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I just want the share my clueless labour story with you! My partner, Nathan, and I had attended the antenatal classes 2 months before the due date for our 1st baby and I felt that I knew what the signs of labour would be. I finished work three weeks before I due on the 15th Nov 2012 and I was looking forward to having three weeks to prepare our little one’s bedroom and just take it easy. My last day of work was the Wednesday and on the Sunday we had a bit of a working bee around home, inside and out, and it was on that day that I started to pack the hospital bag. During the day I felt like I was constantly weeing myself but only little drips at a time. I had read somewhere that in the last month it is normal to have increased bodily fluid down there so I thought that was what it was. From lunchtime into the that late afternoon I started to get what I called little niggles from time to time but I thought that was from helping Nathan move the outdoor setting in the morning to clean the back patio area. Throughout the day I mentioned these things to Nathan and he asked “ïs it the start of labour?” to which I said “oh no, I would definately know if this was it”. After dinner, I was doing some ironing and I got a little cramp feeling that lasted 3 seconds and that was it. Nathan went to bed early because he gets up around 5am for work and I went to bed around 10pm. I was very restless and started to get these little cramps again. I rolled around, up and down to the toilet and tried to get to sleep for about an hour and then I had a show around 11:30 and thought I had better call the labour ward and let them know. I wasn’t overly concerned because 3 weeks prior to this I had quite a large show and I was checked out in the labour ward and the baby and I were fine. I didn’t think much of this show but I knew we still had to be checked over. Nathan grabbed the hospital bag on the way out the door (which only had supplies for the baby and underwear for me) and on the way the hospital I was still thinking that this can’t possibly be labour because it wasn’t painful enough and I still had 3 weeks to go! I was positive that it was just Branxton Hicks! We got to the labour ward at midnight and had the monitor strapped on and I was still adamant that we would be checked over and be sent home. The monitor showed that I was in labour and after an internal examination I was 10cm and ready to go! I was in shock! Just before the internal I was asked if I wanted any pain relief. I thought that I had better have something so that when the pain gets worse I will be prepared. My contractions started getting worse and I asked where my pain relief was and the midwife told me that because I was 10cm it was too late for anything and just had to go with it. The midwife asked me if I felt like pushing yet – but I had know idea what that feeling was so I started pushing with each contraction and it made it so much worse! I was sooking to Nathan that I just couldn’t do it and it hurt too much and he had to do something!!!! Finally the urge to push came and 21 mins later out come our beautiful little angle Matilda xxx Even the final push to get her out was unexpected! The contraction had stopped and the midwife expected me to have a rest and be ready for the next and final one because her head was just making an appearance. But no, Matilda wanted out! Just as the midwife turned away I gave an extra push and out she came and landed on the mattress! I was stunned and amazed and still a little in denial that I had just given birth. My active labour was just 3hrs and 21mins of second labour and was only really aware of what was really going on the last hour of it.

I was told throughout my pregnancy that because it was my first that I would be overdue and it would take hours and hours! So not the case and because we live 30 mins from the hospital, next time I will be more aware of the early signs!


Posted by tonicroker, 26th March 2013


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  • If you have another baby your labour may be shorter than this one…..or it may be longer.

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  • The anticipation of the first labour is a little exciting and nerve inducing too. It is never what you expect it to be! It is wonderful when it works out and you have your little precious bundle of joy in your loving arms.

    Reply

  • I was induced for my first labour. That freaked me out as I’d been told to expect first labours to be longish, and inducement would make it harder. Drip went in 8.30am, first contraction at 8.40am, final push 11.17am. 2 hours and 40 minutes, too easy! Second labour more than made up for it :/

    Reply

  • Nice to hear a labour story that wasn’t total agony.


    • It is good to have a range of stories across the birth spectrum.

    Reply

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