Okay, so I'd written Part 1 here, and I realised I'd only thought about writing Part 2, and never actually got round to it! So here it is. This may be part 2 of 3, depending on how fussy the baby is in the next half an hour...
At about 9am we arrived home from being checked at the hospital, back to our empty house. As I mentioned before it seemed quite surreal, as we knew everything was imminent yet it all seemed to be hours, days, even years away. I looked round the house and tidied and pottered, but failed to be able to imagine a tiny little person being brought back here!
I got in bed for a while, and listened to the hypnobirth CD a few times, and the birth affirmations mp3 which I found really helpful. Hypnobirth isn't about hypnotising yourself, just reassuring your body that you can do this, and trying to stay calm. I drifted in and out of sleep, listening to the tracks on repeat and trying to take it all in.
I got up and tried to nap on the sofa while Mitch played some PS3, but Lola joined me for a little cuddle and I occupied myself on the internet, browsing blogs and Babycentre. The thing that worried me most was being induced - I was determined to try and have as natural a birth as possible, and I knew that being induced the next morning increased my chances of having a longer labour, a harder labour, and increased my risk of interventions and drugs. I decided that after lunch, Operation Evict Baby must begin! The birth ball came down and I started bouncing.
Mitch headed out to find us some snacks for lunch, and to pack a few last minute hospital bag snacks. At this point, we still thought I'd be stuck at the hospital for hours / days in labour, and between us we'd pretty much packed a picnic! I also really fancied birthday cake for some reason, and what better day to have birthday cake then when you're going to give birth?!
While on the sofa I had a few tightenings, which I weren't sure if they were contractions or not. I had achey joints and an achey back, so decided to run a bath with some of the oils given to me by the midwife to naturally induce labour. I figured at the very least I'd have a lovely bath - nothing to lose there!! So we ran a lovely warm bath, and poured in the aromatherapy oils, they smelled lovely but I wasn't particularly convinced they would do anything.
Either by coincidence or science, as soon as I was in the bath my contractions started properly. This was about 2.30, I only know this from looking at the tags on the photos. At first they were just a little uncomfortable, and quite interesting to watch - I could see my stomach change shape and become harder as they happened. Then they became more uncomfortable. I listened to Rilo Kiley while Mitch sat and talked to me - with each contraction he poured water on my stomach as that seemed to help distract from the discomfort.
I spent an hour or so in the bath, then decided to get out and see if the contractions carried on or stopped. They carried on, so Mitch put on the TENS machine for me to give me something else to focus on. I have no concept of time at this point, but I think I spent the next few hours bouncing on the ball while we timed my contractions.
About 5pm, my mum came down to see us, and we decided that since my contractions were every 3 minutes apart we should head up to the hospital. Just me and Mitch headed up to be checked out, and I remember the car ride being hell. I was so used to being able to move and bounce and flex with contractions that being strapped down was a nightmare. This made me much more determined to try and avoid being induced, where I could end up be monitored and strapped down.
I was able to use my hypnobirth techniques to breathe and relax through the contractions, but they were now painful, and I was dreading each one. I was focused on the fact that each contraction was 1 closer to meeting baby, and 1 less I'd have to go through.
The midwife admitted me to a room and checked me over - I was only 2cm dilated (you have to be 10!). Gutted doesn't even describe how I felt, as pains were still coming every 3 minutes, lasting about 45 seconds. I kept apologising to the midwife, I felt like a complete wuss for coming in. She told me to come back the next morning to be induced if nothing more had happened, and just to try and get some sleep.
Feeling a bit down, we headed to my mums and passed on the news. I'd resigned myself to being in it for the long haul, so I tried to eat some tea. As the contractions got worse, I became quieter and more focused on relaxing. With each contraction I counted, knowing that by the time I got to 100 I wouldn't be in pain any more. I breathed with the counting, and made sure my hands and face were relaxed.
I couldn't cope with people talking and being around me any more, so we headed for home, probably about 7ish. From here to the actual birth everything is sort of a blur to me.
Right, Alice is crying so I'll leave it there for now! Part 3 to follow some time in the next week. Promise.
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