As the time gets near for my baby girl to turn 1, I wanted to document her birth story.
Lemmy’s birth didn’t go as planned, everything was very overwhelming. Though we knew a lot of theory when the time came we were overpowered by the midwives, doctors and we as first time parents went with the flow…I’m not going to share Lemmy’s story now, lets just say that I wasn’t in a hurry to have another one and was thinking to adopt next, that should give you an idea of how I felt!
After almost 5 years of having Lemmy, I was ready for my little girls arrival. I was determined to not go down that route again…I did some research. I remember hearing from a friend that hypno birth helped her a lot. As a christian I didn’t believe in hypnosis, what is that about? Pushed it aside for Lemmy, but not this time…I met with Pat from Gentle-birthing who came to our place and so kindly told us all about it. We were open. She gave us a book, we booked her private classes to prepare. It was amazing.
The first exercise was quite funny. As Marc and I close our eyes and were taken on a journey, the story that Pat was sharing, I couldn’t help but remember Phoebe in that episode of Friends when she is doing this kind of exercise to Monica (so that she would forget Richard ) I was giggling and couldn’t stop laughing. I tried so hard to keep it together and follow the story….At the end, she asked us: what do you feel? How do u feel? I didn’t feel anything as I was trying so hard to keep it together….suddenly Marc open his eyes and said: wow, I can feel my mouth watering from the desire to eat that fresh lemon!!! what???!! well, at least one of us was getting it!! ha ha
The book was incredible, so much truth and common sense! It felt we were heading in the right direction finally. I started feeling confident, fearless and much lighter about giving birth. I started to believe in me again, that God had created my body and it was designed to give birth naturally. My courage grew, my anxieties lowered…I was ready.
Oh and I must add, the exercises of gentle touch were heavenly….Heavenly!!!!!! I couldn’t wait every week for the classes, they came and went like a wink. We had to have Pat as a doula too!!! Best decision/investment ever!!!!!!
Details below:
Thursday night
I had the “show” . I slightly panicked as I had nothing ready (practically) and Marc was not around.
Called the midwife, she said it was normal…and labour could start anytime from now but could also take a week or so…
Friday
I started with very mild period like cramps ( not sure what time) I went on with my life as normal.
About 4 pm I told Marc to go to the park for some last photos of the baby bump. Lemmy didn’t want to come, he stayed with my mum. As we went out I started to count the contractions with my phone app. Pretty handy and fun. The park was covered with a mantel of orange leaves, gorgeous. A bit chilly. I had to stop and breathe when the contractions came, but nothing too bad.
Unaware of Marc taking photos while the contraction hit me.
Recording it on my apple application.
We wanted to go for a last coffee date but realised it was almost 5 and everything was about to close. How about Pizza Express instead? It was our last date for how ever long?
We enjoyed a yummy meal and dessert. I stopped to breathe a few more times. They were getting a bit closer but not painful.
We arrived home and I went to relax and started watching a film.
About 10pm the contractions started to be more regular and a tad painful but very manageable. I went into position and breathed them out. All fine.
Suddenly about 11 ish? I had the normal contraction. I started breathing while watching film…but instead of stopping, it went into a very painful one that I had never experience before. It left me on the floor on all fours. I called Marc and told him that one was very painful. We should start all that we practice with Pat in hypno birth. We set up the music, I started to get into the pain free zone, breathing, having positive thoughts, I added praying too, as well as Marc started the gentle touching. The contractions were so painful that I couldn’t talk or make a sound. I was able to manage them by all the above and being at the floor was very important to me. Marc call our doula, she was on her way. After another one hit me hard, I told Marc that I don’t think I could move from this position if they come closer, we had better go to the birth Center now. We called the midwife, and as the contractions were still far apart it was suggested we waited for them to come closer. As soon as we hung up the phone, one came and another and another and suddenly they were rolling, I couldn’t move. Pat and Marc helped me to the car. I was walking bent down, snail speed. Apparently the car didn’t start for a few minutes. Pat met us at the Centre. As we arrived, I was in the parking lot bent over, then the hall way….I couldn’t move. The midwives saw me and tried to encourage me to go into a room to check how far along I was. The dreaded cervix check. At this point, it wasn’t about the check, but the pain was so strong that I could only manage it on the floor, breathing and in my comfortable position. Being up in a bed, lying down, was not received well. By policy or rules, it had to be done. They helped me up. That’s when I lost it. The pain was more intense. I thought I was not going to make it and I couldn’t verbalise anything, only that I was in pain, please help me. I felt a huge pressure from the inside to all my private parts as if something was about to explode from down there ( did I forget I was about to give birth?) At this point the midwife still hadn’t checked my cervix, as I needed to give her permission by saying yes, you may check me now. I couldn’t speak other than : HELP ME, JESUS TAKE ME HOME, JESUS, MAMI, HELP. And I may have said other stuff in between. I was told that I was trying to get back into the floor, and they were all trying to keep my head from hitting the floor and the window seal. So, finally it was suggested that I try gas and air so she could check me.
When I was in labour with Lemmy, I tried gas and air, made me dizzy and I hated it so I didn’t use it. Now, it was my only chance to escape this horrendous pain I felt. I started to inhale as if my life depended on it and suddenly I was flying in the clouds, it was heavenly. I finally could hear what was happening around me, I heard them asking me : can we check your cervix? You still haven’t checked it I thought? YES check the flipping cervix. As she checked it, she said: Wheelchair!!! Baby is coming, quick to the delivery room!!
I felt the head and I couldn’t sit in the wheelchair and squeeze the head…so I remember going side ways to the delivery suite and feeling great. They placed me in the birth chair in the room that it was my first choice ( I prayed for that room,and that chair!) Marc sat behind me and suddenly he put his hands under me to catch the head! And I saw the midwife and my doula rushing/sliding into the floor to catch the body! She slipped right through! I didn’t push!!! My dream came true!! My dream birth just happened!!! ” She is here, she is here” I kept saying. Apparently I didn’t want to release the gas and air!
We brought a video camera, 2 camera’s, 2 lenses and 2 phones. It was planned that my sister would have been there to take photos and videos, but she arrived 1 day too late! Lainey arrived about 5 days early. As you can imagine by the speed of her entrance in the world, we have no evidence of it! Here is one of the first photos our doula Pat was able to take with her phone! ( all our cameras were still in the car !)
The whole thing lasted 26 minutes. It felt like an eternity but I’m so thankful for everything!! I stil can’t believe how many things I prayed for and how every single one was answered! I truly believe that if I was left to be in the floor the whole time, I would have been able to give birth without the gas and air, it was only a few minutes after all! 😉
Leilani Valentina Sol James arrived in a speedy way, at 2:16 am on the 27 of October 2012. Weighing just 6 pounds.
Completely in love, elated, in awe of this little miracle who came into our lives. A bit of sunshine in this dampy world.
We arrived home, 5 hours later. My other dream. To be home the same day of the birth. Lemmy went to bed with no sister. And woke up at 7am by our arrival with his little sister! He was in shock! My mum couldn’t believe it. It was so good to be home. It felt right. The 4 of us together. This is how it was supposed to go. We felt very happy and blessed.
I want to remember all the little details. She was so small that I was scared I might break her, so tiny that all the newborn clothes were huge on her. Purple feet, wrinkly skin, her head coverd in vernix ( that was a first!) And she was bright pink!!! She had a few dots or bruises on her nose, and very red lips,among other things.
Here you can see a few more photos in a slideshow:
I think Marc should write his side of the story as it’s so different!!!
Maybe another time!
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