I was in bed listening to this relaxation tape for pregnancy called: “Having a baby is the most natural thing in the world” on the headphones. Usually, Elwood and I (and Manuela from her bed!) listen to it on the stereo in the bedroom. But as it broke down, I had to use the Walkman. It felt really good to listen to it at the time, tuning my breathing on the breathing sounds and the sound of the water. I did not sleep much that night - going to the toilet very often. But overall, it was very much like the previous nights.
In the morning, at breakfast, I told Elwood that I might be in labour and maybe he could take Manuela to pre-school for 9.15am. Around 10.00am, I started timing my contractions. They were about 50 seconds long every 4 minutes, very much like period type pain. At that point, we left a message to Pat our doula to tell her that I was in labour and to ask whether she thought it was a good idea to start filling in the pool. Elwood then filled half the pool and put the heat retention cover on. He then went to pick Manuela up from her pre-school session and we had a good filling lunch together (pasta and tomato sauce with aubergines!).
After that, Manuela was off again with her dad to the play-bus around the corner for an hour and a half - thank God all this was happening on a Monday, the busiest day for Manuela! I was coping very well, moving a lot but enable to rest in between contractions. In the afternoon, I had a show looking like a viscous tissue mixed with blood.
When Manuela was back around 3pm, we felt in need of a rest after having arranged the last details. Our neighbour had agreed to take her through the labour. After ringing Pat who listened to me having my contraction, she again reassured me about getting in the pool. It felt good straight away - the warm water and being able to adopt different positions very easily. I came out again, and walked around more. After a while Manuela came back saying that she didn’t want to stay anymore. So we rang our “back up friend” who came around 6.00pm and picked her up for the night - Manuela’s first night somewhere without mummy and daddy.
We then rang Pat one more time. One more concern I had was the time when to call the midwife. I did not want to have her too early in case it would disturb the whole process. Pat listened to my contraction again and reminded me to say “yes” through it - it is supposed to open the body. I did just that from that moment on. I also started to talk to the baby, welcoming him and telling him how much we loved him and that we were really looking forward to see him and also that it was safe to come to us.
Again, I timed my contractions - every two minutes and lasting a minute and a half. We rang the labour ward at 6.55pm. The community midwife - Oona - arrived half an hour later. I had been back in the pool for about an hour. After setting herself up, she asked me if I wanted an internal examination. I was quite hesitant because I didn’t want to be disappointed... After a little reflection I agreed. Hooray, I was 9cms dilated! I think everybody was relieved. As my bladder was full and my waters had not broken yet Oona sent me to the bathroom. As soon as I got in the loo, I emptied my bladder and my waters broke as she had predicted, my bowels were already empty. I had gone several times to the toilet in the afternoon.
I was then monitored with a pinard that I specifically asked for in my birth plan. I knew it would be a bit uncomfortable both for the midwife and me, as I had to come out of the pool each time she wanted to monitor me (twice with the pinard).
At 8.25pm, Tania the second midwife arrives. They listened in again, with Sonicaid this time, to avoid leaving the pool. But I still have to leave the pool because they can’t find the baby’s heartbeat.
Back in the pool, I carry on contracting every two minutes and I’m doing very well, letting my body do whatever it needs to do and making lots of releasing noises. Elwood is actively involved. He keeps on massaging my lower back vigorously when my contractions are coming and making sure I’m well hydrated by offering me water with added Rescue Remedy. The midwives are unable to monitor me anymore as the contractions are too close apart and the baby is definitely coming. I am on all fours. Elwood is still massaging my lower back. Oona is taking the relay as Elwood needs the loo, but Elwood is much stronger.
I can feel the baby coming; he is pushing his way “through me”. Oona is describing what is happening. I can feel it with my hand. His head is very soft (the hair). The head keeps on coming but then goes back a little. I try to “hang on to it” by contracting my vagina a little in between contractions. The head comes out after a few contractions. Oona makes an attempt to make me push but I say that I want to wait for the next contraction . The baby’s head is emerged in water and is safe, everybody is waiting patiently for the next contraction to see the body popping out.
Everything goes so fast, the body comes out in one contraction. He is then lifted to my chest. It is 9.22pm. The second stage just lasted 37 minutes.
