My perfect water birth: Elliott
This is me in my final labour diary entry...sadly we didn't manage to film Elliott's actual arrival. it all happened a bit too quickly, I didn't realise how close he was to arriving and didn't have the time/inclination to remember to tell my hubby to press 'record' in time to witness his delightful arrival. So, this is his near arrival.
40 minutes until birth, jus got into the birthing pool at St Mary's hospital, and left to our own devices to birth how we wanted.
You'll notice that the room is bright; personally, I didn't feel the need for a dark room, but everyone is different, and although we teach that a dark room is ideal for helping to create the right environment, and it also supports our client's practice routine that takes place as they go to bed and are naturally in a more relaxed state for practice, I felt quite comforatble and safe in the light.
You'll see me have a surge, quite comfortably, and also explain the status of my labour and feelings at that time.
After this film, as I say, Elliott arrived peacefully (with a little whinying) at 11.18am, weighing a good 7lb 10 1/2oz.
Since I didn't get his birth on film, I'll describe it here:
I didn't notice the "transition" phase particularly, although I'd wager it happened about 20 minutes before birth. I felt, as I had with my previous birth of Imogen two year previously, a change in the sensation of my surges. From being a constant and solid pressure/tightening, they completed with a slight nudging, wave like (or a bit like a numatic drill; uh-uh-uh-uh feeling) to end the previous surge.
Gradually, over about 4 or 5 surges, they changed to totally this feeling, the previous tightening was gone. We were in the second stage of labour; delivery.
Once this stage took hold, it actually didn't last very long at all. I had an overwhelming urge to move position, onto my knees, leant on the edge of the pool. At this point, I suggested to Paul (my hubby) to go and get the midwife (who, as yet, hadn't actually revisited us to check me or the pool temperature!), as I thought birth would be soon.
She was quite surprised to find that I was almost there and ran out to get a second colleague (who turned out to be a spare part that could have done our filming for us, sitting, dumb and still on the bed throughout!). She arrived as I was thinking "oh...my bikini bottoms are still on" - panic then set in that I wouldn't be able to get them off, and I vividly recall shaking them off of my outstretched leg before my next surge came! And having a big ol' belly laugh about it (releasing yet more endorphins!)...I must have looked a sight!
I had very few surges to get Elliott out:
1. I felt a 'pop' as he tangibly moved
2. My waters broke, I remember asking if there was maconium and if it was all OK to continue (it was)
3. I felt his head come down
4. He crowned
5. Head is born
6 and 7. Out pops a baby...calm, serene and perfect.
And my, what a pink and alert little thing he was, quiet and happy and inquisitive.
We got almost straight out of the pool, and he latched straight on for a feed.
My third stage delivery of the placenta happened 15 minutes later, then, once the cord has stopped pulsating and was drained of all the nutritious blood, his cord was clamped, cut and I had a much needed shower!
