Willow's Birth Story

On midday last Friday I sent Joel a text message 'don't want to get your hopes up, but I'm feeling 'tightenings' again'. I'd already had two evenings of contractions earlier in the week, that ended up abruptly stopping, so I was feeling a little skeptical, and didn't want him to rush away from work for no reason again.

This was our conversation after that.

At 12.45pm I called him back basically saying.. Yep, hurry.

He was still an hour drive away!

At 1pm they were getting closer and stronger (about 3-5 mins apart) to the point that I was having a hard time talking or moving through them. By this stage I was convinced it was the real deal this time.

I figured it was probably time to call the hospital and let them know I'll be coming in soon. The Midwife on the phone reassured me, told me to take a shower to ease the pain, and start to get ready to come in. I hung up and tried waiting a little longer for Joel, after about 10 mins I knew that they were getting pretty intense. So my Dad to loaded my stuff in the car and drove me to the hospital. Mum called Joel to let him know that I would meet him there.

The 15 min drive to the hospital was painful, to say the least, it seems soooo long! By this stage the contractions had ramped up even more and were coming at about a minute apart. When we arrived at the hospital at 1.45pm there was no way I could even walk down the hospital corridors to the birthing suite, the contractions were so close together I could barely stand never mind walk. So, even though I felt kinda silly doing it,  I sent Dad in to get me a wheelchair. Yep, just like the movies!

They rushed me into the labour suite, thankfully Joel arrived moments after we did, and both he and my Dad came running into the maternity ward yelling 'which way did the wheelchair go?' I wish I had seen it.

The midwives got me up on the bed and checked my progress. I was already 8cm dilated.
Woah, that was quick. Good thing I didn't wait any longer at home.

Labour continued at around the same intensity. Every contraction I was internally willing my waters to break, but nothing was happening. Through the daze of pain I heard the midwives discussing something stopping my waters breaking and whether they should rupture them, I piped up, and just said 'yep do it, break it, now' or something similar. Turns out the umbilical cord was preventing my waters breaking, I don't know all the details,
but once they ruptured them, it was all on.

It took four or five pushes and only 10 mins, and she slid out onto the bed. Joel tells me they weren't prepared for such a swift arrival and she slid into the bumper at the end of the bed!! What a difference from the excruciating hour of pushing I experienced the first time.

8lbs of beautiful baby girl arrived and was put into my arms just before 4pm.
She cried and did all the normal newborn things. Which is the biggest relief.

She breastfed after about 20 minutes of skin to skin time. I was so, so happy and relieved that she had attached and was feeding so well from the get go. I felt a lot more comfortable and confident in helping her to attach compared to Ezra.

It was such a surreal feeling afterwards as Joel and I sat in the hospital room and adored our gorgeous girl. It all happened so fast, I couldn't believe it was all over already. The hardest part was done, and I didn't even have much time to process it. Once she decided to come, she was in a big hurry. I'm so glad I didn't wait any longer to call Joel, and I'm so glad I didn't delay and end up giving birth on the side of the road!

I was also so surprised this time how good I felt post-delivery. Probably because it wasn't a long labour. But, I think it really also had something to do with the fact that it all happened naturally this time, no contraction inducing drugs flowing through my body. And of course, that my body had done it all before.

We are now at home, adapting to life with two kids, and enjoying some lovely family time.

Karen xx