It was the week of Christmas and still no baby. I was only 38 weeks but I had been so sure that I was going to go earlier given I had only just reached 38 to the day with my first pregnancy. At my appointment on Tuesday the 21st I desperately wanted to ask for a stretch and sweep- but chickened out and opted for some hill runs and step ups on the gutter opposite the clinic after my appointment instead. It was a fine line between- please please go in to labour and -don’t you dare come on Christmas Day! We had agreed to host Christmas at our house, thinking that baby girl would have already arrived. Luckily for us, Christmas Day came and went and still no baby. I had a lot of help, especially from my mum, but even still hosting a house full of guests had me completely exhausted and I was feeling desperate for a rest day on Boxing Day. Bodhi went off to a friends house and Willa went down for her nap. I too was so wanting to sleep, I can’t explain the exhaustion I felt, unfortunately for me we had multiple visitors. I started getting angry and then my anger and frustration had me feeling emotional (which should have been a dead giveaway). All I remember is that Willa, who was obviously exhausted too, slept for over three hours, all the while I was sitting there wishing everyone would leave me alone so I could sleep. (Sorry visitors who are now reading this. Next time I’m 39 weeks preg- keep away )
When Willa woke we headed over to a friends to meet up with Bod. It was around 4/5pm and I had started feeling some little niggles but had also experienced a lot of Braxton Hicks throughout this pregnancy so I didn’t get my hopes up. Side Note- Imagine being a doctor who coined the term 'braxton hicks' something that happens to a womens body, named after a wife. Cmon' Mate, you could have named it after you wife. Okay, sorry! Back to it!
When we arrived at our friends house, my midwife happened to be there too! This pregnancy I went through the midwifery program rather than opting for shared care like I did with Willa. This meant I had the same midwife the whole way through- and by luck she happened to be a Yarra girl! (We live in Yarrawong but our closest birthing hospital is in Wangaratta). ‘How are you feeling? Any signs yet?’ She asked. ‘Nope’ I lied. ‘Nothing’. I didn’t dare say that the niggles I had been feeling weren’t going away. I wasn’t going to risk jinxing anything. I was so ready to labour and meet our baby. It was getting close to dinner time so we decided to head off. I knew the niggles weren’t going away now and given we suspected my labour would be quick after last time I wanted to be prepared. We hadn’t organised dinner so I suggested we go to the pub for a quick feed. That way I would know everyone had full tummies ready for the night ahead. We were keen to make our dinner a quick one as we were all still tired from Christmas. I hadn’t told Bod about the niggles- he’s a stress head and I’m cool calm collected. While we were waiting for our meal a friend popped over to our table to say hello. Naturally he began asking about impending labour, when I’d think I’d go, what it felt like, all the things you chat about when there’s a basketball belly waiting to pop. I played it cool ‘yeah just waiting for it to happen’ in my head ‘it’s happening now please move along so I can eat and leave’.
We got home and I told Bod. I bathed Willa and we had a beautiful cuddle together. Soaking up the last of our time with just her and I. I messaged my midwife who was off duty until from memory 10am the next day. She said to call the midwife on duty to check in, just so she knows if probably be in at some point during the night. She said to call back when things get moving. I tried to relax. Did all the things you do. Long shower. Washed my hair. Rearranged my bag. Kissed my baby a few more times while she slept. At about 10pm I rang the midwife again. The contractions weren’t very strong but they were consistent. I told her the same thing that I had sad to my midwife at the beginning of every appointment we had- 'I'm worried I'm not going to make it to the hospital.' During my first labour, I reached 6cm before I felt anything. I only truly knew I was in labour because my waters had broken. The Midwife on the phone said having birthed before I would know when the contractions change and that I’ll need to come in when that happens. She also reassured me that I wouldn’t have a baby in the car as adrenaline would kick in and contractions would stop. It was like a weight was lifted from me. The whole pregnancy this had been my main worry. I said to my midwife at every appointment ‘what if I don’t know I’m in labour’ ‘I’m not going to leave myself enough time’ ‘I’m not going to make it the 45 min drive’. But now it was like ‘she’s the midwife and she said it won’t happen so it won’t happen.’ I thought I’d better get some rest. I was still so tired and didn’t want to go into labour behind the eight ball. I couldn’t sleep though. I was excited. I tossed and turned. The contractions weren’t painful but they were happening frequently enough to keep me awake. Every six minutes. Then I felt one that was different. It was through my back and down into my hips and while it wasn’t painful per say it was definitely causing discomfort. I thought this must have been what the midwife meant and I was still a little nervous about not making it to hospital so I felt I would rather head over early. Mum came over and at 1.30am we headed off to Wangaratta. I’m not sure if it was cold or if it was a symptom but I could not stop shaking/shivering. We made it to Wangaratta and settled into the birth suite. Contractions were still regular and through my back. I wasnt progressing. At 4am my midwife offered to check me. I knew it wasnt going to be good news, my contractions had still ben regular but they hadnt gotten any closer together. 4cm. It's okay, its different to last time and thats okay. The most important thing is that it's started and baby girl will be here soon. The midwife was finishing her shift and so she explained that in the morning the doctors would come round and we would speak with them about whether I wanted/needed to be induced and that my midwife would also be in around that time. Morning came, two nurses came in to check on how we were going. Still the same. 'Okay you can go home when you're ready' Bod and I were both a little shocked as we thought we were waiting to speak to the doctor or my midwife. 'We can't go, she progresses really fast' Bod said. Remember- big stresshead. I was okay, I assured him that each birth is different and this one was obvioulsy going to take a little longer. So home we went.
