Let me start off by saying I truly couldn't have done it without Tyler by my side. He rubbed my back until all of a sudden I changed my mind "no, I don't want that anymore! Your hands are too warm!" He provided me with a constant cold face washer when I was feeling nauseous (never underestimate the goodness of a cold face washer!). He listened to me moan and grunt (I'm pretty sure I made noises I've never made before), he put up with my tight squeezes, and I think I almost ripped his shirt. He saw me at my worst, and he told me that I could do it when I no longer believed I could! You were my rock.
Also - midwives are amazing people, in particular, Holly at Casey Hospital was so beautiful, and I'm incredibly grateful Tyler and I had her in the room with us!
I was induced at 41+1 weeks. After trying every remedy recommend by all the women in my life and Dr Google to bring on labour - my baby wasn't showing any signs of wanting to come! Literally, no signs.
I mean, I tried EVERYTHING. Even castor oil - all that gave me was a Farty Party. She was just too cosy in there! The obstetrician suggested that my pregnancy had been textbook perfect, and it would be okay to let me go to 42 weeks. No thanks, I was not keen on that. So we booked in to be induced.
The morning started off pretty cruisey. They had us in the birthing suite and began monitoring the baby and had all things ready to get this show on the road. First things first - I asked for some breakfast since I hadn't eaten (priorities). They broke my waters around 7 am and started me on the hormone drip. I was nervous but excited, and I hopped onto the exercise ball and happily bounced away. Tyler and I chatted with Holly and laughed and reminisced our younger years of dating telling her stories of how we met and drunken adventures.
An hour or 2 in and Holly asked me "are you feeling those contractions?" To which I said, " am I having contractions?! haha NUP!" I laughed and bounced - I just felt like I had my period nothing crazy.
WELL, that didn't last! Contractions kicked in not long after that, and I could definitely feel them. My only "birth plan" was to try and do it drug-free if I could. I was open to gas but wanted to see if I could do it.
I got to a point where I wanted the gas - but a few sucks of it and I felt nauseated. So Holly offered to turn it down for me (AHH much better!). I continued to use it, and little did I know it was already on such a low setting, to begin with, she turned it right down to only 10% and told me only after Rosie was born that I was basically only sucking on oxygen.
They let me go with it and just use it like that as I seemed to be coping (I was breathing it in like no tomorrow!). As my contractions became stronger, I couldn't control the way I was moving and rocking my body back and forth, or the way I was groaning, it was primal.
They took me off the drip as my body had taken over, and the pain was becoming too much. I was in transition, and I said to them "I can't do it anymore. I want morphine or something." They both told me I could do it, but I didn't think so. Tyler had overheard Holly mentioning to another midwife that she thought this was progressing very quickly. She told me she thought our baby was almost here and wanted to check me first before giving any medication. And yep, I was 9cm!
There was no time for any pain relief but hearing that gave me motivation, and with the next contraction, I NEEDED to push! Rosie's heart rate dropped as I was trying to get her head out, a doctor came in just in case, and they all told me to give it my all. Tyler encouraged me, and with the next few contractions, her head was out - I did it! One more push later and she was here!
They asked Tyler what did we have? He checked, and he told me we had a little girl!... wait, is it?! After double-checking and Holly laughing confirming yes a little girl! We couldn't believe it! Our baby was finally in our arms!
The feeling was overwhelming! Tyler and I both enjoyed skin-on-skin time with her, she was with me for an hour or so and then Tyler after. It was so lovely that special time wasn't rushed and they weighed Rosie and did her measurements afterwards.
Then I asked for some lunch... in Tyler's words he told me I said "I could eat!" (priorities). And we continued to soak up family time, the THREE of us 😍.
Tyler announced to our families, and before we knew it, it was time to move out of the birthing suite. Due to COVID-19, the co-pilots weren't able to come into the ward once you're moved out of the birthing suite unless its visiting hours.
We were told we needed to get ready to go, but we wanted to do our announcement together, so we quickly popped up her photo and the announcement of her arrival to our friends and Facebook!
All up my active labour was 1 hour and 52 minutes and I pushed for 17 minutes. I had 2 x 2nd-degree internal tears but no damage to the outside or perineum. It may have been the raspberry leaf tea, but how amazing is a woman's body? I'm not the first, and obviously, so many women have done the same but damn - I feel so god damn clever.
I have a newfound respect for my body and for all women and mothers! We are phenomenal! Even with adult nappies and constant ice packs on my lady parts but I'd do it 1000 times again- and they said next time I might need to camp outside the hospital.
