Julia's Story
10th December 2001. The day started with a visit from Andrea and Sue. I was so sure that my baby was coming early that at just one day over the due date I was becoming impatient so when Andrea and Sue arrived my only thoughts were "how can we get things started?" Andrea suggested we "sweep the cervix" which I have to admit I had no clue what this was but was assured that it was the best way to see how things were progressing as well as potentially helping things along. It was during this sweep that we discovered I was already 2.5cm dilated. I couldn’t contain my excitement. "What can I do to help this along?". Andrea advised me to have a long walk, eat a large meal and listen to my birth preparation tape. With that, I gave them both a hug and joked that I’d see them later!
I then took myself off for a long walk, which included a trip around the local shops. "When’s it due" the butcher asked "Oh, I think today or tomorrow" I said with a little glint in my eye. I then went home and warmed up a huge homemade lasagne (prepared by my mother-in-law for such an occasion) and ate expectantly. I then settled down to listen to my tape. I allowed myself, as I have done so throughout my pregnancy, to immerse myself fully into the words on the tape and within 15 minutes of its end I felt what I thought was my first contraction. I was reading a book at the time and so decided to continue to see if what I felt was the real thing (like most first time mums I was not sure what constituted the "real thing") and after 2 hours of 40 second, ten minute interval, mild period like pains I felt confident enough to start calling in the troops.
I began with Louisa who was one of my two birth partners. Louisa has 2 children of her own and Andrea delivered Joe, her youngest, at home. She reassured me that I was very likely to be in labour and should contact Neal (my husband) and have him come home. I called Neal and very calmly suggested that he might want to come home a little earlier than normal (it was now approx. 3pm). I think he was a little surprised as there were no signs when he left this morning. I then called Bekki, who is my closest friend who was equally surprised to hear from me as we had only been out for a meal the night before. I waited until I was absolutely sure I was in labour (this was after 3 to 4 hours of regular "pains") before I called her, as I knew she had tickets to see Paul Weller and he was one of her favourites. When I told her what was going on there was no question of the concert as we had been building up to this day for months. I then contacted Andrea and told her that I had been in labour for approx. 4 hours and she said that she wouldn’t come over straight away as it was still very early labour but to keep her informed. I was happy to do this as all I really wanted to do was make sure she was just a short drive away.
By 8pm all had assembled. Andrea came earlier than she expected, upon my request. My contractions had been every 5 minutes for an hour or two and I felt happier having her with me and she obliged without question even though this meant she missed her choir practice (oops!).
The birth preparation tape talks a lot about focusing on a pleasurable visual image during contractions. Neal and I had been to the Maldives earlier in the year so it was not difficult to visualise a place of sanctuary. As I had rehearsed this image a hundred times before I found it very easy to slip back to the beach at each contractions’ onset. When each came I simply placed my head down on the back of a chair, rocked my hips from side to side and dreamed of my favourite spot on the beach. Bekki and Louisa took it in turns to time each contraction in terms of interval, duration and intensity, 10 being the most painful.
Neal kept himself occupied by preparing spaghetti bolognaise for everyone. It was now approx. 9pm and I knew things were progressing as I suddenly lost my appetite and spag bog is my favourite. The atmosphere was great though. Between contractions I was able to chat to everyone, grab the odd bite to eat and even watch the Simpsons. Before I knew it is was suggested that I enter the pool.
Before labour began I would have placed money on me demanding to get into the pool as soon as possible but as I was coping with the contractions so well in the lounge I was reluctant to leave everyone and go into the dining room and into the pool. Louisa encouraged me by assuring me it was "orgasmic" which looking back was a bit of an overstatement but it had the desired effect as I undressed and immersed myself.
The warmth of the water was wonderful and although not orgasmic, it did reduce the pain of the contractions. Louisa and Bekki worked hard to keep the temperature just right and I continued to focus on my beach. This continued for an hour or two. In between contractions I continued talking to everyone but as Andrea commented, after several hours of 3-minute interval contractions I began to lose my sense of humour. In hindsight I recognised this as moving into the 2nd stage but at the time I think it was just a sign that the contractions were getting stronger and therefore were taking more out of me. I was eating glucose tablets for energy, water whenever it was offered and several Homeopathic remedies to help me through the process. Afterwards, I wondered why I didn’t ask for gas and air but I think this would have interrupted my concentration.
