Love reading positive birth stories, you’re in the right place…. This positive birth story gestational diabetes is with Beth, midwife & founder of the Bump to Baby Chapter. This was baby number 4 and Beth’s first pregnancy with gestational diabetes. She used breathing techniques, hypnobirthing and had a positive water birth.
This is my positive birth story gestational diabetes. I don’t really know where to start with the labour. I could potentially say I was in early labour for a few days, contracting on and off throughout the days and evenings prior to the birth with it not amounting to anything. For the sake of time, I’m writing this whilst the baby is sleeping, and to save your boredom I’m going to fast forward to when it finally and thankfully stepped up a gear. This was Friday evening. The evening started like all the other evenings before, me bouncing on my ball in front of the TV. Rob had gone to football and I was contracting as I usually did in the evenings. It got to 11pm and the contractions were coming regularly. I said to Rob tonight is the night, he rolled is eyes and carried on watching 8 out of 10 cats does countdown, as I’d cried wolf every day already this week. From how ‘stop and start’ my contractions had been this week I had lost all faith in my ability in judging whether it was happening or not. I went upstairs to take a shower and to have a word with myself. I was probably not going into labour at all.
Half an hour in the shower I rang my friend to come over. The contractions were becoming stronger and staying regular, I was still not totally convinced though and prepped her that it may all stop. I rang the birth unit too and said the same to them, “I don’t think I’m in active labour, but I think I may be getting there.” Being a fourth baby, I knew that being in active labour (from 4cms and regular contractions) to having a baby wasn’t going to be long and I wanted to be in the hospital as I bled last time. They invited me in.
This is probably a good time to give you a bit of background. My 3rd baby was born prem at 34 weeks and I lost more blood than deemed normal. So the advice for me was to have my baby on a consultant led unit as I was “high-risk” of bleeding again. I looked at all my options though and chose to go against this advice after having a conversation with the lead midwife on the birth unit. My last birth, I had polyhydramnios, prematurity, a suspected infection and the cord snapped on the placenta all things that mean you’re more likely to lose more blood. This pregnancy, I had normal waters, a normal size baby and was full term so I didn’t have the same risk factors. With this in mind I chose to give birth on the midwifery led unit and I was supported in this choice.
So back to that Friday evening… I was in the shower. I had my birth ball in the shower too. It was on the bath so that I could lean onto it to have the water on the bottom of my back. I used my breathing here that I’d learnt from hypnobirthing. Counting my in breath and my out breath gave me something to concentrate on and kept me relaxed. Things were going great guns, I was calm, comfortable and getting into the swing of the contractions. My friend arrived and so I got out of the shower and myself and Rob made our way to the birth unit.
It was about 00.30 when we arrived to the birth unit. My midwife was Brenda, she showed us into our room Poppy. It was dimly lit and the pool was half full. I again said to a Brenda that I didn’t think I was quite in labour but knew my contractions were getting there. They were coming every few minutes at this point but they felt manageable. She brought me in some essential oils – Bergamot and Frankincense- on a taper and I got back into the shower leaning over onto the birthing ball. Chui my birth photographer arrived at this point. My only concern here I remember was what happens if this all stops, what happens if I’m just in early labour and I’ve got my friend at my house and Chui’s here. I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time! Silly really looking back as it was obvious I was in labour!
I spent a good hour at least like this in the shower. The next thing that happened was at 02.30 when I had my first vaginal examination. I know it was 02.30 because Rob text Emily at this time who was home with the kids. I still wasn’t sure at this point that it was it… I remember saying to Brenda, what happens if I’m just 2cms. If this was going to be the case I didn’t want to know! Brenda thought that would be unlikely and she was right. It’s funny how much you lose your ability to rationalise in labour! As a midwife, I should’ve been able to recognise the signs but I still had in the back of my mind that I may not be dilating at all! I was 8cms. Happy days! I got gas and air at this point which is when all of the fun started.
Brenda filled the pool and I got in. The water was instantly comforting. It was here that I remember really wanting to take it all in. As pregnant mothers, we are so desperate for this moment, desperate to feel the contractions and to know that after 9 months we are finally going to meet our baby. The labour and the birth we prep for, go to classes, pack 3 suitcases for which is more than what we’d take on holiday, we play it out how we want it to be in our minds but the reality is that it’s all done and dusted in a day. That moment in the pool was a nice one, I really appreciated what was going on, that what I’d been waiting for was actually happening that very night. These thoughts were helped from the fact that I was high as a kite too! I actually told Brenda all of this between contractions. She probs thought I was cuckoo!
