In the weeks leading up to her birth i was still having braxton hicks and the occasional period-like lower back pains, however i didn't have any major signs that it was about to happen.
It was early morning on the 26th of February. I was 38 weeks and 2 days. Rather odd, but it was also the day i predicted she would come. The number 6, 16 and 26 occur in a number of family birthdays and i always had a feeing she would be early. It was also my brothers partners birthday and she is incredibly special to me.
I woke up with lower back pain and what i though were braxton hicks. I wasn't in too much pain, but i decided to wake up and time my contractions. My husband woke up for work and i had no idea if this was it, so I told him to go to work and I'd call him if there were any changes. Although, between 5 and 6 am, the intensity of my contractions increased. I rung the maternity ward to notify them i was in labour and i made the decision to stay at home where i was comfortable for as long as i could.
Remembering that a midwife told me how important it was for my husband and i to both eat leading up to birth in order to sustain energy, we drove to McDonalds for a bacon and egg muffin breakfast (probably not the best idea). By the time we got home all i wanted to do was get in the shower. The warm water helped a lot with pain relief. While i was in the shower my husband timed my contractions and packed the car. Sometime after 8am we rung the hospital again to let them know we were coming in.
Around 9am i was 4cm dilated and after monitoring her we went straight to the birthing suit. I remember walking down the hallway clutching my husbands hand. I was both excited and scared at the same time.
I spent most of my labour on a chair in the shower sucking away at the gas, with my husband beside me. I lost all concept of time. It was quite possibly the only time in my life were all the other thoughts in my mind switched off and my brain focused on just one thing. My midwife encouraged me to pay attention to my breathing with each contraction. This made a world of difference. My husband was my water boy, passing me my water bottle every few minutes, so I remained hydrated while in the shower I made the decision to have the epidural and the anesthetist was called. I return to the bed so the midwifes where able to monitor our baby again and see how she was doing.
It was the strangest feeling knowing when a contraction was coming, breathing through the contraction and then being able to focus to attention back to the room and what was going on around me. In the moments that the gas was working, it would make me feel as though I had had a few wines and had no filter. My husband finds humor in reminding me about my conversation topics when I was not experiencing a contraction. I talked a lot about how I felt, like I was on the set of Greys Anatomy and how the anesthetist needs to get there sooner.
I remember that the babies heart rate had dropped, I felt the pain of my contractions shift and a sudden urge of needing to push. There was not time for the epidural and I cried out, " I am going to feel everything".
Everything that happens from then onwards when so quickly that it was almost a blur. My waters hadn't broken yet, but I was told I was able to start pushing. My obstetrician was in the room, my husband was holding my hand and the two midwives were being the most incredible support. I reached that moment that many people had told me about. The moment in the labour when I was completely and utterly exhausted and I could continue. Somehow, without any fear at all, my body somehow did what it was created to do and I found the strength to follow.
Pearl Maree Zuvich was born at 12:35pm on the 26th of February 2021. PEarl was born was in call (amniotic sack.) It burst as she made her exist into the world and the obstetrician pulled it up and over her face. To be born this way is extremely rare. much like a pearl.