Worth the Wait ~
9 long days overdue but well worth the wait.
My second baby was born as what is known as a BBA (birth before arrival), meaning that our baby was born before we could get to the hospital. We were lucky he was delivered safely and healthy at home on our bedroom floor by my husband with assistance from the amazing 000 operator. It was amazing, scary and crazy all rolled into one. Something I would never change for the world. But that’s a whole story on its own!
Little did I know though, that when I got pregnant again for the 3rd time, just how much anxiety that previous birth experience would cloud my pregnancy. Not to mention cause my husband a lot of anxiety around the delivery too. As much as he loves being the one who delivered our second baby at home, it was also terrifying for him too and something he just wasn’t keen on repeating.
So for the most part of my third pregnancy we spent a fair bit of time worrying how this birth would pan out. My main worry was being home alone with my two toddlers and things escalating very quickly. Or my husband was worried we’d end up having a baby on the side of the road. It was fair to say we weren’t too thrilled by the fact that child birth is one of those things so beyond your control.
So no wonder our third little babe ended up being 9 days late! My subconscious of worry and anxiety I believe was one of the main reasons I was so overdue! Something I’d never been before.
I’d spent the most part of my pregnancy wondering about all the negative what if’s but in those last few weeks I tried so hard to envisage our perfect scenario so as to ‘manifest’ it actually happening. This included:
- my husband would be home
- Local friends close by were free to come quickly to look after the kids
- We’d get to hospital in time
- My midwife and support person (my bestie) were able to make it in time too
- I’d be able to have a water birth with calming music & dark mood lighting.
- And our baby be born safely and healthy.
Every day I would tell myself this is how it would all pan out in a way to combat my anxiety.
So on May 24th, 9 days overdue, I couldn’t have been more happy to not only meet our beautiful baby girl which was a big surprise after two boys, but also that everything I had envisioned for a perfect, safe birth came to fruition.
My first contractions started at around 5pm on the Friday afternoon as I was vigorously vacuuming the car...go figure (nesting much) but I wasn’t sure if it was actually happening as we had a false start a few nights before. I called our friends we’d hoped could mind the boys and they luckily were around the corner and popped over to help get the boys dinner and ready for bed as we waited to see if anything more progressed.
I started timing them on my app and by about the 5th or so contraction we decided just to go to hospital and not risk anything. I called my midwife and we drove to hospital nice and calmly, with a few contractions on the way, but we’d made it.
We got settled into our room which to my surprise was the private/secluded room with the en-suite and bath area. It was so quiet and tranquil and we were just happy to have got to hospital. My midwife arrived not long after and was happy for us to stay and see what progressed into the night.
Then by about 8pm Hannah my best friend got there too and by then my contractions were well and truely coming on. After pacing the room with a heat pack to my back for a bit I Jumped in the bath for a to relax. It was actually bliss, especially because my baths at home were usually interrupted by little people.
My husband, best friend and I just hung out, chatted, laughed, mucked around (well my husband did anyway) and just enjoyed each other’s company, my contractions were getting longer and stronger but I felt calm, and just happy to enjoy one another’s company for the time being.
I decided to get out of the bath for a bit to stretch my legs but decided pretty quickly that the bath was much nicer. We had a beautiful salt lamp and some Moby meditation music playing which added to the relaxing setting we were aiming for.
After getting back in the bath again my contractions had really increased. And before I knew it my waters had broken and I was pushing straight away. Compared to my accidental home birth, where my son literally pushed his own way out and I felt basically nothing, this time round was extremely painful but I also knew in myself I wasn’t far off meeting this baby so I persisted and ‘pushed’ through. As she was being born, I had to sort of stand up as she’d half come out in a contraction and because the contraction ended she couldn’t have her head half in the water in case she took in some mouthfuls, so then with my next contraction she just sort of dropped out into the water so I just scooped her and lay there with her on my chest. It was just heaven! And we were all in just absolute shock and complete joy that we’d actually bloody done it!
I was only pushing for about 20 minutes and my baby girl had arrived. Ever so calmly and peacefully in the bath. It was actually perfect and couldn't have had it pan out any better. It was Exactly how I wanted things to be and exactly how I wanted my birth for my last baby to be.
My total labour was recorded as only one hour and 40 minutes! So still very very quick but we were lucky we had a lot more pre warning this time. And it has made all the difference in how we’ve adjusted to life with another new baby. We don’t feel as rushed and chaotic as last time. And we are just so happy to have been lucky to experience the most beautiful birth to finish off having children. Something we will cherish forever.
You can follow Amy over @littlelovescollective or @mumzzzcollective
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