On Tuesday the 17th September, the day before my estimated due date i woke up with some lower back and stomach pressure. I was texting my mum whilst still in bed saying “I think it’s nearly time I have never felt this pressure before in my pregnancy!” We laughed as my body had tricked me so many times already. At 8.30am whilst still in bed I felt my membranes rupture. I jumped up and went to the toilet to check my pad. It was green. I knew what this meant so i called my mum straight away and made her step out of her meeting so I could send her a picture to confirm (we’re extremely close and she’s a nurse)

She said “Darce your baby has done a poo inside you, call the midwife right away and then call Luke to come home from trade school, the baby might be abit stressed.” So I called the hospital and they said to come in right away. I asked if it was ok for me to shower etc while I waited for Luke to get home, they said it was fine and were surprised by how relaxed I was (I knew I wasn’t going to be going home once I got there so wanted to wash my hair) I popped a fresh pad on after my shower, put my previous one in a zip lock back to show the midwife and got organized to go to the hospital!

I had imagined I would go into labour naturally, I would stay at home as long as possible, shower, dance, meditate etc. But now it was about my bubba being in potential distress so that went out the window. I was still so excited. I knew I wasn’t going to be having the hands off labour I had dreamt of, but i was ready for whatever was coming our way.

We got to the hospital around 9.30am and I was hooked up to the ctg. Bubs and I were tracking perfectly fine I was only feeling tiny surges (nothing compared to what was to come) Michael Carter came and checked me and said I was 2cm dialated and told me they would need to induce me as bubs had to come as soon as possible. He came back and popped a needle in my hand to prepare to be hooked up to oxytocin. My mum arrived just as they were about to get it started. I was happy my support team were all there and although this wasn’t how I had planned my labour I was calm and ready.

At around midday the drip was hooked up with oxytocin and some fluids. I sat on the exercise ball and rolled my hips to try get things moving while Luke massaged my back and the midwife (Ash) monitored bubs and I. I ate some lunch between the small waves that were starting and mum stuck up my affirmations posters for me. We stared reading my special book that I had all my loved ones write me letters in and we were all crying. We only read a few as it got too much for all of us! (I ended up reading it quietly by myself later that night) midwife Ash was very excited about hypnobirthing and all the preparation I had done!

About an hour later active labour started. I decided to go to the toilet a few times and then have the bed raised so I could stand next to it and lean on it (while still being monitored) mum leaned opposite me and breathed with me while I rode the waves. They were coming hard and fast. Luke popped my tracks on in the background and got me a cold face washer for my neck. He continued to massage me but i wanted it really hard so mum took over as he was worried about hurting me. I spent the next couple of hours going between standing beside the bed and sitting on the toilet (I wasn’t allowed in the shower sadly because of the mec liquor and needing to be monitored) but the massage was working enough as relief for me at the time.

Eventually I asked to try some gas. I found it quite hard to use and time properly at first but I got the hang of it. Soon after that I started vomitting (probably shouldn’t have eaten a big lunch) but it worked out well as it really moved bubs down. The downside to this was it made it nearly impossible to find bubs trace anymore with the ctg monitor so it was decided to pop a clip on bubs head so that it’s trace could be monitored constantly. I agreed it was best as I did not want to end up on my back and immobile, it also meant the midwife wouldn’t have to constantly chase bubs around and have to touch me all the time.

Once my surges became so strong that I started to loose my balance I decided to hop on the bed on all fours. My mum jumped up on the bed behind me and kept massaging me. Luke was giving me water and keeping face washers cool for my face and the back of my neck. My mum and the midwife (Kate) talked me through every wave. I was so in the zone. I never once looked at the clock. I started to really tune into my body and had no idea what was going on around me. Michael checked in a few times and then called my obstitrition Russel Dalton who was actually on holidays. He came in and checked on me late in the afternoon. I didn’t really notice. But everyone knew I would be wrapped that he was there for me. Luke said he came in while I was screaming on the bed and saw my posters and said “oh look at this, this is great!” And took photos of the walls!

