Milena and Powell's Birth story

Sooo Monday 4th September- 41 weeks exactly.

Went in for check up and stretch and sweep. Was having super light irregular cramps and the ob said I’m about two cm dilated and quite soft and baby in great position. Dr said even if I need to be induced I won’t need the balloon as dilation has started and good signs.

Tuesday 5th September - 41 weeks & 1 day.

Because I was over my due date I went to check fluid levels, still okay, and heart rate etc. doing good. I went through the process with Iggy (my first baby) so was feeling fine about it all and also felt confident that if fluid levels were high/good that I would feel more confident to wait a bit more longer before any induction methods. My original estimated due date was 1st September also so I was like if fluid is high, plus what I learnt this pregnancy that I can push back a little.

Anyway, fluid was actually on the lower side of things and the midwife was really amazing.

She said let’s get you back to Casey to just to get a bit of an induction plan in place.

Nothing is an emergency or you would be staying here, this is about making sure we keep monitoring baby to make sure they’re getting what they need until it’s time to exit.

I told her I did my hypnobirthing classes this time but I’m worried because breathing was the biggest thing I’d worked on and I was currently beyond congested and I didn’t know how to get through it if I couldn’t breathe. She was reassuring and said just keep trying because adrenaline and birth can cause all sorts of changes for the good.

So we left Clayton, went to Casey and I was back on the monitor (mostly because I think they were so busy and needed to pass the time while they got organised).

This point my cramps were heaps more regular (unknowing at the time, just kept thinking Braxton Hicks). I was getting frustrated because the position of the monitoring (which felt like all day at this point) was sitting reclined.

I just wanted to move and be upright. So I said that, and they let me!

They did an exam and said I actually needed the balloon and booked me in for the next day at 1pm. I said I really didn’t want the balloon and we agreed that okay, let’s go in tomorrow and reassess. That night I felt SO much pressure. Lightning crotch that stops me in my tracks so often and heaps of pressure. Also cramping but was able to sleep solidly all night so definitely thought it was Braxton Hicks and not the real deal.

Wednesday 6th September - 41 weeks & 2 days

My sister in law came over and did some acupuncture and just had real positive chats. My family, while excited, just had this energy of concern around them because of what happened last time. My SIL was opposite, she kind of helped to remove any fear (even though I didn’t think I had any).

I kept standing, bouncing, swaying as I had cramps returning and kept remembering what you said about movement. Went to hospital and the midwife was amazing! She said no balloon, as I was 3-4cm dilated and can see you’re having some contractions. They still wanted me to come in the next day to have my waters broken but she knew I didn’t wanted the fake hormones etc. so we made a bit of a plan that was in western medicine best practice while also working with what I wanted out of this birth.

They sent me home and got Iggy to stay at Sarah’s that night and we would head home and drop him off some pjs and clothes for school the next day.

Andrew (My husband) was like “noice! You can keep bouncing on the ball, we’ll order some curry”

We stopped in to the supermarket on the way home, thinking if we’re in hospital again for a few days and my parents would be over. Anyway, through the supermarket I was like “oh that was a bit strong!” Powell and I both not knowing how real contractions feel were like, Okay?? Let’s just keep moving. Powell often reminding me of what you said about movement.

On our way to drop Iggy’s things off and picking him up a happy meal things started getting going!

My first real moment of knowing it was happening was when paying for Iggy’s happy meal and Andrew’s digital bank card wasn’t working and asked if I had my physical card on me.

I just threw my handbag at him.

A moment of WOW MY BODY IS DOING THIS! and I’VE NEVER FELT THIS BEFORE!

We arrived at Powell’s mum’s (all this is within pakenham mind you, so not very far away from each other haha) Sarah comes out and has a giggle because she knows what’s happening and I hugged her during a contraction and she goes “off to the hospital now then?”

And we were like, ‘Nah we are going home to be in our space first and will go when much closer. Well lol! We got home and I stripped off everything and hellooooo bloody show! Again something I didn’t experience with Iggy. It felt like I was having a REAL birth.

I start swaying and got Powell to time my contractions, I told him I wanted him to take control of all that side of things, I didn’t want to be thinking of how and when with timing.