At around midnight I felt the need for a wee and asked for Neal to help me upstairs. It was quite an effort as I was weak from all the contractions. I also found it very hard to pass water. When I had finished I was suddenly taken over by 3 very powerful contractions that came in succession with no interval between. I got through these by holding on to Neal’s neck and just resting on him. However, they left me quite exhausted so when I came downstairs rather than get back in the pool I sat down on the sofa. Andrea had been monitoring the baby’s heartbeat every 15 minutes and each time the rate was around 135 bpm, as I sat down it dropped to 70 bpm. I remember being aware of the sudden tension in the room as it filled with a slow rhythmic beat. Andrea very calmly asked me to lie on my side in the recovery position and within seconds the baby’s heart rate returned to normal.
After this scare I instinctively knew that I wanted to birth my baby as close to human contact as possible so all thoughts of the birth pool went out of my mind "I’m having the baby here" I announced to which Andrea calmly advised my that this was not possible one, because she could not get good access to me and two, it was a rather expensive leather sofa with no protective covering on it. I didn’t care about either at the time but I knew better than to go against Andrea’s experienced advice. It was during this discussion that I experienced my most powerful set of contractions culminating in what I described out loud as "a judder". This was how I described the beginnings of what I now know as the 2nd stage. It was an amazing feeling of sheer inner force which I could not control. I began pushing involuntarily on the sofa without a care for the unprotected upholstery! Realising that delivery was imminent Andrea had assembled the troops and had them prepare the bedroom for the impending birth. This was quite an effort as all the equipment had to be taken upstairs and the bed and surrounding area covered in plastic sheeting.
Somehow Andrea managed to manoeuvre me upstairs between contractions. As I had been in the recovery position on the sofa I immediately adopted this position when I lay on the bed. In my mind I wanted to protect my baby from whatever had upset it earlier in the labour causing the lower heart rate. The recovery position had made it happy so I was determined to birth on my left side. However, after several incredible sets of pushes Andrea coaxed me into changing positions to make it easier for delivery. Neal sat astride behind me for support. Bekki took one leg, Louisa the other and I began to be taken over by an awesome primal instinct to push. I shouted out at first but Andrea told me to channel the energy down my body. It took me a few sets of pushes to co-ordinate everything but before long I was bearing down on Bekki and Louisa’s shoulders whilst pulling on my thighs and forcing my breath down and not out.
As I was completely aware of everything going on I could feel exactly where my baby was. I felt a shift within my abdomen as my baby moved down and I even felt a slight twist as it began to come down. The crowning took several sets of pushes before the head finally stayed and I began to feel a burning sensation. My instinct was to push through but Andrea asked me to pant as she controlled the head being born. It was at this moment that my waters finally broke. I even remember Andrea saying that she was about to be sprayed and sure enough she was. I felt a huge release as the head was born as well as overwhelming excitement. Any minute now I would meet my baby! Andrea asked me to wait for the next contraction before birthing the shoulders and body but I couldn’t wait and with one final push my baby was delivered with nothing but sheer determination as a contraction wasn’t due for a couple more minutes.
Mia Elizabeth was born at 3.02am on Tuesday 11th
December. She weighed 8lbs 9oz and entered the world pink and screaming!
It is difficult to describe the feeling as my baby was brought up to my chest. I was lucky enough to have photo’s of this moment and my face says it all. I expected to check the sex of the baby but it was several minutes before I discovered I had a little girl. I was so wrapped up in her face, fingers, toes, arms legs etc that "what" she was was irrelevant. She stayed on my chest for 15 minutes or so and with Neal right behind me he could share in this moment as intimately as I. I remember looking up at Andrea and asking "how did I do?" to which she just beamed which was all the assurance I needed. It was then time to birth the placenta which I’m happy to say came out without too much bother. I had a slight tear, which meant a stitch or two, but even this had a tinge of humour. "Aren’t you going to ask me where I’m taking my holidays this year" I asked as Sue was stitching me up, "I always get asked this during my smear test". I was then off to the bath for a scrub down and within an hour of delivery mother and baby were cuddled up together in a clean dry bed and Mia took that as her cue to latch immediately to my breast and feed like it was the most natural thing on earth.
Photo: Charles Faull
After an hour or two Andrea and Sue made sure mother and baby were ok and bid us goodnight. I remember feeling quite apprehensive as they left but I knew that Andrea would not leave unless she was completely happy so I settled down to my first "night" (it was 6am) with baby Mia.
I was on such a natural high that sleep was far from my mind. I kept thinking how lucky I was to have such a perfect little baby girl and what an awesome experience her birth was. I also found it impossible to take my eyes off her!
I will always look upon her birth as a fantastic experience and I owe much of this to the expertise, care and love shown to Neal and I from Andrea. She really is an exceptional woman and has touched our lives in a way we can never repay. Our thanks and love go to her for the safe arrival of our beautiful daughter. Thanks also to Bekki and Louisa (apologies for any bruised collar bones!) for all their love and support and to Sue for the stitches (which healed beautifully) and the fabulous photo’s.