Wet. Everywhere. I batted Adam awake and told him to grab some towels. I ran to the bathroom while he changed the sheets. I changed my pyjamas, and called Claudette. She said that she would come over and check me. Adam got dressed and got our stuff ready to go to the hospital. The contractions started getting stronger and stronger, and at this point, laying on the bed burying my face in Adam’s neck was the most helpful thing. I threw up a few times, but luckily my uber-prepared self had bought some Gatorade, so I was sipping on that.
Claudette arrived around 1:30, and checked me. I was 90% effaced, and at 5cm dilated. The bag of waters had broken way up high (I’m assuming where Audrey was kicking me – in the ribs) so she could feel the membranes still covering her head. I wasn’t really aware of the time passing, and I spent most of this time either sitting on the toilet (It was the most comfortable place!) or leaning over the bed.
Adam tells me I was making a lot of noise. I don’t really remember, but I do remember Claudette telling me to use low tones, so I wouldn’t kill my voice. Around 2:45, Claudette checked me again, and I was fully dialated, with just the anterior lip remaining. She told me that if we were still going to the hospital to deliver, now was the time. She said “If you feel like pushing in the car, just pull over and stop, I’ll be right behind you.” I think I laughed at that point and said “Um. No. I feel like pushing NOW. I’m not getting in the car. Can we do it here?” So Claudette called the hospital to tell them we weren’t coming, called the backup (Karline was off call that night, so my backup was a lovely lady named Carolynn, and her student Natasha), and went to her car to get the supplies. The reason there are 2 midwives is for extra help during transition and delivery, and so that one can take care of the mom, and one can take care of the baby.
Like I said, I was in the bathroom for most of this, but I remember a flurry of activity happening in the bedroom. Because I hadn’t planned on staying home, I didn’t have a home kit. Luckily Claudette had most everything in her car, but Adam had to use garbage bags on the bed, covered by old bedsheets. He had to clear a space for her equipment, and a table in the bedroom to lay the baby on if they needed to attend to her in any way.
At 3:15, Carolynn arrived, and I started pushing. I tried various positions, but the ‘traditional’ position (on back, legs up) turned out to be the best. All throughout this, Claudette and Carolynn were taking my (and Audrey’s) heart rate, to ensure that we were both doing ok. I guess 3:15 is when I entered “transition”? I don’t know, all I knew was that I could feel that it was time, and my body seemed to know what to do.
Claudette told Adam that he could catch the baby if he wanted, and he wasn’t sure for most of the night, but he finally decided that yes, he wanted to. At 3:45am her head was visible when I was pushing, so Adam and Claudette got into catching position.
Twitter
RSS
Facebook
Email
Recent Comments