Guest Blogger - Rikki Hurst - Positive Powerful Birth Story

My first pregnancy went to full term. My due date was May 28th and I went into labour May 26th.

I was at home asleep and got up to use the washroom at 3am. Laying back down I started to feel some cramping, now with this being my first pregnancy I wasn’t sure what contractions should feel like. My husband was at work on nights so I texted him letting him know that I was starting to have what I felt were light contractions and told him that I was going to try and go back to bed. I was unable to fall back asleep and so I started to time my contractions. I called my husband and he was now on his way home from work. I was now moving around my house making sure everything was packed, at the door and ready to go. When my husband got home we left for the hospital. Yes I did get sick in the front seat in a bucket because the contractions were so painful and so intense at this point.
I was 4cm when we arrived and went straight to the delivery room. I don’t know why but despite the pain I was in (I was having back labour so that was a pain like I’ve never experienced before) my sense of humour was at an all time high. I was making funny jokes at my own expense thinking I was hilarious. The nurse broke my water and my contractions came harder and faster.
I had came into the hospital with no birth plan, just knowing that I was open to whatever was necessary to bring our baby into the world safely. I had asked for an IV and fentanyl. Now I must have been in a contraction when she told me I would have to push the button to dispense the medication.. because I did not press it. That is until they were taking it away because it was time to push.
I started pushing around 5:30am. We did not know what gender our baby was going to be. We wanted it to be a surprise in that moment. I had asked the doctor if I would be able to pull the baby out when it was time and the reaction I got from the doctor was priceless. Through a cloud of contractions, screaming and deep breathing all I remember hearing was the doctor say “well are you going to grab it?” And I immediately reached down and pulled my baby out and directly onto my stomach. I did not look at the gender I just held my baby that I had just brought into this world. My husband, mom, sister and nurses all said to me “well what is it??” I looked down lifted my new little baby up and began to bawl, saying “it’s a girl”.
In that moment my entire world changed in the best way possible. Our baby girl was born at 6:10am. Having been able to pull her out myself and lay her on me was an experience I can’t even begin to explain. I only wish you too get to experience it.

Rikki Hurst

Thank you so much for sharing this amazing story with me Rikki, it truly has me excited for my upcoming birth experience. I love that you had a sense of humour through the pain.

Heather