Wondered around the house for abit, deciding against doing any dishes and decided instead to have a nap beside Jordan as he worked away on his computer. I awoke from light sleep with the feeling that I had peed myself and quickly went to the bathroom. With all the baby pressure on my bladder I couldn't be sure what had happened. I was definitely leaking. I called Jordy and told her and she laughed and said, you know that's what women say when their water has broken, that they think its just pee. I still wasn't sure. But when I continued leaking I figured something was up and told Jordan. I told him that he needed to finnish up his work and wrap it up for the weekend because my water had probably broken and a baby might be coming this weekend!
About an hour later it was 5pm and I asked Jordan to do the dishes (I still hadn't done them and they had piled up that day) because my contractions had started and I needed to focus on getting some last minute stuff together. So far the contractions had only just started and they were 6-7 minutes apart at 30-45 seconds long. I called my Midwife to let her know that things had begun to move and that I was beginning labour. Jordan picked up Jonas from school and we all hung out together on the couch and decided to stay at home until my contractions became more uncomfortable. Jordan picked up a couple of rib dinners and we all ate dinner and I told Jonas that the baby had decided that it was ready to come and that soon we would be heading to Soren and Andrea's house so that we could be close to the hospital.
I kept busy between contractions because I felt really restless - so I packed a bag for Jonas and straightened out my room and we slowly made our way to the car. I think we made it to Soren's place by 9pm. I was quite relaxed and for each contraction I just leaned against the ball or the wall and tried to relax my body as much as possible during the contraction. Not always possible during the entire 45 seconds but definitely for part of them. I decided to retreat into the bedroom for abit because I was beginning to feel a little distracted by Jonas, Jordan and Soren. I got on the phone with my sister and chatted for awhile. For each contraction I needed to put the phone down and focus. Soon the time came when I was no longer comfortable talking on the phone and my contractions were beginning to feel much more intense. I hadn't been doing much timing - I was going more on intuition for this labour. I said goodbye to Ashleigh and went and had a contraction in the bathroom. At this point they were getting big and I needed Jordan now. I figured we could be together in the bathroom for abit and he could massage me and maybe I would even have a shower. Soren played with Jonas and Jordan joined me. But within a couple of contractions Jordan figured it was time to call the Midwife and start moving along to the hospital. I was a little shocked that everything had moved so quickly but agreed to make the call. I was beginning to shake and my legs were beginning to bend alot during each contraction. Candace was already at the hospital so she asked us to meet her there. WIthin a few minutes we were in admitting at Women's Hospital and if you can believe it, all the beds were full. The usual hospital policy is to go through admitting where a nurse or your Midwife will check you dilation - they do not want women in early labour using up the beds in labour and delivery. It was fairly obvious that I was in deep labour and I was even squatting a little so after checking my blood pressure, Candace convinced whoever is in charge to let me through. I was in a completely different world but knew enough about what was going on around me to kind of laugh (in my mind) and think 'is this for freaking real?? what a crazy thing to be in such labour and have to go through admitting - I felt sorry for all those first time mothers in admitting and not officially dilated enough to get a bed!' ugh. I can see how this situation could close up your cervix and slow your labour for many women - especially those who have a random nurse checking them and their doctor is nowhere to be seen. At least it is more comfortable with your midwife whom you know and have a trusting relationship with!
Luckily we were assigned to one of the nicer labour and delivery rooms and Candace wheeled me away and what I remember is how nice the wind felt on my face - we were moving fast. Everything from this point on moved at lightning speed, as I was told later. Karina was born an hour after we arrived at the hospital!
Being in my own world, I completely fell into myself. Its so hard to explain but its the most amazing state to be in. I was just body and spirit. There was no fear, I felt completely safe. I felt joy. I let my body do what it needed to move that baby down and out.
I was 5 cms dilated and that was the first and only time Candace checked me. Jordan was right at my side as contractions came closer together and Jordy (my friend and Doula) arrived minutes after we were settled. I think she got me some water as I knew I was a little dehydrated. I was also given an IV in case I needed oxytocin if I were to have another bleed like I did after Jonas was born.
Soon I had a huge puke that seems to happen to many women in transition (the last few cms of dilation are usually the most intense part of labour). After the huge puke, I remember Candace saying - I bet she's fully dilated after that! Well, soon after I felt the urge to push and 15 minutes later Karina was born! I went from pushing sideways on the bed to being on all fours because the heart rate had been lost (I think) and there was the need to quickly find it again. So out my baby came and she was swiftly brought to me between my legs where I looked down, moved the umbilical cord out of the way and declared that it was a girl! What an amazing moment! I turned around and held her to my belly and watched her in awe. She watched me and all was good. The umbilical cord was left unclamped as I had requested and we just stayed in the moment. A while later my placenta had not delivered and I had a bleed which was quickly brought under control with an IV of oxytocin. The OB came to coax the placenta out and all was good. Jordy took many many photos (thanks girl!), Jordan held Karina and snuggled her into his bare chest and much later we had her weighed and checked. She was perfect and had her first meal a couple of hours after birth.
No comments:
Post a Comment