05/12/2022
Life lately āØ
Introducing Parker Betty.
It was Sunday afternoon (Oct 2nd) when my best friend Kristal text me about organising my hens, and I mentioned.. āAlso Iāve been getting what I think is Braxton Hicks but like every 10 minsā and she replied āNah that might be contractionsā before telling me āI rekon youāre def in labourā! š
I was confused as they werenāt painful and didnāt seem to be getting worse, just closer together. It was now 5pm and they were 4/5 minutes apart. Ryan was at the Sailing Club having a-few beers with an old friend, I called him to come home and said āI think itās happeningā (Ryan hurried home catching a lift with a bartender who just finished their shift š¤£)
About 6pm I started to have a mini freak out about labour and not wanting to do it. Also, Blake became really needy and only wanted me which was bringing up all types of emotions, itās like she knew a new baby was about to arrive into her world.
I called my midwife and said, āI think itās happening, but what if itās just Braxton Hicks and you come in for nothingā - itās was her day off but she got ready and told me when they start to get painful Iāll meet you at the hospital.
Fast forward to 8pm, the contractions started to get painful and were now 2 minutes apart.
I told Ryan we should head to the hospital, still in the mind-frame that my labour would go into the night and probably the next day as my labour with Blake was 21 hours.
We got to the hospital at 8:50pm - these contractions felt different to my last labour, with every pulse of pain I was bearing down and getting low. I could feel the weight of the head in my bum.
At 9:30pm Emily (my midwife) asked if I wanted my dilation checked, I was hesitant as I didnāt want to be disappointed. Minutes later I was like āok, check meā. I was 6cm and she could easily stretch me to a 10. She did a quick stretch and sweep while in there.
I contract standing, leaning over the bed as high as it can go. Thatās my safety space in labour. Iāve tried water but itās not for me.
I said to Ryan can you put the mat on the ground, I want to try on all fours / lean on a ball.
I was in transition now, not knowing what I wanted I went and got in the showerā¦ Remembering I hated the water I stayed there for 2 contractions. I pressed the nurse button and Emily ran in, I said āI canāt do this with no drugs, I need an epidural or something!ā
Another midwife came in suggesting gas, Emily told her I donāt do gas as it makes me sick.
Itās was 10pm, I walked out of the shower wet without drying myself and collapsed on all fours to the mat on the ground. It was happening.
I let out a groan as I felt the head drop down, I could hear Emily behind me frantically putting on gloves as she asked āMads, was that a pushā? I replied āyesā!
With the next groan my waters exploded, closely followed by the head crowning.
With Ryan by my side reminding me to find my breath I birthed our baby in 4 minutes.
10:04pm I reached down in between my legs and brought my baby to my chest.
A beautiful baby girl. Parker Betty Ulbrich.
Parker made her way into the world on her own via fetal ejection reflex, also known as the Ferguson reflex. Itās when the body āexpelsā a baby involuntarily ā that is, without forced pushing on my part.
Feeling all the shock and adrenaline, I gave her to Emily as I needed a minute to take in what had just happened. I had done it! š„¹š
(This moment captured in the 2nd photo)
