One of the things which link mothers from around the world and between generations, is our birth stories. We all have them, and often they are really good yarns.
I’ve given birth three times. The last two births were horrible, long and ended in emergency c-sections, but the first is a story I like to tell. I often wonder if anyone else, these days, has had the same experience…
We were on holiday, the baby wasn’t due for three weeks, so we figured we had at least a week up our sleeves before we became parents. We intended to head home the following day, and to use the following week for our final preparations.
Apart from the huge lump I was carrying around, I wasn’t consciously thinking of the birth. I think I was probably blocking all thoughts of pain, and besides, it was my first baby – all adventure and new beginnings. The hard bits were theory – not yet reality.
Saturday saw us and several members of the extended family at the beach, most of us had been staying in the same small bach (tiny holiday house), others were on a day visit. There were a few children, all under the age of five. They played in the waves and at the playground. We stopped for lunch, and then they played around the bach or had afternoon sleeps. There was a lot of laughter and a few tears; lots of conversation and a great deal of coffee, tea and treats consumed.
I had one nephew hang off my tummy throughout the day, and several contractions. Contractions which I assumed were Braxton-Hicks and nothing to be worried about, even though the occasional one took my breath away. They were irregular and nothing more than I expected. We laughed at me, especially when I had to stop walking and just b-r-e-a-t-h-e.
That night, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law went to the pub with friends. It was my brother-in-law’s birthday the next day, it was Saturday night, and they were celebrating. My husband Craig and I went to bed. Luckily for me and the baby, Craig isn’t the drinking kind. I placed the umpteen pillows around the lump and slept as best I could.
At about 1.00am others arrived back from the pub and settled in to finish the night at ‘home’. I needed to go to the loo – as you often do when you’re eight months pregnant. The loo was a long-drop at the back of the yard. Yes, a hole in the ground, in a shed, with a wooden seat, no electricity and a slight smell. (We worked hard at making sure it wasn’t too stinky.)
There were also spiders and lots of dust. I was half asleep and still having the occasional irregular twinge. I got up and waddled down to the loo, opened the door, went inside, did what I had to do and stood up. Immediately after I stood up, there was a gush and a rush of liquid all over my pyjama bottoms. I looked down and thought, “You have got to be joking.” Yep, you guessed it, my waters had broken in the long-drop shed.
On the way back inside, I mentioned that the baby was coming. All those under the influence turned on all the lights and woke everyone who was asleep. They wanted to call helicopters, mid-wives, ambulances and doctors; I had a shower (at times accompanied by my sister-in-law, who was a bit drunk and very excited) while Craig packed up all our things.
Calmly we climbed into the car and took the two and a half hour journey home: contractions all the way. I learned that you use your tummy muscles a lot when you go around a corner, and that you can’t use them for balance when they’re already being used for contractions. Craig learned to drive slowly around those corners and NOT TALK while I was having a contraction.
At home I laboured through the rest of night in front of a documentary of which I have no recollection whatsoever and that sent him to bed. Our gorgeous eldest son was born naturally in Hastings Hospital the following afternoon, 3 weeks early due to having a very small placenta (we think), and shares a birthday with his uncle.
So, what’s your favourite birth story? And can anyone else with a child under 10 claim to have had their waters break over the long-drop?
This is an original post to World Moms Blog by Karyn Van Der Zwet of New Zealand. Karyn can also be found on her blog, kloppenmum.
Photo credit to http://www.flickr.com/photos/justbecause/319281356/. This photo has a creative commons attribution license.
Great story – and to answer the question – no, my water did not break over a long-drop! 🙂 I don’t feel that my birth story is as nice and cute as yours, but I will probably feel the need to blog about it at some point (the wee lad is only 11 months old, so not quite ready to share all the details yet!) 🙂
I’m predicting there won’t be too many responses from people who’s waters might have broken over the long-drop, Asta. And I understand not wanting to share your story yet -sometimes those memories are a little too close. 🙂
Karyn- you stayed home the whole night? Crazy0 I woudl have gone straight to hospital. I was induced at 40 weeks, could not go on…. and ended up having an emergency caesarian. I just would not dilate past 4 cm. Arrived at the hospital at 7 in the morning, and she was born at 16:26 in the afternoon. She was 3.55 kgs, and 53 cm tall. I learnt at that point things like “having babies” are very hard to plan.
xx
Hi bokkie,
Not dilating sucks: that’s why I ended up having emergency c-sections with the others. Babies definitely have plans of their own!
