the birth

Active labour started at about 1am (early labour lasted only about 15mins -4 contractions!). Within an hour Mum was 5cm dilated. We headed to the hospital. By the time we got there (5-10mins/4km) Mum was 8cm dilated. By 3am she was 10cm and I was ready to be pushed out. In the pool Mum did a darned effort to get me out. It didn’t take very long –Mum’s fitness helped as did “perennial massage”. Even though it really hurt Mum, she didn’t have any pain relief (not that there was time to) or need stitches afterwards. Dad supported Mum in the pool with her as she used different positions to push me out at each contraction. She didn’t think she was going to be able to do it at the end when my head was “crowning”: all 35cm circumference of it –she didn’t see how it could fit out. Dad prayed for Mum and the midwife said "it is working" -Praise the Lord!
Mum and Dad were so relieved when they saw my head –they had got to the point of “enough is enough”. With my head sticking out I rotated inside Mum who cried out, “it’s moving inside me, it feels so weird!” It took another 2 contractions (about 5mins) and more pain to get my shoulders out. Once they were out, I sort of shot out as Mum wiggled awkwardly. The midwife caught me before I could do a length underwater and put me on top of Mum’s tummy who was still embraced in Dad’s arms. I looked into Mum’s eyes then looked over her shoulder as Dad said, “Hello, welcome to the outside world” –I recognized his voice.
Mum and Dad were so overjoyed to have me with them that they took a while to check my bits to see what gender I was. When they saw they smiled and declared my name, Lovinia Erin”. We just snuggled there for a while –me covered in vernix (white, waxy protective coating against fluid inside).
When the placenta stopped pulsating (a few minutes) Dad cut my cord. He wrapped me up and held me while Mum gave birth to the placenta (about 15-20mins).

Special thanks to Paula Bethwaite our midwife who did a great job and respected our beliefs and wishes right through. Also to family and friends who support(ed) us. Thank you for your gifts, enthusiasm and words of encouragement.
Most of all, thank you to God who blessed us amazingly, He was with us all the way -the reason why we came through as we did (we could feel His Spirit there at the birth).

See “About Me” on the right for my birth specs ->