The birth of Emma, our final babe, our little girl.

The birth of Emma, our final babe, our little girl.

 My pregnancy with Emma was so different from the boys. I was nauseous 24 hours a day from week 6 to week 18. The boys I felt some nausea but it didn’t last as long and wasn’t debilitating. This time the days and nights absolutely dragged and everything was an effort – I used to cry when I woke up in the morning thinking of getting my oldest to school and just getting through the day. Eventually, at around week 12 I was prescribed medication (ondansetron wafers – they are a godsend!) as I had lost some weight and I slowly started feeling better. I never found out what we were having in any of my pregnancies, however I was so sure this was a girl!

 I was 38.5 weeks and I was big! My first baby was 4kg at 39 weeks and while I managed to birth him vaginally relatively well, it was a long second stage that left me with prolapse and considerable pain at the episiotomy site, so I was very nervous of an even bigger baby. My second baby came on his own at 37.4 weeks and was a lovely 3.5kg – a VERY fast and easy birth!

I had false labour that would keep me up at night for a few weeks before labour started.

So by 38.5 weeks I was exhausted. It was a Saturday afternoon. The four of us went for a big walk to hopefully get things moving – and yes! Proper contractions started. We got home about 5pm and my husband made the boys dinner and got them ready for bed while I had a shower and busied myself getting ready for what I thought would be birthing night! I was so sure! Around 10pm I was still contracting  regularly however it wasn’t progressing. I thought I would call my midwife anyway to just let her know what was going on. I even had her convinced and she said she might head down to the birth centre and just sleep there waiting for me – bless her! Now being a mum of 2 and a midwife I thought I knew the difference between false and the real deal – turns out I don’t haha.

I went to bed around 11pm to get some rest – next minute it was 7am and there was definitely still a baby in my tummy.

 Two days later it is now Monday. I had my 39 week appointment with my midwife at the birth centre. I asked for her to check my cervix to see what was going on. 3cm and fully effaced! At least those contractions did something!

 So I hop back in the car to go home – as I pulled up at my parents house (they were looking after my sons while I was at the appointment) the contractions started. I literally got out of the car, went inside, spoke to my parents for a few minutes, then asked my dad to drive me back to the birth centre, where my husband would meet me there. My poor dad – not what he signed up for!

 This labour took A LOT longer than my other two. It was really really special though. Andrew and I were left mostly alone (my midwife is amazing!) and between contractions I felt really good and energised.

At 7.50pm I was 6-7cm and my labour was stalling. I could feel it too.

I had been in labour now since lunchtime. Something was holding baby back. My midwife checked me and said that my bag of waters was sitting in front of babys head and she thought it could be causing baby not to descend well on the cervix. Baby was super happy though, so I was given the choice to continue as is or have my waters broken. I was tired and the thought of a long night ahead of me was not appealing, but I know once my waters were broken I would go fast and I was scared of that too!

I decided to have my waters broken and we planned for a fast birth with the birth pool being filled and the  gas and air on hand!

My waters were broken at 7.55pm and I got straight in the bath.

I don’t have much memory of my transition to birth this baby. It was fast, furious, I felt quite out of control, and this baby pretty much pushed herself out.

My final babe, born into water at 8.17pm. I sat up on the side of the bath with our perfect third baby on my chest. I totally forgot we didn’t know what we had. I looked between its legs, I had just birthed our daughter. You, my sweet Emmy, are everything. You slotted in like you were always here. You and your two perfect brothers, have completed me.

Beautiful Mama @susieproutlactation