How I came into this world

Here is Rubens Alexander Barclay, less than one hour old...




Mum's Labour Story
My lovely sister was going to be staying over for the night. I knew 'something was different' on Sunday night. Before I went to bed I thought about the fact that she was going to be with us for the start of my labour and how special that was, but nothing had happened yet, i just had a feeling. I was pretty relaxed, but excited going to bed. I am not sure if I mentioned my gut feeling to Aaron yet. Anyway I woke up around 2 am and thought, wow, I think this is starting. We had had a big false labour ’wake up call’ about two weeks before, so I was trying to not get too excited… I paced a bit, then decided to wake Aaron to tell him and then try to sleep. We did sleep until about 8.30 which was great, Caroline was up getting ready to go around the same time. Aaron and Caroline chatted and made breakfast and alternated giving me back massages.

We called the Birth Centre to let them know where we were up to, at this stage it all seemed pretty easy. I jumped into the shower a few times. Caroline headed off to work and we called the Birth Centre. I wanted to be at home for as long as possible. Before midday we had called the Birth centre again, I think we were have contractions every minute for 20 seconds - oh I don't remember - but it was ramping up and the pain was getting more intense. It seemed like it was time to get moving before the drive became uncomfortable. We jumped in the car and drove up King Street in Newtown (while it is a main street it was my chosen route as it didn't have speed bumps). I remember a wave of a contraction peaking as I was watched passers-by shopping.

Aaron and I went into the Birth Centre together and we were shown to a room with a courtyard. The room was a bit like a plush hotel room, I was thinking that I would enjoy this, then another contraction hit, maybe not! Aaron started texting and phoning and I started groaning. I was about 5 cm dilated, so we stayed. Aaron went to start taking photos, but, oh no we forgot the camera. So I sent him back home and soldiered on by myself. He came back pretty fast, by that time I really needed him and wouldn’t let him leave my side again. The next hours just rushed by for me, but I think they stretched out for Aaron. In this photo I seem happy, Aaron seemed to get lots of happy labour photos of me, funny becuase by this stage I thought I was in lots of pain.



At some point the midwife got the bath ready and in between contractions I got in. I wanted to give birth to Ruby in the bath. It was all going along well, but the pain was increasing so I tried the gas. I was determined that gas was going to be my only pain relief. Oh boy, I loved that gas. As each contraction came I inhaled as much as I could possibly squeeze into my lungs, and it was gooood. I still thrashed around in pain like a beached whale, sending water all over Aaron and the midwife. Hahaha, they complained they were wet, from where I was I didn't care. I thrashed about in the bath and really wacked my head, I ended up with tender bruises the next day.

While I was in the bath and on gas I told what I thought we the funniest jokes I had ever made, got cranky with the midwife while she told me not to push (although every fibre of my being said P-U-S-H), and tried to give aaron an arm wrestle, I was finally allowed to push. I started, but my contractions and urge was going, my contractions lessened but I keep trying to force them. I think I pushed for two hours in the bath. Nothing much seemed to be happening, and i was getting tired. So we got out onto the floor with cushions, and again, nothing much was happening.

Right at this really difficult point I heard Aaron’s family calling out just out side my room. I had been screaming and groaning at the top of my lungs, it was so funny that in between that we heard them. I panicked and Aaron ran out to head them off.

After 2 1/2 hours of pushing nothing was happening, so we had a choice, keep trying or have a hormone injection in help speed up contractions. I agreed to go to the labour ward and have the injection. So I walked out of the Birth Centre and across the hallway to the Labour Ward. On the way I collapsed to my knees and had a huge urge to push, in the foyer of the hospital. Then I had another as I waited at the midwife station for them to admit me to the ward. The nurses in the labour ward seemed to think that I was progressing fine (given the fact I was sitting on the ground in the hallway pushing and screaming). I just didn't care by that stage, the walking had kicked the labour into gear, I thought that someone had better make up their minds and give me a room or Rubens was coming out in the hallway. We were shown to a room, I was given the injection through a drip, and was able to continue labour actively on the floor using a birth stool. Rubens was out in about 1/2 hour. God did it hurt! I was being encouraged to push but I could feel myself ripping in two. I just tried to ignore it and pushed.

Out slipped a tiny shiny purple and red bundle about 9pm. Aaron was right there, and I had Ruby in my arms straight away. As we held him we saw that he was a boy. Aaron cut the cord has we held him in our arms and I tried to breastfeed him within seconds - which I was glad because I didn‘t get to hold him again for about ½ an hour because of what happened next.

I was exhausted, I don’t remember getting into the bed. But I watched Ruby being measured and I was given a list things I must do, including have a shower. Before I got into the shower both families arrived and were very excited. It was so incredible to have both our families drive 4 hours to get to see us. The last part of the story was the only medical scary part of the labour, after everyone left, I struggled into the shower, tried to pee as instructed (on the threat of a catheter) then everything went black. I had called out to Aaron as I collapsed. Aaron caught me and struggled to hold me up as he pressed the emergency button. I woke up in a wheelchair, then again in bed with a drip in my arm and some concerned looks… After stitches, and the drip Aaron and I went to the maternity ward about 1.30am. We stayed awake smiling and glowing about our new little bundle. Aaron slipped home for some well earned rest while I tucked Ruby into bed with me (a lovely nurse showed me how) and we went to sleep.



Writing this several months later, I can look back and say that the labour was easy peasy, but looking at this photo I now remember that I was so shattered when Aaron clicked the shutter for this photo. Someone looking at this photo suggested that my pose is kind of glamorous, actually I was in so much pain this pose it was as close as I could get to getting out of the bed and over to where Aaron and Rubens were.

But really it was easy, we have a wonderful baby and I would do it again in a flash!