I am often asked about my birth experiences. People assume that because I have seven children that birth was an easy process for me and that was the reason that I kept going back for more. All of my experiences have been different and special in their own way and I find that I can relate to many other women because they have been so varied.
In my conversations with other mothers I have met very few people who have actually had what I would call an somewhat easy birth. To me there is no such thing. Giving birth is downright painful, exhausting, overwhelming, exilarating and incredible all rolled into one.
So to answer all the questions here are my seven brief birth experiences:
1. Chelsea * With my first birth I was very nervous and extremely excited. Having looked forward to becoming a mother for most of my life I was hoping that everything would go well and I would have the opportunity to be one. I had no idea what I was really in for, even after watching a birth movie, which I have to say totally scared me. I followed my 'What to expect when you are expecting' book every single day to answer all my questions.
I started getting regular contractions at 6 days overdue first thing in the morning on a Thursday. I was an emotional mess by this stage as I could not believe I had gone so late. I went to my doctors appointment at the hospital that day where they sent me home to wait. I knew I was in serious labour when by Thursday night I could not stop rolling around on my bed in absolute pain.
We called the hospital because I could no longer talk and breathe properly and went in about 8pm. After about 5 hours I was still in pain and by now totally exhausted. I remember screaming hysterically at one stage and the midwife telling me to calm down. After that I stayed quiet and remained in control. I made the decision to have Pethadine and it helped me sleep a little.
At around 4am in the morning they decided to break my waters and we discovered that Chelsea had become stressed and done a poo inside of me. The room immediately became full of staff and I was told I had to push her out fast or they would use the suction cap to pull her out. My idea of having a natural quiet birth changed very quickly.
I had decided to write out a birth plan and gave it to my midwife. I remember at one stage they wheeled in a large mirror to help me with my pushing. I took one look and screamed 'take it out! take it out!', that was the last time I ever wrote out a birth plan!
They let me spend the next hour pushing her out {it amazes me where you can get the energy from when you really need it} and she was born at 5am on Friday morning. I ended up having to have an episiotomy to help to get her out. There was no need for the suction cap and she was healthy and beautiful. I totally adored her and Chelsea was more perfect than I could have ever imagined and I was delighted that my dream to become a mother had come true.
Just before having Chelsea
Chelsea several hours old
2. Nathan * As Matt was living away for work when Nathan was due to be born, we arranged for me to be induced on a weekend so that Matt could attend his birth. My pregnancy with Nathan had been very good compared to all the vomiting I did with Chelsea. I was hoping the birth was going to be shorter and easier too.
I went into hospital on a Thursday night and was given 'The Gels'. I waited to see if they would take affect and the first lot did nothing. The second administration worked. As soon as I felt the first contraction I knew it was on. I was scared stiff as I knew what I was in for this time and immediately called Matt to come into the hospital.
I was hooked up to a drip so they could monitor me and speed up the contractions if they needed to. After about 5 hours they decided to break my waters, {I so dislike having that done and it hurts so much!}, to help speed things on a little. I ended up having so much fluid that I flooded the floor and I still remember them bringing in a mop and bucket!
The pain from the contractions was terrible. I spent all of my time with my face in the gas mask and overdosed a little, alright a lot, and ended up laughing my head off to the amusement of everyone around me. For Nathan's birth I had a male student deliver him. It was not a good choice. I kept telling him I would rather have another episiotomy than tearing and he kept telling I would be fine. I still remember his face when I tore badly and he then had to spend a long time stitching me up.
Several hours later Nathan was born. When he came out he was totally blue and that was when we discovered he had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck several times, very tightly. They quickly undid the cord, immediately placed him on my chest and then took him away to be checked.
I felt so blessed and lucky that he turned out healthy and well. I was scared that he could have some effects from the cord and was relieved that he could come to the room with me and we could begin our relationship together.
When Nathan was born I could not believe I had a baby boy. For some reason I always thought I would have all girls and he was just a pure delight for me.
