Hello Loves!
It’s been a little while since I graced these pages with my bad grammar, and that’s because we recently welcomed our newest little addition to the family, Koah.
Let’s Begin
So, I guess our birth story starts at my midwives appointment. Sitting at 40 weeks and 1 day I was starting to get frazzled. I had tried everything; spicy food, raspberry leaf tea, 6 dates a day, curb walking, ball bouncing, everything! I was in a rush to get things going, probably because this pregnancy was a lot harder for me. My bones hurt, my muscles killed, and running after a toddler all day was just downright exhausting. Or, maybe it was the fact that with our first daughter Skye and I went to 41 weeks and did NOT want to do that again.
Anyway, I’m rambling. So that morning I went to our midwives for a stretch and sweep, I was shocked when my midwife told me that I was already 3cm dilated!! With my first pregnancy, I was laying in a hospital bed contractions pushing me to my limits at 3cm. This time I was walking around with not a clue in the world. My mum chalks this up to the dill seed tea I was drinking like crazy, thanks to the recipe my mother-in-law sent to get things going, not sure if it kickstarted things, but it definitely calmed me. Sorry, rambling again. After the midwives I went about my day. My mum was at ours looking after Skye so we were able to get some errands done. It wasn’t until we went to go check out the new Farmboy grocery store that just opened in our neck of the woods that my body started to show signs. Although, I really didn’t think anything of it. Just slight cramping.
We decided to head home, which was about a 30min drive away. I was experiencing cramping the whole way but because of my calm demeanour I still didn’t think anything of it. It wasn’t until I sat on the couch, with a bowl of pasta in my lap and Bridgerton on the TV that the cramps started to hurt a little harder. My mum sat next to me coaching my breathing and timing my contractions. Although, I really didn’t think they were contractions. I remember contractions with Skye and these just didn’t feel the same, I was calm, controlled (dill seed?). But, the contractions were coming every 2 mins so we thought it best to call our midwife who informed us to meet her at the hospital.
Driving to the hospital was wild. Timing my contractions every 2 mins, Sameer’s foot was heavy on the gas peddle. I didn’t find out until later that my mum had told him to hurry as she wasn’t sure I would make it in time!
Due to COVID regulations, once we reached the hospital, Sameer had to remain outside until I was admitted into the ward. Instead of Sameer whizzing me to the labour unit, I had a teenage girl pushing my wheelchair at a slow and steady pace complaining that she never wants kids, while I silently contracted. Thanks chick haha. Once I reached the delivery ward I was met by my wonderful midwife. We headed into Triage to see how far along I was. This is where things get interesting.
About To Get Interesting
Breathing through my contractions while my midwife checked on things down there “So there’s good news and bad news” she said, the good news was that I was 9cm dilated, ummm excuse me, but the bad news was that it was too late for me to get an epidural, double excuse me!! I’m not someone with a plan, I’d rather go with the flow but having an epidural was essential. My midwife encouraged me to get Sameer up here stat.
In the delivery room things calmed down a little, heavy breathing through my contractions… like a champ I might say… whilst Sameer stood behind me applying pressure to my lower back. Between contractions I was cracking jokes and having a good ol’ time. My waters were still very much intact, so my midwives to get things rolling broke them for me. I don’t remember having so much liquid with my first, this time it was literally like Niagara Falls, it just kept flowing! After that I really didn’t know what to expect, everything was just so… calm. I remember asking my midwife what now? We wait for baby. This was so different for me, with Skye there was so much commotion, continuous checking on both of our vitals.
Anyway, about an hour + into being in the hospital my contractions started to change, getting more intense with an added pressure lower down. I felt the urge to push! This was such a foreign feeling, having an epidural with my previous delivery I never felt that pressure or need to push. For a very small moment I was in awe of my body telling me it’s go time, then it was go time! With Sameer on my left, a midwife on my right, and another midwife between my legs, I started to push.
In my head, I was screaming!! Apparently to everyone else I was quiet haha. Everything to do with pushing is kind of a blur, that is until the ring of fire as they like to call it hit me. “I’m sorry guys, I can’t do it” I yelled (or so I thought), I was just so ready to give up. It hurt! But as quick as it started hurting, it was over.
She was here! A perfect little baby, in my arms, snuggled against my skin. My husband looked at us in awe (as my midwife later told me), my midwives exclaiming how beautiful the birth was. It was just so perfect, she was just so perfect. Our little Koah.
Although my delivery didn’t go as I had hoped in my head, now that the dust has settled I can truly say it was incredibly beautiful. Everyone in that room had my back, I’ve never felt so supported or heard. They encouraged me to do things I never thought I could. I left that delivery room, not only with a new baby in my arms but with newfound self-respect. I’m a badass!
xoxo Fil
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