Birth, how bloody amazing....

Well remember yesterday? Well I got a phone call at 9am to say she was 9cms dilated & would I go in. I arrived before 10am & she was fully dilated. There followed an hour of breathing through contractions followed by an hour pushing. No sign of the twins, so it was time to go to the operating theatre for a Doctor to become involved as up until then she was labouring with two midwives. After having a spinal block pushing commenced with help from a ventouse. Twin 1, a son, was born as you can see form the first picture. This is him arriving in the world. There followed worrying minutes as Twin 2 was not in the right position. A senior consultant was saying time for a caesarean but the doctor wasn't about to give up. Mum did some brilliant pushing as she didn't want to have one. Twin 2, a daughter, arrived in the world 16 minutes later. Cord was wrapped around her neck & body but after a little help she was absolutely fine. So two healthy babies born today.

I'm not sure if I can put into words how amazing it all was. How amazing that a mother who had laboured for two days still found strength to push her babies in to the world. How amazing to be invited to be a birth partner & to see them arrive. How amazing was the doctor who followed her birth plan so babies weren't caesarean. How fabulous were the midwives coaching her during dilation. And oh what a moment when Daddy met his babies. Mum was happily breastfeeding them as I left.

What a privilege and how bloody amazing are women?


On other news one of Big Daughter's teeth has just come out. Visit from the tooth fairy tonight.....