Labour and Giving Birth.

So here I am 16 months later writing my labour and birth story! FYI this is going to be a lot longer than my other blogs!  I was 13 days overdue with Walker. I went for a Midwife appointment on the Monday where she checked me and told me I was already 3cm dilated so I could come back tomorrow and they would try and break my waters, yay!  We had to be at the hospital at 6am. My family is super close and there was no way they were missing it and I wouldn't want them to, so Dylan and I arrived to my Mum, my Nan, my Pop and my Step Mum all there waiting! They all sat in the cafeteria while Dyl, my Mum and I went up to check into the Maternity Ward where we were told they were too busy and to come back in a few hours...

So off we go to the cafeteria where I was trying to relax and make the most of my last few hours of pregnancy. 

About 3 hours later we go back up where they took us in to a room in the Birthing Suite. Finally, it was time!!! 

I had a cannula put in and in came a doctor to break my waters... She tried, she failed, it hurt... I was then told I was lucky to be 1, 1 and a half cms dilated.. That was a massive kick in the guts for me.. You go your whole pregnancy looking forward to your Due Date, then it comes and it passes.. Days pass and you're wondering if you're ever going to give birth to this baby! Then to have your hopes up that today would be the day, and it all comes crashing down is just shitttttt! #sorrynotsorry

Anyway long story short they inserted the first round of gel and set us up in a room on the Maternity Ward where we had to wait 6 hours for the next round of gel. 

We sent the fam home and Dylan and I got settled in to our room.  

So around 7ish they inserted the second lot of Gel and almost immediately I started getting lower back pain. I thought nothing of it because I was told it's normal to cramp from the gel. So I just tried my best to stay comfy, ate my red rooster and watched the NRL Rookie. 

A few different midwives came and checked me at 9 and I was about 2/3 cm dilated by this point. 

Around 10ish the cramps and back pain started getting worse but I still just thought it was the gel doin it's thing so I tried my best to take my mind off it. 

By this point Dylan had fallen asleep so I thought I better try and get some rest. 

I didn't sleep a wink that night!! And I haven't slept much since either, haha. 

The back pain and cramps were getting worse and worse, I tried a shower, going to the toilet, walking around, eating, but they didn't budge. 

About 1am they were sooo bad so I thought oh okay maybe the gel is finally helping me make some progress now. I couldn't sit still because I was so uncomfortable. By 2am I was moaning and yelling with every 'Cramp' so I thought I'd get my Contraction Timer app out, which told me 'You better head to hospital now' lol yahhh thanks. 

Meanwhile Dylan is fast asleep snoring his head off across the room, I didn't want to wake him because I didn't think it was the real thing yet.. haha I wish I woke him.

Around 230am a midwife must have heard me screaming and came to check on me, she offered me morphine and I accepted, the pain was too unbearable at this point. 

She had to check me first to make sure I was still at a point where I was able to have morphine. 

So she's examining me and looks up with a weird look and says 'I'm just going to go grab someone to double check this'. 

In walks another midwife, they both looked shocked. 

All they said was 'sorry there is no time for morphine you need to get to the Birthing Suite now, you're 8cm dilated'. 

My reply to them was 'They better still give me an Epidural, I don't want to push without one' haha. 

I know there's some people who say they don't want an epidural or they won't need one, I went into child birth with my mind set on having an epidural. I mean if there's something that's going to help take the edge off the pain, as if I'd say no ha. 

So turns out all my 'cramps' and back pain were actually contractions all along. And I miraculously made it to 8cm without waking Dylan haha. You're welcome, babe. 

Not long after getting to Birthing Suite mum arrived. 

The anaesthesiologist came and my god how hard is it to stay still while they stick a massive needle in your back when you're in the middle of crazy contractions. 

Unfortunately the Epidural was pretty much a waste of time for me, it worked for all of 10 minutes before I could feel the contractions and back pain all over again.. They told me to wait an hour or so and the Anaesthesiologist that's on the next shift will come and fix it for me. Anyway, I was hooked up to the IV drip for Pitocin to move things along and Antibiotics as I was GBS Positive.

My Epidural was fixed up, but unfortunately was only working for one side of my body so while one side was nearly pain free the other side was brutal and it only lasted another hour or so before it wore off again completely, they turned it up as high as possible and still no luck. 

Around 9ish they tried breaking my waters because they still hadn't broken.. Multiple doctors and midwives tried and they couldn't 'find' my waters.. Still to this day I don't understand haha, my waters just never broke. 

By this point I had mum and Dyl in the room with me and my Dad, Step mum, Nan, and 2 pops in the waiting room ready to meet this baby! But he just wouldn't come!! 

10am my midwife said she was going to have morning tea and I should get some rest before the pushing starts.. 

5 minutes after she left I got the urge to push, I was so worried I would fart in front of everyone because that's what it felt like hahah. So in she came.. 

After an hour and a half of pushing with what felt like no progress I lost it, I broke down in tears. I was exhausted, in pain, emotional and I just wanted to hold my baby boy.  

I honestly thought at that point I couldn't do it any more, I was stuffed. The midwife could tell so she brang in some doctors to watch me push.. 

At the 2 hour point they told me with every contraction Walkers heart rate would go up and he is starting to go into distress.. 

Next thing I know about 6 people walk in and start setting all these tables of 'tools' up.. I was bawling my eyes out at this point because I knew what was coming.. 

They told me with my next contraction push as hard as I can, this was my last chance to do it on my own before they use their instruments to assist me. I push and with that push they cut me and in go the forceps, I have never screamed or cried like that in my life, I felt everything.. But within 1 minute of that he was out and on my chest.

Just like that all the pain and thoughts of what just happened disappeared. 

I finally had my baby here, after all the waiting, all the stress and all the pain he was here and he was perfect! #soworththewait. 

I feel so lucky to of had the experience I did, as painful and stressful as it was I wouldn't change a thing about it. I had the most incredible support system by my side, mum and Dyl just went above and beyond for me and I couldn't have got through it without them. So grateful!  Oh and of course the rest of my family who waited hours in the waiting room, and my good ol Nan Suzy who packed me sandwiches like I was going on a picnic haha, god love her. #loveyasuzy

I was also lucky enough to have an amazing midwife and student midwife, without them my labour and birthing experience would of been a lot different! I couldn't thank them enough. 

I would do it a thousand times over if I had to, there's no feeling like it.. 

Unfortunately after he met all the family he had to be taken up to the Special Care Nursery for a stay.. 

Ill continue this in my next Blog, The days after Birth, and Walkers SCN stay.

I know it's a bit long and boring, but I wanted to write as much details as possible. 

This blog is also for me to be able to look back on for years to come so I don't forget all these moments (as if I ever would). 

Thanks so much for reading, I promise the next one will be shorter. Maybe ;)!

The Tired Mumma x