Baby Nathan
Chelsea and Nathan - 14 months apart in age
3. Liahona * I remember very clearly this was a difficult pregnancy and birth. I was very swollen and sore throughout the whole pregnancy. I was booked in to be induced 10 days over due. The night before my appointment on the 10th day I went into labour. I was very exhausted, very emotional and very ready to get this baby out.
I had booked myself into the Birthing Center to have another natural birth. As I went into labour without being induced I was able to attend the center. Two things I remember with Liahona was that I had to stand up every time I had a contraction and Matt doing funny dances for me on a swivel chair in the birthing suite to keep me smiling.
Once again I was hoping for a shorter birth and once again it was so not going to happen for me. We went into hospital around 11pm at night and Liahona was born around 5am the next morning. It was a long night of contractions and very slow progress.
I remember a midwife came in, did an internal to check me and decided to help me along with my dilation process. Without telling me she used her fingers to tear apart my cervix to speed up my dilation. Then she quickly left the room. I screamed my head off it hurt so much and she was lucky I was laying down because if I could have reached her I would have hit her in the face.
I understand she was trying to help me along and I am thankful it sped up the process but, man alive the pain! So to help recover from that, to help me relax, I decided to have a bath. As soon as I sat down in the bath I felt a big thrust or shift of the baby and realised she had slipped down and her head was crowing.
The midwives immediately drained the water and told me I could not have the baby in the bath. I tried to argue with them that I would love to stay where I was and have the baby there, but guess what happened next. I had to stand up out of the bath and carefully walk {well waddle}with Liahona's head presenting, partly hanging out, to the bed holding her inside me with great difficulty. Talk about insane!
It was the longest wide legged walk of my life! Liahona was delivered on the bed healthy and well and with a full head of black hair. Totally gorgeous and very different from my other two!
It did end up being a natural birth for me and I decided from now on I was going to have a little more medication to help me get through these births. They were not getting any easier.
Liahona about 1 hour old
Now with three cherubs
4. Harmony * By now I knew I was one of those women who is always late in having a baby. This time I decided to take matters into my own hands to speed things up a little. I booked myself in to be induced about 5 days overdue.
When I went into the hospital to have a check to see if could be induced they told me to go home as the baby was not ready. Well, I was ready and wanted the baby out there and then. They looked over my records, previous birth history and decided to admit me to be induced.
The morning started off very slowly in relation to contractions and by lunch time I was in a lot of pain. Even though I was in pain I was not dilating very fast at all. I decided to have an epidural to help me get through the day.
They had a lot of difficulty inserting the epidural and I actually had it put in three times before it started to work. By the end of the third time I was emotionally worn out from having to lay still and not move during the contractions so that could put the epidural in.
About one hour later they upped my drip and the contractions really hit hard. Still very little progress.
Late in the afternoon they decided to break my waters. Have I mentioned I hate that part! Then began another long wait to see if baby would arrive. Every so often a midwife would come in to check on me.
Around 6 or 7pm a midwife came in to check on me again. All I remember is she swore and ran out of the room. I turned to Matt and said 'I am having a caesarian'. With having an epidural I could not feel anything and did not know what was wrong.
Very quickly doctors and nurses rushed in and I was taken to theater. I was told along the way I had a cord prolapse and Harmony had hand presentation. She was trying to come out arm first! Lucky for me I already was medicated and ready for surgery. I remember as I was being rushed down the corridors having a feeling of peace that everything would be alright. I held on to that feeling and used it to get me though the next couple of hours.
I ended up having an emergency caesarian and it all happened so fast that Matt missed the birth of Harmony. I was blown away how fast everyone moved to be there and how quickly they got her out. I was so, so thankful that she was healthy and that we have such wonderful technology and skilled hospital staff to help with giving birth in our day.
Harmony was just such a sweet cherub and I feel so grateful to have her in my life.
Our growing family with baby Harmony
The four cherubs
Just gorgeous - Harmony
So in Part 2 I will share the next three births and how after having an emergency caesarian I was able to go on and not have any more caesarian births. This was a really difficult process to keep it short and brief. There is so much emotion and feeling involved in each birth.
I hope you enjoy my experiences, they are special to me as they have each given me a great gift, a wonderful cherub each time to come to our family.
