We saw my Dr on the Wednesday he told me that I was 3cm dilated and did a stretch and sweep, this was to see if she was ready to come, if she wasn’t Frankie and I were able to go home until our next appointment the following Wednesday. I was well and truly over living in town and wanted to be at home. But Chloe was ready to come I started having tightenings at 6 that night. I stayed at our friends house until 7 the next morning just breathing through the tightenings when I needed but I was quite comfortable.

We got to the hospital and the midwives had all read my birth plan and were all completely supportive. My main midwife was really excited as she had studied Hypnobirthing. My Dr checked me when he got in that morning which was a tad uncomfortable and resulted in my waters breaking. My midwife could see that I was in pain and she did light touch on my face and breathed with me and then I was in the best frame of mind.

I continued to get tightenings all day, I was walking around to get them to come more regular. My Dr checked me before he went home for the day, he said that my cervix had come right down and that he was happy to let me go through the night and if nothing was progressing by the morning then we would have to look at speeding things up (it had been over 24 hours since we had started this journey and he was worried about me being a tad exhausted lol).

Things really kicked into gear around 5 at night, I went and had another walk with Frankie and was still able to breathe really well (at this stage I was so impressed with myself lol) we went back to our room and I tried to have a lie down, was way too uncomfortable and sat on my ball for a while. Frankie watched crap on tv then went to sleep. I was now having to really concentrate and breathe so I decided to go lean over the ball and sway with the tightenings.

After a good while on the ball I decided I wanted to have a HOT shower so I sat in the shower and breathed through my tightenings and vocalised when needed, but I felt completely in control. When I stood up off the chair to get out of the shower I had an awesome pressure and buzzed the nurse, Frankie thought it would be a good idea to wake up now. My midwife checked me (was a different midwife that I din’t really like) she told me her head was there but my cervix was posterier and sitting at 6cm, this was at 2am. She offered pitocion to see if we could get the cervix to dilate further I said no, she said she would be back in an hour to see what we could do.

I got back into the shower and breathed (and moaned/vocalise) through my tighenings I thought I was still going really well. I stood up after and hour and a bit in the shower to get back on my ball but once again had that awesome pressure and buzzed the midwife again. She checked me and said we were still posterier but slowly dilating she said she had never seen this so far along in a labour (typical me have a weird cervix). My Dr was next door doing another delivery he came and saw me. He said it was time for pitocion as it had been such a long time!! This was around 0330.

Oh my god I hate pitocion!!! And I really think my midwife was evil (not really) she decided that for bubby to come she would hold open the cervix to allow her head to come past my weird cervix, as uncomfortable as it was I know that it was needed, and it did work. At 0430ish things were now moving way too quickly and my midwife offered me the gas and I took it, I felt so badly for it but I was beyond exhausted and I ended up using it for 5-6 tightenings before I threw it away and had a cry at Frankie. I realised we were there then lol. I think my words were THANK GOD!!!

Frankie called Kelly, Dr E came in and it was time for her to come. Kelly walked through the door at 0520 and thank goodness for her she was exactly what I needed she sponged my head with a cool cloth and told Frankie to feed me ice at the right time. Then Miss Chloe made her appearance she came into the world with her eyes looking into mine and not a cry out of her. She was placed on my chest and was so calm and happy. Frankie had a cry Kelly told me how proud she was.

The placenta was born and Frankie then cut Chloe’s cord.

Emily met her that morning and absolutely fell in love with her, Frankie and Emily gave her a bath while I watched on in a comfy chair. I then had a well and truly earned sleep.

We are now at home and Chloe is perfection she doesn’t cry she just lets me know that it is time for some boob, which she just devours lol.

I want to thank you so much for teaching me the tools I used through my birth, without you, my birth would have been horrific. Even though it was a very long couple of days I was still able to manage and was more than impressed with what I achieved!! So thank you so much for helping me achieve my perfect birth. I have a very calm baby because of the way she was brought into the world, and I am coping so much better than I did with Emily.

All my thanks and much love to you,

Alysha xx

Alysha and Frank, Rockhampton (taught via Skype)