Second time around.

1st June 2010 I had our second gorgeous baby boy.
This time at home after the long lasting trauma of my unnecessarian. Here is our birth story:

9 pm or so I had about 3-4 contractions that were pretty sore, and needed to pee with each one, they were maybe 5 mins apart or something, but assumed it was pre-labour which id already been having some of for weeks, so figured they would stop. I had sent an sms to my midwife and my friend who was coming as my support people to let them know, just in case.
But they did stop, so tried to sleep.
At 11pm I felt a trickle, and I was like hmm, so jumped up, and by the time I reached the toilet it was a full on gush, it just kept coming into the toilet. It was pink tinged, so I knew that was all good. I also realised it meant that labour would be starting soon, or somewhat soon. LOL. I got excited, it was really weird, I sat on the toilet for maybe 30-40 mins while I rang my friend and my midwife, and I told them id let them know when I needed them.

I decided not to bother trying to sleep (yeah bad idea I know) so got up and tried to watch desperate housewives and post on NA while bouncing on fit ball. I was managing the contractions, I didn't time them, but they seemed pretty regular to me.

Around 12ish I sent Pam a message saying if she wanted she could come hang out, I felt I needed someone else around then. I think DH did get up at some point to be out here too. The contractions started to get really bad, and they seemed close together to me, although I remember Pam saying about 3-4 mins apart. I think DH rang Jo around 2 or so, and she arrived at maybe 3am, ill have to check on those times.
I got in the pool at this point, and I was managing the contractions while reclining in the pool, but it was very hot, and I was sweating alot.
I got out of the pool and tried to walk around, but had to lean over something with each contraction and really concentrate on breathing through them. i was still wondering to myself if this was just early labour still though. Pam was putting the heat pack and pressure on my back during contractions, which was awesome. It helped a lot. After some more walking I needed to get back in the pool, and kneeling over the side was what helped at this point. I was managing a little rest between some of the contractions while in the pool. The time between contractions seemed to change to me, it seemed id get some on top of each other and then some with a longer break, so I didn't know what was going on.Somewhere around here Jo arrived, but I was really just not noticing what was going on around me by now.
I got out of the pool again, I was quite restless and unsure what to do, I tried kneeling on the couch over the arm, it didn’t really help much.
I managed what seemed like a really long sleep on my side, but Jo said it was only about 5 mins. Am guessing this is when transition was happening. The next contraction after this was awful, and it made me vomit a few times. During this time I was trying to walk to the toilet. I think I had about 4 contractions walking the short distance to the toilet.
Then another at the toilet door, and another once I sat down. I couldn’t pee, but really needed to.
I had many more which seemed right on top of each other in our kitchen, I kept saying I couldn’t do it.
In between contractions I was asking Jo for a VE, I really thought I couldn’t do it anymore, these contractions were indescribable, so so painful. I just wanted to know how much longer I had to go. Thankfully Jo talked me out of it, as she knew it wasn’t what I really wanted. But after the next contraction I completely forgot I was asking for a VE lol.
I made it back to the pool, and practically dived in. Jo and Pam had been adding more hot water and blowing it back up as it had a slow leak which Greg had repaired, but it hadn’t worked very well.
The next contraction in the pool was different, my body was pushing, and I told Jo this is what was what happening. I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t think it was going to happen that soon.
Each contraction making me push, was intense, I could not have stopped it, or slowed the pushing down.
After a few of these contractions, I checked and I could just feel his head not far in, and that spurred me on, I couldn’t wait to get him out and make the pain be over.
It took 20 mins for him to emerge. That ring of fire people talk about was insane, even in the pool, it really burned. Once his head was out, his body just shot out. Jo had to remind me to pick him up as I was just so stunned.
That first cuddle was so amazing, it was such a difference to not being able to touch Lucas for hours after his birth.

Not long after this I told DS he could get in the pool, but that didn’t last long, as I was worried he was going to drink the bloody water LOL, so I got Greg to get him out.
It took another 20 mins for the placenta to come out on its own, for some reason during this 20 mins I was really anxious to get out of the pool, I think I was just worried about how it was going down, and I could just see the bloody water going all through the house LOL. I asked Greg to start emptying it ASAP. Poor Lucas was quite disgusted by the vernix and the placenta.

From then I moved to the couch and got covered in towels and gave Jacob his first feed. I was a bit shocked and shaky, so I got given a hot sugary cup of tea.
I think I was just stunned by the whole experience. I still now can’t believe I did it.
Ive felt pretty good since his birth, and so happy with how it went :D

Nearly a month on and I am still stoked about how it went. Jacob is mostly pretty happy, although he has his moments but we are working through them. Lucas seems to adore his little brother, and we are slowly getting into the groove of being a family of 4. So far Greg has been off work still, but goes back full-time in a few days, so its onto doing everything again, but this time with 2 kids instead of one. Baby wearing is going to be my saviour I think. It means I really have to get the hang of the back carrying on my own, so far ive had Gregs help. I know ill get there soon enough though :)