Lukas Birth Story

Heading out on our way to the hospital

26.12.2013

Andrei and woke up at around 6am to make sure everything was ready for us to go into hospital for my induction.

We'd prepared our hospital bags weeks prior so it was just putting things in that we used on a daily basis. Plus I wanted to put a little makeup on and get an outfit together, it was a very exciting moment so I wanted to look my best :P

9:30am Andrei my mum and I left to Auckland hospital to prepare for my induction which I talked about here.

By around 10am my nurse came in and a gel called prostaglandin was applied to lining of my cervix and from there it was a waiting game.

The nurse who applied the prostaglandin said that my cervix had already softened and I was already a few cm's dilated so my labour was pretty much under way apart from the fact my waters hadn't broken. (I actually think I went into labour a few days before hand. Before Christmas day we saw our friends and I was laying on their driveway because the concrete was hot and back was giving me hell! Plus I had the show on Christmas)

Luka and my contractions were monitored throughout the day, in between Andrei and I would walk around the hospital and the Auckland domain next door to try and get some movement happening.

Before we knew it 6 hours had passed and nothing had progressed so it was time for another gel insertion in which I was told I was already 3cm dilated and I didn't even know!

After that my mother in law popped by and us 3 went for a walk around the hospital and a round trip around the duck pond in the domain to get some action!

I tell you I was walking up stairs, climbing trees just to get anything going!

Alas nothing did and the day had come to an end

Andrei and I were told 4 applications of the gel would be applied in a 6hour interval between each insertion. If that didn't work then my waters would need to be broken manually.

Not likely.

27.12.2013

Around 12am I woke with terrible contractions.

One of my birth plan pain relievers was a hot shower and gym ball.
Andrei was helping massage my back and holding me up in the shower. We were in there for about 40mins, and my contractions were about 30seconds apart, before I almost collapsed from exhaustion of just being tired and being sick of the pain.

I was saying to Andrei that I simply can't do it, it felt like being stabbed and ripped open in my girly bits.
I slowly shuffled over to the nurses desk and asked for a wheat bag and put it in the microwave, the nurse watching me trying to stand and breathing from the contractions in the mean time!
I remember being told that if I couldn't talk from the contractions that meant I was ready to go, but I didn't have that problem at all. I could still hold a conversation.
Unfortunately the wheat bag didn't work, and I had to move away from my birthplan of a 'natural birth' and asked for something stronger than normal pain killers!

The nurse assisting us recommended I take a dose if pethidine which will knock me out and ease the pain.

Just before I had the dose given to me I was kneeling on the bed and suddenly I felt a trickle of water and I told the nurse in a bit of shock that I think my waters broke.

Unfortunately there was no way to tell cause it happened so quickly and I was wearing a sanitary pad. I was then given pethidine and was out like a light within in minutes.

And it only felt like minutes when I was awake again at around 4am. This time I was pushing and grunting!

I was so confused, mainly cause I was still out of it on pethidine and kept falling back to sleep between my pushing, but because I couldn't tell if I pushing out a baby or (TMI alert!) a big poo hahaha!

Don't ask me how long that went in for.

Poor Andrei had no idea what to do apart from calling the nurses in which I refused because I just wanted to sleep but also cause the pushing wasn't painful and I could still hold a conversation (well kinda, when I wasn't sleeping).

Andrei was on his last nerve when I started pushing while sleeping crouched over on the bed with my bum in the air and called the nurses in.

Poor nurses haha!

I kinda woke up and had my cervix examined again to which the nurse didn't need to prod very far to say that Lukas head was 'right there'!

In my drugged up sleepy state all I could manage to slur out was 'holy shit' and then before I knew it I was being rolled into the birthing unit and swearing in disbelief that I was about to push a baby out; apologizing to the nurses in between my cursing.

The first cuddle with my Luka :-)

It actually gets quite funny from here cause being half asleep and then being asleep while pushing I could've had Luka out in half the time!