Eventually the midwife (kate) decided to take the gas from me as I was going abit loopy and wasn’t really using it properly anyway. From what I’m told I started getting “pushy” on my own and Kate told me to just go with my body and do what I felt I needed to. I moaned and yelled through every surge. I didn’t get much rest between them. I told everyone that if I needed instructions they needed to talk directly into my ear and preferably go through my mum first. I needed to focus. Kate was not sure exactly when I transitioned, as i never begged for any stronger pain killers or to give up. No matter what was happening if anyone asked how I was i told them I was great. I was still so excited. I turned to my mum and said “ohhh mum my vagina stings!” That was decided as the point I transitioned as it was the first time I complained.

Russel came back to check me and was going to come back later but Kate told him not to go far as baby was coming. I “pushed” for almost 2 hours. Russel told Kate that he was thinking of flipping me on my back to deliver bubs with help as it had been a long time in that stage. I pretended I didn’t hear this and Kate advocated for me and said “she will get it out in the next 3 pushes!” Mum and Kate told me to REALLY bare down when I felt like I could or I was going to end up on my back. I wasn’t having that. I was feeling everything in my back and after the agony I felt being on my back for the clip to be inserted i knew there was no way i could birth like that. Kate buzzed for another midwife for my delivery so Carolyn came to help out. My baby came on the 4th surge from that (but I did my best to not make my baring down too noticeable so I had one to extra!) 

As bubs was crowning I had to do some panting to that Russel could help stretch one of the layers of my cervix around bubs head. I felt babies head crown and in the next surge I felt it flop out! My mum said “the baby is coming!” And I said “IT ALREADY DID I FELT IT!” She came out arm first like superman! They passed baby up to me through my legs and I stood up on my knees and cried and cried saying I couldn’t believe I did it. Everyone was apparently already calling it a “her” and asking if I knew what it was yet and I kept saying “I don’t care!” I lifted my beautiful baby up and saw that I had a beautiful baby girl. She was born at 8.14pm. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened them and saw the time and that it was dark! I had been in active labour over 7 hours! 

She had her eyes open and was looking around the room and at Luke and I! I still remember the exact face she made as she does it regularly still. Russel told me to blow in her face as she wasnt crying and I did but I kept saying “she’s fine she’s breathing!” She was just so calm and alert. They asked if we had a name and I looked at Luke and we decided to go with Maisey Rose (a name we had already chosen for if we had a girl) I held my baby close and kept crying with joy. The midwife gave me the injection in my thigh to help my placenta out. I didn’t even notice. They could have done anything to me at this point and i wouldnt have noticed. Luke got to cut the cord once it finished pulsating. It was really long and thick! 

I was asked to turn over and lay down so that Russel could check me and help my placenta out and Maisey and I could have some skin on skin. She pooed all over me but I didn’t care. We tried to breast feed but she was so tired from the huge day so Kate expressed some colostrum from me and gave it to her in a syringe. It came out easily and she knew from there I would have a great supply!

About ten minutes later my placenta was out. It was intact and amazing! Russel saw he needed to do some “embroidery” as I had a second degree tear. Maisey started panting abit so they took her and popped her on the cpap table for some air for about half an hour just to be safe. They called a pead to come in. Maisey pooed all over the table aswell. While Russel did my stitches I just kept telling Maisey she was fine and that mummy was here. And I felt SO amazing. I couldn’t believe I had just given birth naturally after an induction. Once the peadiatricion arrived he said he was fine and to give her back to me. 

Russel finished up his work and we all hugged and kissed. Maisey and I had some more skin on skin and then I hopped up for a shower. Luke dressed Maisey and had some cuddles with her while I got fresh. Once I was all clean and happy we went from the birth suite to our private room to spend our first night together as a family. This was the best experience of my life. And I have hypnobirthing and st John of God hospital Ballarat to thank for it. 

Darcy