Childbirth, The Story

We had promised to tell another full story of how the delivery went. Below is the special story!

On Thursday 10 September, Marieke had still picked up Gideon from school by bike, gone to boys' gymnastics in the afternoon, done some shopping during the hour-long wait, and had another meeting at Gideon's school in the evening. In the evening, she did suffer from heavy legs but she said that was "probably because I've been a bit too busy" 😏

In retrospect, though, that was already the beginning of labour...

September 11, 2020

02.00u
Marieke is having contractions. Not intense yet, but clearly different from the pre contractions she had the 2 weeks before. For her, it is clear that it has started, but she can still sleep in between.

04.00u
It's getting a bit more intense already. Not too bad yet, but sleep is out of the question. She goes downstairs to rummage around a bit, make a sandwich for Gideon and clean up and prepare some last things.

06.30u
Marieke wakes me up and I don't know anything yet. "It has started" I am told. 2 minutes later of waking up and processing, the news has sunk in with me and we get a broad smile on our faces. We decide not to tell Gideon anything and just take him to school because we have no idea how long it will take.

07.30u
The three of us are sitting at the table as usual. Marieke occasionally looks and sighs with difficulty, but when Gideon also notices, we get away with "mummy has a bit of a tummy ache again". Because that hasn't been too bad lately.

08.10u
I take Gideon to school and Marieke apps to the midwife; "Can I call you in a minute? Just see when you have time". Our midwife is a friend who will be at the birth. Lovely to have a trusted person there, but it was also very nice in the run-up to this. A minute later, she's hanging on the phone; "I think it's started". Contractions every 4 - 5 min.

09.00u
Marieke sits downstairs quietly puffing away the contractions. I am going to do some quick work because it will take a while yet - I thought. The midwife arrives and together they go through the schedule. The contractions become more and more intense, but in between the sighing Marieke chats away happily.

09.30u
Meanwhile, Marieke's back contractions are also starting to play up and the chatting gives way to more active road views. I ask if it could be a bit quieter as I find it increasingly difficult to concentrate and decide (after some insistence and a few glances from the sofa) to put the laptop away and just help out a bit. This does start to become necessary as the contractions start to become painful in transition to active phase.

09.45u
Marieke wants to know how far along she is. After internal examination with the midwife, we are already at 4cm! We didn't expect that 😶

10.00u
The midwife asks if Marieke likes her to stay or leave and come when Marieke thinks it is necessary. Marieke indicates that she is happy for her to stay. She quickly goes to get some things from home and then comes back.

10.30u
The midwife comes back in to see Marieke hanging over the sofa catching the contractions. They are becoming more intense and I get to call the hospital if we can come. There is a place free, we are welcome. While Marieke bravely puffs away the contractions, we try to move towards the car in between them. They come in quick succession now.

11.00u
We arrive at the Meander Medical Centre. Upon arrival, it is incredibly busy, but we get a parking spot in front of the main entrance. Marieke wants to walk by herself. But when, after two steps out of the car, she sits through another contraction, she gives in and lets herself be wheeled in a wheelchair. The parking attendant present is so impressed by Marieke's contractions that he fetches and holds open all the doors and lifts from downstairs to the ward. What a service and very nice!

On the ward, we are escorted to our room. Once there, an infusion is inserted into Marieke. Fortunately, only a watch needle needs to be inserted, just to be on the safe side. Our midwife talks to the doctor there. As there are no other concerns about the baby, the doctor offers that our midwife can do the whole delivery and that she will only be present during the pushing. How special!

11.30u
The doctor wants a CTG anyway. But it only has to be for 15 minutes. AND they have a wireless CTG so Marieke can just keep walking around. The contractions become more and more intense and the midwife advises Marieke to go to the toilet for a while. The trip to the toilet (5 steps) was quite a challenge with all the intense contractions, but once there, the membranes break and the birth really seems imminent. A bit of a reality shock, as we were actually also unpacking the flight case in preparation for a long day. Bizarre that everything goes so fast.

12.00u
Marieke gets pushing and full dilation is achieved. Now she is allowed to push with the contractions.

12.06u
3 contractions later, Rosalie is born. What a beautiful and special moment. She is immediately allowed on Marieke's chest. Full of amazement and joy, we hear Rosalie crying. We look at each other with tears, it seems like a dream.

After a few minutes I am allowed to cut the umbilical cord and Rosalie remains lying on Marieke's chest for an hour. How quickly an hour goes by.

While Marieke takes a nice shower, I have a moment of my own with Rosalie. I get to dress her and enjoy her for the first time. What a special moment.

14.00u
Rosalie is checked by the paediatrician and is fully approved. "And now?" we ask. Can Gideon come here to see his little sister?

"I think Marieke can take a shower in a moment and you can go home in a bit," the midwife replies.

😳

14.30u
We're sitting at home on the sofa. What just happened?

15.00u
Gideon sits on the sofa with his sister. How proud he is.

And how grateful we are.

Wow...

We had to give birth in hospital anyway because Marieke had lost a lot of blood in the previous pregnancies. But luckily, this time that was the only reason to have to go to hospital! Before giving birth, we had prepared ourselves for at least 1, maybe 2 days in hospital. But that it would turn out the way it did, we had not dared to dream in the least.

And so nice that many things Marieke had on her "wish list" also happened. For instance, she had hoped that Gideon could at least go to school for 2 weeks before the baby came to get used to the new school year and new class. And exactly on the Friday morning of the 2nd week, the contractions started.

She also hoped it would start at night so that she could fiddle around in peace and catch the contractions at home until she had to go to hospital. And that too went exactly like that.

We never expected that the whole delivery could go so incredibly fast and prosperous. So special that our friend was allowed to do the whole delivery. Marieke did not have to be on "wires" for a single moment. And the whole time we were in hospital - at the peak there were five people in the room, two of whom were us. What a contrast to our previous deliveries of David and Gideon. Despite the moments of ferocity of contractions and pushing, there was calm and peace in the room.

And into that peace Rosalie was born