could also be absolutely nothing, and it could all disappear by sunrise. I just knew to stay calm and sleep between them! Without speaking of too much excitement.
I don’t remember getting much sleep but I stayed in bed as long as I could, listening to my hypno tracks. I got up, the contractions still light and consistent. I made a nice relaxing space in a different room, I did circles on my birth ball and continued to listen to tracks, just doing everything Renée had taught me. At about 8am I lost my mucus plug or part of it, the cramps continued to hang around.
I pondered whether to ask the beautiful Liz Looker, a photographer I had booked for my due date to come as I really wanted some pre labour shots and if this was it , I could miss it. I had a feeling it was the day and so she came! For the hour she was there I probably only had two of these contractions .
Tired from the night, we made a cosy space and popped on a long movie to zone out. I felt like they were contractions at this point and they came back with more intensity, I found it really hard to get comfortable. At one point I felt like I needed to stand as I could feel a strong build up coming for this particular contraction, Harry lifted me up and I heard a pop. Almost like a bubble wrap pop noise, I knew immediately that my waters had broken! (We had a house inspection the next day and we were on the carpet. The first thing that came to my mind was “not on the carpet!” so I legitimately grabbed myself and we waddled over to the tiles where I was able to let go, and let the waters come out- there was a lot, and I’m not sure having control over them is a thing but we managed it somehow !?!) I looked at Harry and we laughed and smiled with excitement!! It was happening!! I called my mum with more excitement. I knew my midwife would ask if there was anything in the fluid so I went to the bathroom to check further. It was all clear so we held tight at home, preparing a few things to take.
It didn’t take long for the contractions to become closer together. In this time I just got comfortable in any way I could using the birth ball. The second time we called the birth centre we got the ok, contractions were going for one minute with two minutes between and I was more than ready leave!
I couldn’t help but become very audible, “mooing” was something that came out so naturally and helped get through this new intensity. We arrived at the hospital at 3:30pm and I was checked at 3:40pm at 4.5cm. I absolutely did not let poor Harry leave my side. He was such a safety net, for me using touch and his words to encourage me to get through each contraction which he did this the entire labour.
From about 4pm, until the pool was ready at 5pm we went into the shower . I felt being on all fours was comfortable resting my head on the bars and the heat slightly took the edge off. I really found myself, in the short window of rest that I had, tensing before the next contraction would arrive. I tried to work on this by remembering all the affirmations, telling myself that my body was doing this for me and my baby, all of this work we had put in came to me in the hardest moments.
The spa was in a separate room. I didn’t exactly know where I wanted to be but was willing to try anything that was offered. We were in the water at 5:15pm. I didn’t feel an overwhelming relief. I was in the zone feeling the contractions and found a comfortable position resting on the side of the bath. Harry’s hands DID NOT leave my back (thank the lord for learning those acupressure points thank you Renée!!!) I got out of the pool for the second check and I was 10cms dilated.
Looking back I should have been ecstatic with this news but I didn’t get a very positive feel in the room, masks didn’t help. I was very much needing a lot of encouragement with words to help get me through. Thankfully another midwife came into the room, followed by a student midwife. I felt this immense rush of love and happiness having so many women around the tempo completely changed! My beautiful midwife Steph helped to gently switch the intense energy I was using to “moo” to start bearing down with my breath. Harry was in the pool now and we were slowly getting bubs head to stretch me out with each contraction.
I felt an immense pressure and opening which I loved because it was something different that allowed me to concentrate, I could use these contractions as power now.
I was so thankful to have Steph coach me to use my breath, it changed everything! Eventually I put my hand down and felt Bubba's head, and not long after I was able to hold it there with the contraction and with the next, the head was out. I could rest here for a short time before using the next few contractions to get his body out leaning back onto Harry. I reached down and pulled him onto us.
He was born at 7:15pm. Four and a half hours since arriving in the birth centre.
He took some time to wake, the midwives looked at me and had just said I think we need to take him, but I knew they can take a little longer when born in the water. I grabbed Harry and said BLOW! As soon as he did Alfie opened his eyes and let out a cry. I felt so proud of myself at this moment telling them to give us 1 minute, I knew he would wake! I would not have known this if it wasn’t for the hypnobirthing course.
Back in the room we did all the checks. I really struggled to get the placenta out so I got the injection to help. You could see my uterus was contracting back into its size before Alfie even latched. I know this happens, but I did not expect it to be so intense after my first baby, it didn’t really pass until two-three days later. I just reminded myself this was a good thing. Panadol and a heat pack were life savers! Alfie latched like a champ at the hospital and was the sleepiest baby for the next 4-6 weeks!
I didn’t tear. I think this was a combination of the water, my midwife guiding me on bringing the head out and I did a lot of perineal massage! We were home by 2am. It would have been much sooner, however I have a rare blood type and they needed to do some extra checks, we had to wait for the okay from the hospital! I had 14 days of postpartum care at my house from the most amazing team at King Edwards birth centre.
Alfie is now just over three months and touch wood he sleeps! A lot! He feeds just as well as he did that first night! We got a giggle the day before Mother’s Day and he is just starting to roll. I want 10 more and I am obsessed with my labour. I am so lucky to have had the best teachers and the most AMAZING partner who has held my hand every step of the way. Even the midwives were wondering what he did for a job to be so incredible on the day.
I also give myself a lot of the credit for completely trusting in my body. It did exactly what it is made to do, and it was never going to hurt me.
