Natural Birth Story

Perhaps the one major thing I remember very well from the pre-natal classes we took, was the midwife telling us the new moms-to-be, that we have to be open minded about our birth plans. I didn’t really understand exactly what she meant until I had my little boy Eric…

The nursery was all well prepared and everyone was so excited for us since my husband and I were the first to have a baby in our group of friends.

It started on Wednesday May 20th, 2009. I was watching tv, relaxing before our little man made his entrance into the world. Although he was to be due on the 2nd June, I was beginning to feel uncomfortable around my lower back. I ignored it, thinking I needed to get up and stretch. But it wouldn’t go away. The following day, this uncomfortable feeling was gradually becoming an irritation for me. I didn’t know what to do. I remember telling my husband I’m not sure whether this is the ‘real’ thing or something less major. That night I called the hospital telling the midwife I was in pain. “I believe I’m having contractions.” She repeated “you believe?” I said yes. So I timed them for her over the phone, and she reassured me that I was only in pre-labour and if the contractions started to get closer to each other then I should ring back again. The following morning (friday) I called the hospital, informing them that I was in such pain that I didn’t sleep well that night and needed something for the pain. So they told me to come to the hospital so they can examine me. Luckily for us, the maternity hospital was literally five minutes from where we live.

The midwife came in and examined me. She gave us the bad news that I was only 1cm dilated. I couldn’t believe it. I told her that I was in pain and if they could help or give me something to relieve it. She could only advise me to go home and rest as much as possible and to take warm baths for the pain, as well as to go for walks to help speed up the labour. So I did. I went for walks with my husband and the dog, but I would end up getting tired and frustrated. On Saturday night I was crying and I told my husband I couldn’t bare it anymore. We called the hospital and the midwife said unfortunately the contractions are not close enough to be in labour yet but I’m welcome to come back to the hospital to be re-examined. So I waited till the following day, Sunday morning, and saw the midwife. She gave us the horrible news that I was only 2cm dilated and that she could give me pethidine to ease the pain and to get some rest. They took my husband I to a private room for us to sleep. I couldn’t believe how quickly the pain went away! I slept for a good 2 hours until I woke up with the horrendous pain again.

I went home, feeling disappointed. I was by this stage, exhausted from not sleeping properly the last two nights. So I went to my bed and lay there with the pain and waited until something ‘real’ would happen. My husband went off to his taekwondo training at 5pm that night, thinking that I would probably be another day or two with pre-labour. So off he went. Then suddenly I had an urge to got to the toilet.. As I looked down, there was a bloody show. Luckily my in laws were home and they took me to the hospital. I told the nurse what happened and she examined me and told me that I was now 4cm dilated and that I was truly in labour! I couldn’t believe it. After waiting for days for this moment, it was finally happening. I was signed in at the hospital at 6pm.

It was around 8pm (I remember looking at the clock on the wall, thinking where is my husband!) when he came to the hospital. At this stage I was in a private room with my mum and in laws, in so much pain that I could not bare it anymore! I wanted to get our baby out now! I told my husband to get the midwife and to tell her that I need an epidural. He comforted me saying that we ‘planned’ to have a natural birth. I wanted to strangle him and told him that if he didn’t go and get the midwife, that I would kill him and chop him up into little pieces!

The midwife came in and took me to get me examined. I was now 7cm dilated and it was too late to have an epidural, she said unfortunately. When I heard these words, I wanted to murder her. I completely lost it and broke down in tears. Now I had to truly have a natural birth, no choice. They took me to the delivery room and began to get everything ready, because I was dilating so quickly they couldn’t believe it. They kept asking me “this is your first baby, right?”.

The pain was extremely unbearable with each contraction. I had my mum on one side giving me the ‘happy gas’ and my husband on the other rubbing my lower back. Then the midwife put me on fours on the floor with a medicine ball. This was the most horrible feeling I went through because I felt my baby descend that I threw up from the shock. So they put me back on the bed. The doctor came in and decided to give me pethidine. I was so relieved when the pain went away really quickly and I remember thinking I could easily stay like this until this was all over. Unfortunately that was not the case. It was around 10:30 nearly 11pm that it started to wear off and then boom, it hit me again, the pain!! nooo!

By now I was over with the whole ‘experience’ of giving birth that I really wanted our baby out by any means! I remember the midwife saying to me that it’s going to hurt even more after breaking my waters. I remember saying that it couldn’t get any worse, but it did!. Everything was a blur. My husband and my mum were trying everything to help me through with every contraction, i kept passing out and I kept thinking to myself I can’t do this anymore. Then they told me that I was completely dilated and that I will be ready to push soon. By this time I was crying and I was delirious from all the pain that I didn’t know who or what was going on anymore.

My midwife said that I can start pushing. So I began. Suddenly I remember being told to ‘stop’ pushing by the doctor. “what???” I screamed. How can I possibly stop?? Are you insane??? I had no idea what was happening at this stage, only that I couldn’t see my mum or my husband anymore. The room was filled with so many nurses that I accidentally grabbed one of them by the collar that she had to tell to stop pulling her! Then I heard the doctor’s voice again, calmly telling me that he had to get Eric out with the suction because his heart rate was slowing down from having the cord around his neck. So I had to ‘stop’ and wait until the doctor said to push again. It felt like I was waiting forever. Then the doctor told me to give one big push. I felt I was going to literally die! He came out so quickly that I thought to myself, definitely have a tear down there now!

My mum had Eric’s birth on video that I was able to see what actually happened. It ‘s so nice to have it there, because it’s very different when you go through it physically. It stills gives me goosebumps when I watch it, knowing that I went through that pain to give birth to him. The doctor was so brilliant the way he pulled Eric’s head just enough to clamp the cord and then cut it and basically get Eric out as quickly as possible without harming him.

The funny thing about all this was that as soon as he came out, I was in complete high! I wanted to jump out of bed and party! He was born at 00:39am Monday 25th May. My labour lasted 6 hours and 20 minutes and the second stage was only 19 minutes. I actually didn’t tear (woo hoo!) and didn’t lose much blood at all. He was put in the incubator for an hour until he could breathe properly and then they brought him back to me to be breastfed. He quickly grabbed on, never having a problem feeding him. In some aspect I’m actually proud of myself that I had a natural birth, but wouldn’t recommend it to anyone! My friends were in shock when I told them about my birth story that I’ve put them off completely! lol. Well only for now.

Carla

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