I’ve been sitting here for a matter of time trying to figure how to put it down into words. I’ve got this incredible journey in my head but how do I wrap it into words - the most beautiful, empowering experience.
Saturday night the 20th May, we had just gotten home from my brother in-laws birthday dinner. I noticed slight cramping but didn’t think much of it. I’d been having back pain on and off that evening, I thought it was from a long day and an evening of sitting on a wooden pew with no back. (oh boy was I wrong)
I headed for a shower before getting into bed. The warm water in the shower was so nice and relaxing, my cramps were noticeable but not overwhelming, I lost a small part of my mucus plug. I hopped into bed and said to Jacob don’t be alarmed, I’ve got some cramping and I’ve just lost some of my mucus plug. We laid in bed and chatted. I timed “the cramps”, they were mild but regular. I was so in denial at this point.
Jacob went to sleep (said try catch some sleep and wake me if anything changes or you need me for anything). I stayed awake laying in bed till morning.
My contractions stayed 6 min apart the whole night, they were just noticeable enough to be too uncomfortable to sleep. It was a stormy night and our power went out.
630am Jacob woke. 645am I messaged mum “Good morning. Contractions stayed at 6-7min from 9pm. Lost full mucus plug early a.m. . Just hanging out atm. Jacob giving me a rub to try move my back pain”
At this point I was still in denial that I was in active labour and hadn’t contacted my midwives to update them ( oops, sorry Jen & Jas).
8am things started ramping up. Mum arrived & contractions start to be a little more intense. We still had no power, dad grabbed a generator and bought it up. Jacob and him started filling the birth pool.
955am Mum rang Jenny. I started to have to breathe and walk it out through contractions.
It started to sink in, and I realised I was about to give birth.
Standing at the end of the kitchen bench with the tens machine on my lower back, I swayed back and forth through the contractions with the music, managing well. I vividly remember looking up in between a contraction and seeing dad pop his head in the sliding door and boom my waters breaking (9.05am) , gushing all over the floor. He quickly removed himself from the room. (We joked weeks before that dad would be as far away as possible while I was birthing, but the stormy night with our power outage had other ideas). Mum reached for a pile of towels and Jacob got more.
Jenny arrived speedingly at 1040am. Checked me out, rubbed my back and pushed the pressure points on my shoulders. She said the birth pool isn’t going to happen you are a bit too far along, it’s time for the bed. (The pool was a beautiful addition to the room with sparkling fairy lights & thanks to Jacob & dad for getting it filled with no power.)
A strong uncontrollable urge to push came at 1105am. Mum and Jenny had a leg each as I laid on my side with Jacob holding my hand. The intense waves of contractions & big strong pushes - I’d been quiet up until about this point- now it was big deep breaths and moans. (At this point I felt sorry for Jacobs hand.)
1151am Pirri de Bruyn was born. I laid with my husband Jacob and held our newly born child on my chest.
In awe of what I had just achieved. The beautiful experience that I can’t put into words.
I asked what did we have to Jenny, who answered “ a beautiful little girl”.
My placenta delivered easily and my husband cut the cord once it had stopped pulsating.
Everything was tidied, we enjoyed some of mums home cooked soup and buttered toast.
An hour or so passed in our little love bubble and Jenny came and checked on us. I had a slight bleed, on exit Pirri damaged my cervix with her nails, it was slight but enough to not stop bleeding. We decided it was best to go and get that stitched up, an ambulance ride to the hospital. Pirri stayed with mum and dad while Jacob, Jenny and I headed to hospital.
The hospital encounter was far from what I had just experienced at home. The calm, empowering, caring environment was no long present, I was treated like meat. Brutal and disrespectful. I was so glad I got to go home to my sweet angel within a few hours, back to that sweet love bubble of calm and nurturing that was still awaiting me at home.
I will forever be indebted to Jenny & Jas. Jas may not of been present at my birth (she was at another birth at the hospital, my bad for not contacting sooner in my early labour). However they both are absolute wealths of knowledge, the care is 2nd to none. They are both so invested and so so beautiful and soft. They have become family, they treat Jacob and I like one of their own. Every visit/check in is just like hanging out with a girlfriend. Each experience and encounter with these ladies is beautiful and what a special thing it is to know them.
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