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Week by Week

Amalia Jane

Thursday morning it seemed to start happening. At 4.40am I had a show and contractions started about 15-20mins apart. My husband (Julian) decided to stay at home and we went back to bed to rest while we could. At 8am Julian phoned work, and the contractions were still consistent at 15-20 mins. Back to bed - we thought it would be a long day! At 10.30 we woke, and disappointingly no contractions. We stayed at home all day and still nothing happened.

That night as I turned my light off (10.20pm) the contractions started. This time much stronger and closer together. By 11.30 they were 5-10 mins apart, and at 12 I rang the hospital. The midwife said to have a shower, get my bag ready and make my way up to the Hospital. We live about 30 mins away.

We drove up to the hospital confident that everything was going to happen, and feeling really excited. We arrived about 2am. At the hospital the baby was monitored, and everything seemed fine. After a while, however, the contractions slowed down. We were shown into a room and advised to get some sleep. We both tried to sleep, but found it difficult. Eventually around lunchtime Friday we came home. I was still having contractions about 10 mins apart.

We were both feeling pretty dispirited by this time, and were both very tired. I phoned my sister (Cate) who came and stayed with us. Julian was able to get some sleep, and Cate sat with me rubbing my back during contractions.

After a hot bath around 7.30 the contractions were coming 5-8mins apart. Around 10pm we went back to the Hospital this time with contractions 3-5 mins apart. On examination I was only 3 cms dilated, and feeling pretty discouraged. At this time I had had contractions for 24 hours, and had very little sleep. I just wanted to go home and forget the whole thing. To top it off the midwife suggested 2pm Saturday as a likely delivery time - I was devastated, I couldn't go on much longer I was already tired.

Around midnight we were moved into another delivery room, which had a huge bath. The bath was just magic! Hot water, Lavender oil and soft music-brilliant. I used the gas which helped me focus on breathing deeply through each contraction. Julian and Cate were fantastic talking me through each contraction, topping up the bath, giving me water, even holding my head out of the water as I dropped off between contractions.

I stayed in the bath until about 5.30am, when I felt like pushing. At this stage we thought that my waters had broken in the bath-no such luck! The midwife broke my waters, although I was unaware of this at the time. During transition I had asked for this to be done,as well as asking for pethidine (or any drug in fact!) .The midwife felt I was coping with the pain and was reluctant to give me pethidine as I had been so opposed to it in my birth plan. So we kept on with the gas.

When I got out of the bath I leant against the bed, and a mat (like a gym mat) was brought in for me, however my legs were shaky and I couldn't stand, so I got up on the bed - I really just wanted to sleep, I was so exhausted! I knew I didn't want to be on my back, and found it comfortable to be on my knees leaning into a bean bag over the head of the bed. At this stage I had really lost the plot, and was pretty oblivious to everything but the midwive's voice telling me when to push. I know Julian was there by my side and Cate was rubbing my back and legs with oil. I had also thrown away the gas-Ifound out later that the midwife had turned it down, as she wanted me to 'push' rather than 'breathe'.

The baby's head after appearing and disappearing eventually surfaced. And the midwife said not to push as the cord was around her neck. This was righted, and the rest of her was born. YES she was a girl! (I had felt she was a girl, and had wanted a girl) AMALIA JANE was born at 7.31am Saturday morning. Beautiful and perfect.

The first person she saw when she opened her eyes was her dad. I was so exhausted I was not really interested in her at that time, however, in hindsight I am disappointed I didn't see her being born. Julian stayed with me all the time, and a mirror was brought for him to watch, and Cate was there for it all. She later said "I was so naive!".

The midwife controlled the actual birth so well that I didn't have any stitches, and recovery has been quick. I came home on the Monday, and had a midwife come to the house every day for a week to see me and Amalia. I can't praise the midwives enough for the care I received. I also received ante natal care at the midwives clinic.

Julian and I had been to ante-natal classes, watched videos, read books and spoken to people with babies, but still were not prepared. Nothing can prepare you for such an experience, or how a baby makes you feel after. They are so precious!

Comments or questions welcome!

Belinda