It wasn’t long after I’d got into the pool that I’d started to transition. I remember saying “I can’t do this anymore!” Whilst thinking that’s a textbook ‘You’re just about to have a baby comment’ whilst uncontrollably pushing. I can’t remember “mooing” here but Rob assures me it happened! This feeling was overwhelming, I had this full feeling, which would have been her head coming through my pelvis. The only thing that helped this feeling go away was to push. All the signs were telling me I was just about to meet my baby and a few pushes later she was born under the water at 03.31. I got to bring her up out of the water myself. Holding her in front of my face, seeing her scrunched up face, feeling her skin, hearing her little cry and knowing that she was here safe in my arms was the most incredible feeling ever.
All went well after – no bleeding!🙌🏼 and we were back home by 7.30 am for when the other 3 children woke up.
There’s a couple of things that I’m so glad that I did.
1. Getting a birth photographer– I felt like a bit of a diva doing this but now I wish that I did it for all of my births. For me, remembering the birth is so much more important than say a wedding day, yet a wedding photographer is something we see at every wedding! The photos that i have are priceless and Delphi is lucky that she gets to see her first moments in the world. Thank you Chui 🙂
2.Hypnobirthing– Through teaching hypnobirthing I have inadvertently been practising the techniques for a lot longer than my 9 month pregnancy and boy did it pay off. Reinforcing that everything in your birth is a choice, learning the importance of keeping your mind calm and how to control pesky negative thoughts like fear and doubt that always seem to enter our minds meant that this birth was by far my most empowering, calm and magical experience. I could live it with such clarity and for me that was I really wanted, I wanted to be able to remember every minute of it and enjoy it! I’ll write another blog on what techniques I used that were most helpful.
3. Writing it down- this little story completes it for me, it’s something else that means I’ll remember what happened that night.
For me sharing birth stories is important. I want pregnant mothers to know that birth isn’t always the fear-filled, ear- piercing shrieks and painful experiences that you see on TV. It can be empowering, calm and beautiful. My births are by far my biggest accomplishments in life. I look back on this birth especially, and it was everything I wanted it to be and I would happily do it all again in a heartbeat.
If you want to know about ways to have a great birth, how to stack the odds in your favour to get the birth you want and feel calm in all births then…
You can get all the information from our award-winning hypnobirthing and antenatal classes but from the convenience of your own home on your own time, then you can get our online course.
Love reading positive birth stories, you’re in the right place…. This positive birth story by Fran was a high risk pregnancy due to gestational hypertension, 3 episodes of reduced movement and a GBS carrier. Fran’s story includes an induction and a positive cesarean birth.
On Friday 08 Jan I went for my 40 week midwife appointment, I had not had any early labour warning signs and was going to request a sweep if it was not offered. My midwife had been off sick for my last four appointments so I saw another new face at my appointment. When I arrived she asked what had been planned regarding an induction for me, I was a bit taken back as an induction had not discussed with me at my previous appointments despite my risk factors as my BP had been under control for many weeks since being put on medication. I was not under consultant care and I hadn’t had any reduced movement since 29 weeks. She asked how I felt about an induction and I advised if it was necessary for baby then I would accept one, but otherwise would be happy to have a sweep and leave it a bit longer to see if things can start off on their own. She rang the labour ward and spoke to a doctor who said an induction should have been discussed from 37 weeks to have taken place by 40 weeks if there was no signs and that one needed to be booked ASAP. I used EBRAN and discussed with the midwife the risks and benefits and was booked for an induction the next morning at 8am and was told I wouldn’t be coming home until baby was here. It felt a bit of a shock but I got ready for the hospital the next day.
