Fast Hospital Birth in Australia

I was 18 when I gave birth to Ella. I had absolutely no idea about pregnancy or giving birth, I was terrified and very unprepared. I had a fairly quick drug free labour but spent the whole time in bed on my back, bub was in a bad position and had become stuck, I pushed for almost 3hrs before she arrived.

My second pregnancy was planned and after reading all the beautiful birth stories on BWF (I became a little obsessed!) I was feeling confident and was determined to have a calm, active labour this time round. I spent pretty much my whole pregnancy either practicing my breathing techniques or on my fit ball trying to make sure bub would be in a good position.

According to the doctors calculations I was due August 28th but I knew when bub was conceived and I’m not big believer in ‘Due Dates’ anyway. Baby should come when he or she is ready. I predicted that baby would arrive on September 2nd which was Father’s Day.

We usually visit my parents-in-law every weekend but hadn’t the week before. My fiancé finished work early so I suggested that we should visit (they live 20mins away). So off we went and the car decides to break down half way there! I thought to myself, “that’d be right, I bet I’ll go into labour now that’s happened”. We call road side assistance but they were going to be a while so I called my mother-in-law to pick my daughter and I up. As we’re waiting I start to feel small contractions but don’t pay much attention as I’d been getting them all week. My mother-in-law dropped us at my parents (who live 3 houses up from my parents-in-law) where we waited for my fiancé to get the car troubles sorted. I began to get gas like pains late in the afternoon so my daughter and I went for little walks up and down the driveway but this gas wasn’t moving. My fiancés car ended up getting towed to his parents and we were going to get a mechanic to look at it in the morning.

My mum drove us home about 7pm. We arrived home and I got our daughter ready for bed but was still getting these gas pains. I decided to have an early night. I could not get comfortable, I was drifting in and out of sleep and back and forth to the toilet for a few hours when my partner came in and says that he thinks we should go to hospital. I called my sister to make sure she was home just in case things were starting to happen and I needed her to watch Ella. I was sure I wasn’t in labour but I called the hospital anyway. The midwife said that I’d know if I was in labour but if I wanted to I could come in and get checked. I didn’t feel the need to go in so I got out my fitball as I didn’t feel like going back to bed. My sneaky sister had left home after I called her, even after strict instructions not to (she said she had a feeling we’d be needing her). She knocks on the door about 11pm and says go to the hospital just to be sure. The hospital is only 5 minutes away so I thought I’d go just to shut them up (haha) and be home in 10 minutes.

We arrived at the hospital just after 11, a lovely midwife took us into a room and hooked me up to the monitor; bub’s heart beat was nice and strong. She then checked me. She asked “are you having a contraction right now?”, and I replied “I think so”. She then laughs and asks my partner if I was this quiet last time. “So I am in labour?” I asked. Yep, I was 5cm with bulging waters (that was causing the pressure that was making me think I had bad gas!).

We were then taken to a delivery room. The midwife put on some relaxing music and left the room. My fiancé called our student midwife who had attended all my appointments etc. throughout the pregnancy. I sat on the fitball and bounced slowly, I began to feel a slight burning feeling in my lower back but still no strong painful contractions like I had felt with my previous labour. I still hadn’t really processed that I was in labour, when my body decided it was time to push.

I asked my fiancé to go and get the midwife, and as she’s walking through the door my body pushed again, my waters broke and baby’s head was out, all while I still have my clothes on! I jumped up and grabbed my fiancé around the neck yelling “the heads out, the heads out!!” (I wasn’t so quiet anymore!). I was so sure he was going to drop me and I was going to sit on baby’s head! I don’t actually think my fiancé or the midwife believed that her head was out as I had been talking and very mobile a few minutes prior. My midwife quickly took my clothes off and realised that I was serious! She then helped me onto the bed on all fours (very hard when you have a head between your legs haha) one more push and she was here!!! I was in complete shock as an hour prior I thought I just had gas and now I was holding our baby girl! I birthed the placenta and the midwife left us to bond with our baby. She attached straight away, as did our eldest daughter. My student midwife missed everything, she arrived about 10 minutes after baby Miela arrived 🙁

We had lots of cuddles, tears, and laughter. We called our parents and they both thought something was wrong, we’d only called them an hour ago to let them know I was in labour! First thing in the morning my fiancé went home and got Ella, she was so excited to meet Miela. Her face was priceless, I’ll never forget the moment she saw her sister for the first time, I get teary just thinking about it.

I spent more time creating a labour playlist on my iPod than in labour! I didn’t even have time to get my iPod out of my bag! I definitely got the calm, active labour I had planned for. I truly believe it was because I had prepared myself so well, both mentally and physically.

Ella was born the day before Mother’s Day and Miela the day before Father’s Day. Both lovely presents that we will love and cherish forever!

My pregnant belly (that I miss so much!)

Miela & I (Me very happy & in complete shock)

Miela latching straight away

Ella and Miela having cuddles

Miela (now 3 and a half months) with her big sis