Birth Stories
If you would like to share your birth story or some birth
photos, you can upload them here.
photos, you can upload them here.
  3th February 2010 10lbs 7oz AGPAR 9/10 Delicious. It’s only been two days and already the little details of your birth are becoming warm and fuzzy in my mind, blurring into a cloudy memory that makes my heart swell. Just like your big sister, you came nice and late. We had suspected that you might come late so I had added a few days to your conception date to give you more time to come when you were ready. Your due date came and passed and we weren’t surprised. The weekend before you were born it was a lovely rainy weekend and your dad, sister and I thought you might come. We waited at home, the house scrubbed and cleaned, hoping you might decide to arrive. You didn’t. With your sister I had gone into labour at 41 + 6 so when that date rolled around you didn’t arrive, I started to worry you weren’t ever coming out. On Friday evening I knew if you didn’t come the next day, I would be risked out of the birth centre for being too far post dates. I really wanted to have you in the water with our wonderful midwives so I was rolling around like a crazed woman on an exercise ball, hoping it might make you come. Sure enough once we’d put your sister to bed and I’d rolled on the ball for a few hours, contractions started coming. They were coming quite close and hard, about 5 minutes apart. I was excited knowing that this could be the start of labour. As I continued rolling and the contractions kept coming, I looked at the clock, it was 10:40 and I suddenly felt very tired. I knew what a task lay ahead of me and suddenly didn’t feel ready; I hadn’t had enough sleep to labour properly. I decided I should try and get some sleep then but it was very hard to fall asleep with the contractions coming so regularly. I told your dad I couldn’t sleep so he put on a very boring film and I was able to doze off right away. I woke a number of times throughout the night and the contractions were still coming. They had slowed significantly, to about 10 minutes apart, but still there. I woke feeling fresh and ready for labour at 4:30am and decided to roll on the ball again to speed the contractions back up. Within a few minutes the contractions were very close together. I knew you would be coming that day. Priya woke too and she helped me with some last minute things I wanted to do before you came. Between contractions we peeled and juiced apples so I could have a fresh juice to keep up my energy. Then we did some folding of nappies and ironed some shirts. By 6am I woke your dad because the contractions were very close (about 3 minutes apart) and I was having trouble keeping calm during them with your sister wanting my attention. Your dad moaned and said he wanted to sleep for another 5 minutes. I got cross and told him if he didn’t get out of bed, he wouldn’t be getting a baby! I texted your aunty Hailey and told her that she could head over soon. She was coming to film and photograph the birth and Andrew and the girls were coming to play with Priya. I told her that she shouldn’t rush and to come when she was ready. It’s a 40 minute drive from their house so I wasn’t expecting them for a while. While Peach and dad played in the lounge, I put on my hypnobirthing affirmations and settled in our bedroom. The hypnobirthing tracks were great and helped me really relax and get into a rhythm with the contractions. I could still talk easily between contractions and felt really excited knowing each one was bringing me closer to meeting you! Since the contractions were now about 2.5 minutes apart, I told your dad to tell Hailey to come sooner if she could. I focused on my tracks and my breathing and continued labouring while resting my head on the edge of our bed. Once Hailey arrived your dad was free to come and support me which was great, I felt so much more able with his hand to hold or him rubbing my back. This labour was very different than Priya’s, during her labour I felt like I was alone labouring. Your dad had been there supporting me, but I didn’t really let him, I found his kind words annoying and unsupportive. This time though, I really relied on your dad, trusted him and let him support me. I don’t think I could have done it without him, he was there through every contraction, massaging me, icing me, telling me I could do it.  Hailey chatted with me a bit and started filming the labour. At 8:00 am I told your dad we should call the midwife because the contractions were so close. I spoke with the midwife Michelle and she said I didn’t sound like I was in established labour and to call back when the contractions were three minutes apart and I couldn’t talk through them. Michelle asked if I had seen a bloodstained show which I had not. After I spoke with her I went to the toilet and sure enough, there it was. I was really hot in our bedroom because the morning sun streams through our double glass sliding doors making it like a little oven. I decided to move to the spare room which was darker and cooler. Again, I laboured sitting on the floor, leaning over the bed. I began to feel quite nauseated and asked Hailey to bring me a bucket in case I needed to throw up. Not long after she arrived with the bucket I did throw up and I felt much better afterwards. It was about 8:30 at this point and I felt like I wanted to head to the Birth Centre before the contractions got any closer together and made the trip unbearable. Your dad called Michelle and she told us to meet her there but to give her a 20 minute head start as she lives a fair way from the hospital. Your dad busied himself getting our things together to take with us and I stayed on the floor in the spare room. I felt particularly bad at this point because your dad wasn’t there to support me. Soon we were ready to go into the Birth Centre and we all piled in the car. The trip seemed much longer than usual. Every time we braked the contractions felt worse and I gripped the seatbelt as hard as I could. We stopped in the Emergency bay of the hospital and Hailey and I walked up to the Birth Centre while your dad parked. I was walking slowly and contracting so we were only in the elevators by the time your dad had parked the car and caught up with us. I felt so happy as we entered the Birth Centre and I could see our midwife, Michelle waiting in the hallway. We had a team of three midwives and I had really been hoping that Michelle would be on call when I went into labour. She had briefly been in Priya’s labour and I had really loved her and didn’t want her to leave. You are a very clever boy arriving on that day! We headed into Room 4 which was the same room your cousin Zen was born in. It’s hard to explain but there was something so exciting and wonderful about those first minutes settling in the Birth Centre. Michelle looked so excited and happy and the energy in the room felt great. It was a nice boost. Michelle offered the standard hospital procedures which she had to offer. She offered the CTG monitoring as she was rolling the machine out of the room! I really love her. She told me that the hospital would like me to have a VE but that she was happy not to do it. We did have a listen to your heartbeat with a doppler and she felt what position you were in. I knew you were still posterior (I could feel your little limbs right out front) but Michelle just felt my tummy, smiled and said everything looked great. I was happy she didn’t tell me that you were in the ‘wrong position’ as I was told with your big sister. I laboured for a little while standing and then decided to kneel over the bean bag. I had my ipod in and focused on my hypnobirthing track.  