Lydia' Birth Story

Lydia’s Birth Story

For the Birth Story Carnival hosted by Kristen (GreenstyleMom)

Lydia’s due date was the 29^th December 2006. This day came and went with no sign that she was intending to grace us with her presence. I saw K (my midwife) that day and she monitored us for a while, then did a membrane sweep. I was already about 2 cm dilated. She booked me in for another appointment a week later for the same procedures, fully expecting that we wouldn’t need the appointment. The week went by so slowly. We went for lots of walks and tried to keep ourselves amused while we waited. DS went to stay at Nan’s house just in case.

At the next appointment the monitoring showed that baby and I were both fine and because I had had a “show” K didn’t do another membrane sweep. From the ultrasound we did find out the good news that Lydia was facing the right way for a normal delivery. K consulted with the obstetrician and I was booked in for an induction Monday 8^th January at 8am. I was feeling despondent about having to be induced and quite uncomfortable with such a large baby to carry around.

On the 7^th January we went to the Sunday morning meeting fully expecting to have a "normal" quiet Sunday. After the meeting we went to Mum & Dad’s for lunch. Around 2.30pm I realised my waters were leaking over Mum’s kitchen floor.

We came home and I rang E (my sister) to let her know things were happening. Meantime, we went for a walk in the hot sun around the block. My skirt got soaked from all the amniotic fluid; there was no doubt to anybody who we passed what was going on but frankly I didn't care. E arrived and we went for another walk. While we were walking, I estimated the contractions were around 5 minutes apart though not lasting very long. We came home and I sat myself on the birth ball in order to time the contractions properly so we could let the midwife know our progress.

K was not on call that weekend so we called B (her back up) who for various reasons I'd never actually met. By bizarre coincidence she had noticed us in Mitre10 the previous day and had thought to herself, “That lady is going to have her baby very soon!” We rang her first around4.30pm and her advice was to call her when I wasn’t sounding so happy! At this stage the contractions were about 3 minutes apart and lasting longer. They weren’t particularly painful and I could still talk through them normally.

Soon after this I had to breathe through the contractions and E or DH administered acupressure to my back. I had the TENs machine put on. Around 6.30pm I wanted to go to the delivery suite. Things were getting more painful and intense. It felt good to hum or let out noises during these contractions. We got to the delivery suite at 7.00pm. I had no idea about my progress and asked for an epidural because I felt I couldn’t cope with too much more. B checked me and said, "The good news is you're 9cm, the bad news is, its too late for an epidural!" I had mixed feelings about this. On one hand I felt triumphant I’d got so far without drugs, but on the other hand I wasn’t sure I could handle much more pain!

B bought in the gas for me which took some of the rawness out of the contractions, but they were still very intense. After a bit, B had me get up on the bed on my hands and knees. I wasn't there long and I started pushing involuntarily at the peak of the contractions. E, B and DH encouraged me by telling me they could see hair. Pushing was hard work.

Finally I managed to push her head out! What a relief! I didn’t have time to relax because then her shoulders got a bit stuck. DH pulled the emergency cord and the room filled with four midwives. I got flipped onto my back and with one final push, Lydia was born into the world at 8.19pm. Her cord was quickly cut and she was whipped over to the newborn station to have a bit of oxygen. DH called out, “It’s a girl!” as she went by. Within seconds she had “pinked up” and I heard a little cry.

I lay there stunned and amazed that I had given birth so quickly, with no major analgesia apart from some local for the three stitches I needed.

Finally I got to hold my little girl. She was so alert and looked around at her surroundings. We hadn’t totally decided on what name we would choose for a girl baby, but when I turned to DH and said, “Lydia?” he agreed. Our daughter was born.

ROM: 14.30 hrs

Labour Established: 18.30 hrs

Full dilation: 20.00 hrs

Delivery: 20.19 hrs

First gasp: 1 minute

Breathing Established: 2 minutes

AGPGARs: 7/10

Birth weight: 4270g

Head circumference: 35 cm

Length: 53 cm

Just born..

Lydia and Mum

First Bath