I spent the 2 days before our baby arrived in bed thinking I had round 2 of gastro symptoms… 🥴🤦🏽♀️. I couldn’t stand up straight and felt like I had trapped wind. I was burping heaps, off food and would get the occasional sharp pain in my lower abdomen area. I did call the hospital to check and they told me that as long as my belly was still soft to touch, the pain probably wasn’t contractions and to manage with Panadol, fluids and rest.
Come Monday morning, I woke up at 4am with intense cramps that would last for short periods and return quickly. I couldn’t talk, concentrate and was sweating profusely every time a cramp came on. I decided to call the hospital and sure enough they wanted me to come in immediately.
We woke up our gorgeous neighbour at 4.22am and asked her to come over and stay with Harper and Rupert (who were both asleep 😂❤️) until my mum made her way over to our place so SG could drive me to the hospital. I was so frazzled and may have been in a bit of denial because I just wanted to double check my hospital bag, potter around our house to feel ‘organised’ to SG’s horror 😂 but the pain built quickly and I accepted I needed help and help fast.
And It’s lucky we only live 5 mins down the road from the hospital too because as soon as we arrived, the midwife checked me said I was 8cms dilated 🫣🥵 and would need to call my OB immediately.
My OB spoke to me on the phone and explained that he was on his way and that because I’d taken Clexane at 9pm and I was already 8cms the only safe option was a VBAC. He also explained that my pain management options were limited. AKA non-existent.
I. Was. Terrified. However, I trusted him 100% and knew I just needed to follow his lead to keep myself and our baby safe.
Meanwhile, the midwife was running around the birthing suite, getting things ready including ‘warm baby blankets’ and I genuinely still had no idea understanding of how close I was to popping this baby out despite my ever intensifying contractions 😂.
I was given gas to get through each one until my OB arrived and it’s lucky he didn’t take long because my body started involuntarily pushing with each contraction .
It. Was. WILD. Our baby was determined to enter the world and there was no stopping him.
I pushed through 2 contractions assisted by my OB and by the 3rd he asked me to reach out and help guide my baby into the world.
I heard our baby cry as my OB helped place him on my chest. I DID IT… And all by 6.10am lol.
I was very much in a state of – what just happened?!
I sustained no tears, just a small graze and my OB gave me 2 stitches to support healing. Like how? And as painful as it was, being able to feel each contraction helped me understand what i needed to do and my recovery has been 100000 x easier than having had a c-section. I’m so grateful to be more mobile. It will help so much having Harper to care for when we get hone too. But I’ll share more on my recovery and c section comparison in another post.
I’ll finish off by saying my OB and the midwife on duty were complete legends and I feel as though their clear, calm and encouraging manner helped me navigate this truly terrifying experience.
What an experience. I’m so grateful for our little man and how he decided to make his grand entrance! Will share more on my recovery once I’m home.
This post is by: Katie.Lolas
Leave a Reply