Hi Jo
I wanted to let you know that we welcomed a beautiful little girl Lily into the world on Monday night (7/7/14) and send a little birth story for you to share with the other yoga mums.
I woke up on Thursday morning at period like pain and cramps which got worse and worse through out the day until I had to phone Todd at 3pm to come home because I wasn’t coping with Quinn during the contractions, over the next 6 hours the contractions got longer and closer but unfortunately slowed and became very irregular around 3am. This pattern continued for the next 3 nights!
I kept in contact with the midwife who reassured me that these contractions were doing important work and getting us ready for the main event. I must say Sunday morning was a pretty low point for me and I wondered how many more nights I could handle! On the plus side there was lots of opportunity to put Todd’s new massage skills into practice! (learnt at the Massage in Pregnancy & Birth Workshop – Jo 🙂 )
On Monday night the contractions started again and at about 9pm I felt like they were slowing, I decided to have a shower and try to go to bed as lying down actually seemed to bring them on. Todd came with me and sure enough trying to lie down bought on the contractions. With each contraction I was on my hands and knees rocking or doing the hip circles we do at yoga. These helped hugely with the pain. At around 11pm I felt a change and pushed involuntarily with the next contraction and my waters broke. The next contraction came while I was in the bathroom and this time the push was strong and unstoppable! I told Todd to phone the midwife and she said she’d come straight to us as I didn’t think I would get to the hospital in time. My mum was staying with us to help out and Todd went and got her too. While we waited for the midwife I could feel baby moving down the birth canal with each contraction and then slide back in between. Mum and Todd were great reminding me to keep my vocalizing low toned and keeping me reassured. Fortunately our midwife and back up were there within 25 minutes and I have never been so glad to see some one! The midwife had me change position and check babies heart rate before hoping back on the bed on all fours to deliver bubs. Lily arrived at 11.59, less than an hour after my waters broke, and was passed between my legs so I could pick her up and enjoy that precious first cuddle. She weighed in at 9lb 2oz and is perfect. We stayed at home for a couple of hours before heading up to Warkworth Birthcare for a couple of days.
I still can’t believe that I had such an amazing birth, a truly wonderful and healing experience for me after my first birth via c-section. I honestly feel that all those weeks of yoga built up my arm strength and got me through the labour and 4 days before too. I could go on and on but this is probably too much already!
Thanks so much for the wonderful pregnancy yoga class that you run, it really was a highlight of my week during this pregnancy. I’m also really looking forward to seeing you for a post natal massage at Bella Mama in the next week or two.
Thanks again
Jess Sanders