We arrived at the hospital at 8:30am and I had the pessary inserted at 9:30am and was told the next 24 hours was a waiting game to see if it had worked. When it was inserted I was told my cervix was not yet reachable but it has been put in as close as possible and it didn’t mean it would not work. I was examined the next morning on the Sunday to be told there was not much progress and so I had to have the gel inserted instead and rechecked in 6 hours. When I was rechecked I was told again there was not much progress so the gel would need to be inserted for a second time. Between the pessary and gels I was making sure I bounced on my ball, went for walks, me and my husband played UNO and listened to our favourite music so when it came to the second gel check to be told it still hadn’t progressed much and they were not in a position to break my waters I was really disappointed. I had also felt tightenings and had some lower back pain so was convinced I was on my way. I asked what the next option was and they said they can’t offer me the hormone drip without breaking my waters and because of how far along I was they wouldn’t offer me to go home and come back in a couple of days to try the induction process again (which honestly I was slightly relieved about as for me it was an extremely uncomfortable and invasive procedure that didn’t leave me feeling great) but that if nothing progressed more over night I would be going for a c-section in the morning.
This was a lot to process as although through this course I learnt about c-sections and know birth plans change all the time I just didn’t think I would end up having one. Again I used EBRAN but this time more to understand the decision than to question it as the staff that looked after me had been amazing and I knew they were only offering this as it was really the only option left to me without causing a greater risk to baby as my body wasn’t ready to get them out on its own but the longer baby was left the more risk there was to them. Throughout the night I continued to have tightenings which meant I didn’t sleep well but I was hopeful by the morning something had kick started. Unfortunately when I had my observations in the morning the midwife confirmed that they still weren’t contractions and not much had changed from the night before. I decided not to have another vaginal examination as it felt pointless and would make me unnecessarily uncomfortable before the c-section.
I was prepped and went down for the arrival of my baby about 8:45am, the staff were amazing and put me at ease as I’ve never had any kind of operation. The c-section was completed with some small complications but my little boy was in my arms by 10:11am. He weighed 10Ibs 4oz which was a shock as it wasn’t highlighted that he would be a large baby so I think my body knew it would struggle getting him out naturally. We stayed in hospital two nights as I had some feeding issues and they wanted to monitor baby due to me being a GBS carrier although the risk was reduced due to the c-section but we were allowed home on the Wednesday evening.
Although I was not mentally prepared for a c-section and what the recovery entails I am recovering well and have already been out for a little walk with him. The biggest thing I’ve struggled with in recovery is the six weeks of daily injections I have to have at home but I couldn’t be more thankful to have my little boy here 💙
Thanks to Beth and The Bump to Baby Chapter as it helped me process each stage and stay as positive as possible throughout what felt like a whirlwind of 5 days. Now onto The Baby Chapter 😊
Click the link for more information about The Bump to Baby Chapter’s Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Online Course. Know what you can do to stack the odds in your favour for the birth that you want. Videos, checklists, audios & a support group all created by a midwife to get you feeling excited, prepared and confident for birth.
Love reading positive birth stories, you’re in the right place…. This positive birth story is with Jessica’s 3rd baby, a rainbow baby, who was predicted to be a big baby. She used breathing techniques, hypnobirthing and had a positive water birth.
Being a 3rd time mum (and after having 4 miscarriages) I was super stressed about this birth. My first was 28 hours and an epidural, my second was 4 hours from start to finish on gas and air and I was convinced this one would be much more difficult. This pregnancy I was predicted to have a big baby. From about 28 weeks I started to measure about 3 weeks ahead so started to get sent for growth scans. 3 scans down (our last one was 16th Jan!) they told us that although the baby was on the 95th centile, as it was my 3rd they weren’t going to do anything. Being 5ft 2 and having only had 8lb 2oz babies I was a bit apprehensive.
Felt like I’ve been having intense braxton hicks for weeks now and on Monday night we decided to have a curry and watched a film. Was feeling miserable about going overdue but started to have regular tightenings whilst watching our movie. Tightenings weren’t painful but were every 7 minutes and felt a bit stronger than usual. After about 2 hours they fizzled out and I went to bed.
1.30am I woke suddenly and knew that my waters were about to go – they’ve always been quite dramatic in the past and gushed out so I jumped out of bed just in time and ‘whoosh’. As this was my 3rd baby (and we live about 35 mins away from the hospital) we were called in to the birth unit for assessment. I must’ve sounded so panicked on the phone because there were 4 lovely midwives and a wheelchair waiting to collect me from the maternity unit door when we arrived 🤦🏼♀️
Things started slow – babies head was high and although my cervix was fully effaced I was only 2cm. Had a bath and contractions began at about 3.30am. I used the rectangle breathing method to stay calm and it was a huge help! Didn’t want gas and air yet until I really felt I needed it.
At 4.30 the contractions were picking up and the midwife told me to start timing – every 3 minutes and gradually increasing with intensity.
