Birth Story: Chapter five

Chapter five - An End and a Beginning

A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a baby is born into the world. – John 16:21

It was 5:58pm. I didn’t expect everything to happen so quickly. I don’t know what I expected with the pushing phase. I thought perhaps three hours. One hour was all it took.

I didn’t expect that once the head was out the body just slipped out so quickly. I remember seeing a little body and I was shocked that it was already here. Before I knew it Kelsey had picked it up and placed it on my chest. What on earth just happened? I was a bit worried because the baby didn’t initially cry, but soon enough it did! I gave it a bit of a cuddle and it stopped and just gazed into my eyes.

Hendrik was on my shoulder crying, but then was staring at the baby as amazed as I was. I checked, it was a he. I felt an overwhelming sense of joy that I’d never thought I’d feel. I spent nine months thinking how my life would completely change and that I probably wouldn’t like it. I think I was around people that led me to think that way also. This all faded away when I looked at his little face (that didn't really look like me at all).

He was so incredibly adorable. I think I said this many times. I just wanted to wrap him up and go straight home with him and cuddle him all night. I was in love like I’d never felt before. I wasn’t in pain. Suddenly I felt a sting on my side. The midwife injected me with oxytocin which was to get the placenta out. I wasn’t too concerned. I was way too enthralled with the baby on my chest. When the placenta came out we stared at it, thinking, oh my goodness that is HUGE! (Bigger than the baby.. Where did I hide all of this?)

Hendrik cut the cord. Kelsey asked his name. I proudly said, “Luke”. Luke was born hungry. I’ve always been fascinated with how babies grab onto your finger really tightly. One of our first moments together when he grabbed my finger, and strongly pulled it into his mouth and began to munch away.

I kept saying over and over how adorable he was, like I was surprised about it. I could tell by the 20 week scan that he had Hendrik’s flat asian face. He looked a lot like Hendrik, with big Chinese eyes.

A midwife came in and said that they had to give me a few stitches. I freaked out. The only time I have had stitches was when I fell off the monkey bars in my first year of primary school. That was only 2 stitches and it was a traumatic experience. They said I could have some more gas they did it, but actually I didn’t feel it. Awesome. Free gas.

Then, we called my Mum. She was about to go to Adelaide to fly over the next morning. My Dad was excited, as was my friend Luke who we named him after.

I lied there with Luke on my chest for about 2 hours while Kelsey did the paperwork. A lady came in looking for me. She had my dinner. Just in time! I gave Luke his first feed, then Hendrik got clothes ready for Luke and I had a shower! I remember looking at myself in the mirror thinking how hot I’d just suddenly become. 

We moved to another room, which had a double bed meaning Hendrik could stay the night with us. I didn’t want to sleep. I wanted to stay up all night looking at my gorgeous baby.

So this is the end of my birth story, but really the start of another. Even though my labour was long, the life after with a newborn is where the real challenges started.

The End.