Meeting Zaid Malakai
Written by Rhiannon Abrahams
Probably like everyone who's overdue I felt like I was never going to give birth. I was going to be the first woman in history to be pregnant forever. It was 4 pm on Wednesday the 28th, and I was expressing colostrum for nipple stimulation to try to bring it on. Usually, when I did this, I would just get Braxton Hicks, but this time I had a more intense feeling in my stomach and back. Four minutes passed, and it happened again.
I called Jody and let him know what was happening and not to panic. But of course he did, and he came rushing home from work haha.
I got on that bed, and my midwife came in, I looked at her and said is this going to get much worse?! She gave me a "I'm not going to lie to you” look - I wanted to give up there, and then, I had the I don't want to do this anymore moment, I said I think I want the epidural, she looked at me and said let's check how far you are. I was 7cm already another 3 to go. She knew I was thinking about a water birth, so she ran the water and offered that first and gas instead of the epidural. I didn't want the gas. I couldn't think of anything worse while trying to breathe through contractions and having something in my mouth. I got into the bath and felt instant relief! My gosh, the bath was the best thing ever to happen that night. I had Jody holding my hand through every contraction, Gold FM on playing some awesome tunes, dimmed lighting, my sister replacing ice in face washers on my neck and chest, and listened to every word my midwife said. The break I got after each contraction made it bearable, it was a rest on the body until that epic contraction came back, and all I would think was “no not these again.”
She checked me and said his head is only 1cm away, so on this push, push with everything you've got and push into your bum, one big breath and I tried so hard! They kept saying we can see the head, push! They were constantly checking my pulse and bubs heart, bubs heart had dropped to 70 but kept picking up, so they let me try one big push again. Four big breaths and pushing through this contraction and he still wasn't coming; his heartbeat was staying down so they got me out of the bath quickly and I was rushed to the bed to try different positions to get his heart back up to 140.
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