Chloe’s birth story.

Wednesday 23^rd April (12days over by lmp and 10 days over by hospital dates) I woke feeling a bit depressed and emotional and wondering why my body was letting me and my baby down and not doing as it had done twice before. I tried to stay positive but I just was so over it all and wanted to meet my baby 

9:30am I had an ultrasound to check baby was healthy and I had enough fluid left. Had a lovely lady do the scan and estimated babies weight at 8lb 7oz (later to be born exactly that). She had a look for me and confirmed that my baby was indeed a girl which was very exciting and nice to finally know for sure and was hoping that it might help me let go and let my body do what it had to.

My midwife met me after and took me to monitor my baby on the ctg machine. Once again she was more than happy inside my warm cosy womb.

I Then had another stretch and sweep and was told I was still 2cm but things were getting more and more ready (softer and shorter).

After being told I would be booked in to be induced early Friday morning I decided I was ready to try castor oil to bring things on today! So my midwife gave me the instructions.

I got home had a nice morning tea with Mum and Ali. After lunch Ali bought me some castor oil and oj over which I mixed up (big glass oj, 40ml castor oil and 1tsp bicarb) and drank through a maccas straw (as that’s what was recommended lol) at 2:20pm. Wasn’t half as bad as I thought it would be.

I had been having some period pain and mild tightenings from the stretch and sweep so was hoping after the castor oil things would definatly get going.

I waited and waited for the oil to take affect. My tightening were getting mildly painful as the afternoon went on but not what I would say was labour just yet. Finally at 7pm the oil took affect and I went to the loo. I had a shower and got all my things ready for when the time came.

Contractions were coming stronger now. At 8pm I thought I should call my midwife to let her know that things were happening as at this point I was satisfied they were. My contractions were still irregular coming between 2 and 5 mins but getting stronger and I was beginning to have to stop for most of them and breath through them.

Mel (midwife) told me that she would like me to go and have a shower and call her back in half an hr and hopefully they would be regular. I didn’t bother with the shower as I had already had one and just continued to pace around the house. Around 8:40 I went to the loo and kept feeling a slight need to push so out of concern I felt inside and could feel my babies head just 1 finger lenghth away. I sat there for a bit and every time I had a contraction I had to try so hard not push and could feel small tickles of fluid coming away which I was unsure if were my waters and this is when things stepped up in pain and in timing (coming every 1.5 - 2 mins now). I called Jake in and he was more than a bit concerned saying we had to go now and could see things were getting closer by the second and that he worried it would happen any moment.

I got Jake to call Mel and I heard him tell her they were coming one on top of the other with a max of 20 seconds between each one. He called out to me and said “Mel said to leave now and go to Gosford, she will meet us there�?I said “WHAT give me the phone now!�?I told Mel that I could touch my babies head and that I kept feeling I needed to push but that my bowels were empty. She listened to me have two contractions and I said I was scared it was happening too soon she said “you are NOT going to make it Gosford. She asked me to hold on one second while she made a call and she would call back. As she hung up I had just finished one huge contraction and immediately another one came. At this point Jake had the car running and I was on the front veranda having contraction on top of contraction almost unable to get in the car. Every time one ended I went to quickly get in but had to stop for another. I did however make it in and as we were pulling out the drive Mel phoned and said she was on her way and she would meet us at Wyong.

About 2 min later lol we were at Wyong and Jake pulled his 4by up on the grass at emergency as there were no parking spots. I got out he grabbed my bag and we managed to walk in the doors of emergency in between a contraction. I had to stop as soon as we were in the door though for another. Jake went to the desk and they got me a wheelchair. I stood leaning against a wall in pain and could see this women out the corner of my eye standing right next to me just watching. I was unable to move let alone talk but I felt like screaming what are you looking at women go away. Lol

Jake came over with the chair and a nurse and they began to wheel me up to the birthing suite. As we were going through the emergency section there were two little boys laying and playing on the floor and I heard there mother say “hurry up get up there is a lady having a baby which is more important than you�?lol.

I had several contractions on my way and as I was being wheeled down this dark hallway a cleaning lady saw us coming and said out loud to the midwifes at the desk ahead “someone is here that is not meant to be�?but they said no no its ok (I felt like saying mind your business cleaning lady).

A nice midwife met me and took me into a birth room this time was recorded as 9:30 I arrived. I stood at the bed in pain and she quickly had a listen to bub. I was saying I really feel I have to push she said go with your body. I thought ohhh but I need to push but I am not sure I am fully ready to push. As I looked up in rushed my midwife saying I am here I am here. I was so relieved. She helped me onto the bed and did a quick internal and said I was 7cm. She said you can go from this to 10 in a matter of minutes so it is much safer you birth here then Gosford and especially in this pouring rain - forgot to mention the rain was absolutely coming down in buckets.

I got off the bed and Mel started to set up a mat on the floor for me. This need to push was getting stronger and since I was 7cm I thought I would go to the loo just “incase�? But nothing would come just the need to push.

So I came out and knelt down on the mat and Jake got me a ball to lean over and knelt next to me rubbing my back. I had a few contractions and my midwife ducked out of the room briefly. The other midwife was with me and I looked down and saw 3 spots of bright blood on the sheet. She said oh I will just go get Mel. I could feel a big one coming and yelled out I have to push as Mel came back in she headed towards me and I put my hand between my legs and pushed which was not that hard as it was such a strong urge I couldn’t have stopped it if I tried. My waters burst, I kept my hand there as I felt my baby’s head coming down and almost immediately crowned and then one more almighty push and her head was born right into my hands. My midwife had only just got behind me before her head was born and Jake was next to me and I think no one could believe it especially me. Next contraction I pushed once more and my baby girl was born with big cries (at 9:47pm) and I lifted her up myself onto my chest. I could seriously not believe what had just happened as I sat there still on my knees just in aww of giving birth to my 3^rd precious daughter - Chloe Maya.

I was half crying and half saying I can’t believe that just happened. Was sooo good is was over.

Jake and Mel helped me onto the bed while I held on tight to Chloe.

After the placenta was out I was checked over and just had 2 small grazes but no stitches.

Chloe kept her eyes tightly shut then after 10 mins or so she opened them up and started to look for a feed. She latched on well and drank away for about 45mins. After some more cuddles she was quickly weighed and checked over. She has a cute little birth mark on her bottom cheek and all her fingers and toes and everything else is perfect.

Jake then took Chloe and had cuddles and we talked about who she looked like and about the wonderful birth that just took place and just sat around for a while taking it all in.

Welcome to your family Baby Chloe! Xox