As many of you will already know, our baby girl Alicia Cate was born on Saturday 17th of March. She made a very dramatic entrance into the world and I thought I would share with you the story of her birth.
2:30am:
I rolled over in bed and felt my waters break. I tried to get back to sleep but of course I was too excited and nervous so I watched some early morning tv (Who knew they play 7th Heaven at 5am?) and then went back to bed for a brief nap at around 6am.
8.00am:
I called my midwife to let her know my waters had broken but that nothing much was happening and was told that if nothing started by lunchtime I would have to go into the hospital for monitoring of the baby.
9.00am:
We called my mother in law to let her know what was happening and she decided to make the three hour drive so that she could look after the kids for us. I was starting to have contractions which were about ten minutes apart but not very intense.
10.00am:
Contractions were still about 10 minutes apart but would sometime stop and start. We told the girls that it would be the Baby's birthday today (or tomorrow) so we decided to make a cake for the baby.
 |
| making a birthday cake for our baby |
12.00pm:
As there was no butter left for the cake icing the whole family took a walk to the shops and a play in the park in that hope that it would move things along...it didn't :(
 |
| This pic was taken just before we went for a walk |
1.00pm:
We arrived back from the shops, made some lunch for the girls and soon after my mother in law arrived. I called my midwife and she said that since I was having contractions that I would not need to go into the hospital to be monitored but that since my waters had broken I would need to be on antibiotics from about 7pm so we decided to meet at the hospital at 6pm (unless something happened earlier).
2.00pm:
I was getting really tired from the lack of sleep and decided to have a lie down. It was then that the contractions really decided to get going. I tried to stay lying down but after about 15-20 mins it was too much and I needed to move around.
When I am in labour I find it better if I am able to be alone, rather than having an audience looking on helplessly. So my husband would pop in from time to time but mainly left me to spend the time praying, moving and even dancing through my contractions (he did think the dancing was funny). I had downloaded an app for my phone which times the contractions and found using that a helpful distraction.
3:15pm:
I called my midwife as I had been having contractions which were 3-4 minutes apart and lasting for around 45 seconds to 1 minute. I think I expected that she would tell me to come in the the Birth Centre but she said that it was not so much about the timing of the contractions but the intensity and we agreed to meet at the hospital at 6pm as agreed before. I continued through the contractions for about 30 mins but they were getting stronger
4.00pm:
I went to the bathroom and had three strong contractions while in there. I felt like I was no longer in control of my body. Each contraction was so strong I could not remain seated on the toilet and had to stand up each time and even noticed myself groaning out loud. I came back into the bedroom I told my husband that I wanted to go to the hospital and demanded to have the epidural (despite being booked into the Birth centre where no drugs were available). I had decided that I was not enjoying the labour and did not want to continue in the pain I was in. As the other girls had taken a minimum of 12 hours of contractions I figured that I still had at least 5 hours to go before we had a baby. My lovely husband was telling me that he knew I could do it and giving me encouragement to keep going naturally but I told him that I knew I could do it but that "I just didn't want to do it any more!"
I went to the bathroom and had three strong contractions while in there. I felt like I was no longer in control of my body. Each contraction was so strong I could not remain seated on the toilet and had to stand up each time and even noticed myself groaning out loud. I came back into the bedroom I told my husband that I wanted to go to the hospital and demanded to have the epidural (despite being booked into the Birth centre where no drugs were available). I had decided that I was not enjoying the labour and did not want to continue in the pain I was in. As the other girls had taken a minimum of 12 hours of contractions I figured that I still had at least 5 hours to go before we had a baby. My lovely husband was telling me that he knew I could do it and giving me encouragement to keep going naturally but I told him that I knew I could do it but that "I just didn't want to do it any more!"
4.05pm:
I decided I need a shower and while I was showering my husband called the midwife who headed to the hospital to meet us. While in the shower I had one contraction that felt like my body started pushing so I got out and started to dry myself off. I called my husband to come and help dress me as I felt unable to dress myself.
4.12pm:
As he was putting my underwear on another big contraction hit me and I felt the urge to push. If you have ever felt this it is a strange feeling as it is your body pushing rather than me really doing anything. As the contraction hit my impulse was to try to hold everything in so holding myself at the front and back I felt like everything was coming out. Around this time my husband called the midwife to say we were not going to make it to the hospital. She turned around and started heading to our house and called an ambulance for us.
As he was putting my underwear on another big contraction hit me and I felt the urge to push. If you have ever felt this it is a strange feeling as it is your body pushing rather than me really doing anything. As the contraction hit my impulse was to try to hold everything in so holding myself at the front and back I felt like everything was coming out. Around this time my husband called the midwife to say we were not going to make it to the hospital. She turned around and started heading to our house and called an ambulance for us.
4.14pm:
The next push I felt a slight burning feeling and thought oh this is the part people say is bad...then "pop" out came her head. At this point my hubby said he feared the cord was wrapped or she may not be breathing. He yelled for his mum to get the ambulance on the phone...my phone was also ringing (the ambulance service calling to talk him through it) but he in the confusion he could not figure out how to answer it.
4.17pm:
Before we could get anyone on the phone, out came her little body and it was done.We looked down to see our little person lying on a towel on the floor and saw that she was alive and had little girly bits. Tim picked her up and handed her to me for our first moments of skin to skin contact.
The next push I felt a slight burning feeling and thought oh this is the part people say is bad...then "pop" out came her head. At this point my hubby said he feared the cord was wrapped or she may not be breathing. He yelled for his mum to get the ambulance on the phone...my phone was also ringing (the ambulance service calling to talk him through it) but he in the confusion he could not figure out how to answer it.
4.17pm:
Before we could get anyone on the phone, out came her little body and it was done.We looked down to see our little person lying on a towel on the floor and saw that she was alive and had little girly bits. Tim picked her up and handed her to me for our first moments of skin to skin contact.
4.20pm:
The ambulance arrived first and they helped move Alicia and I over onto my bed as she was still attached to me. The midwife arrived very soon after and gave me an injection to deliver the placenta and checked me out. As I did not require any stitches I was told that I did not even have to go to the hospital and could stay at home with my beautiful new baby girl.
The ambulance arrived first and they helped move Alicia and I over onto my bed as she was still attached to me. The midwife arrived very soon after and gave me an injection to deliver the placenta and checked me out. As I did not require any stitches I was told that I did not even have to go to the hospital and could stay at home with my beautiful new baby girl.
 |
| Our ambulance |
 |
| I think I was just blinking...although it looks like I am about to die |
 |
| Our friendly paramedic..who called our baby Yoda :) |
During all this my girls were playing in the lounge room with my mother in law. The first thing they knew of their new sister was to hear her crying coming from the bathroom. Emily apparently said "That's my baby crying". My mother in law took them outside to wait for the ambulance and then they briefly came in while I was still sitting on the bathroom floor but were first introduced to their sister after we had both been fully check out. They were both in love with her from the moment they saw her.
 |
| First cuddles with their sister |
8.00pm:
We all sat around the table and sung "Happy Birthday" to Alicia and the girls blew out the candle on the cake we had made (which my MIL had iced and decorated with Emily while I was in labour....appropriately in pink even before we knew). The girls gave their present to Alicia and she gave them a DVD each. It was a perfect end to an amazing day.
 |
| Happy Birthday Ali! |
While I would not have chosen to birth my baby on my bathroom floor, I would not change a thing. It was such an amazing experience and I am so thankful that she was born into her fathers arms. I am sure they will now share a special bond that they would not have had in other circumstances.
