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The Late Pregnancy and Birth of Lewis
Leading up to my due date of 19th September we were all so excited. I baked and prepped snacks and food for labour and after the birth, as well as cleaning and getting everything ready. I had been having regular Braxton Hicks tightenings so it seemed like my body was getting prepped. There were a few days I messaged my midwife thinking something might be starting up, but they never developed. At our 40 week appointment my midwife reminded me that first time mums average 41+1. I really hoped I wouldn’t have to wait that long! I bounced between “good” days where I was happy and content to wait as long as my baby needed to be born, and “bad” days where I felt frustrated that nothing was happening yet. Week 41 was the worst. Most people will be induced if they have not gone into labour by 41+3. The increased risk of stillborn is well known, and other potential complications. I had had an incredibly easy pregnancy – barely any morning sickness, fit and healthy the entire time. I was still actively running dog training classes at 38 weeks! But could something have gone wrong now? Was I being selfish for waiting? What if something was wrong and I was that awful lady who was too stubborn to seek medical intervention, and my story became that horror story people dragged out to argue against homebirth? I needed to get control of my headspace. I unfollowed a bunch of mainstream ‘Due In’ groups on Facebook as a huge number of posts were from women having inductions, often disappointed that they “had” to, not to mention those that did and ended up having emergency c-sections (pretty much my worst fear). I read articles and looked up scientific information about due dates, post term pregnancy and the actual facts and figures. At 42 weeks the risk of stillbirth increased to roughly 1%. I chose to read that as for every 100 babies born later than 42 weeks, 99 of them would be living. I was more concerned about there being meconium in the amniotic fluid and having to transfer to hospital due to that. Week 41 inched on, with a few mild achy contractions. At 41+6 I went and had acupuncture for the first time in my life. It really helped me relax, but still no baby. Week 42 arrived and I was in a good headspace. My body would not have gone to the effort and ease of growing a baby to then not birth him at the right time. My midwife visited us and showed us some exercises to do with the rebozo wrap and other pelvis-loosening activities. Baby was in perfect position, as he had been for weeks and weeks. There was no reason for him not to come. My midwife offered to do a stretch and sweep, but I was feeling conflicted. I took that as a sign not to, so declined. We now moved to 48 hourly appointments so we could keep a close eye on little man, and discussed going to Monash hospital for CTG and ultrasound monitoring. I really really didn’t want to go to the hospital, knowing they would most likely try and convince me to be induced. The interruption to the labour and birth process, not to mention postpartum hormones, was not something I was at all keen on. At 42+2 My midwife came over again. That morning I had gone out and bought clary sage essential oil, and my midwife bought some over too. I was smelling it on a tissue and we mixed some with oil to use as massage. We completed a Record of Understanding and my midwife had found a bulk billing obstetrician I could visit for monitoring, outside of hospital – I felt so much more comfortable with that and made an appointment for the following day. My midwife again offered to do a stretch and sweep, and I didn’t have the conflicted feeling from a few days before, so we did that. It didn’t hurt, and I was 1-2cm dilated. Only 8-9cm to go, haha! That evening I did a Lifeline session with Nikki, just in case there were any emotional blockages for me or baby that was holding him back. The pregnancy itself had been easy, but lots of external stress may have impacted him. Either way, doing the Lifeline wouldn’t hinder the birth, so why not? Peter and I watched Moana and I cuddled Finley Whippet in the armchair, him wrapped around my belly, perching on what little bit of lap space still remained. I put a post on Facebook at 9:30pm: Still fabulously pregnant and enjoying Finley cuddles. Hurry up baby! I messaged my midwife at 10:15pm to let her know that exactly nothing was going on.
Peter and I got ready for bed and did the pelvis opening exercises my midwife had given us. I had to ask him to stop a few times as my body contracted gently. I brushed my teeth, and had another contraction - about ten minutes after the last one. Hm. The continued to come ten minutes or less apart, some so strong already that I had to kneel down to get relief. We called my mum about 11:30 to ask her to bring over her large pot that we wanted to borrow to help fill the birth pool, and my sister Taya packed some gear to come for a sleep over. She was going to be our birth photographer and Mum had a busy day tomorrow so wouldn’t be able to bring her in the morning. I messaged my midwife as well, who replied that she would get some sleep then. Taya arrived and headed for the spare bed. Peter busied himself between my contractions starting to put water in the pool, setting pots and urns to boil. I paced the kitchen and dining room, working on breathing through contractions, getting down on my hands and knees as they got more intense. I started feeling nauseous which I was not excited about at all. I only found out recently that vomiting in labour is a common thing. I lost dinner, which really messed up my breathing as then I had gross bile caught in my nostrils. I posted on Tumblr while I could: 42+3. Go time. 3am 6/10/17. Peter is filling the pool. Midwife is on her way. Contractions are regular and intense. I’ve vomited. Yay, birth!