We relieved Mum of her dutys and decided to go and get a smoothie. The day was long and very boring, especially for Willa. We wanted to keep busy but also didn't want to go anywhere incase things started moving fast. This whole time my contractions had remained 6mintues apart. It got to 1pm and we were getting impatient. My midwife reccomended I keep active. Our house has a circlular layout so I decided to run some laps. The contractions got down to two minutes apart but just would stay that way. At 5pm I passed a bit of my plug. It's time! But nope, still 6 minutes apart and lasting anywhere from 50seconds to 1mintute. At 6.40pm more of my plug passed but we knew better than to get excited. We decided nothing was happening anytime soon so I sent Bod to get some dinner while I had a bath with Willa, my fifth for the day. At 7.10pm my midwife rang, she was finishing her shift and heading home to Yarra so said she would bring me some pain relief so that I could get some rest. At 7.11pm, literally one minute later, I was stepping out of the bath when I started having a contraction. It was a big one, my head spun and I quickly laid down to help with the dizziness. It lasted 45seconds and I felt like we were on. I quickly got Willa out of the bath, dried her off and was heading to get her pyjamas when another one stated. 3 minutes apart. Bodhi where are you? Right on queue Bod walked in, he was on the phone, I wasn't worried, I was already in the zone, blanking everything out and focusing on my body and baby.
'Are you okay' 'Call the midwife' - 7.25pm
By 7.35pm the contraction were back to back. My midwife had turned around to head back to the hospital and told us to meet her there. Bodhi phoned mum to come over. While intense, the contractions were better now as the pressure through my back had lessened. I'm obviously no doctor/midwife however, I have my suspicions that the night before when I had the strong contraction through my hips and back, that baby changed positions and that was why I was having a lot of discomfort in my back with every contraction from then on. My guess is that she moved into a better position as I was getting out of the bath and that's why things finally got moving!
It had been 20 minutes and mum was no where to be found, usually cool calm and collected, I rang her in a rage- "Where the F*#K are you?" if anyone knows my Mum, she is all for everybody else, the biggest people pleaser, she couldn't stop apologising. She had thought Bodhi said he was dropping Willa off and while she thought it was strange, she had been sitting waiting for us to arrive. Luckily she is only around the corner. At 8.10pm I was standing at the car, ready to get in, when a contraction started. 'Oh no' I thought.
'I can't do this' I said to Bodhi.
'Yes you can babe. You've got this! You did it easy last time!'
My mind was racing. That's not what I meant. I couldn't voice my thoughts because I was too focused. I knew I could do it, I love doing it, I already want to do it again. What I meant at the time was I can't do this, I can't get in the car. She had dropped and I knew it. I couldn't bend to sit in the car and with two carseats already in the back I didn't have any alternative. My mind continued to race- It's time to push. Do I call one of our midwife friends? Will they care? Will they get in trouble for delivering a baby off shift, not at a hospital? Will we just go to Yarra hospital? No, they'll just send me to Wang. I had nothing. No choice. I got in the car and sat very uncomfortably- my feet on the ground and one hand at the base of the window and the other on the console so as to hold my body up.
'It's okay' I thought to myself. 'Change of enviroment. The contractions will stop... The contractions will stop.. The contractions.... are NOT stopping.'
I opened my eyes. For locals reference, we were at the Woods Road/MVH roundabout where Denis Medical is. Bodhi turned onto the highway... behind a truck.