I loved the part when your sister-in-law was jumping in on you in the shower. That’s pretty funny. I’m impressed at how calm you were for your first delivery. Kudos!
Thanks Kally,
I think it really helped that everyone else was so manic, and Craig is a super-calm kind of guy. Yes it was funny my sister-in-law trying to get in the shower: I just couldn’t keep her out!
Great story! I love that your whole family (partially inebriated) was part of it. One of the clearest memories from my 1st labor was the car ride during contractions. For me, that was the hardest part of the whole labor to work through since I was confined to a specific position and couldn’t move to get more comfortable. Thanks for sharing tale!
I agree Tara, I think labouring in the car was one of the hardest bits for me too. The road is not the straightest, and you’re right about not being able to get into a comfortable position. Thanks for commenting!
That is such an awesome story! No, my waters did not break over a long-drop or anywhere else. When I was in labour in the hospital the nurse had to use this thing looking like a crochet hook to do the trick.
Kirsten
I admit it: I love this story! Having your waters broken for you sounds a bit yucky Kirsten, I hope it all went well after that. Mothers sure do go through a lot for their children!
Thanks for sharing your story. Although my water didn’t break over the long-drop, it did break with both times in the middle of the night in bed right after going to the loo exactly 2 weeks early. With the first, I thought I had peed my pants (it was a trickle not a gush) since I was experiencing some incontinence the weeks prior. After changing my panties the 3 rd time, I realized that my water broke. The second time around, I was not so nieve 🙂
Your poor bed. It is easier to understand the second time, isn’t it? My body just taking over was definitely more disconcerting for me the first time round.
Karyn,
Just like A. Roselyn — 7:20am on my daughter’s due date and my birthday, I woke up to my water breaking in my bed! Luckily, I had anticipated the possibility and had put on a waterproof mattress cover only one month earlier. It would have been completely ruined!
I love your birth story. What a surprise in the long drop loo! And, of course, your sister-in-law in the shower! It all sets the scene for a comedy show…
Veronica Samuels 🙂
Thanks for the comment, Veronica. Great idea to have a plastic covering over the mattress, I used to use towels under me but they always moved. Yes, it was like being in some mad comedy show. This story always makes me smile.
…love the picture by the way, Veronica. I was swollen all over, all pregnancies, and no ice-cream had nothing to do with it…well not much. Lovely to think I could have looked that glamorous!
Fantastic story. Giving birth can and should be a wonderful experience for women. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for leaving a comment. I love the idea of birth being wonderful, but for me it’s always been raw and intense. I do love this story. 🙂
I spoke to a mum recently who thought she had to go to the loo, and she had the baby instead – lightning fast labours and this was number 4. Good thing that wasn’t you!
That would have been a disaster…luckily (?) it was a decent length labour!
Oh, hooray! I LOVE birth stories and yours is completely fabulous! No, no I didn’t have my waters break over the long drop; that one’s all yours! I loved how you wrote that our birth stories connect us. I so agree. It feels so natural and cozy sharing them; an instant bond. In fact, want to go out for coffee sometime? 🙂 Excellent post.
Thanks. I’d love to go for coffee – your place or mine. 🙂
I love birth stories!! I agree, they all unite us!
Water breaking in the loo, oh my! Great post!! I never felt my water break, but I do have other parts of my birth stories to share another time.
I think it’s so important to share OUR stories, once the baby is born it’s all about them (damn cuteness) – and that transition into motherhood is often missed. I look forward to hearing your stories too.
I too am a sucker for birth stories! Amazes me the details we remember during that special moment. And this blog by mom around the world, what a great idea!
It is fun, having a world moms blog: like an international coffee group! And I agree, it is a momentous ocassion giving birth – a rite of passage, I think.
Great story! I blogged about my birth a couple months ago: http://momintraining13.wordpress.com/2010/10/22/welcoming-sophia/
Thanks for reading and commenting. I’ll check out your story now.