Welcome Scarlett - I held you on my chest, against my heart, and I thought, no I felt, capital letters L.O.V.E.
"... At 4am you woke me up with a kick, followed by some cramping. This had happened the night before so I thought it may just be more Braxton Hicks but as the sensations grew stronger I took a Panadol and popped into the shower to get some heat on my back. Time passed and the shower felt good, so good that I didn’t want to get out… and then I knew that this was it. You were coming. Today was the day. And I looked out the window and dawn was breaking in streams of orange and yellow and I was in the shower smiling and you were preparing to make the biggest journey of your life. Love, joy, excitement and peace flowed out of the shower and I took my time to bath us both in it.
At about 6am I woke your dad up, “We are having a baby today, Colin is coming!” ..
.. Rachel arrived at around 10am bringing comfort, peace, mangoes and grapes with her. By that time the sensations were becoming more intense, I was breathing deeply – with each breath I breathed in Love and breathed Joy down to you. I did this all day and all night. Love and Joy, Love and Joy, the only two words in my head for 28 hours. The only two words that mattered to me and to you. The two words that I called out to you and brought you to me. We had planned to labour at home as long as we could and to have Sea Change DVD’s on in the background, Ben kept the episodes running and every now and again in between moments I caught a glimpse or heard a line from familiar characters that always made us smile.
The day grew hotter, it was to become the hottest day on record in Canberra. The Oleander tree was flaming scarlet flowers outside the lounge room window, and the sky was bright blue. The fan swirled above me, the sunburst clock ticked on but I was in a timeless space.
Your dad held us, moved with us, breathed with us, I nuzzled my nose into his neck and when I breathed I absorbed the strength he was giving us. During the day Alyssea (Midwife) came and went to check on my progress, bringing reassurance and great calm with her. Meanwhile Rachel kept the space and supported us, she talked us through the sensations, she encouraged me to try different positions to help you along, she held me when your dad had to take a break – at one stage I noticed her sitting at the table writing, later I was to discover she was writing a letter to you!
The temperature soared above 40 degrees, but our non-airconditioned lounge room was a blessed space and I felt so loved and blessed to be supported by such amazing women. It was a truly beautiful day. The sensations became very intense sometimes lasting for five minutes, rolling on and on, I rode the waves and rested in the breaks. At around 5pm I asked to be taken to the birthing centre, by this stage I was really feeling the heat and really wanted to be in the big bath in the air conditioned room at the hospital...
We had planned and hoped for a natural birth but at this stage I knew that you needed more help than what I could give you on my own. I was so disappointed that I couldn’t do it naturally but knew that the most important thing was for you to be born safely.
Dr Rebecca came in to meet me and reassure me that she would be there to help you come out if you needed it. The contractions slowed right down and while we waited for them to start up again everyone had a little rest. Ben put on Jose for me to listen to and I breathed love and joy, I breathed for you, it was peaceful, you and me and Jose and the breathe...
Somewhere between the delivery suite and the operating theatre, the midwives all said in the lift, you turned! So the doctors pulled and I pushed. And out you came. And I cried. And Ben cried. And Chris, our midwife, smiled. And you were wide eyed and looking straight at me. Alert, ready to get on with Life. And I held you on my chest, against my heart, and I thought, no I felt, capital letters L.O.V.E. ".
I am so pleased that you shared your birth story Pip, such a courageous and intuitive birth, it was an honour to share it with you. Many congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughter
At about 6am I woke your dad up, “We are having a baby today, Colin is coming!” ..
.. Rachel arrived at around 10am bringing comfort, peace, mangoes and grapes with her. By that time the sensations were becoming more intense, I was breathing deeply – with each breath I breathed in Love and breathed Joy down to you. I did this all day and all night. Love and Joy, Love and Joy, the only two words in my head for 28 hours. The only two words that mattered to me and to you. The two words that I called out to you and brought you to me. We had planned to labour at home as long as we could and to have Sea Change DVD’s on in the background, Ben kept the episodes running and every now and again in between moments I caught a glimpse or heard a line from familiar characters that always made us smile.
The day grew hotter, it was to become the hottest day on record in Canberra. The Oleander tree was flaming scarlet flowers outside the lounge room window, and the sky was bright blue. The fan swirled above me, the sunburst clock ticked on but I was in a timeless space.
Your dad held us, moved with us, breathed with us, I nuzzled my nose into his neck and when I breathed I absorbed the strength he was giving us. During the day Alyssea (Midwife) came and went to check on my progress, bringing reassurance and great calm with her. Meanwhile Rachel kept the space and supported us, she talked us through the sensations, she encouraged me to try different positions to help you along, she held me when your dad had to take a break – at one stage I noticed her sitting at the table writing, later I was to discover she was writing a letter to you!
The temperature soared above 40 degrees, but our non-airconditioned lounge room was a blessed space and I felt so loved and blessed to be supported by such amazing women. It was a truly beautiful day. The sensations became very intense sometimes lasting for five minutes, rolling on and on, I rode the waves and rested in the breaks. At around 5pm I asked to be taken to the birthing centre, by this stage I was really feeling the heat and really wanted to be in the big bath in the air conditioned room at the hospital...
We had planned and hoped for a natural birth but at this stage I knew that you needed more help than what I could give you on my own. I was so disappointed that I couldn’t do it naturally but knew that the most important thing was for you to be born safely.
Dr Rebecca came in to meet me and reassure me that she would be there to help you come out if you needed it. The contractions slowed right down and while we waited for them to start up again everyone had a little rest. Ben put on Jose for me to listen to and I breathed love and joy, I breathed for you, it was peaceful, you and me and Jose and the breathe...
Somewhere between the delivery suite and the operating theatre, the midwives all said in the lift, you turned! So the doctors pulled and I pushed. And out you came. And I cried. And Ben cried. And Chris, our midwife, smiled. And you were wide eyed and looking straight at me. Alert, ready to get on with Life. And I held you on my chest, against my heart, and I thought, no I felt, capital letters L.O.V.E. ".
I am so pleased that you shared your birth story Pip, such a courageous and intuitive birth, it was an honour to share it with you. Many congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughter