Phil's Story

Hi there

Just thought that I'd give a run down on what happened on Saturday. 

I did wake up around 5am with irregular contrax, but went back to sleep.  When we got up at 7:30 they were still there, but nothing to write home about.  A bit crampy, but they weren't at all painful  I took the boys downtown to run some errands and we watched some military bands.  I figured if this was the real thing, a good long walk would do the trick.

Since Matthieu was away for the day in Saarbruck (200km from the hospital) my MIL picked us up and took us to lunch, I decided to take along my camera bag and labour bag, just in case.  In the car on the way there, I noticed that the contractions (which had never stopped all morning) were now exactly 10 minutes apart, still not even uncomfortable.  I timed them through lunch and towards the end they went right to 5 mins and then by the time we finished our coffee, I had 3 at 3 minutes apart.  By chance, the restaurant we chose was about 5 minutes from the hospital, so away we went.  We got there at about 3pm.

The mid-wife on duty was fabulous, she hooked me up to the monitor and my contractions had slowed, she said that was normal when women first arrive in L&D.  She checked me and I was about 4-5cm.  She sent me off to walk around.  In the meantime MIL had called Matthieu to boot 'er back here!!  I walked around and played with the boys for about an hour, then went back.  The contractions had come back full force, but I was completely able to relax through them.  LOVE hypnobirthing!! 

At 4:15pm I was at 7 cm.  And I hung around my L&D room, read my Oct CK and wrote in the little one's journal.  At 5:15 pm, I was starting to have trouble relaxing on my own.  I was starting to need Matthieu's help with some hypnobirthing prompts.  He was no where in sight.  At 5:30 the mid-wife came in and I told her I couldn't do this anymore with out him, so she went to call him.  He was 5 minutes away.  She checked and I was completely dialated.

Matthieu sauntered in at 5:35pm and just like in a movie or something, I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and in the most tense, stressed voice you can imagine I cursed at him, then said, 'help me relax through this!!!!' LOL He went to wash his hands, the mid-wife broke my water and I pushed.  It was more difficult to push than with Anthony, but Matthieu said I really pushed hard.  Iguess because I wasn't as relaxed as I had been with Anthony.  3 pushes and he was out, 5:41pm.  Such a sweet boy!!!

Here are some more photos, plus I added a few to his album as well.  The rest will be ready on Monday.