I was in an up right on my knees position for birth which made it hard for one of my midwives to view what was going on as she wanted me to poke my butt out more or to get on my back cause every time I pushed I would push inward rather than outward which annoyed my midwife. (I feel bad now cause she has I think 3 other women to attend to that were in labour the same time as me)

She was on her last nerve and told me that if I didn't push out I would have to get on my back. I yelled NO at my midwife to laying on my back and they extended the bed more upright so I had a good grip around the top of the bed which then made it easier for me to push my butt out wards (but mainly because my back up midwife came through, she was no nonsense, and told me to push my butt out!) and then focus (we'll try to) on pushing.

Andrei was by my side the whole time keeping me awake and helping me breathe cause I obviously forgot to haha!

The times that the nurses told me to push I was already so tired and annoyed I yelled at them "I'll push soon just let me sleep!".

Then I'd yell at them saying that "errrr I'm having another contraction, faaaaaaaarrrrrkkkk!", that's when Andrei got in my face, helped me breathe and it was at that time when I forced myself awake and pushed Lukas head through until I heard that amazing little war cry.
The worst part was having to pushing when her shoulders were out but it was the most amazing feeling when my midwife pulled her out!
It felt like a waterfall and all that pressure from pregnancy was gone.

Little Luka Anya Linda Cher-Amour Monet was born at 5:56am weighing 2.475kg.

As out if it as I was, my new instincts kicked in and as soon as I was handed her I kissed her sweet little face and lips as did Drei and bonding was done :-)

Skin to skin bonding with my bubba who just loves sucking on her fingers!

So proud :-)

 

Unfortunately while pushing Luka, her hand was on her face which gave me a tear. Being stitched up was actually very pleasant, I was handed the laughing gas and I was gone again on a high much to mine and my midwives delight :P

Having Luka in my arms at the time took my mind away from what was happening, I couldn't get over how perfect and sweet she is.

My parents and and mother in law came as soon as Andrei let them know I was in labour and they were head over heels straight away.

How could they not, though, she's pretty gorgeous!

Two hours after having Luka I was transferred to Birthcare which helps new mothers learn to breast feed, change and bath their babies etc which I stayed from Friday till Sunday. 

It was so hard cause A: there were crying babies EVERYWHERE so I was very unsettled. Luka wasn't fazed at all B: you're partner can't stay unless you pay $100 a night for accom for them or they visit between 8am-8pm, the first night was awful we were both in tears having to leave each other and I ended up having the baby blues for 3days, crying at anything from seeing my sister and seeing Drei hold and love our baby; I was a mess full stop! And C: I was home sick and missed my home comforts.

But despite it being hard the food was amazing, the midwives on call were helpful and I learnt how to care for Luka.

But I would never, ever go there again unless I really had to.

Since then everything has been going great. We've had ups and downs and are still learning everyday.

I'm still in awe that Luka is ours and Drei can't get over her either, he's completely head over heels and she is going be such a daddy's girl!

He's fantastic with her and I have seen a new and beautiful side to him which has made me love him more as my partner and father to our baby.

I feel so blessed to have such a perfect partner and daughter that I couldn't imagine life without them.

 

Luka is now officially 2weeks old and is so good. Sometimes.

She's eating well and putting on fat, she sleeps well too; we haven't exactly been the best with safe sleeping cause she sleeps with us in the bed about 95% of the time as she's still getting used to the bassinet (I ended up putting her pram lining in there which has made her feel more secure and has added softness to the bed) but we both sleep with one eye open so we don't do anything that may harm her. It's still baby steps at the moment and were doing our best to wean her into sleeping in it.

The last few weeks have been the bomb and I wouldn't change my decision to keep her at all, she is seriously the best thing that has happened to me crappy nappies, late nights, screaming and all :-)
Plus my birthing experience was something quite different, fun and exciting and I would do it again in a heart beat.

 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of lights"

James 1:17

XOXOX