Birth Story - L.P

10pm Thursday Jan 12, pelvic pain starts. It's still there in the morning and throughout the day so Joe stays home from work to look after Mateo. I deal with the pain all day thinking it’s from an off position of baby, in hindsight realising by the mid afternoon I was actually in pretty far into early labour. Thanks to a phone call from a friend listening to what I was experiencing and telling me to go to the hospital. Because, with my first birth Mateo was positioned posterior, the labour sensation I was waiting for was intense cramps at the front with significant back pain, but I never got back pain this time. Just an intense tightening across my front pelvis. At 3:30 I had two mini Panadol - (being a naturopath we don’t keep a wide variety of medications at home 😅) and called my mum to come and get Mateo. Leaving home just after at 4:15pm to Joan Kirner women’s and children’s. At ~5pm a VE suggest I was 6cm dilated with waters intact so I accepted a stretch and sweep and Joe and I walked some hospital stairs for 30mins to try move those waters along and baby more down. With each wave of pain stopping to use movement and Joe applying pressure on my lower back. With no change after this time we waited for our birthing suite on a sofa in the hallway. Things getting more intense, I was faced with feeling frustration and impatience about the wait time. Having to be reminded by my fantastic hyponobirthing support partner Joe to keep cool and not to stress over what I can’t control. We got into the suite around 7pm. Starting out on the bed on my knees moving with cramps and breathing down with each wave of surges. I stayed here for about an hour. Every wave testing my patience and pain. Because my birth with Mateo was so long and full of road blocks I was so anxious and scared tonight’s birth was going to go the same way. Despite the pain, effort and exhaustion, it ending in an assisted delivery after so many hours. Thoughts suggesting I won’t be able to birth this baby, this is too much, I should ask for assistance now floated through my mind but stayed unspoken, counteracted by encouragement and reassurance from Joe and my midwife team. At a tipping point I asked when i could be given some options and when we would be checking how things are progressing. Not for another hour and 40 minutes. Joe reassured me to keep up what I’m doing and change position or head into the shower to break up the time. I moved into the shower for about 20 minutes and let the hot water run over my lower back and a heat pack at the front. With legs like jelly i decided to go back to the bed, staying standing at the side as I feel I could allow my pelvis more flexibility this way. Sure enough, my waters finally released at 9pm with an intense surge and it was exactly what I needed at this time to pull me back into the right mindset by assuring me things were progressing. Everything started intensifying and I was snapping back into my hyponobirthing training. With each surge breathing down and positioning my body to exactly where it felt it needed to be. Holding onto Joe the whole time (pretty much in a headlock) and using his body as counter weight as I focused all my pressure and energy to my baby. I can do this, my body IS doing this. Over the next 43mins surges came and went with an alternating reaction to each - one screaming, scared, doubtful and crying. The next focused, calm, controlled and intentional. Hearing that the head is visible brings another flood of motivation. Things are stretching, there’s blood, sweating, legs like jelly, my mouth so dry. I become dependent on ice chips between every effort. The last half hour it was happening, excruciating and intense sensations were fought against with controlled intentional breathing and focus elsewhere, the eyebrows were out, holding our baby there between surges ready to repeat for the next to bring a whole head out! It happened “quick someone take a photo” between crying and fully freaking out! Head is now earth side and no, I don’t want to touch it. Soon after with the same techniques I’ve mastered in this short time, together with the midwives the body is out and passed forward through my legs into into my arms. Covered in vernix and quite calm I hunch over her. The birth is done!! Oh my god, I can’t believe I just did that! I think there was a lot of “OMG”s and FUCK”s screamed in this part too. We establish a latch and start feeding, my team knows to allow for delayed cord clamping until pulsing stops and to not wipe away all her vernix. When it comes to my post birth examinations and care Joe continues skin to skin whilst I’m unable to. The support team around me being my partner Joe, midwife student Dimi and midwife’s Toni and Rebecca had the guidance of my birth preferences to ensure my birth goals were met when they could be. Dimmed and quiet room, to always speak to Joe if an issue should arise, allow for freedom of movement, not to offer medical pain relief and the baby related ones like delayed cord clamping, keeping vernix on, minimal examinations in the first hour so mother and baby can bond. After the birth and assessments we enjoyed some tea and toast, a rinse in the shower and were discharged at 2:45am Saturday morning. McDonald’s on the way home and up into bed with our newest family member by our side!

So welcome Lucie, at 3.95kg, an unassisted, unmedicated, natural birth. What an experience you have given me.

I’ve always had such a flexible view on birth. An unassisted, unmedicated, natural birth would be un

real but if it didn’t happen like that for any reason beyond my control I wouldn’t grieve that experience. I had my preferences ready with no pressure to abide by them otherwise you bring upon unnecessary disappointment if they aren’t fulfilled. My first birth was so different, things did not go to plan. All I was able to achieve out of my preferences was skin to skin between Mateo and Joe. I had medications, extra exams, epidural, assisted with episiotomy, vacuum and then forceps. There was no golden hour or delayed cord clamping. I think back on this birth still as positive experience as every step of the way was informed and respectful.