Lil' C, A Birth Story - Number 2 Blue

If you read the Birth Story of my first boy Master J

you would have read that it was a long and tiring experience.

A very worthwhile one but a marathon!

This is his little brothers birth story and it is polar opposites!

Just as they are in personaliaty already.

So here we go...

If you read how Number 2 Blue was created you would have read it was a pretty rocky start

full of anxiety lots of decisons and lots of tears.

Once we had decided to carry on with this pregnancy things got off to a flying start

I got morning sickness again! but it was more nausea for a few weeks until the actual vomitting kicked in then it was all day sickness.

I was tired chasing after an almost 2yo and looking after house and working wore me out.

But i started showing quicker AND i was going through pregnancy with my best friend!

We had all the normal test all the normal ultrasounds

we even got a few more by joining a weight gain in pregnancy study

And we even ahd the early Ultrasound to find out wether we were having a little boy or a little girl!

I wont lie i was hoping i would get a pigeon pair and that this little miracle was a girl but to our surprise i was baking a peen!

Yep we were expecting Number 2 blue!

Surprisingly i was soooo excited another boy they could grow up to be best of freinds

kick a footy together, roill int he grass and of course fight with each other.

So preparations started, buying things, sorting through all of Master J's clothes and what we still had for him

The biggest thing finding a name!

We found finding a name much harder 2nd time around we already had our boys name with J and we are still yet to use our girls name.

We trawled through internet sites, books asked for suggestions and eventually we found one we both loved!

As for the baby boy baking away

he was growing spot on, not giving me too much grief, well once the morning sickness went

i had the usual heartburn, sore back, sore legs and so on.

My midwife was wonderful as we got nearer the end and the talk of due date came about

i was feeling quite happy with going into labour, staying at home as long as possible and then making our way to the hospital when the time was right!

Lil' C had ither ideas!

We made it to full term with no real signs of him making his entrance anytime soon :|

by this stage i wanted him out i wanted to meet him and somewhat get comfy again!

I had stretch and sweeps and nothing we tried raspberry leaf tea, sex walking and then i gave in

He will come when he's ready.

Hmmm kind of...

So at 39 weeks i asked for an induction at 40 weeks the MW agreed but the maternity ward said no :( i was devasted i had gotten my hopes up and then they chnged their minds.

But this then resulted in having an induction booked in at 40 + 6 YAYYY

and we made it to that induction!

We get booked into our birthing suite at 3pm on the 11th of september

Our Midwife was Annette she was gorgeous!

We get comfortable and set up and speak about the process and whats "going" to happen and we get started!

I have an internal at 4:30pm to check that nothing is happening and apart from some contractions that started as we were waiting to be booked in there is nothing happening.

So the FIRST lot of gels are applied

I am instructed to not get up or move too much and to lay on the bed ither on my back or on my side for an hour to ensure the gels dont move.

As soon as 5:30 rolls around i get up shower go to the toilet.

We watch some TV chat with my mum who is there and settle in for a long night.

My mum goes home to get some rest just incase shes called in the middle the night

All the mean time ive been having contractions but nothing that swinging or walking or a heat pack wont fix.

At 8pm i decide im getting tried and that i want some sleep so i ask for the shot of pethadine.

My MW does another internal to check theres no progress and yep still nothing

Im given the shot at 8:30 and was told in 15 minutes i should be able to sleep that it wont stop the contractions or the pain but it would be enough for me to rest.

UMM YEAH NAH

This mumma got no sleep!

It was until about 9pm that i was going "ummm why arent i asleep my bestfriend said she slept for 5 hours with her shot!"

gaahhhh i wanted sleeeep

9:15pm still awake contractions are stronger but i was'nt thinking it would all be over soon!

Im not sure of the exact time but within in the space of 15 minutes it was on like donkey kong!

One big contraction pressure front and back

(which i now know was him engaging)

I screamed "stuart get the mw, press the button"

but because he was so frantic he fumbled for the bell

Luckily my MW had heard me scream hahaha

She came running in asking "whats going on?"

Next thing you know the bed is set up ready for birth, lights are on, heat bed is down cupboards are flung open!

It was happening.. well so we thought!

my next few contractions were very mild, until they came back strong again.

YEP it was defiantly on all of this happened within the 15 mintues

Stuart rang my mum in a panic you need to get here NOW!

9:30pm i started pushing

Mum rushed in just in time!

My waters hadnt broken yet so the MW started checking to see if she was going to have to pop them

Yeah nah

I popped them at 9:40pm by pushing

All the MW said was everyone better step back!

Im like WTF! WHY?

She said because i have a bubble of fluid and she could see it and it was going to pop!

FUNNIEST thing EVER

water went everywhere! It even got the MW's arms

(i had Annette and a student MW and doctor by that time)

I was all water that huge belly that everyone was like OMG your HUGE was alllll fluid

HAHA!

Anyways back to the story

The MW and doctor got me pushing down (with me saying i feel like i wanna poo MW said just let your body do whatever it wants to do)

With my chin on my chest and lo and behold

His head started to crown, there it was again that ring of fire!

Once his head was out and they checked for the cord etc

i was asked to start pushing softer not as hard and just edge his body out

I dont really know why but it may be because he started coming out so quickly they needed to slow it down a bit

In between contractions i look downa and see my little man hes so gorgeous

and to the MW's surprise trying to take his first breath with his body still inside me!

At 9:52pm hes out

(i pushed for 22mins and labour was from about 9:20ish so only a 30min labour)

he comes staright out on to my chest where like joshie,

he only cried for a little bit until he was calm again.

He was here! finally i was holding my precious boy!

Stuart cut the cord, he was wrapped up and had all the tests he had to have

Then he came back for cuddles with the proudest mum and dad!

You could not wipe the smiles off our faces even if you ahd tried!

So he was here he was amazing he was perfect he was ours.

And his big brother ADORED him

Cohen Edward was born (very very very quickly)

Saturday 11th of September 2010 at 9:52pm

weighing 8lb 20z and measuring about 51-52cm

Cohen is now almost 5 months and is the most relaxed, placid happy baby

A very nice change to his brother

They really are completely differnt

We are now a fmaily of 4 and i love it

dont get me wrong we have our bad days! and lots of them

but at the end of every day i just know..

I was made to be a mother

I was made to do this!

Master J, A birth Story

I have always wanted children, Since i could remember.

I loved playing with baby cousins, cuddling them, feeding them.

You could say i knew i would be a mum one day.

That day came on the 17th Of June 2008

The first most amazing day of my life.

We found out i was prengnat at the end of september not long after my birthday 

It was very very early but never the less there it was a very faint double blue line

OHH EEMM GEEE!

we were so excited yet so scared all at the same time

Next step Doctors appointment!

Once the blood test came back that i was indeed pregnant it was all systems go

Booking in at the "womans health clinic" at the hospital, telling our families and buying everything we needed.

Not to mention all day sickness decided to appear.

We were given a due date of the 10th of June 2008

we couldnt wait to meet our baby!

After our first few appointments at the clinic we had to decide wether we going to go through the Maternity ward or the Birth Centre

We had already decided i was going to do this with no epidural so we chose the birth centre as they only offered the pethadine and gas.

For 9 months everything went beautifully well except the first 4-5 where i had full on morning sickness

other then that my MW told me it was a textbook pregnancy

(whatever that is)

We found it we were having a little boy

He would be the first boy grandchild on both sides

His heart beat was always very strong, my BP was always spot on and i measured just right

As we got closer to his due date we got a little more anxious but getting his room, bassinet and carseat ready all helped distract me from the actual birth.

I was only 22 at the time of his birth and quite naive

he was due on the 10th of June so thats what date id be holiding my little guy right??

NOPE!!

he was still 7 days away!

On Tuesday the 10th of June my partner went to work as there was no signs of out baby come any time soon

I started getting dull period type pain in my lower back but nothing a heat pack, warms hower or warm bath could fix.

This went on until thursday where all pain stopped.

I had been thinking the past 2 days that it was the start of something but no it just stopped

(the calm before the storm)

Until friday then the pain started again

a little bit stronger but i was still able to relive it with heat and water.

