Our bubba boy Harrison Jack is here! Born Thursday 25th of October.
I was due on the 15th of October and at clinic on they were going to induce me on the 25th. They asked if I could come in to birth suite for a CTG on the 24th to make sure bubba was ok. I went in at 1pm on the wednesday and the CTG looked fine, a little flat but ok. I asked for an internal to check how things were going as the internal done on the previous friday indicated a long closed cervix not ready for induction. I also asked for a stretch and sweep as a last ditch attempt to go into labour myself. A Dr did an unbelievably horrendously painful S&S for which she apologised, I was 3cms dilated and after the S&S I was 4cms. Bubs didnt like it thou and his heart decelerated markedly. The nurses flipped my on to my side and immediately had the oxygen mask on me monitoring bubs closely. His heartrate came back up and they decided to induce me that night with gels. I was upset by this, and didnt feel ready for induction DH called my SIL and my Mum to come in as I was upset. In the meantime they put the gels in (gently thank goodness). SIL and Mum came in and then at around dinnertime I was moved to the wards. I started getting very mild contractions about 10 mins apart, more like braxton hicks than anything. Mum and SIL went home to get some dinner etc saying to call them if needed. After a while they decided to move me to southern wing which is strange because that ward is for women who have already given birth. After settling in they came and monitored me. Bubs was having little decelerations after each mild contraction for a while but that stopped. The midwife decided I needed to go to birth suite because the contractions were closer together and regular. She conferred with another middy who said I didnt need to go. They moved me back to birth suite anyway at around 10pm. I asked DH to call Mum and SIL again so they'd be here and off we went. Back in birth suite they asked me which room I wanted and I picked the room that all of my children have been born in, room 3.
Sometime after 10:30 something in my belly went "snap" it was the wierdest, most surreal thing and I commented on it to the midwife Leeanne. After that it was real contractions, intense and painful but only really in the bottom of my belly. Mum arrived and I jumped in the shower, DH then said he was going to duck out and get something to eat as he had had nothing since lunch. I was in so much pain I started begging for an epidural, saying there was no way I could cope like this for hours. SIL arrived and sometime around there the middy agreed I could have an epi but they needed me out of the shower to do an internal and set up drips etc. Knowing I COULD have one I stayed in the shower for longer sucking on the gas. Mum kept talking about me getting out of the shower but I didnt really want to move. She finally got me out and I went back to the bed. By the time I'd walked about 4 feet I was drenched in sweat and didnt want to lie down. I did eventually and by this stage the labour pains were also in the tops of my legs which was awful. DH came back at this stage somewhere and I was bad, asking people to help me to which they replied "let Leeanne do an internal and we can get you an epidural" but I wouldnt let her touch me. I remember Mum saying "it'll take 2 mins" to which I said "when have I got 2 mins?" the pains seemed without end. It gets very blurry here I remember yelling and Mum telling me to be quiet, but I couldnt tell her that the yelling was my body pushing. I remember hitting poor DH at one stage over and over and also grabbing the front of his jumper and pulling him down. I remember the middys talking to Mum and SIL and I kept telling them to shut up as they were really throwing off my concentration. I remember sucking too much gas and feeling like I was going to pass out so I shook my head side to side really fast which for some strange reason made me feel in control. I could feel my body bearing down but it was gentle almost like it wasnt happening to me. I realised baby was coming soon but definately couldnt verbalise it. I gently pushed him down like this until I could feel him about to crown. I think this is when (luckily) Leeanne said I'm going to check you. She put the tip of her finger inside and said something like "your baby is right there but you knew that didnt you" and I said "yes". I then have a vague memory of her asking mum to pass her some sort of equipment or something fast, I think I got another contraction and his head was out. I was sucking the gas and was very out of it it felt to me like he just slid out with no effort. I think I pushed a little to get his body out then they lifted him on to my tummy where he began to cry a little. He was born at 16 minutes past midnight, I'd say around an hour and 45 mins from when the real contractions started. My first thoughts were that he was yellow because he was covered in poo, apparently there was not much water in there (I suspected my waters were leaking) and there was so much poo they had to almost scrape it off his face. I then delivered the placenta which was far from healthy and they checked me, no tears so no stitches again YAY. He was measured 4.460kg (9lbs 13oz) Head Circ 37cms. He had a feed and I then had a shower and we went back to southern wing.
By their dates I was 10 days overdue by my dates I was 18 days overdue. He was so overcooked and peeling. I really think someone was looking after him and we are truly lucky he's here safe and sound. We came home on the Friday morning, he was weighed again on sunday and he'd only lost 80grams, by 2 weeks old he weighed 4.9kgs and had gained 1.5cms in his head circumfrence, so is definately thriving. I just love him to bits and the other kids love him too which is great. DH is smitten.
Thankyou for reading!
