I have had two lovely natural births.
My first son was born on 5th Jan 2004. It was my first night in my new house and I had just finished painting it when I went into labour at midnight, 1 week early. I didn't sleep well that night as the pains gradually increased. In the morning I walked around, then had a bath, then repacked my hospital bag (I'd been too busy to have it sorted earlier). My mum called at 12 noon and I told her I was in labour - she was shocked I hadn't called sooner. As I was on my own at that time she was taking me to the hospital etc.
She picked me up at 1.30pm and we went to her house while she got ready for a dinner party. At 4pm she dropped me off at my brothers house, where the pains started to increase considerably. I was lying on the bed suffering and my poor brother who was only 24 at the time didn't know what to do! In the end I called mum at 4.30pm, just as she arrived at the party and said I think its time to go to hospital. So we started out on the one hour drive to hospital. It was quite painful but I managed to eat chocolate and drink red bull on the way (mum insisted that I eat as she didn't think I'd have a chance for a while). We got to the hospital at 6pm and I realised I'd forgotten to call my midwife - oops!
I explained to the nurse that I was in labour (she asked why I was there!) and then she asked how I knew. Well duh! Its quite a noticeable sensation isn't it?! Hehe. So they put me on the moniter and agreed that yes I was in labour. My midwife arrived at 7pm and by that stage I was quietly enduring yet more pain, she examined me and found I was 4 cm. I hopped straight into the birthing pool and it was like heaven - instant pain relief! It was a lovely room with no lights on, only these tiny star lights in the ceiling. By 10pm I had only reached 5cm so she broke my waters after offering me gas, which I accepted as I was told the labour would step up a notch. I didn't use the gas until I was 9cm when the midwife found that the babies head was caught on my cervix and the last cm wasn't dialating. She gave me some arnica drops and told me not to push (by that stage I was bearing down. I then breathed the gas during contractions to help keep from pushing - I had to wait for a whole hour! That was the hardest part by far. I finally reached 10cm and my midwife helped me out of the pool and on to a birthing stool. They are fantastic - the gravity did all the work for me. Mum and I were looking in the strategically placed mirror so we saw his little head crowning. I lost the urge to push so started to breathe through contractions while my midwife applied a warm flannel to the area. All of a sudden he slid out and I hadn't even pushed - brilliant! I didn't feel the tearing but ended up with quite a big tear and several stitches. About 2 minutes after he was born I started to lose a lot of blood and the midwife looked a bit worried. She was about to call for a doctor when my placenta flopped out (I was still on the stool) suprising everyone. That explained the blood. Bryn was born 7 pound 6 ounces with a distinct conehead from being pushed against my cervix for that extra hour.
I met my husband when Bryn was one and we now live in the Middle East. I got pregnant 5 days before the wedding and found out on our honeymoon :) I chose not to have the baby here because the hospitals are not into natural births, with 2 out of 3 babies by c-section! So at 8 months pregnant I flew the 21 hours to NZ with bryn who was 3 at the time. My doctor had given me some medication to prevent labour while I flew, a low dose just for prevention. I ended up needing more as I got a tummy bug 2 days before flying and felt definite contractions. The pills worked (I didn't tell my doctor as I was worrie she wouldn't let me fly).What a mission but well worth it! My husband arrived 10 days before my due date (cutting it very fine) and Carden was born on the 11th March 2007 (1 day late). I went into labour on the Thursday afternoon but it was mild and kept stopping. I ate dinner with the family and didn't tell them I was having contractions. I tried everything to keep it going (including drinking castor oil - icky!). I went to see my midwife (same one as with Bryn)on Friday afternoon just to see if there was any dialation (it was so mild I wasn't sure) and she found I was 4 cm dialated - yippee, it was like a headstart as I hadn't been in any pain really, more like mild period pain! My husband was 2 hours drive away watching his brother play cricket but I told him not to rush back as things were going slowly. My midwife sweeped the membranes and I felt the contractions get more serious. Mum and I went for coffee then I went back to my husbands parents house to wait for him. Contractions started mucking around again, slowing right down to 30 mins apart.
I went for a 4km walk with hubby and sped them up again. Mum went home, we went to bed. I decided to have a bit of time in bed with hubby (if you know what I mean) as I hadn't seen him for a month and the last 10 days I had refused any action as I wanted bubba to have an extra week in there! But unfortunately that didn't work at getting contractions started (and was very painful!). Nipple stimulation worked but they kept slowing down again! The next day (Saturday) I went for a coffee with mum at about 4pm, and noticed during that 2 hours the contractions were 10 mins apart. Someone asked when I was due and mum was all excited and told them I was in labour. I got a bit pale so went back to the in laws house where my husband was waiting for me. We watched t.v and the contractuons kept coming. I was trying to eat dinner but had to keep putting my plate down and flip onto all fours every few mins. Very annoying as the dinner was delicious and getting cold!
We said goodbye to the Danny's parents and headed off to the local birthing unit (30 mins away). I was standing outside the car trying to breathe through a contraction when my MIL came out to say goodbye. I get very embarrassed labouring in front of people so I forced myself to keep standing and talking through the contraction (she didn t even know). We arrived at the Birthing unit at 10pm and my midwife examined me. I was 5cm dialated so she broke my waters. I got into the birthing pool and labour progressed very quickly. I didn't want hubby to talk to me or touch me during contractions - I prefer to let my mind float away outside my body (and away from the pain). After one hour I said to the midwife 'I feel like I want to push - but that can't be right can it? Its too soon!' She said I'm probably right and just to go with my body and push when I want to. The second midwife came in to assist and checked my progress, she commented his must be my second baby to go from 5cm to 10cm in 1 hour! I was on my knees with my arms resting on the edge of the pool and rocking and swaying my hips during contractions. It was awesome, really helped open everything up and relieve the pain. I got the giggles (very painful during contractions)because the midwife had to open the window behind me - the castor oil had upset my stomach something awful and it smelled like something had died in the birthing room. Just before he crowned I noticed the midwife getting her 'tools' out and asked if that meant the baby was coming soon. I think she was shocked that I had the presence of mind to even notice what she was doing! Hehe. It took a fair bit of pushing to get Carden to crown, and the whole time he was kicking like mad - I was begging the midwife to pull him out or something because the pain was excruciating when he kicked. She wouldn't and said I'll just have to push him out. My husband was looking into the water when bubbas head came out, a big fat squashed face and he kept telling me how cute he was. I thought 'right, that's it - I want to see for myself!' So one big last push and he was out. 11.30pm he was born in the water and lifted into my arms. He was fat and gorgeous at 8 pound 9 ounces. Bubba latched on to the breast straight away. I sat in the birth pool for another 30 mins getting photos taken and talking on the phone then went to lie on the bed and deliver the placenta which didn't feel like coming. The midwife had to give it a bit of a pull in the end. She was amazed because I had only lost about a tablespoon of blood throughout the whole birth. The baby cried all night (darn it) so we were shattered the next day! He is absolutely lovely now, seven months old and has always been the happiest little man. He is still fat and bonny and loves his solids :) I actually enjoyed both labours, and because I had no drugs they went very well and I was in complete control. To this day my husband doesn't believe that labour hurts much because I didn't make a peep. I only swore at him once - when he slammed on the car breaks during one of my contractions (after I'd quietly asked him to pull over for a minute). The most painful part for me is at 4-5cm dialation when the bodies endorphins (natural painkillers) haven't yet kicked in. If you can get past that stage you are fine. Hope this helps anyone who is pregnant :)
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