Saturday was much the same still no baby and bearable pain.

Sunday was the day!

It was on like donkey kong the pain had gotten worse still in my lower back and no amount of heat or water would make it go away

I just knew it was here to stay it was still fairly bearable but i knew we were on our way

We were going to meet our baby soon!!

So youd think... but no my body had other plans actually

48hours of irregular painful lower back contractions, no sleep and no baby.

Over the two days Sunday and Monday

We kept in touch with our midwife went in for an internal which i wasnt able to relax enough for was offered a shot of petheadine but was told it could slow the labour and i could wake up to no pain

there was no way i was going backwards it was only onwards from here on in!

So we went home so i could labour at home as it was only early labour

my mum stayed with us for a few hours while i tried to sleep

she would rub my back with every contraction my partner just supportively in the background.

Monday night!

it was all too much to bare id been in early labour for about 48 hours i was sore and exhausted

we ended up at hospital at about 10.40pm after and internal

i was FINALLY 4cm dilated

wooohooooooooo

we were admitted!

my MW for the birth centre was called and we went put into our birthing suite

My mum arrived not long after us and we all settled in.

I laboured in the birthing suite just walking around and using the bed to rock mum was always there ribbing my back My partner just hanging around in the background knwoing that mum and i had it under control

i had my strep b needle and got my bands put on

everything was set to go.

Then at about 5ish i need to go the toilet so in between contractions i went to the toilet

As i was washing my hands a contraction came so i leant over to rock and ride it out

*CRACK*

that contraction was the one to break my waters

I screamed for my mum who ran in and then proceed toget my MW Helen

who confirmed my waters had broken and that it was happening!

She suggested having a shower so off came the clothes and in i jumped

It was heaven it felt so nice

mum was still rubbing my back int he shower and helen just waited in the doorway giving instructions when we needed them

My Partner just waited in the background again i knew he was close by thats all i needed.

After about an hour in the shower Helen said it was time to get into my nightie and start really pushing this baby out

So we hopped on the bed me on the right side, stuart on a chair next to me mum on my left side holding the gas on my face for me, Helen down south where all the action was about to take place.

I was told to start pushing through my bottom on my next contraction

So we began! Gas on me screaming blood curdling screams

it flipping hurt!

After 2 pushes like this Helen said i needed to concentrate my noise into pushing so only to groan loudly

It worked we pushed and pushed and groaned and grunted.

As he was crowning Helen exclaimed "hes bald"

to my horror i was like "what bald he cant be bald"

(of course he could be i dont know what i was thinking)

I knew we were not too far away from holding our baby boy.

And finally it happened i pushed through that ring of fire and out came his head.

i stopped pushing just long enough for Helen to make sure he was breathing and that his cord wasnt around his neck adn finished off pushing his little body out.

Helen caught him and litterlaly threw him on my stomach

My boy, he was here, he was covered in gunk but was oh so beautiful!

she laid a blanket over his back checked that he actually was a boy and i brought him closer to me on my chest.

He was crying not very loudly but all it took was some gentle sssshhhing and pats on the bum and he stopped and just laid there.

Stuart hurried around to the other side as his little face was facing my mum and we all cuddled up on the bed our first family cuddle

My mum the beautiful mum she is just stepped back and grabbed the camera

The first thing i notcied was his hand from the angel he was laying on it looked HUGE lol but it wasnt it was perfect.

All i kept saying to stuart was "its our baby, hes here"

There were tears all round exceot for me :(

I was too exhausted to physically cry but on the inside i was crying a waterfall

I had done it i had given birth to my amazing little man.

After 48 hours of early labour, no sleep, 8hours and 50 minutes of active labour, pushing actively for an hour, using just the gas i gave birth to a healthy baby boy

Joshua Andrew Graham was born

Tuesday 17th June 2008 at 7:05am

weighing 8lb 40z and meaasuirng 52cm

He was perfect

and now 2 and a half years on he is a boystrous little man who makes me so proud and amazes me everyday

who we love with our everything.

Stay tuned for his little brothers arrival

xxx