Jody tells her birth stories in her own words…

I want to share both of my birth stories with you today as they were so unique and funny in their own ways!

Our pregnancy journey with Connor (now 6) seemed to start like so many others do these days – we tried for just over 18months with no luck! I was told I had PCOS which was the reason I was unable to fall pregnant then suddenly, after 1yr of no period I had the most horrendous bleed for 24hrs. This must have been enough for my body to ‘kick start’ again because before we knew it I was pregnant! The rest of my pregnancy was super simple and ‘textbook’.

I had my 36 week check up at 3pm on day 36+1 with my midwife. Everything went great and she couldn’t have been happier. I left on time and headed home to continue working as we had a massive IT release that weekend which I was leading.

We had arranged for the car seat to be installed in my car the next morning so Matt’s mum kindly offered to help us with that. So 7.15pm I jump in Matts mum’s car (as we swapped) to come home and I was on the phone to my boss providing her an update. As she said to me “how was your appointment? I hope there is no sign of this baby” my waters broke! I quickly said, “nope all good but I’ve got to go” and hung up on her. Pulled up out front of our house, parked like a crazy lady and flung myself out of the car scared that I got my MIL car seat wet.

At roughly 9.20pm, Matt and I went to maternity to have a check-up with the midwife. She hooked me onto the monitor and we waited for the Dr to come and do a couple checks. At 10.40pm he confirmed that my waters had broken however I was 0cm dilated. The plan was to send me home with antibiotics and come back in 48hrs for another check – off the Dr went to grab the antibiotics. Within the next 30mins I went from having the slightest discomfort (mild period pains at most) to feeling the constant urge to poo, to then being in excruciating pain and feeling like I was weeing every time I had a cramp. On the 30min mark I vomited as the pain was so bad. The midwife kept saying to me “Jody your not even in labour, if you are this bad with period cramps how on earth will you cope with labour?!?” I obviously looked at Matt, burst into tears and said I can’t do this!

It was at this point Sophie, my midwife thought hmmm something isn’t right. She asked me to check if I could feel anything between my legs, I checked and said yes. So she jumped up, took my shorts off, opened my legs, screamed F*%K, slammed my legs closed and said to Matt “DO NOT LET HER PUSH” – sure enough I was fully dilated and crowning. Lots of buttons were pushed with so many random staff flying into the room and 20mins later after several big pushes (two where I passed out) I was holding our beautiful little boy. The Dr rocked up a few minutes later with our antibiotics and Sophie laughed and said there’s bub!

2.5yrs later we decided to try for No 2. Thinking our journey would start the same, I came off the pill and we just went about our lives. Well 6 weeks later there was the positive pregnancy test! This time, my pregnancy was quite different. I didn’t have morning sickness however the whole 9 months I went from UTI, to thrush to GBS. I had quite a few visits into hospital because of this and also because of a constant itching feeling in my limbs. The whole time though I was reassured bub was absolutely fine (just being a pain to his mum).

Along came the 36wk mark and again, my waters broke! We headed into the hospital and I was greeted with an unpleasant midwife on this occasion who basically dismissed me and said my waters did not break, I simply peed my pants and she sent me home. Ive been here before, I know I didn’t pee my pants but ok, off home we went. 6 days later (36+6) and I woke up at about 6.30am with “gastro”. I went to the toilet a few times, couldn’t empty my bowls but kept feeling the urge.

Matt woke at 8am and was getting himself and Connor ready to head off to the Majura Park toy shop opening day when he noticed something wasn’t right. He arranged for Connor to go with his mum and he stayed home and went out front to install the car seat.

I called my midwife at 8.20am and explained what was happening and also my first birth so she knew things progress fast with me. She told me have a Panadol, go rest with a heat pack and call back in an hour if I need to. 30mins later I knew exactly what was happening and that we had literally no time to get to that hospital! So I called her back and said “were on our way, this baby is coming” without hesitation she said see you soon. I went out front to Matt, hospital bag in hand and said lets go! Matt quickly slammed the car doors and off we went.

We got to the hospital in record time however no parking spots. He dropped me at the front door and sped off to find somewhere to park. I refused to go inside without Matt and sat awkwardly on a metal bench, on one butt check, breathing through the contractions praying I didn’t have my baby out front. Next thing I see, in what felt like slow motion, Matt sprinting across the main road over to me.

We go upstairs and within 5mins are in a maternity room. Sian, the midwife, put me on the monitor and asked a few questions including if I could try pee in a cup. I went into the bathroom, sat on the toilet and I was stuck! Matt had to come get me off. He put me back in the bed and I said to Sian, I need to push! She quietly said ok do what you have to and then asked another midwife to put the Dr on notice that he may get a call soon. One push and you hear Sian “ohhh there goes the waters, ohhh, here comes the head – get the Dr please”. Second push – “yep don’t worry about the Dr I have the baby”. 25mins after arriving at hospital we were holding Braxton.

What do you wish you knew before birth?

I honestly cant think of anything I would of liked to have known. I was super lucky with my labours and the staff that I had when I needed them.

If you could, would you do anything differently?

I would have kept my undies from when my waters broke with Brax!!!! I binned them and the pad before going into the hospital as I was so embarrassed that they were THAT wet. If I kept them with me, I could have proven it wasn’t urine. I was lucky neither of us ended up with an infection but I always think ‘what if’. Other than that I wouldn’t change a thing!

What did your partner do that really helped during labour/birth?

With Connor he was a great support, talking me through, letting me squeeze the crap out of his hand and just there for me in general. With Brax, things honestly happened that quickly I didn’t even look at him or touch him once 😲 I actually felt bas afterwards lol.

What advice/honest truth would give a mama-to-be about birth?

Every single birth story is different. Do what is right for you and your baby! Have the courage to have a voice in you need one and go into labour open minded. Trust your body as you can do this and you will smash it!