By 6.15 she examined me again because I was really starting to struggle with the pain and I’d expressed that I’d like to try labouring in a birth pool. Although only 4cm, she gave me a stretch whilst examining and within half an hour I was 6cm any ready for the pool!
By this point I was really starting to lose control and felt I needed something to help whilst the pool was filling but the gas and air made me feel too sick and I had to stop.
From this point on my main control method was finding a position in the pool that I could push my legs against the side and, quite frankly, making a reasonable amount of noise 🤦🏼♀️ By about 7.45 I was starting to beg for somebody to help out and claiming I couldn’t do it and the amazing midwife who was doing the handover asked if I wanted her to examine me. I felt I needed her to because I had to get some indication of whether I was anywhere near to the end!
She confirmed that although I was only 8cm, being my 3rd baby she could help by opening up my cervix for baby to come through during the next contraction.
A few minutes later, some uncomfortable pushing and an outstanding midwife helping me out, our little boy arrived! I didn’t think I wanted to give birth in the pool because I’m frightened of seeing my own blood but it was amazing. Placenta was delivered in the pool about 10 minutes later and amazingly didn’t need stitches this time around!
Thank you Beth and TBTBC for giving me the confidence to believe in myself. Throughout the entire labour I resighted my affirmations and it helped me to stay focussed. Never in a million years did I think I’d have the strength to birth my baby with only a birth pool to help ease pain.
Sorry for the VERY long story – if you made it this far congrats and good luck to all of you mamma’s who are yet to have your babies. Believe in yourself – it’s amazing how much the power of your mind plays in your ability to birth your baby positively.
It hurts. It does. But if I can labour and deliver a 9lb 4oz baby without any drugs, anyone can!
Click the link for more information about The Bump to Baby Chapter’s Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Online Course. Know what you can do to stack the odds in your favour for the birth that you want. Videos, checklists, audios & a support group all created by a midwife to get you feeling excited, prepared and confident for birth.
Love reading positive birth stories, you’re in the right place…. This positive induction birth story is with Natalie’s first baby, an induction for low fluid around baby. She used breathing techniques, hypnobirthing & encouragement from her husband.
FTM.
Induction at 38+4.
Labour 5hrs 46min.
Gas & air just for delivery (unintentionally! I wanted pain relief but too late!)
Dad nearly missed it!
It is now my turn to write my positive induction birth story! After growth concerns at 37 weeks I attended a scan at hospital. Growth and weight was on the smaller side but ok. We discovered a lack of fluid which was actually more of a concern. Baby’s movements were reducing so I attended daily CTG monitoring and an induction booked.
The first consultant I saw was awful – he didn’t discuss anything, didn’t give us a chance to ask questions, just instructed that an induction was happening at 38 weeks… Christmas Day!!!! I deafly nodded along in such shock and drove home in silence. Once home, I discussed it with my husband and we both had so many questions to ask! When I went for my checks the following day I had a LOVELY consultant and midwife who happily took the time to chat everything through, I used my EBRAN, felt much more prepared and we made a plan to continue monitoring and if all ok then induction pushed back so I could spend Christmas with my family and instead opted for a sweep first.
A couple of days after Christmas I had another scan and the lack of fluid was too concerning to ignore so I agreed to an induction as by this time I felt my priority was to get my little girl here safe and well.
I was induced at 2pm on 29th Dec and by 9pm I had little tightenings. By 10.30pm the ctg showed regular contractions and labour officially marked as started, however, no pain just uncomfortable. I continued watching Netflix and practising my deep breathing ready for the bigger contractions.
At 11pm I asked for paracetamol to make myself comfortable enough to doze off and I very lightly snoozed, with my iPod earbuds in, until 1pm when I woke with stronger contractions and very light discomfort. I continued the breathing, music, gently moving around my bay/area.
At 2pm I got in the bath to ease my back. The pessary slipped out when I went to the loo so I figured I must be about 4cm for that to happen. Whilst in the bath the contractions really ramped up, coming closer together and pain level increasing. After about 3 of them I made it back to my bed. I tried to keep mentally strong and calm, deep breaths and moving around but after a few more contractions I was bent forward over the bed and swearing into my pillow. I called for the midwives and asked for strong pain relief as paracetamol had worn off and I needed something stronger than that or gas and air. I phoned my husband (who was at home 20min drive away) and told him to come to the ward and wait outside the doors so we can go to the delivery suite together.