'We aren't going to make it' I though. 'Overtake' I told Bodhi.
He couldn't. There was too much oncoming traffic.
'I'll go the backway' he said as he turned off to cut out Bundalong.
I had turned around by this point and was facing backwards in the passenger seat hugging the headrest with my feet on the seat and the towel I so thankfully grabbed last minute underneath me. I had one hand between my legs and my waters were leaking out.
'Shit. Where's the turn off? Where's the turn off?'
'Don't get us lost now' I thought. Bodhi, as mentioned, is a stress head. I can keep my cool, so I did. He found the turn off.
'Faster' I said. Now things started to get a little hectic.
My body was taking over. I don't know how to explain what I felt. I am so thankful that a friend had experienced the same thing and had recently been telling me about it, otherwise I probably would have been quite scared. Involuntary pushing. I wasn't trying to push, in fact, I was trying to do anything but that. This baby and my body had other ideas though.
My hand had until this time been between my legs on the outside of my knickers, I slipped it inside. I could feel something slimy, soft and round. When in labour with Willa I said I would never touch my babies head before it was out again... but here we were.
'Call the midwife. Call an ambulance.'
We started to panic a little.
Ambulance: 'What is the next main road you will hit?
Bodhi: 'Tungamah-Peechelbah Rd.'
Me thinking again - 'There's no way we're going to make it.'
Ambulance: 'You will need to pull over there.'
Midwife and I almost in sync: 'Don't stop!'
We kept driving. I remember Bod desperately begging me to stop pushing. 'I'll get you there. Please, please stop pushing!" but I couldn't. The noise I was making wasn't because I was pushing, it was because I was trying so hard to stop my body from pushing.
My mind started racing and I began to lose my focus a little. I knew the baby would be fine, babies born in a hurry usually are. While it probably sound selfish, my worry was me. What if I hemorrhaged? What if I don't deliver the placenta? There's only one towel and it's soaked. We've told the ambulance not to come. No one's on their way.
Bod was great. It's okay babe just breathe. Midwife said to breathe. I calmed down.
The next time I opened my eyes we were coming into Wangaratta. I don't want to tell you how fast we were going. We were coming around the bend were the golf course is. Bodhi overtook a car and I thought we would crash before we made it to the hospital.
Midwife was back on the phone. We were almost there. Maybe we will make it. I was doing long, deep breathes. Bod continued to talk me through it. 'Just breathe'.
We reached the roundabout, you know the one, you go straight to the hospital or left into town. I had relaxed. We were going to make it. And even if we didn't, we were close enough that all would be fine. I relaxed too much though...her head was out.
I'm not sure what exactly happened here. I still had my knickers on and while I could feel her head in my hand I wasn't sure if it was only the head or her whole little self.
Bodhi was on the phone to the midwife who was waiting at the emergency driveway... however, he hung up where I told him the head was out.
'Should she be crying?' Now, I'm not sure why out of everything I had chosen to internalised previously, I chose to say this out loud. I wasn't worried. But now Bodhi was. He says this is the part that shook him, he thought the worst. I on the other hand, was genuinely unsure and just thinking out loud (Sorry Bod). As I said, I wasn't sure if it was her head or whole body out.
We pulled into the Emergency Department driveway. We were there. My midwife opened my car door.
'Heads out' she called to her helper. 'All good Liv, wait for one more contraction and then push.' At 8.35pm I stood in the driveway of ED, hands on my passenger seat and delivered our sweet baby Georgie Rose.
'Bodhi!' I called as I smiled and gave a thumbs up. 'Get a photo! We need to remember this forever' - like we'd forget it!
Poor Bod was in a state of shock, I looked up to see him standing there, white as anything and looking ill. He staggered over, snapped ONE photo as I moved- one job mate, one job Haha.
It was done! We made it, just. Our baby was here.
We went inside and my wonderful midwife and doctor delivered my placenta and stitched me up - only a precautionary little stitch. Bod went to park the car and came back much more relaxed. He does vow that next baby we will be renting a house in Wang for the final weeks! Haha.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my experience! I hope it comes across as a positive. Other than the few minutes where I was stressing because we were not even at Peechelbah (around halfway) I was super relaxed and okay! I love birth and am so thankful to have had two enjoyable and straightforward births with no complications. I can't wait to do it all again!
2 comments
Omg I’m balling!! You are a rockstar!!! 😍🎉
The suspense leading up to the end! My gosh haha. I cannot believe you remained so cool calm and collected through all of that! You are amazing, what a story to remember for you all!