One of my favourite things about newborn photography is that I usually get to listen to how my clients brought their little ones into the world. Sometimes they say the birth went great and sometimes they say it was just awful but all of the stories I hear are filled with so much love and emotion, and that's what I love about them. I've been meaning to write mine down since I had Oscar almost 3 years ago and so I thought I'd share it in a blog post instead!
So my birth was quick. I mean I didn't even know I was in labour! I remember the night before me and my husband had just been and bought a new travel system from Smyths Toys and I remember Oscar feeling quite low at the time but didn't think much of it as he wasn't due for another week and everyone says your first baby is always late! We didn't get back home until late and finally got into bed at 11.45pm. I woke up suddenly at around 1am to a 'gushing' feeling and I though oh my gosh! This is it!! But there was nothing there in the bed and I really thought it was my waters breaking! So I went back to bed. The same thing happened at around 3.30am and again nothing was there but this time I felt a 'twinge.' It wasn't painful and I tried timing the 'twinges' on a contraction app on my phone but it was all so confusing so Niall rang the hospital. They told us to come in and they'll check me over.
We arrived at the hospital at around 5.30am and sat in the corridor on the maternity assessment unit. After sitting for about 20 minutes, a midwife came and took us over to a bed. I didn't even know this bit happened when you're having a baby - I just thought you went into a room and they check you over, and they either send you home or you have your baby! But anyway, this room was like a big square room with 4 or 5 beds next to each other with privacy curtains and then a desk and waiting area. It just felt like a big corridor with patients and staff walking in and out! Luckily I had the bed against the wall in the corner so felt like I had a bit of privacy! I think there was another lady in one of the beds as well who sounded like she was in late stages of labour! A nurse came and put a band around my tummy to monitor the baby's heart rate and then I just laid there. The 'twinges' started to get a bit stronger but they still weren't that painful. The nurse then said to me, 'Daisy, are you having contractions?' I replied with 'Well, I don't know really!!' So she came and moved the band about that was on my tummy and said 'Oh yes, you are! The band wasn't in the right place!' So I thought, right, ok I am having contractions. I thought they were just going to be those Braxton Hicks and that they were going to send home! The nurse then asked me to go to the toilet so they could check to see if my waters had broke. so I walked over to the toilet but it was locked and engaged. I turned around to walk back and I suddenly felt like Oscar was going to drop out! I felt like I couldn't move and all I wanted to do was push! I looked at Niall who was sitting across the room and it looked like the longest walk ever to get back to him! As soon as I got to him, I leant on his shoulder and just said, 'I really need to push!' and he told me to tell the nurse when she came over. So as soon as she came over, I told her and she replied in a very calm way, 'Ok Daisy, can you just take this paracetamol please?' I was like ok, yep, I'll take the painkillers!
We then went into a room where I was finally going to be checked over!! At this point, all I could think about was that I needed to push! The midwife came in and check me and just asked casually, 'How many CM do you think you are?' And I just remember saying, 'I don't care, I just want to push!' And she just shouted out the door 'We've got a 10!!' And so many midwives and nurses all appeared out of no where! I just laid there like what the heck is happening right now. They got me into a wheel chair and wheeled me into the corridor to take me upstairs and then everyone suddenly disappeared. I was then alone with one midwife and I just remember that it seemed so quiet apart from the sound of her putting on some latex gloves and saying 'Just incase!'
When we got upstairs at around 7.10am, we were then told all the delivery rooms were taken up! So they wheeled me into this big room with one bed in the far corner against the wall and got told that this room is actually for the birthing equipment to help bring labour along like birthing balls etc! Whilst they where getting the bed and everything ready for me, I was leaning against Niall and apart from the feeling that I needed to push, all I was thinking and saying was that I can't have my epidural. The midwife replied with 'You can if you're able to sit still long enough!' I was like yeah, that's definitely not going to happen!
It was then time for me to get onto the bed. FINALLY! I could push! One midwife left, so it was just me, Niall and one midwife in the room. Something I never thought could happen. Due to a medical condition, I had been told if I ever was to have a baby, I would have to have a caesarean. I was gutted at first as I have always wanted a water birth with no pain relief and with only one midwife in my local town hospital but understood this couldn't happen so to then be told I couldn't even have a normal labour, was just a bit upsetting. I eventually came round to the idea though as I knew it was the safest way, we'd be in safe hands and it would be a controlled environment. During the pregnancy though, a different consultant then told me that I could have a normal labour but I would have to have an epidural to reduce stress and tiredness. I remember crying as it was just overwhelming and I was worried I would get too tired in labour and everything would go wrong but happy because I could have a normal labour. A mix of emotions! Anyway, back to the labour story! So this environment I was in right now, was nearly like what I'd always dreamt of. I used the mouth piece on the gas and air to help me concentrate through the pushing and the contractions - I hardly used any off the actual gas and air itself! But I kept breaking the mouth piece off by doing this! I suddenly felt this burning sensation and the only way I can think to describe it is like a really bad Chinese burn ha! And I knew this was the final part from watching One Born Every Minute many times!! We were going to meet Oscar any second. I gave one last big push and he was here. I had done it. We had done it.
Oscar was born at 8.01am weighing 7lbs 2oz. He was absolutely beautiful and this was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Apart from the stitches afterwards! It felt so much worse than labour. Hopefully I'm not putting anyone off but it was just awful and something that I really hoped I wouldn't need after birth. I just remember the doctor being so rough and it just makes me feel sick whenever I think about it! But, Oscar arrived safe and healthy and that's all that mattered. We were left in that room in our own little bubble until around 5.30pm and then we got moved to the ward. An overnight stay later, we were then allowed to go home. And that's when our family adventure began.
Daisy x
