Tues 18th 2:50am: I feel a 'pop' and suspect that my waters have broken. Luckily, I make it to the loo and sure enough, it has. I'm only 38 weeks and 5 days but this is full term so all okay. The most peculiar thing is all the fine hair I can see in my waters. It really hits home that a little human being is about to arrive into the world!
Tues 18th 5:30am: Craig and I head into Mater Mothers Hospital to see where we're at. I'm not getting any contractions at this point so my Midwife organises some bloodtests to make sure all is well and there's no sign of infection. We check Baby's heartrate - all is good. While we wait, I start to get back pain and they seem to be coming on quite regularly. Is this labour or isn't it? We're told not to focus so much on timing the back pain but instead, just let my body do its thing. I get some water injections into my back to help manage the pain and this definitely helps. I'm also cranking up the Tens machine. At this point in time, we'll probably have to come back to the hospital tomorrow morning to see how labour is progressing.
Tues 18th 12:30pm: By now, the back pain is extremely uncomfortable. I've tried the ball, to sleep, to have a bath, but I just can't get comfortable. I try to walk mindfully but my pain threshold is getting thinner and thinner. I'm also panicking because if this is just the back pain, what on earth am I going to do when I do actually go into labour? I don't think I can last until tomorrow morning and desperate, I call my Midwife. Craig and I decide to go down the road of inducing my labour to get this show on the road.
Tues 18th 5:00pm: We're back at Mater Mother's and I'm being prepared for induction. Just before I get the drugs, we do a check just to confirm how dilated I am. To everyone's surprise, I'm 8cm dilated. Turns out that back pain was labour all along! I'm ectastic (here I thought I was just over-reacting to that back pain) and can't wait to meet my baby. I can tell Craig is relieved as well and so together, we get ready to do some major grunt work. Alexis (my Midwife) is even thinking we'll have our baby by 9pm.
Tues 18th 9:00pm: No sign of baby! I've been labouring really well in the bath tub, on the ball and in the shower but the contractions don't seem to be quite going anywhere. We check baby's position but Bub is making it hard for the midwives to work out what's going on. We put a fetal monitor on baby's head because his heartrate is too hard to differentiate against mine. Craig and I soldier on. By the way, throughout this whole process, Craig has been faithfully checking my temperature, holding my hand, reminding me to breathe and to relax. He is my rock.
Wed 19th Midnight: I'm beginning to despair because I'm just so physically and mentally exhausted. It's nearly 24 hours since my waters broke and the back pain is still going strong, even with the Tens machine on. But with no sign of contractions coming closer together and baby still in a less-than-ideal position, I'm running dry on mental strength. I feel like crying but I'm so tired, I don't even have the strength to do that. I avoid making eye-contact with Craig because I'm terrified that I'll just roll into a ball and cave in. I've even had some drugs to bring the contractions closer together but it doesn't seem to be progressing. Finally, I ask for an epidural. I decide that I would much rather have some relief from the back pain and gather my strength, so I can push this baby out once and for all.
Wed 19th 1:20am: I have the epidural and blessed relief! I wish I'd been able to put up with the pain but the ease that the epidural has given me opens up a window where I can just sit and regather my strength. By this stage, I've also had 3 cannulas (1 came out during labour, my vein collapsed on the 2nd cannula, and the 3rd is in position) so I'm a bit of a pin cushion. Must be karmic-payback for all the cannulas I've given my patients! The great thing with the epidural is that it hasn't completely numb my body. I can still feel sensations in my legs and on the left side of my stomach so I'm hoping that come the 2nd stage of labour, I'll be able to feel baby when I push and still have something close to a true vaginal birth experience. We're going to wait for an hour and then it's time to meet my baby!
Wed 19th 2:20am: It's time to start pushing and to everyone's relief, baby has moved into the Occiput - Anterior position which means baby is head down, facing my back. This is the best position for birthing baby so I get down to business. But sadly, even after an hour of pushing, baby isn't quite progressing down the birth canal. The obstrectic registrar thinks we need to consider an emergency c-section but I ask that we try a little longer and in a different position. Alexis and Cathy (my student midwife) are fabulous and support me here. Unfortunately, baby's head is somewhat rotated which is making the whole process difficult. We endeavour on (Craig is always at my side) but still no baby! Finally, the Obstetrecian comes to see if there's a possibility of using forceps to help Bub come into the world but given Baby's poor descent into my vaginal canal, she doesn't think that's wise and advises the emergency c-section. Craig and I decide to have the c-section. With due credit to the Mater staff, they don't waste any time and I'm whisked straight into theatre.
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| Craig keeps vigil by my side. |
Wed 19th 4:30am: The drama isn't quite over! The anathetist isn't 100% happy with my epidural because it hasn't completely numb both sides of my body. I can still experience a lot of sensation on my left side and he's already given me 1.5 times the normal dose. As the poor man is trying to talk to me, I keep passing out because I'm just buggered. Craig has to wake me up and help me keep focused. I finally get my concentration together and in the end, the anathetist gives me a Spinal. This works beautifully and the c-section goes ahead. The rest is a bit of a blur but then the amazing moment arrives!
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| Baby Ethan is born! |
Wed 19th 5:06am: It's a boy! Baby Ethan is born into the world at 8lbs 8oz and while he is a big boy, he is still a relatively normal sized baby. I hear his first cry and get a quick glimpse of him, before Craig goes to cut Ethan's umbilical cord. They bring Ethan over to me and our baby boy is very alert, wide-eyed and curious, even if a little stunned. Craig and I are both besotted. After a long 26 hours of labour, we finally have our baby boy.
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| Craig does the honours and cuts the cord. |
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| Poor Little Man! Doesn't like the cold. |
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| Ethan meets Mum for the first time. |
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| Our first family protrait together. |
Wed 19th Midday: After some precious moments spent together, Craig and Ethan are taken up to the ward while I spend four hours in recovery from all the wonderful cocktail of drugs I've been given. I spend most of this time adrift in the land of sandman, waking up only once to ask if the theatre nurse could check in on Craig and the baby. I'm told that both my boys are fast asleep, recovering from the ordeal. We're finally reunited together around midday and despite the dark circles, the bloodshot eyes and tired faces, I get to hold Baby Ethan proper as an alert mother.
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| Our Baby Dragon, aka Ethan James Thear. |
And that's how Ethan James Thear was born! It was a bit of drama but so far, he's a very inquisitive and pleasant baby who enjoys spending time with the family around him. It's been an amazing 9 months and definitely worth the investment! Welcome to the world, Baby Ethan. It's a privilege to be your parents.
xoxo Demi & Craigus.
