Just a Labour Flashback...

Was catching up on my celeb news this morning (yes, I do get time to do such trivial things in the morning as Baby Bear loves his playmat!) and read that Mariah Carey wanted to give birth to her own songs! Saying that, I had a labour playlist.
I wanted to listen to pan flutes in the early stages, and happy songs that brought back nice memories in active labour.

With my 1st stage of labour being just under two hours, my birth plan went out of the window. It took almost an hour and a half to pack the last of my bag, have a cup of tea and get to the hospital, by which point I was fighting the urge to push in the car (I thought I was being ridiculous, little did I know I was already fully dilated). My lovely midwife offered to run me a bath, and I said yes... It got about two inches full before I shouted I didn't have time!!

I then read that Miranda Kerr told Orlando Bloom he wasn't allowed to leave her to pee, and thought this was mean until I remembered Daddy Bear saying he needed the loo, and telling him 'well I need to push, so you'll have to wait!'
His bladder really was the last thing on my mind when there was a giant head making it's way down my birth canal.

So needless to say, half the stuff in my hospital bag was absolutely useless. Although I used the pillow (after telling my mum not to bring it), I came home with it almost fully packed. I'd changed into a nightgown to deliver, used toiletries to have a shower, and put a clean outfit to go home in... Obviously I didn't know my labour was going to be so short, or that I'd be let out of hospital six hours later, or my bag would have been considerably lighter. For all I knew, I could have been in labour for days, using the magazines, snacks, and various other bits and pieces I'd packed.

Happily reminiscing...
xxx

Baby Bear Has Arrived

On the 30th of March 2011 at 5.59am Lucas William George made his way screaming into the world, weighing 8lb3oz and looking absolutely perfect.

28th March

I had my stretch and sweep, 2cm dilated and fully effaced, which set off contractions but as usual, nothing came of it. All day Monday nothing exciting happened, and Mummy Bear was getting very frustrated.

29th March

10am - I was stood washing up and felt a trickle. Though Baby Bear had done his usual and stomped on my bladder so I ran to the loo and my pad was wet with pink fluid. Hmm, more show?

12am - Went shopping with Nanny Bear, thought if it was my waters then walking around would break them properly, but no. Damp pad, not wet. grrr.

5pm - had small trickles all day, assumed it was wee until I walked the dog for an hour, came home and was absolutely soaked through. Phoned maternity who told me to come straight in. Getting nervous now, as if it was wee this was humiliating. Went in and had it confimed that it was indeed my waters, they'd been leaking all day and I had until 9am the next morning to go into labour before they'd induce me.

OH MY GOD I WAS GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!!

But I'd still had no contractions, so I just accepted that I'd have to be induced, had a nice long hot bath, a lovely dinner and a tiny glass of wine, before lots of cuddles with Daddy Bear and went to bed early.

30th March

3am - awoke with a nasty pain in my tummy - thought I needed a poo so I got up and got about half way across the room before I felt the rest of my waters gush out. Wide eyed and giggling because I didn't think it was going to happen I waddled to get a towel and made a nappy with it. Daddy Bear came in from the living room, hearing me move around and I told him I thought I was going into labour. But first I really needed the toilet. I contracted twice on the way to the loo, and panicked a bit. They were already five minutes apart, and painful. I got dressed, had a slice of toast and phoned my mum because they were already so painful I couldn't walk or talk through them. I gave maternity a ring, and contracted twice during the five minute call, so they told me to come straight in.

4.15am - My mum arrived and helped me get my things together, Daddy Bear was grabbing things that I thought of , whilst I panicked.

4.45am - The car ride to the hospital was absolutely horrendous, I felt like I needed to push with each contraction, it was painful but bearable. I contracted every two minutes, which made the corridor to maternity seem a mile long but eventually I got there and was put straight into a bed. I tried to tell her what had happened but I couldn't, so midwife examined me... 10cms and ready to push him out!!!

So I had Daddy Bear on one side and my mum on the other, the midwife stood out of the way and let me follow my instincts. So I pushed for around 50 mins, and he came out eyes open making noises at 5.59am, put straight onto my chest. I've never felt anything like it, the overwhelming joy as my baby boy was put into my arms. Everybody cried, it was beautiful and natural, no painkillers but I did tear so needed a fair few stitches. It was a dream labour, I couldn't have imagined anything better and would do it again in a second.

He's a fussy feeder but I'm trying not to give up breast feeding, am so tired but he's so worth it.

I barely get a second between feeding, visitors and cuddles, so I'll update again when I can!!

Loving every moment with our beautiful Baby Bear

xxx

38+5

So, after my... ahem... small rant the other day, I went to my NHS Parentcraft Class, dragging an incredibly sleepy Daddy Bear behind me. It was really interesting, and not at all what I expected. With a name such as 'Parent'Craft, I expected it to be about the first few days after baby, nappy changing, feeding, that sort of thing, but it was actually more focused on the labour and birth, which, with mine being very soon, was actually lovely.

Everybody was less pregnant than I, as I think your supposed to go between 28-34 weeks, and that's whereabouts most of the preggo ladies were! I felt there stares on my enormous belly and felt them wondering if I was going to pop in the FOUR HOUR class. I didn't. Bloody wish I did though. Anyway, she went through the stages of labour, early labour tips, wshen to go to hospital, what happens when you get there, coping and pain relief, birthing positions and options, what a birth partner can do for you, what happens immediately after the birth. It was so much information but all very relevant to us, and I think it was more beneficial to me as someone that was about to drop than perhaps the ladies less far along, some who looked very frightened at some things! Can't say some of it didn't scare the bejeezus out fo my but it's inevitably going to happen at some point within the next few weeks!

We then got to look around. Daddy Bear wasn't keen as he knows I'd love to give birth in a birthing centre such as this rather than a hospital, and as soon as I looked around, having been admitted to the labour ward at our local hospital before, much preferred the birth centre :(. There was a young girl who gave birth two days ago and was very happy to let us coo over her tiny bubba. Never felt so broody in my life. We got to see the postnatal room, the birthing suites and the birth pool, and I was really happy to see it, it made it feel very real.

I highly recommend the class to any first-time mum's who perhaps aren't so sure about the labour, like me, and want more information. If you've given birth before it would probably just be everything you already knew!

On another note, my desperation to have my baby focused on this 'supermoon' which apparently makes lots of ladies go into labour. I waited. Considered dancing naked in the moonlight. Still probably wouldn't have worked... Given my neighbours a shock perhaps though...

Still waiting the arrival of our little Baby Bear
xxx