Birth Story

Today my beautiful, smart, spunky, wonderful boy is a year old!
I feel it is only appropriate that I write about his birth.
My pregnancy with Zacharey was very easy and very uncomplicated. Other than the usual discomforts; nausea, heart burn and regular aches and pains it was perfect.
The day before Zacharey made his grand entrance, we had a very busy day. Nathaniel had speech therapy, I had a midwife appointment and both older boys had swimming lessons.
I had been having very irregular contractions at this point for about a week and a half. I didn't think too much of it as he was my third. I fully expected to go 'over due' as I did with Nathaniel.
Nathaniel had speech first and we left quickly for my midwife appointment. Up until this day, I had not felt ready to have Zacharey come. I was quite content on having him stay in forever. I am unsure if it was because I knew he wasn't done cooking or if the thought of three boys was just too overwhelming to bare.
Ether way, the morning of the 8th, I woke up and was DONE. I had full intentions of doing anything to get him out (with in reason anyways). I had asked Myriam to do a sweep and stretch to help speed up the process. The though of even being pregnant for one more day seemed like too much. I remember feeling so irritated with her because she couldn't/wouldn't do one. Even though I totally understand her reasoning (she had just done another mother and as we both had the same Midwifes, if we both went into labour at the same time, one would be without her primary midwife), I was so upset. I remember complaining to several friends. It was just so UNFAIR! (haha)
We took the boys to swimming lessons and came home for a quick dinner. Adam thought it would be good for all of us to go tot he family swim after dinner. It was crazy hot out and he though that the water would help relieve some of the pressure off my hips. He was right, it really did relieve a lot of pressure off my hips and cooling down was nice. We came home rather late and even though I had a need to clean the whole house from top to bottom *right now* I was just too tired to do so. I went to bed.
Sleep was short lived, I just couldn't get comfortable. I had gone to bed slightly crampy (nothing new) and Zacharey just wouldn't settle. I gave up around 2 am and came down stairs to bounce on my birthing ball and facebook. I started having more irregular contractions at this point, nothing I had to stop or breathe through. I just kept bouncing.
At 3am I decided to wake Adam up. Mainly for selfish reasons. I knew he had to work in the morning but I needed the company, someone to bounce with.
He started to ask me how long I had been contracting for, I gave him a very sarcastic, "A week and a half!"
But I knew what he meant. He asked me if I had called my midwife yet (Susan was on call). I told him I hadn't as it was early and nothing was happening. That they weren't real ones yet. He really felt that Susan needed to be called, so I handed him my green card. I remember making fun of him because he asked Susan if she was sleeping. Of course she was! It was 3:15am! Adam also called our good friend Miranda to come over and watch the boys.
At this point, I was super irritated. For several reasons. I was irritated that he was wasting everyone's time for nothing, as they weren't even 'real' contractions yet. That I was too lazy to clean my house. That I was being forced to go to the hospital (I had really wanted a home birth, and even a year later, still feel that my right to choose my own birthing experience was not respected).
Miranda came over at about 3:20-3:30am and we left for the hospital. I was having a hard time sitting still in the car. I wanted to get up and move.
We got to the hospital, found a parking spot and started the LONGEST WALK EVER down the underground tunnel. Little did we know that they lock the hospital doors at the end of the tunnel. Thankfully a nurse noticed us as she was going home from her shift and unlocked them for us. (Thank you nurse!)
At this point the contractions were picking up and had a very noticeable pattern. I could still talk though them, but was unable to walk through them any longer. This made the walk seem like an eternity!
We get up to Connell 5 and Susan was already waiting. She asked me how I was and I flat out told her I wasn't answering that question.
We get into the birthing room that she had saved for us and I got into a gown. She checked me and I was alf expecting to be a 2, maybe a 3. I was 5+ with a bulging bag. She offered to break my water, but I declined. Laying down was next to near torture. Susan suggested I go stand or sit in the shower for a bit. Since I had originally wanted a water birth, I figured that this would be my next best option.
It. Was. Heaven.
Susan had tried at this point to get the required blood work about 4 times at this point, but each time she tried to get it, I would have a contraction. I ended up telling her that she wasn't going to get it.
The last thing I remember hearing her say at this point was, "I think you're farther along than we think you are!"
I looked at Adam and told him I couldn't stand anymore, that I needed to sit or lay down. He turned off the shower and I started to walk towards the bed. This is where my legs decided to no longer work. I dropped to a squat. I could feel the baby coming, but I wasn't pushing (at least not on purpose). I felt my bag rupture and heard Susan ask me if I was pushing. I told her, "No, yes, I don't know!!"
She insisted that I get to the bed, not that there was enough room to birth a baby wedged between the sink and the toilet in the birthing room's bathroom. I told her that I couldn't move, that I was stuck.
Her and Adam shuffle walked me/carried me to the bed. Which I ended up on, sideways on my hands and knees. At this point I pushed twice. Susan paged the nurse to have a second set of hands (the back up Midwife had not yet made it to KGH).
It felt like Susan was ether trying to push the baby back in or hold him in place. She swore at the time that she was trying to save my perineum, but later admitted that she was trying to stop him from falling onto the floor.
One more push and he was out!
I had planned to delay cord clamping, but for some reason the cord was clamped and cut after only 30 or so seconds.
I held my boy skin to skin and marvelled at his features. It was funny that I had a much larger baby pictured in my mind. A rolley polley boy.
Anita (my back up Midwife) came in about 10-15 minutes after Zacharey was born. She looked surprised to see a baby in my arms. She had missed the whole thing!
She asked if it was okay for her to get his stats. I handed Zacharey over.
Anita put a cloth diaper on him (one we brought from home), and checked his weight and lenghts. She asked if it was okay to give him the standard treatment. I told her it was okay to give him the Vit K shot but no eye goop. While Anita was doing Zacharey's once over, Susan was tending to me. Thankfully I only tore a little bit (hard to have time for stretching when your child literally shoots out). 6 stitches in total, 3 deep, 3 shallow, all in the same spot. Not bad!
Zacharey John Michael Knox
August 9th 2012
4:09 am
8lbs 10oz
22inches long
13inch head

He was perfect.

We got to go home really soon after. About 3 hours. It was nice being in my own space, eating my own food.
I was very fortunate that my neighbour came over and helped Adam tidy the house. I sat on the couch and stared a my new boy.
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It is so hard to believe that a whole year has passed.
Zacharey has grown so much, learned so many new tricks.
I am listening to him play with his new toy and giggle and squeal with glee.
Although I am sad that this year has gone by so quickly, I am grateful I have been able to experience it. Zacharey is a wonderful boy and a perfect addition to our family. <3