Go Baby, go baby!!!!

She did it!!!!!!!!!!!
She finally had her baby. My mum rang on Wednesday morning at about 6am having been up for 5 hours with broken waters (and being too excited to sleep I think!). I got my childcare action plan in operation and then headed over after breakfast to see if we could get some contractions going as things had been quiet so far. She had already rung the hospital at 1am to inform them (dang!) and so they had then agreed to her staying put for 12 hours - they had wanted her in immediately! However, after 5 hours of walking, using the Robozo and making soup to sneak into the hospital and eating crackers and juice, there was still not a lot happening. We also tried a few herbal tinctures to help her uterus.
At the hospital they didn't seem in a hurry with the Pitocin, so we could have stayed at home and she could have slept, they gave her until 1am to walk and try to increase her slight cramping. It was actually okay we were left alone, able to move about and .....get this one .......encouraged to EAT!!!!!!! Yay - I was at the same hospital 6 months ago and my client was not allowed to eat! I was so happy to see this change. We did a lot of walking, talking and eventually some dancing, throwing up (her, not me!) and eventually she found her rhythm and settled into her contractions either leaning back into me as we swayed or forward onto me as I supported her.

Anyway, to cut a very long (36 hour) story short. My client ended up having pitocin but still managed (at 4'11) to push out her 8lb3oz OP daughter who also was caught under the pubic bone (shoulder dystocia) with NO epidural or other meds. Incidently the baby was not OP earlier in the day as my client had an ultrasound to check her position because of the reluctance to do internals due to the rupture, so we spent a lot of the labour on all fours, or leaning forward and upright. I have to say I wasn't convinced the baby was OP at all, I am just repeating what the OB said. She had to have a little assistance with the vacuum cup and the haematoma was on the BACK of her head and I could have sworn she (the OB) twisted her as the head came out, possibly to help with the SD? but was THEN face up??!! - hmm I imagine I was so tired I was hallucinating. Anyway, my client was absolutely exhausted, but the sheer determination was humbling. I have never witnessed so much strength, composure and inner power from someone.
Interestingly enough, as I was talking with the nurses afterwards, who were also very impressed with her, they mentioned that they have only ever witnessed a "few natural births" - wow!

Back home and they all coped impressively without me again......T wanted the low down on the baby and the mom - I think the message is getting in having witnessed him at his grandmother's in the holidays playing "mummies" with his little cousin and telling her that "you don't lie down to have babies" !! What a star ! I am now working on "babies don't have to be born in hospital", hopefully by the time he has children, he will have the complete picture!!

The boys have finished in camp today, we are having a playdate with some pals this afternoon, they are coming over for pizza and "movie night" - the boys are so excited that they will be watching a movie after tea and getting to stay up later than they normally do! Life is so simple :-))