Lucy’s birth story begins at a home birth group morning. I
was chatting and stroking the lump high up in my belly I knew was my baby’s
head when it suddenly hit me that the head wasn’t where it should be, heads
are down bums are up! I spent the next few weeks in a variety of unusual
positions trying to encourage baby to turn, unfortunately to no avail.
On the night of the new millennium I took a photo of my
massive belly and 7 days later, I woke with contractions. It was 3 weeks before
baby's due birth date and I had fairly consistent contractions for 1 1/2 hours
when a strong one hit and ‘pop’ my waters broke. This was a strange
experience as my waters had broken in the final stages of labour with my first
two babies. Jacob (4) and Violette (2) were horrified at the flood on the
bedroom carpet but we were all excited that our baby was on the way. However the
baby was still in breech position and I had an appointment some days away with
Dr Parry who was going to try and turn her. So my mother sped in to look after
the children while Barry and I sped up to hospital.
By now the contractions had stopped. At the
hospital Linley our midwife, met us and took us into the charming delivery room
to wait for the on duty obstetrician. Linley explained our situation and hope
for another home birth to the obstetrician. She asked me if I wanted a caesarean
(no) and then proceeded to explain to us the procedure for a breech birth in
hospital. She insisted I lie on my back on the bed while she pointed out the
foot supports, and discussed forceps, epidural and episiotomy, all far from what
we wanted. However the confidence I had gained through my previous wonderful
births gave me the strength to trust my instincts and my midwifes guidance over
the obstetricians. Fortunately Linley wasn’t happy either, she arranged a
second opinion. Baby was scanned and monitored and eventually we escaped home.
We felt far from reassured and sad that our treasured third child might not have
the beautiful welcome to the world her siblings had.
I went back to hospital the following morning and met with Dr
Parry. After an uncomfortable manipulation Dr Parry managed to quite quickly
turn baby around. However a scan showed the cord was under her head and I had to
wait and hope this would move. If baby's head came down on the cord it would cut
off the blood supply and a caesarean would be necessary. After some time the
cord did move to be replaced by babys hand. Dr Parry called this an ‘unstable
lie’ and I had to stay in hospital and continue be monitored. So I spent
a long day in the maternity ward hoping I wouldn’t go into labour and sending
baby positive affirmations.
At 9pm Linley called in to see me and feel baby’s position.
To our relief baby’s head was firmly lodged in my pelvis. After a phone
consultation with Dr Parry I was able to go home. Linley told me the news with a
huge smile on her face. At home I spent the next two days feeling a bit fragile
and having niggly pains.
Finally the contractions became more consistent and we went to
bed wondering… My sister rang from Japan during the night and Barry told her
that there could be a baby by morning. He turned out to be right!
At 3.30am I was up with fairly steady pains and then felt my
waters pop (again). I rang Linley who arrived promptly, examined me and said I
had a way to go yet, after chatting she put herself to bed in Violettes room and
dozed. Barry and I paced around the house and he ran me a bath. The contractions
were very strong in the second stage and I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I felt impatient, waiting for the urge to use them to push. At 6am I asked him
to ring mum so she could be here when Jacob and Violette woke up. When they woke
up Barry brought them in to see me and give me a kiss. I was in that internal
place that labouring women retreat too and they were a little subdued with me,
but got quite excited with Linley there, Gran-C coming, and the prospect of a
baby. Mum arrived and stroked my head and talked quietly to me while I lay on
the bed, then she went to the children. I got up and was able to begin pushing
with the contractions. Making the pain positive. I was leaning on the bassinet
to push and flopping back on my bed when the contraction was over. After an
eternity of this I felt I was getting nowhere. Barry and Linley kept encouraging
me and telling me I was nearly there, but I knew I wasn’t. I couldn’t feel
the head moving down at all. This was strangely different from my first two
children’s births.
We decided to try a new position so I squatted while Barry
held me from behind and Linley told me I was going to have to push really hard.
I pushed harder than I ever have, bearing down and mustering all my energy from
within. Progress was swift in this position and I finally felt the head move
down and the stinging sensation of the head birthing. Linley called for Jacob
and Violette as mum brought them into the room baby was born.
She came out face up, posterior position, the reason for the
hard time I had pushing. She had a squashed little head and the cord around one
leg and was crying. Mum said ‘Oh its a girl,’ and we were so happy. Jacob
was very impressed with the cord. And Barry wanted to call her Peach, because
she was like a little bruised fruit. Linley had decided not to call a second
midwife as ‘Barry knew what to do,’ and I was happy that it was such a
family birth.
As soon as I could I snuggled up in bed with her and held her
while she slept.
