The Birth of Ari
I had a midwife check up at 40 weeks and she did a stretch and sweep and I was already 4cm dilated! But I had said his movements had changed so she sent me in to to check on bub. He was fine but because I had said there was a change in movements and I was term they offered to break my waters. We took this opportunity because the thought of spontaneously going into labour (and everyone was saying how quick I'd labour) and having to sort out care for my toddler out was the majority of stress for us.
So on Wednesday we went to the hospital in a relaxed fashion to have a baby 😂 so different presenting not in labour! They broke my waters at 3:45pm and I danced around the birth suite to Pete Murray trying to move baby down. Contractions started after about an hour but they were small and 7 mins apart. This continued for 1.5 hours and then they checked and my cervix was stretchy and able to be stretched to anything basically because I'd had a baby before but it wasn't thin yet. This was 2.5 hours after we started and contractions were more intense so I hopped in the bath as the heat is good for pain relief. They were amping up and I had my hypnobirthing tracks on now and was concentrating on my affirmations to get me through contractions.
My contractions slowed in the water unfortunately so I got out and laboured standing while I could and sat on the exercise ball through the intense and long contractions. They were lasting well over a minute. I repeated my affirmations 'my surges are never too powerful for me because they are me' and 'my baby will be here soon' and breathed through them- relaxed jaw, relaxed pelvis.
From the start I visualised myself giving birth flopped over the exercise ball so as I felt things ramp up again I moved to the floor and slumped over the ball. I asked for the gas as well. I felt this was the transition phase where it felt like things were moving on the way out. I breathed through contractions, sucking on the gas and continued my affirmations. In between contractions Bryce gave me water and lightly rubbed my back and I flopped and saved my energy for the next one.
After about 30 mins of this I felt the urge to start pushing with contractions so I did. It was intense and I kept asking the midwife if she could see a head yet as I was so aware of how close I was. She shortly after asked Bryce to press the buzzer which meant she wanted another midwife in the room to witness the birth so I knew it was going to happen asap and I was SO excited! I did a big push and felt his head come out and knew he'd be out with the next contraction but it didn't come very fast so the midwife just told me to push to get his body out. She caught him and passed him through to me as I made my way to a lying position and caught my breath! 5 hours from waters breaking to birth with four minutes of pushing. I've got a second degree tear which needed stitches but feel so good considering! We've been out for a few walks to the water with the kids 😍
This was such a positive experience for me!! Bryce said from his view it didn't look too different to my first birth but the major difference is how I feel about it! I wasn't scared, exhausted yes, but I knew it was going to end soon and my baby would be in my arms. Contrast this with my first birth where I thought I was being ripped in two and if I died then and there it wouldn't have been out of the question. I've shared my story with a few girlfriends who are pregnant because it's SO important to have these stories rather than the horrible and traumatic births you often hear about.
I put Pete Murray on this morning and had an overwhelming urge to cry because it reminds me of the amazing job I did a few days ago.
THANK YOU AMY! I can't thank you enough.