I used Powell through each contraction but I didn’t realise how full on they’d be but feeling the wave was weirdly great (on reflection) because when it was come down you could really feel the release.

Powell was surprised at how physical his role would be in this labour.

Like he was holding my whole body weight with a sway when it was at its peak.

Also the sweat and thirst!!! I was so sweaty and thirsty and was not prepared for how quickly that came on.

Powell got out my tens machine and managed that while also quickly trying to pack everything into the car because he could see there was actually NO time between my contractions.

He was like, ‘So, we need to get in the car now and I just couldn’t.

I was like “I was told there would be breaks, I’m not getting any breaks!” I thought this was because I couldn’t handle it, but it was actually because the babe was about to arrive.

I flopped into the front seat with tens machine in one hand, birth comb in the other and my face in the aircon.

Also, I had Gloria Gaynor “I will survive” on the radio.

Calming music was definitely not my jam and glad I made a pump up playlist.

Powell floored it down the bypass to Casey Hospital and when we arrived said, “Come on let’s get going”

Me: “I want a wheelchair and epidural”

Powell: ‘Okay both things not in your birth plan but okay!” “Come on let’s keep going”

Me in the middle of the car park: “STOP RUSHING ME! I KEEP HAVING CONVERSATIONS!!”

Me not knowing that Powell was trying to stay calm while thinking I was going to have this baby in the Casey car park.

I used any final energy I had between contractions (2 seconds) to march through emergency and yell “maternity!” An emergency nurse smiled and took me right through. I didn’t get a wheelchair, she and Powell got me to walk and I hated them! I was constantly stopping and going “ANOTHER ONE!!” Again mentally I was like, wow I am only at the start of this journey and I cannot take it (stupid Milena, I was not at the start of it)

We finally got to the maternity ward and I hunch over the desk and the midwife who saw me the day before was like “Hello! Things have started I see” and I was like “EPIDURAL NOW!!”

Midwife: “Right okay, is that in your birth plan?”

Me: “yes!”

Powell behind my back unknown to me “shaking his head saying Noooo”

Midwife: “how are you feeling? Any pressure to poo?”

Me: “yes! I really need to poo”

Powell seeing the nurses faces.

“Go!! Get her into a room now'“

Me still thinking I’m going to get an epidural in moments. Midwife gets Powell to squeeze my hips really tight whilst I’m leaning over the bed.

Midwife: “So do you know the risks associated with epidurals and increased risk of a cesarean?

Midwife “okay let me get things ready”

Powell watching the midwife’s confused that I’m actually going to have an epidural and then realising they were just stalling for a few minutes/getting things ready for me to deliver.

Midwife: “Do you know most women want an epidural when they’re about to have their baby

Me: “no, but yes, but what?” (Slowly realising that maybe this isn’t the start of labour and the end) Me: “OMG I’m pooping!!!”

Midwife: “that’s not poo, that’s your baby! So you can have an epidural or you can have your baby right now”

So I jump onto the bed and I brace the back of the bed and am on all fours.

Midwife was like “yes! Amazing position! Now just work with the pressure in your bum bit also listen to my cues if I cue” So I YELLED/SCREAMED with every natural pressuring feeling.

The burn was insane! The midwife only cued my push once maybe just saying “only push for a second and then stop” and I did and then she let me keep going.

Then I hear “heads out!”

And then baby was out!

4.5kgs and only a 1st degree tear that didn’t need stitches.

I was positive to that bacteria again but the midwife didn’t administer any antibiotics and said. I am in no way concerned so all is good. Which made me feel great because a friend had her baby two weeks earlier and even though a quick labour they still administered it.

So yeah, 6:30pm we left Powell’s mums house with what I thought was the start of it all, and 9:12pm Angus was born. We left the hospital a few hours later and went home to rest.

Powell: “I’ve never ever heard you make sounds like that”

Me: “I’ve never pushed out a small car before”

After Iggy’s birth I didn’t feel like eating at all, I just felt like wow what on earth was that After Angus I was like “I need every single bit of food that’s available!”

“I even ate the hospital sandwiches and I never ever eat those sandwiches”