Welcome to the World Carmen Lee

Carmen's expected date of birth was July 1st. At the end of that night, with my belly still huge, Jeff and I were saying how it felt like we were out of the woods - the baby didn't arrive and so now we were going to be baby free. However, at 3:15am I woke Jeff with, "Shit! My water broke!" And broke it did. Jeffrey called the hospital and they said to go back to bed because it would be a while. Ha! My contractions started at around 4am and they were an expected 10 minutes apart. By 5am they were 7 minutes apart. By 5:45am they were 2 minutes apart and Jeff called the hospital. The midwife said to come on in but be prepared to be sent back home! On the 3 minute drive to the hospital, I said to Jeff that I did not know how women felt this amount of pain and decided to continue on with the labour medication free (at this point I thought I was about 4cm dilated). How on earth could I get through the rest of the labour without drugs? We got to the hospital at 6:10am, and the midwife put the monitors on my belly, but didn't check me. I asked for drugs, but she seemed to be stalling. There were no doctors on duty, and her shift was up at 7am. Oh the pain! When the next midwife came on duty at 7am, I was moved into the stage 2 room, and finally I was examined. The midwife exclaimed, "Oh my goodness she's low! You're 9cm dilated! If we'd known, we would have had you in the bath and made you more comfortable!" She then proceeded to tell me that it was too late for drugs and that I had to do it without. Well, what could I do but go for it. I dilated the rest of the way and pushed for an hour. In between contractions I was completely out of it, on a different planet. All I wanted to do was sleep. The midwife called the two doctors on duty but both calls went to voicemail. It was just up to Jeffrey and the midwife. Poor Jeffrey! He was so brave. I had Jeff holding up my right leg, and the midwife holding up my left leg. Jeff was such an amazing support and I have no idea how he got through it. I would have run a mile seeing him in pain like that. Pushing was the hardest experience I have ever been through. I liken it to trying to lift up a truck. You try and try and know that it is impossible to pick up this truck but you have a stern but kind drill sergeant telling you to keep on trying. Towards the end the midwife wanted me to have a look at what was going on with a mirror, but I just could not imagine how I would keep my eyes open during the pushing and contractions. Finally I agreed to have a look, and that was when I realised how close it was to being over, and if I just pushed a little harder and did not give up she would come out. And so out came her head. My mum was outside the door and could hear Jeffrey laughing. Pretty soon out she came, at 9:11am. I have never felt such relief in my life! Carmen spent about an hour lying on me, and she had her first visitors, Grandma and Grandaddy. Then she got weighed and measured: 2.93kg (6lb 7oz) and 48cm (18in). And then the doctor finally arrived! Over an hour late! He sewed me up (yes, I tore), and then I showered and cleaned up (Carmen had done an enormous poop on me!).

The hospital was full and they wheeled a bed into the waiting room and that was where we stayed. They had three more labours that night, so I had no help from anyone. Needless to say, I checked myself out of the hospital the next day!