For a few seconds, he does not cry. He seems very calm. He then cries a little bit, very gently. I’m sitting in a stool in the pool, not very comfortable at all but just amazed by the all thing. Elwood and I talk to the baby and welcome him as he sucks my breast. His umbilical cord is quite tight around us. When the cord stops pulsating, it is clamped and Elwood cuts it. When the baby stops sucking, he is put into a warm flannelette sheet that had been waiting on the radiator. We had forgotten all about nappy, vest and pyjamas. Elwood rushed upstairs to get everything while I was waiting for the placenta to be delivered. It did when I stood up and when into a squatting position. It just slipped out very easily and without any pain or contractions. The third stage lasted 38 minutes.
After being examined. I have a 2" tear that would need three stitches. I decide not to have it sutured. I then go to the shower and by 10.45pm we are all tucked in our own bed. I feel quite exhausted just by walking upstairs. At 11.00pm, the midwives are both gone probably quite pleased that everything went so well and fast.
ABOUT YOGA On the day, I was wearing my yoga gear (very comfy pregnancy leggings and a black tight top). It felt very good; it was as if I was preparing for a competition. I was very active through it when a contraction was coming I would come on tiptoe position and would pretend to walk, a bit like athletes preparing a race. Obviously when they got harder, I adopted different positions leaning against walls and rocking my heaps but usually just walking would relieve. I mainly use the breathing taught by Pat. It is quite a shallow breathing with the jaws really relaxed and mouth open. I feel my body was strong enough to go through the labour and I took things as they were coming not thinking too much. I think yoga was very good to keep me fit through pregnancy and through the birth it probably helped too being confident that my body was doing everything perfectly.
Elwood was very calm and at the same time quite excited by the all thing. He let me getting on with things. When I really needed his help, he was there to massage my lower back, which felt invaluable.
BOOKS WE FOUND USEFUL:
Every woman’s birth rights by Pat Thomas
Wise Woman’Herbal for childbearing years by Susun Weed
The diary of an unborn child by Manuel David Coudris
Women’s bodies, women’s wisdom by Dr Christiane Northrup
TAPE:
Having a baby is the most natural thing in the world by Binnie A. Dansby
This is Sylvie Gaspar’s water birth guidelines: Please call me Sylvie and my partner Elwood and the unborn child ‘the baby’.
People present: Elwood will be present to support me as much as he can. Our daughter, Manuela, might be present too at the beginning. Then will be brought to our neighbours to be looked after. We’d like her to be brought back soon after the baby is born. Elwood may want to come in the pool as well if we feel that it’s the right thing to do at the time. I’ll probably be naked or wearing a T-shirt.
The room: The most suitable room is our front room (close to water points, big enough, room to sit around). The curtains will be drawn to provide a cosier ambience. We have standing lights around the room and a halogen light if needed. We also might light some candles. We’ll play our ‘breathing’ tape and/or some other gentle music. Please relax and be conscious. ‘Casual talk’ will be unwelcome.
Labour procedures: I want you to use a pinard or a stethoscope rather than an ultrasound device (Sonicaid). I want the baby to be monitored as least as possible (every 5 min seems rather too much). I don’t want my membrane to be ruptured. I want to be able to eat or drink when I need to. I don’t want drugs. Elwood may give me some homÏopathical remedies if he feels I need any.
The birth: I wish to have an unhurried second stage. Please no forcing or things like: “Push! Push!” Be patient, trust the baby to go at it’s own pace and to come at the perfect moment when it’s ready! I wish to labour and give birth in water if at the time I feel that it is what I want.
Third stage: I want the placenta to be delivered naturally and wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it is clamped. The cord could be cut before the placenta’s delivery. No syntocinon (to contract the womb). We wish to catch the baby when it comes out and say the first welcoming words as our voices are the most familiar to the baby.
After birth: We wish to hold/nurse our baby and have some time with it. We do not want vitamin K injection for our baby. I intend to breastfeed. We wish a very calm and peaceful atmosphere, let the baby cry in its own time if it wants to.
Annexe: Any ‘emergency’ interventions should be explained to us fully and our consent should be sought before they are implemented. For any reasons, if the baby needs to go to special care, I still wish to breastfeed. The contractions began the night before around 10pm - midnight. They were pre-labour contractions - very mild.
