[ozmidwifery] Fw: little piggy mustard bum

[Aviva Sheb'a]

Hi there,   Here's Alice's birth story. Love to all, Aviva Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2002 1:53 PM Subject: little piggy mustard bum   Hello everyone, Well I have had the most amazingly mindblowing experience of my entire life!  You may or may not have heard yet - we have a gorgeous baby girl! She was born on Sunday 1st December at 5am (12 days 'late') after a labour that began in the early hours of Saturday morning.  It crept up slowly, I had mild labour pains all day about half an hour apart, which began to intensify and become more frequent by about 10pm Saturday night, so the labour is considered to be 7 hours long.  It was the most perfect labour and birth experience, i could not have dreamed of anything better.  Having the pains gradually intensify for the whole day before really helped my body adjust to the experience, and we stayed at home as long as we could, didn't go into hospital until about 3:30am on Sunday morning when the pains began to intensify to the point where we knew there wasn't long to go!  Jonathan was the most gorgeous and dedicated labour support person, being totally involved in each contraction, supporting me and being so loving, he really gave me strength.  It was a real team effort, Jonathan encouraging me, while i was encouraging and soothing the baby in between contractions.  In hospital we went into the labour room and i went straight into a nice deep warm bath which was heavenly, despite the pain escalating to beyond comprehension.  One thing about labour pains is that each contraction lasts between 30-90 seconds with a couple of minutes break between each one.  Although towards the end they are practically on top of each other with hardly a break in between.  I was very vocal, hard to describe the sound that was coming out of me but sort of a combination of a moan, groan, roar, really deep and primal, something that came from somewhere i've never been before, and a sound that i could not repeat again unless in the same situation.  It really helped me deal with the pain, visualising the pain releasing through my voice.  It's also hard to describe labour pains.  It's like seriously intense period pain which starts in the lower back, radiates through your whole middle and down your inner thighs and feels like your insides are twisting around each other, trying to rip apart.  Just as the pain becomes super intense it begins to fade again, giving the body a chance to deal with it, rather than be in a constant state of agony.  It's not a sharp pain, but a really internal achey pulling feeling.  I was in the bath for a while, then i began to get a super heavy pressure like the baby pushing to get out and I knew she was almost about to come out.  I got out the bath and over to the bed where the pressure was becoming unbearable.  For want of a better term, it felt like a massive 20 tonne shit bearing down, forcing it's way out.  At this point i felt a bit reluctant to push because i knew it was going to kill, but at the same time the pressure was so intense there was no choice but to PUUUUUUUSH really hard with all your energy, no going back now, this thing is coming out ready or not!  So i pushed with each contraction from then on and it took about 15 minutes for the actual delivery, which is reasonably quick.  It was an immense stretching feeling, but at the same time such a release.  Getting the head out was the worst, that took a few contractions, but once the head was out, one great heave and all the rest of the body shot out like a big wriggly slimy warm squiggly squirt, such an amazing feeling.  I honestly cannot imagine anything quite as amazing.  It was then when they picked her up tht i saw we had a girl.  What a surprise!  Then to have a warm squirmy little baby placed on my chest after all that hard work was just absolutely euphoric, not to mention the massive dose of natural endorphins rushing through my body, I felt like i was floating.  The first thing i noticed, besides how utterly perfect she was, was how strong the little baby was, such strong little waving arms and kicking legs.  Then I put her to my breast and she suckled for half an hour!  It was mindblowing, meeting this little person after all this time, and what a perfect little angel she is.  After she suckled she just looked around really peacefully, you would never have imagined the ordeal she had just been through.  It was as if the transition into this life was just all taken in her stride, she was completely calm and chilled out, so relaxed and alert, so amazing. Words cannot describe the experience of giving birth naturally.  It's a combination of immense agony, excitement, anticipation, euphoria, patience, love, stamina....gee, i really don't quite know how to explain it.  Needless to say, despite the escalating agony as the labour progresses, there was never a moment when i considered having any pain relief at all.  Each labour pain was one step closer to meeting our darling.  She is right here with me at the internet cafe in a sling which is the best thing ever.  It carries her across my belly, she lies in it as if in the womb, all warm and snuggled, and she loves it.  I can take her anywhere in it and still do everything with my hands free. Her name is Luna - the moon goddess.  We haven't yet decided on a middle name, I like the name Luna Melody, but Jonathan isn't sure.  She is such an angelic little person, so gorgeous and perfect, it's the most mind blowing thing to look at her and know that this is little Mescalito who has been growing inside me all these months, it's like a dream.  After i breastfeed her, i place her up against my shoulder and pat her back and she sucks her fingers which makes the most gorgeous little snorty piggy noise in my ear.  It is so gorgeous, cracks me up every time.  "Oh dear, there's a little piggy on my shoulder, where did that come from?"  said in a little squeaky baby voice.  One thing that trips me out is how peaceful she is, and how alert.  She is only a week old and already she looks around and has the most gorgeous little expressions on her little face.  The love i feel for this beautiful little girl is like nothing i could have imagined, so pure, so overwhelming, she is such a precious treasure. Love from Alice xxx   ---   Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.427 / Virus Database: 240 - Release Date: 6/12/02