Bean has been born, and on her due date - the date that was revised after the first ultrasound and not the original date that M34tb4LL and i got or the original date that the hospital came up with (that was a few days after our date) - confused? I am!!! and i have been a part of each conversation about Bean's due date!
So Bean was born 10 days before Christmas, on the date that the hospital planned. She did not make her way here on her own, she had to be brought on... just like her brother! But at least unlike her brother we did not have to sit around waiting for weeks after she was due. The last obstetrician that i saw said that with any luck i would go into labour naturally before the date we had been booked in to be induced. She thought there was a good chance because i had already started to show signs that i was getting ready for the birth, and she gave me a few tips to try that might help bring on labour. And i did try a few of the things that she suggested but the body did not come to the party so medical intervention was brought into play.
On the morning of 15th December, not long before 7.00am M34tb4LL and i walked into Box Hill hospital and were shown to a delivery room and told by the midwife that we had to wait for a doctor to get the go ahead. This go ahead took a bit of time to get, and it was in the form of a doctor standing not very far into the room and taking the opinion of the midwife as to how they should proceed with bring on the baby - whether to use "the gel" or whether to skip this step and go to breaking the waters. Seeing as i had been told a week prior that i had already started to prepare for labour i was confident that the gel step would be missed, and the midwife said that there was no point doing the gel first, but the doctor had to be consulted and it was his choice. He told the midwife to skip the gel (surprise surprise) without looking at me himself, which i did not mind.
I had requested on a few occasions that as much as my care and the care of my baby be provided my midwives. I wanted midwives being the ones who would provide me with assistance during the delivery and i can tell you know that i am very happy with the way the hospital respected my request. When we had Peanut we had midwives assistance for most of the birth, but doctors had to be brought in at numerous times to "check my progress" and when it was time for Peanut to enter the world the midwives had to take a step back so that the doctors could assist with the birth. I did not find this a bad thing, but this time around i did want as minimal doctor involvement as possible.
So the decision was made to break the waters and this is what was done (I am really going to try and NOT be graphic with any part of this story) by one of the midwives there. It was then suggested that we go for a walk to see if we could kick in some contractions. We were told that half the time breaking the waters was enough to start things off so M34tb4LL and i walked around the hospital for a about an hour waiting to see if i got any twinges or niggles - nothing.
We returned to the room and the midwives said that the process was wait for two hours after the waters are broken before starting on the hormone drip, but seeing as i had not had any signs that labour was going to kick in - and seeing as it would taken them a while to setup the hormone drip and things - they made the decision to put a drip in me and give me hormones to bring on labour.
A stand with a couple bags of clear liquid and another with monitoring equipment on it were wheeled into the room and a needle was put into my arm. I then had the drip connected and was hooked up to the monitor - that monitored both the baby's heart beat and uterus activity - we waited for things to start happening.
Just like as with Peanut, not long after the drip was connected i started to get contractions that were not painful and after a while they stopped. Then they started again and boy did they kick in with some intensity! I don't remember much of what labour and delivery was like with Peanut and i was kind of grateful for that - left me ignorant to go back a second time. But i do remember most, if not all of the labour and delivery with Bean and i am glad that i do remember more this time.
Also just like Peanut, once the contractions kicked in with force i did not have too much a wait. It was only about 1 1/2 hours or maybe even less after the contraction started (for the second time) that Bean was ready to be born.
There is an important part of the story (well i think it is important) that needs to be added at this point. You see the midwives that had been with us since we arrived at 7.00am were due to finish their shifts at 3.00pm. At 2.30pm they told me that one of midwives who would be coming in to assist (they always work in pairs) with the delivery and that she was a student and that she had finished all her training but just needed to get her 20 "catches" to get her accreditation. The midwife that was starting at 3.00pm had 18 catches under her belt already! We were told in the last few days she had assisted with a few deliveries but unfortunately at the crucial moment - at the time that the little baby was about to enter the world - a doctor had to be called in to assist and she therefore did not get the credit for the catch. I said that i would try to what was within my powers to help her out.
So right on time (or a few minutes early) the relieving midwife came into the room, and what seemed like right on time at 3.00pm Bean was ready to be born! And the midwives who had been there the whole day said that seeing as i had progressed to "stage 2", the giving birth sage, they were not going to leave us.
A bit after 3.00pm, with the help of three midwives, Bean was born - naturally, without the need of calling on doctor assistance. With the third midwife in prime position (and wearing an over sized apron to try to save her white top...) she got her 19th catch.
So here are the stats that you have been waiting for -
Born: 15th Dec 2009
Time: 3:16pm
Weight: 3.43 kg (7 lb 9 oz)
Length: 51 cm
Name: Eleanor Grace
:) Reggie