I was quite thirsty and sipped on energy drink and icy poles between contractions. Your dad rubbed my back and Michelle rubbed my feet, it felt so good. I had a heat pack on my lower back which felt wonderful, I was very sore. I felt sick again and threw up. Michelle suggested I go to the toilet. Getting up and moving to the toilet wasn’t as hard as I had thought it would be. Though the contractions were now very intense, they felt good, they felt productive and I was really happy. After the toilet I came out and stood not knowing where I wanted to be. Michelle asked me if I would like to use the bath which was ready and tempting me. I didn’t want to hop into the bath too early as I really wanted you to be born in the water and hadn’t been able to stay very long in the water with Priya before I overheated. Since we’d only been in the Birth Centre only 2 hours, I thought it was a little too early to be hopping in. I’d mentally prepared myself to be labouring all day. The contractions were changing though and I decided I did want to hop in, though I still didn’t believe I was close to having you. As soon as I lowered myself into the water I felt downward pressure and almost like I was ready to push. I was a little alarmed as I couldn’t get over how fast things were going. I didn’t think I should be ready to push yet and told the Midwife worriedly that I felt like pushing, she smiled and said “Good”. The next contraction I couldn’t help myself, I just started pushing. In my hypnobirthing we had learnt about ‘breathing the baby out’ and allowing the body to work on it’s own. I tried focusing on the breathing they had suggested for pushing but every ounce of me just wanted to push. I was on my knees in the water gripping your dads thighs as he sat in the water facing me. Poor dad had me right in his face making  the most primal of sounds. Michelle told me she could see the waters and that they were still intact, she thought you might be born in the caul. During the next contraction your waters broke with a nice big pop. I cried out “what was that!?!?” – it felt like a bullet shooting out of me, they definitely popped with force. Right after the waters broke your heart rate dropped down to 90. Michelle asked me to turn over so that she could have a better listen. I told her I didn’t want to, she told me I would and I could, she needed to listen to your heartbeat. I turned over and she checked again, your heart rate was fine. The next push your head came out. I remember thinking the whole time “so this is that ring of fire”. It burnt to push, but also felt so good. Michelle said she could see your head and I felt between my legs and there you were, so soft and velvety. It was the most amazing feeling touching your head. It felt like a soft wet fuzzy peach. Your body came out the next push and you were passed up to me. Your birth time was 12:06pm. Your cord was wrapped loosely around your neck, and after you were untangled, I held you. I could hear your dad sobbing as he held me from behind. I was so overwhelmed. You looked so tiny and beautiful. I kept saying to you “you’re so beautiful, you’re so beautiful”. It was so beautiful. I couldn’t believe how wonderful it was, pulling you from the water and holding you straight away. I had one hand holding you between your legs and thought I could feel a penis. I thought it may have been your cord, so I did a little check and sure enough – testicles! I told your dad, “It’s a boy!” and he cried some more.  :We hopped out of the water after this so I could birth your placenta. We waited until the placenta had been delivered before your dad cut your cord. Michelle checked me for tears and I was so surprised to be told I didn’t have any! Your dad then disappeared from the room. I was starting to get annoyed that he had left and not told anyone where he was going until he returned and placed a medallion around my neck. On the back the medallion read: World’s greatest achievememt – Birth * Congratulations * Georgia Peach Brizuela For your commitment passion and love! My heart melted and I forgave your dad for disappearing. After we lay together for a while we all got curious staring at you about how big you were. We asked Michelle to weigh you and we were all blown away that you were 10lbs 7oz. You looked so tiny to me. Unlike Priya, you were not chubby at all – just long – 56cm. After this, we put you to the breast and you fed. And fed. And fed. You latched perfectly first go and haven’t had much time off the breast since. You are an excellent nurser. Once you were fed I showered and hopped into the double bed with your dad. Your Noni and Pa arrived and wanted to see you. They also brought me a Sub which I devoured very quickly. I was starving. I also ate two muesli bars, two scones, an icy pole and some lollies. We all took the time to hold you and admire your perfect features. Your dad let all our friends know that you had been born safe and sound. We wanted to sleep but we also wanted to get home as soon as possible. We stayed awake so the paediatrician could come and give you a check before discharge. The paediatrician came and checked you over, wrote in your notes and said we were fine to go home. We all laughed after he left because he looked like he was 12. Michelle joked that she knew she was getting old because she kept thinking the doctors needed packed lunches. We decided we want to leave the Birth Centre and get home to your sister. Your Noni wanted me to take a wheelchair from the birth centre to the car but when they took too long to arrive, I walked instead. I felt great, walking out of there only a few hours after you were born, proudly holding you close. We couldn’t believe we were home by 4:30 pm introducing you to your big sister.  Your birth was beautiful and empowering Theo, I hope one day you can witness your own baby being born in such a rewarding way.
I love you. Georgia Brizuela To read Georgia’s blog and view Theo’s birth video go to http://gregariouspeach.com/ Comments are closed.
|