Being with AsiaParents for the past 2 years had opened my eyes to alternatives in birthing & parenting that differs from the "norm".  It also prompted me to seek a natural, drug-free birth for my 2 nd child.  After much deliberation & budgeting, I decided to get birth support from Ginny, a doula.

Ginny introduced us to HypnoBirthing - a birth approach that draws on breathing, relaxation, visualisation & deepening techniques.  She had also been invaluable in my search for birthing information.

As my 1 st birth was induced with epidural, I am a newbie when it comes to actual birthing.  Thus, I had always relied on the imagery that my labour will start in my sleep, progressing for a few hours into the morning and baby birth in hospital, in time for midday ward admission. 

Boy! Am I wrong! (yes, she is a Girl!)

10 April 2006

2.20am (estimate)

Woken by a sharp pain, much like bad menstrual cramps.

<Sigh.... Here we go again...>

Been having practice surges for several nights in the past week.  Good chance to work on the breathing & visualising techniques which I had been lax with.  Luckily I am a sound sleeper (aka piggy).  Though these "rehearsal" nights were tiring, I managed to sleep through.

Time Check: 2.30am

Felt the need to pee.  A bit of staining, perhaps the mucous plug had somewhat loosen with the past practices?  The night was still so early, hope the "rehearsal" won't last too long because tomorrow's Monday!  The tightenings seemed stronger, took a while for me to breathe through them & leave the washroom.

Time Check: 2.45am

Quickly climbed back to bed to prepare for next wave of practice surges.  Seemed to be coming faster & stronger, or had I gotten weaker/worn out from past nights of practice?  Barely touched the bed and I had to ride through a few surges.  Finally some breathing space to get into my "comfort" position - side-lying with bolster between legs for support.

Tried to drift back to sleep.  Unsuccessful.  The tightenings required more focus & energy than usual.  My back started to ache.  Wished I could try the rice socks that DH had prepared. (birth tips from Ginny)  Since DH is a light sleeper, no point waking him up just for this, causing sleepless night for everyone.

I started to perspire from the intensity & my back really hurt.  Very unusual.  Are these real surges & start of labour?  If yes, I shudder at how I will cope till day break & eventually birth itself?  Afterall, according to my birth imagery, that was how it should play out.

Another wave hit and I felt myself writhing.

<Goodness! How to continue like this with just breathing??!!>

Before I could recover, 2 nd wave hit.

<I need help! ...even if this is another false alarm!>

Reached over to wake DH.  Darn!  Did not even stir, must had been well-conditioned by DS' kicks at night.  Another wave hit again.

<Omigot! Am I gonna be left here in agony?>

3.38am (estimate)

Mustered my remaining strength & gave DH a big shake.  He woke with a start.  I could only mutter "Call Ginny!"

<. and ask her what to do?  I cannot continue on my own now, I am losing it, I can't do breathing anymore.  HELP!>

DH came back with my phone, "You want me to sms or call her?" "Call Ginny!"

<Blistering barnacles!  I am losing it & still sms??!!>

Time Check: 3.40am

DH sounded apologetic on the phone & asked Ginny what's next?

<Ginny must be telling him to time the surges so she can assess the progress.  I would too, if I could talk!>

Yep! Told me that he was going to time the surges.  Phew! Now that Ginny had been alerted, hopefully I will get some relief soon.

The surge started and I had to grab DH's arm with both hands for "strength" to ride through.  Whoa! The 1 st barely ended & the next came along!

3 minutes - that's how long the 2 overlap surges took.

Time Check: 3.50am

DH called Ginny to relay the timing.  A few more of these "overlap" surges crashed in, so forceful that I started thrashing about, even though I recalled Ginny advising us against doing this.  I heard myself moaning & grunting, and in the process, waking DS despite he is also a sound sleeper.  He seemed scared.

Still believing I was in early stage of labour, I was torn between painful agony & sheer exhaustion.

<Omigot! How to continue for a few more hours or worse if it drags to days??  So this is the scary labour pain??!!>

Suddenly, everything happened all at once.  DS crying for my comfort and trying to grab me, DH on phone with Ginny but trying to calm DS and carry him away from me, while I felt that something seemed to be coming out from down under.  In agony & clueless on what's next, I scrambled off the bed onto the floor mattress.  Whatever's next, I am not gonna ruin the bed!

I thought this was the urge to pass motion and was surprised that I do not have control over it.  Wanted to go to the washroom but too embroiled in the surges to move anywhere.  DH gonna be quite upset to find bowels on the new floor mattress!

Another BIG surge came & I was screaming to DH for help!

Only then did I suspected baby was gonna come out.

<Oh no! It can't be?  I am supposed to birth in the hospital?  How to birth without any assistance?  I am totally clueless!  Can we do something to stop this?>

Obviously my body's and baby's answer was NO.

I felt a big bubble ballooning out from the vagina.  Was worried that perhaps the bubble will become too big & get stuck inside?!  Then the water bag simply popped & everything just gushed out.  Suddenly there was no more pain! Yeah!  But what happened to my baby?

Time Check: 3.52am

I turned round from my semi-all-fours position and found DH picking up something from the floor mattress.  It seemed like a dream as he handed me the squirmy, slimy and warm baby.

That's, our Little Feather.

3.53am - 2.00pm

As I place baby on the breast, DH soothed our stunned 2yo son onto a stool with biscuits.  Yes, he witnessed the flash homebirth. J   By the time my mum arrived to babysit him, DS was very much calmed down and enthusiastically showing all where his sister "mei mei" was.   I can almost see my mum shaking her head when she entered the room and saw us in the "mess". LOL!

The ambulance took an hour to bring the midwives from TMC who cut the cord for baby.  We left TMC after half day stay.

Footnote

Ginny observed that the several practice nights had probably dilated the cervix, resulting in such a flash birth.  Nevertheless, when Ginny arrived at our place, our 1 st comments to her was "We broke your record". of her getting birthing mothers who opted for hospital birth in time to the destination.  Perhaps Ginny can make a guest appearance as a doula for my next birth, if it happens. :)

On hindsight, if Dr Paul Tseng had a more active management style like most Obgyn, he would probably had done a VE during my consultation with him and admitted me over the weekend.  That would have spoilt the fun. ;p

Special kudos to the 2 men in my life:

DS for being such a brave and sensible boy despite the whirlwind birthing episode, who is so sweet as to tell us "I like mei mei" J

DH for single-handedly managed an almost deranged birthing wife and a very frightened 2 year old son.  He was totally clueless about birthing signs or stages, was thrown into the deep end and came out beautifully.  Once again, DH demonstrated his intuitive "lunar" powers by "predicting" that there will be 2 false alarms before the actual birth :)