The birth was amazing. My midwife arrived a bit after 3am, I got in the pool about 3:30am. I was very conscious through the whole process, of my body and what was happening. The contractions were coming in waves but instead of rising and then subsiding completely they would rise, dip and rise again before subsiding. Peter was there for every single one. It was an amazing feeling, not having to do anything conscious to birth my baby, my body working perfectly and my mind just along for the ride. I was able to identify the different things happening in my body. When my midwife arrived I was shaking terribly, and feeling feverish as I had for a few hours now. She told me it was from the oxytocin. I started noticing that before the really big contractions I would get the shakes – the oxytocin working its way through me, powering us through labour. I started to feel a mix of excitement and dread when I got the shakes, holding hard onto Peter and moving my body in an effort to help the contractions. My mind really was just along for the ride, my body was doing everything it needed to.
Our second midwife arrived at about 4:30am and our birth team got to sit around reading books and playing on their phone while I laboured, haha. I had to ask if someone had made toast, but nope, it was popcorn! Sit back and enjoy the show! I was getting so sleepy, I drifted off ever so slightly between some contractions. At one point I asked my midwife if I could go to sleep, and she smiled sweetly and said “of course I could, just relax against the pool and have a nap”. Obviously not going to happen – “so mean to me,” I retorted sarcastically. My body changed from contracting to open the cervix to pushing down, which was a very different feeling and I think felt better. Speaking with the midwives since, I was in the pushing phase for about an hour. Once they could see his hair, his head was out in four contractions and the rest of him on the next! Lewis William Patrick Castle was born at 7:11am after approximately 8 hours of labour.
A few other things I remember through labour:
- there was one moment when Peter had to go get something and I was resting in the pool. My midwife came and stroked my hair and said I was doing so well. She never touched me again when Peter was there, but it was the most beautiful thing, knowing she was there for me.
- I was aware of trying to relax all my muscles. During the pushing phase, I distinctly remember wriggling my toes to make my consciousness relax the muscles in my legs and feet
- the waters breaking was a bizaare feeling, and I remember saying “oops, something broke!”. I was so glad when my midwife confirmed there was no obvious meconium!
- my midwife called Lewis a ‘happy little vegemite’ when she checked him with the doppler, I think during transition. It made me laugh.
- I moved my hands in sync with what my body was doing/needed. Usually bracing against Peter, holding on tight as I tried to breathe deeply through the contractions like we were taught in the Calmbirth course. I imagined breathing oxygen down into my uterus to help it stretch and open. When it came time to push I moved my hands closer and then apart, cheering my body on to open and stretch and let my baby out.
- I felt his head pressing out, stretching everything further and further, but then to retreat back in. He only took 4 contractions to birth the head, but he came a good way out on the third, and as he went back in I said “no wait, come back!”. My midwife assured me this was good, to help it stretch gradually, and to breathe deep and not push too quickly. It was an amazing feeling, feeling him turn and his body slipping out of me.
The midwives told me to reach down and pick him up and I couldn't find him in the water, it was murky. I was madly feeling around for him, and then trying to make sure I picked him up the right way. I pulled him up on my chest and reclined against the pool. Amazing. He didn’t cry, just screwed up his face and looked a bit unimpressed. He let out one big squawk, and gradually opened his eyes. My midwife had her stethoscope on him a few times and I was watching her face. I asked if he was okay and she said yes, which was enough for me at the time. She told me later it took a little for his heartrate to regulate so she was checking his cord was still pumping enough (it was). He was still sounding a bit wheezy so we moved him more upright and my midwife had me use my mouth to suction mucus from him. I had no idea what I was doing and not sure if I really helped. He was so slippery with vernix I wasn’t sure how to hold or move him! He seemed like such a delicate little thing, so breakable. We ended up sitting in the pool for over an hour, although it didn’t feel that long. The placenta detached but didn’t come out. Sam was telling me to give a little push to get it out. It was funny though, because I had no idea how to push it out. I searched deep inside, trying to find the muscles that would do such a thing, but couldn’t. My body had done everything it had to, I was not in control of the muscles during the birth at all. After an hour my midwife wanted the placenta out, and the pool was starting to get cool. They covered the couch in pillows and towels, and Peter, Taya and my midwives helped me stand. Yep, four person job! After being so still and laid back for so long I got a massive head rush and felt quite dizzy. All normal, but freaky at the time while trying to hold onto baby! The placenta came out with a few coughs to help and I was moved onto the couch with Lewis. We stayed there a while, and my sister Indigo got me some apple to eat. I thought I would be starving after the birth, but I really didn’t want to eat anything – just sleep. The midwife checking me for bleeding and tears - only a small one on my labia, no damage to the perineum at all, yay! Peter cut the cord and my midwife showed us the different parts of the placenta before it went off to the freezer – we will bury it one day and plant Lewis a tree. Daddy got to snuggle while my mum and my midwife helped me shower. They made me a pillow nest in the bed and then baby was brought back in. We started working on breastfeeding to make sure he got a bit of a latch going and started getting some colostrum. My midwife gave us a few things to keep an eye on and then left about 11:30am I think, and I got to sleep for a few hours finally. My midwife came back later in the evening to weigh and measure, and check his reflexes. He was 3.44kg and 55cm long. The midwife measured him twice she didn’t believe he was so long the first time. 36cm around the head as well. That night I didn’t sleep well, I had to keep checking he was breathing, not caught up in his blankets, etc. That has gotten better with time!
I’m so glad I can say that I loved my birth experience, and truly enjoyed it. It was such a calm and gentle way to welcome Lewis into the world, full of love and trust and kindness.
