After our 36 week Scan showed head was measuring small, growth scan was booked in for 2 weeks later, small head concerns and no more growth had my midwife talking of induction (instructed from the Dr).
We did our research and listened to Australia Birth Story’s class for a second time and decided we wanted to go ahead with the induction. Knowing I had the TENS machine to use from the get go.
After feeling informed, an amazing Reiki session and beach walk our little love bug decided to come on her own terms. I truly believe the TENS machine and Australia Birth story’s birth class and podcast helped me have an intervention and pain med free birth.
It was 1am and I spent an hour tossing and turning with what I thought was Braxton hicks, 2am I got up to go to the toilet and as I was about to get back in to bed I couldn’t lie down or sit for feeling pressure in my bottom, then I lost my mucus plug.
Woke my husband up as a first time mum I wasn’t sure if it was the start of labour or not. I paced the bedroom while we talked and watched friends as the contractions came every 10min. At 3am I put the tens machine on as the contractions were now 6/7 min apart and I new to start the Tens machine early to help as the contractions progressed.
4am we called the midwife, was told to stay at home if I was comfy and to head to the hospital when the contractions were 3min apart. Between 4am and 7am I laboured in the bathroom, my husband lite the candles, put on the diffuser and our playlist as I moved from the toilet to hanging off my husband and swaying. My husband was in control of the TENS machine this really helped me concentrate on breathing.
By the time we left for the hospital contractions were 4min apart and 1min long, the 30min car ride was pretty intense, I sat on my knees facing the back as the pressure was too much to sit down, using the boost button for the contractions at this point was amazing.
My waters broke as we were walking through emergency and at this point the contractions felt so frequent and long I wanted an epidural! Arriving at the hospital 7.30/8.45am midwife and student midwife met us there. Contractions were feeling long and intense and I could feel myself starting to panic, My husband was amazing and kept reminding me to keep my breathing and moans low on each contractions. I was still hanging off him at this point with me in control of the TENS machine.
At 9.30 midwife asked if I’d like to be checked, I agreed as I wasn’t sure how much more I could cope with. To my amazement and delight I was at 7cm and it wasn’t long after this I felt my body wanting to push and was on my knees hanging over the back of the bed, still using the TENS machine.
At 10.30 I was still pushing and using the gas. A Dr came in and wanted to place the fetal scalp clip, my midwife argued for me that there was no need, that mum and bub were doing fine. However I did end up agreeing, after this I just knew that if I wanted to avoid any more intervention and to birth my baby on my own I needed bub to come soon. I ended up on my back pushing (my husband may have been in a head lock at this point) Tilly was born 30 min later cries an all. The most perfect 2.8kg bundle.
