The birth of Lilly-Mary -Part II

The birth of

Lilly-Mary 

Elizabeth Skinner-Chapman

Date: 29/03/2013

Time: 4.22PM

Weight: 8 pounds, 11 Ounces

Height: 51.5cm

The Labour:

Five days overdue and a bad nights sleep I awoke 5am that morning feeling something was a little different... by 5.30 the contractions were so intense that   when Aaron called the midwife and she heard my calls through the phone she promptly demanded we come in.

A short while later we were at the hospital, my dilation only a mere 1cm! Down from the 3cm it was a few days previously. Aaron and I paced around the hospital, this clearly not being a false alarm they soon transferred me to my birthing suite where it was found that my dilation was now 3cm within the hour. Things were progressing well and I sought relief in the birthing pool. Ooh, the relief!! Within moments I felt the pain ease away and my mind clear, I could visualise Lilly-Mary in my arms with every push. The midwives were kind, helping Aaron and I where ever possible. 

Within a few hours I was 7cm dilated and still in the bath, by this point my contractions were coming hard and very fast and I began to battle along. With the fear of stalling after going so far beginning to play in my mind, I took the gas they offered. Breathing in as I felt the woozy, drunken sensation go over me, my mind began to blur. After what felt like a lifetime (but was only an hour or so) I fretted over things slowing obsessively, and soon decided to get out the bath and "walk". As soon as I left the water the pain really hit and I struggled to even get dressed, let alone walk and only just managed to waddle down to my room.

It all went down hill from there... I lay in a dull ache, the gas beginning to make the room spin and I kept having bizarre Trainspotting dreams (which apparently I insisted on loudly announcing...)

My labour started to slow and the midwives began to worry, soon they requested to artificially break my membranes, which in my haze I agreed to. Everything began to become a whirl of pain after that, My gassed up mind had lost it's initial feeling towards drugs and soon after half an hour of pushing I had requested an epidural. Both my loving husband and midwives knew it wasn't in my birth plan and had initial hesitation but after it was clear that my body not coping that an epidural would be the only way to calm me down.

One epidural later and filled with regret I was calm and ready to push. And push I did! With my tiny frame and Lilly-Mary being a hefty 8 pounds, 11 ounces it was no small feat... After I eventually got her head out her little shoulders and body got stuck in me, requiring several nurses to help pull her out.

But when they placed her onto my chest it was so very worth it. This tiny, beautiful little creature wriggled wide eyed on my chest, nuzzling for my nipple and with the biggest, goofiest grin on her face. Aaron and I cradled her, feeling so much love flow through us. After 9 months of so much trouble, seeing her finally in the flesh was heartwarming, our little Lilly-Mary was finally here!

Sadly, being the large baby she is, I didn't fare to well, requiring two hours worth of tiny, tiny stitches as I had multiple first degree tears. They were battling to stitch up without tearing it more and I had been required to stay in hospital for 2 days with a catheter until the swelling began to show signs of going down.

On Sunday, we finally got to return home with our Lilly-Mary, excited to show her off to everyone... <3