I had my routine (40+5) midwife appointment with my lovely midwife at 12:30. She wanted to book me a breech scan JUST in case - she couldn’t get hold of the antenatal ward so she she would WhatsApp me later with a time for the following day. Off I went thinking "ahh it’s prob not breech but I’ll prob be induced".
Got home and had a nice lunch with S, phoned my mom and some friends, did some washing and was just a very normal chilled day at home with the kitties. Didn’t tell my mom about the breech scan just in case she panicked haha!
Just before 3 off S went to play golf (luckily he just ended up at the driving range)!
I went to the loo for a wee and heard “POP” - straight away I knew something was happening because I’d read so many birth stories and I remember someone had the pop! I wiped and saw light pink and phoned S straight away so excited (of course he didn’t answer haha!)
I put a pad on and thought to myself “YAY” he or she will be here in less than 48 hours I’m almost sure of it!” S got home shortly after that around 3:15ish to me bouncing on my ball and as I stood up I just felt the gush and waters coming down my legs and he said yip you’ve leaked all over the ball! We laughed and off I ran to change my pad.
I sat down on the loo and saw a VERY bloody pad - at this exact moment, my midwife WhatsApped me with my scan appointment details. I replied straight away telling her my waters had gone! And I said I hope you don’t mind but is this normal - and I sent her a photo of my bloody pad.
She called me 5min later while I was still on the loo feeling like I needed to poo (sorry TMI!) she told me she’s called triage for me and her friend is on duty and she sent her a pic of my pad and she said I needed to come in straight away. She said she’s given them my details and they’re expecting me! As I was saying "okay thanks I’ll head in soon" I started feeling a surge and she said "it definitely sounds like it’s happening!"
The next hour was a complete blur - I went from zero to 10000 in a matter of minutes !
I was still on the toilet, and vomiting and bleeding mucousy stuff all over the bathroom! S was AMAZING and putting cold flannels over my face and helped me get into the bath and just helped calm me down - The pain was unbearable and I thought to myself how on earth did I think I can do this with no drugs!!!! S phoned triage and said I’ll be coming in when I’m ready - 15min later Triage called S ! And it was my midwife's friend and she told S to get me in the car and to the hospital ASAP. (I think my midwife was keeping in contact checking to see if I was there yet)
Getting into the car (4:40 ish) was the most intense experience ever - I had a mini panic attack and felt like I couldn’t breath and begged St to let me go and sit on the loo! (By the way I am the most private person hahaha all dignity out the window at this point!) luckily S helped me get in and those 7 minutes to the hospital I kept my eyes closed and had 4 huge contractions!! I was hardly getting a break between them.
The next part is crazy - I threw myself out of the car where the ambulances park in front of the hospital and I was on all fours on the pavement. This was really hard I remember making funny noises like I couldn’t catch my breath. S had phoned triage as we got there but it felt like they were talking forever - people stopped and asked if I was okay and a security guard came running to us and said someone is coming. Next thing four midwives were running towards me with a wheel chair. So dramatic but all a blur! S luckily found a parking right around the corner and ran in close behind us with all the bags - a porter was waiting for him at the door and they ran straight to the delivery room.
All I remember saying was “pool room please!” And I got the nicest room ever with a lovely pool and lights! I flung myself into the bed on all fours and apologized for being so dramatic and begged to please let me use the loo! The midwife pulled down my trousers and said “you do not need the toilet, you are having a baby! I can see the head!” At this point an amazing student (almost qualified) midwife came in and the other midwife strapped my belly and told me the heart rate was quite low and I needed to start pushing NOW! I think S and I were in a state of shock and I just begged her to let me flip over into a “UFO” all fours position! She kept saying no no no then eventually she was calm and kind and told me she’ll lose the heart rate if I did that so I’ll have to stay upright. Next thing she turned the pool water off and I knew I wouldn’t be going in there. Less than 30 minutes later B was born! The student midwife was amazing and coached me through the pushing - I was EXHAUSTED and at one point everyone was shouting push push push!!! - exactly what I didn’t want but it’s what I needed to do!
Our beautiful surprise boy came out with his cord wrapped around his neck but they quickly removed it and he screeched and S burst into tears and I just couldn’t believe what had just happened!!! I feel tearful writing this haha! It was the best moment of our lives.
Miraculously I didn’t have any tears or grazes! (The dates and Peri massage must’ve worked phew haha!). I had a natural third stage and the placenta came out all intact 40 min later - this was super chilled and I specifically didn’t want that injection because I throw up easily and remember what we learnt about that.
Unfortunately I was bleeding loads after that and they gave me that injection- I threw up and next thing there were loads of docs in the room explaining I was losing too much blood and they needed to find out where and why etc so I was given looooads of meds and drips and the docs had to have a good rummage inside of me where they pulled out clots and said it was a post partum haemorrhage. That was so uncomfortable and sore they advised some gas and air which made me feel like I had 10 shots of tequila! It didn’t really help the pain but helped distract me for a few mins.
Anyway the docs were amazing and managed to get me to stop bleeding but I had to stay in hospital for three nights for observation (they thought I may need a blood transfusion as I lost a significant 2.1L of blood. I also had to have antibiotics (B also had to have as a precautionary thing) because I had a high temp (most likely from one of the meds they gave me apparently).
Anyway - this wasn’t actually scary at all I was just SO happy and so amazed at my body! (I was just veeeeery tired and weak!)
The midwives at the hospital were AMAZING and I felt like a VIP!
My community midwife popped in to see me - it was the best thing seeing her! If it wasn’t for her, I would’ve most likely had B at home and I would’ve felt out of control. Instead I had an amazing (but very quick) birth!
Labour and birth in two hours (from 3:20Ish to 5:28pm) seems a bit crazy for a first time mama- but I did it! And it feels great. Not forgetting S- he was so so amazing and kept me calm where he could and got us to the hospital safely and he was just a wonderful birth partner.