Here is Heidi's birth story. Forgive the length - I've never been good at editing. Thanks to the midwives, who took these photos (and many more that I've chosen to hold back from publication!).
In the last few weeks of my pregnancy with Heidi, things were running so well. I had high energy, was as comfortable as a heavily pregnant woman could be, looking good (I thought) and feeling prepared. It was so nice to have a sweet ending to the pregnancy. Around 38.5 weeks, I began to run out of energy. I needed more naps, and was able to get less done. I began to conserve energy as much as possible, and hunker down, ready to give birth. Although I was somewhat expectant that I may go into labour early, I was not on edge, and somewhat prepared to go overdue.
38 weeks
On Heidi’s due date (Tuesday 4th September), I ran a ton of errands downtown. Little things, like a final library visit, stopping by the bank, buying Aela some spring cardigans etc. People I didn't know would ask when I was due, and then on hearing me say, "Today!" they would all laugh and tell me to go home.
I had a midwife appointment, where Julie suggested we try a stretch and sweep, as she was now on duty the following day, where she wasn’t meant to be. We decided to go for it, as it might just move things along. If not, then that was fine. I was prepared to wait (but not super happy about it). The S&S was uncomfortable, though not highly painful, and almost straight away, I was feeling closer to going into labour. Things hurt when I moved, and I had a dull pain in my back. That afternoon, we went for a walk all together, as further encouragement to get things moving along. By the time dinner was over, my back pain had increased and I had a small bloody show. Evan and I watched Notting Hill on the laptop in bed in order to calm his nerves and give us something else to think and talk about. Halfway through, I lost some mucous. We went to bed relatively early, unsure of what the night would bring. I fell asleep easily.
I awoke at 2am with contractions fairly similar to what I had with Aela: substantial, easy to spot, lasting about 30 seconds. They were about 10 minutes apart, though somewhat irregular, and I was able to lie through them for about an hour and a half while Evan slept. He woke up at 3:30am as I began to get more restless. We lay in bed and waited a little longer, and I started to breathe very heavily or groan softly. We decided to ring Julie and get her advice. At 5am, she was already at the hospital, having done a delivery already. We decided to head in sooner rather than later, and called Mum. When Mum arrived, my contractions were now closer together, about 2-3 minutes apart, and becoming more intense. We felt confident it was time to go to the hospital. I remember thinking things would move very quickly from here, wondering if I would have one of those experiences where you think you're doing to deliver in the carpark etc. Hint: this did not happen.
Upon arrival, we were escorted via wheelchair to birth suite - nice to get the royal treatment. Everything was quite calm. Evan went to move the car, we waited for our student midwife Jayne to arrive, and I was sitting cross legged on the bed with my iPod, just quietly vocalising through each contraction, sometimes counting, sometimes just oooohing and aaahing. When everyone arrived, Julie checked me. 5cm. I was slightly disappointed - hoping to be a bit further along than that.
I continued to labour like this for a while, opting to leave hopping into the bath until things felt closer to transition. The only comfortable position was sitting bolt upright - leaning forward or backwards was highly uncomfortable. Everyone pretty much left me alone, but as labour progressed and I began to get far more back labour, Evan began to rub my lower back through each contraction and count for me. This was helpful, as I knew once he got to about 30 that things had peaked and were moving downhill. As the pain increased, I decided to hop in the bath.
The bath was warm and comfortable, though the pain didn’t decrease at all. I continued to vocalise through the contractions with back rubs and counting, but the contractions slowed right down. I was only having one every 5-6 minutes, with looong sleepy breaks in between. I began to get frustrated that things weren’t picking up. I kept looking at the clock, counting the time I had left until I had to get out (hospital policy won’t allow you to stay in for longer than 2 hours at a time). Each contraction, I was waiting for transition-like feelings: shakiness, urge to push etc. Nothing. After 2.5 hours, Julie suggested that I get out of the bath and try some walking. Nothing sounded less appealing, but I had to accept that things just weren’t moving along like I’d hoped in the bath.
I got out and endured 2 truly awful contractions while hanging over the back of a chair, trying to stamp through the contractions and breathe on the gas. The gas made me feel so sick and shaky that I decided I was better off without it, as I felt no pain relief anyway. This was a really low point for me. I couldn’t believe things were taking so long. At this stage, I’d been in labour for 7.5 hours - I’d expected to deliver before then! Julie checked me again, and I was 8cm. Again, I was disappointed. Everyone kept making suggestions .... what about the shower? What about the fit ball? But all I wanted was to stay exactly where I was on the bed, sitting upright, as that was all that felt comfortable in between contractions. I was so sleepy, so demoralised, and had a lot of difficulty making decisions. Julie offered to break my waters, but I managed to be decisive enough to ask to keep going. After 40 minutes out of the tub, I was safe to get back in, which I did with relief.
I was in the water for another hour, getting truly tired and concerned. Where was transition? Where was the urge to bear down? For a few contractions, I felt an urge to push but felt as though I couldn’t in the position I was in (leaning against a shelf in the tub). Julie suggested that Evan hop in the tub and I lean back against him, and hold myself up off the floor for contractions. My brave husband did just that, and within 1-2 contractions, I was pushing. All of a sudden, I felt my whole body contort with the pain of a head emerging - what!? For something that took so long, all of a sudden she was almost here? One more push and I felt my waters break and I looked down and there was a tiny little head with black hair and little ears. I knew that this was it, within seconds, I would be holding my daughter. I had to keep holding myself up in order to not sit on that precious little head! One more push and she was out, and in my arms. My first thoughts were how gorgeous she looked, but so blue! I didn’t notice at first, but within a few seconds I realised the midwives were rushing around and I heard Julie asked for the “recuss kit”. They were clamping and cutting the cord, something I’d asked them not to do, but I didn’t care at that moment because they were obviously concerned about something. Evan and I were rubbing her skin, willing her to cough or show signs of breathing. She was so still. Julie cut the cord and flicked her skin and sure enough, with a small cough, that skin started to pinken up and then we heard a mewling cry. Later on, we discovered that Julie was worried because the cord wasn’t pulsating, therefore wasn’t delivering any blood to baby, and she needed her to breathe straight away.
With all of that sorted, we were free to hold and love on our baby. I was elated: I finally felt that high that people talk about when they give birth. Evan was in tears and I couldn’t stop kissing them both. Heidi was very calm, and we held her in the water for a few minutes before I realised the bath was getting pretty gross and we should get out. Evan and Heidi got to snuggle and get dry while I did the necessary third stage, and then we all collapsed into bed with heated blankets and towels. What a long morning! Heidi’s labour took 9 1/2 hours (half an hour longer than my previous birth), but culminated in a quick and complication free delivery, and super quick recovery, thanks to the water. I would definitely use the tub again, and am so thankful for the support of my fantastic husband and regular midwife.
One hour old
Heidi Victoria was born at 11:37am on Wednesday, 5th September. Her name means, "noble, generous and victorious one".
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