The midwives disappeared to get pain relief but didn’t seem to come back in what felt like ages (probably wasn’t!) so again I pressed the buzzer and cried for help. I was vomiting with the pain, no position was working and I could barely catch my breath. Lead midwife arrived to examine me in order to give me my options for pain relief…. 10cm!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!! I’d done most of my labour on my own, without my husband and without more than the two paracetamol which had worn off.
I told the midwives I had enormous pressure as if I needed to push or poo. They rolled me onto the bed, threw a sheet over my modesty and RAN the bed down the ward to the delivery room. I looked up only once as we went through the doors, desperate to see my husband and grab his hand… he wasn’t there! A midwife went down the corridor in search of him and calling his name… nothing. I remember screaming “she’s coming now” as they wheeled my bed into the private room and suddenly “loads” of midwives and nurses filled the room all trying to help get me parked, hooked up to the CTG and get some gas and air into me.
My body completely took over and did it’s job… the next contraction came and, before the gas and air was even in my mouth, my body pushed hard without me consciously doing so! I was trying to relax and hold on for my husband! I remember saying to a midwife “I didn’t want to be a screamer! But I am right now! I’m sorry!” To which she replied “darling you’re pushing a baby out without pain relief, you scream as much as you need!”
The gas and air was shoved in my mouth and I breathed HARD! Desperate for some relief… it didn’t do much compared to the pain but oh well, too late now!
My husband appeared in the doorway and looked gobsmacked to what he’d just walked in to… a midwife told him he didn’t need all the bags and snacks as he wouldn’t be there long enough, ditch the bags and go hold my hand. Bless his heart, he was like a rabbit in headlights as he had no idea I was in the final stages, he expected to walk in to me bouncing on my ball at 4cm!
My husband likes to feel useful so we had planned in advance for him to be the communicator and EBRAN man. Regularly asking what my pain relief options are at each stage and when is the last point I can have certain things. Well he did his job once he put the bags down, I heard him ask…. I just yelled “it’s too bloody late, she’s coming out right now!”
My body felt paralysed to one position on my side, it was so busy working it’s natural magic downstairs that my brain and arms were just along for the ride! I wanted to be on my knees, leaning up and forward over the back of the bed, but I simply couldn’t move! I remember thinking, well on my left side is better than my back!
Baby’s heart rate started to drop with each contraction, from 140 to 90 and then disappearing off the monitor. I had to be put on my back which I didn’t want but at this point I said to myself, do what the midwives ask as the priority is the baby and they want you on your back for a reason (I just didn’t compute what they said at the time!)
Baby got stuck right at the last bit. I was bearing down and pushing hard but it felt like she simply wasn’t going to fit. The midwives hit the call button and the room filled with more people, all getting ready to whisk me to theatre to cut and use forceps which I desperately didn’t want, I begged for one more chance and pushed with everything I had. My husband said he could see her and gave me the best encouragement to try harder. Then the contraction disappeared… I couldn’t push! I held the pressure on to keep her right there….. then with the next contraction found the last bit of strength needed to get her out. As soon as her head was out the rest flew like a rocket and the instant relief was bliss! Yes I felt some tearing but as soon as my baby was put on my chest nothing else mattered!
I was shaking like mad and utterly exhausted but at the same time completely in awe of what my body can do all on its own!
We had skin to skin and my husband cut the cord. We were given 4 golden hours instead of 1 considering my husband only made it 15minutes prior to the birth. Nice peaceful room with dim lighting and lots of happy tears. Baby even had a first feed before going for skin to skin with my husband whilst I was stitched up. 4 small tears with a couple of stitches each…. amazingly superficial considering how stuck she was, I expected a LOT worse.
So for those thinking inductions take longer…. not necessarily! For those who say first timers take longer too…. not necessarily! 🤣
Now although it wasn’t what I wanted, I didn’t use all of my tools, I didn’t get to experience it with my husband properly, it wasn’t how I had in mind…. BUT I have absolutely no doubt that my mental attitude to get to 10cm, the tools I did use, my EBRAN, my breathing etc was all down to TBTBC! I totally bossed it and that was thanks to this course and group! Even the midwives asked what I used for my knowledge, mental power and calmness, and when I said TBTBC they all replied “oh yes! That’s a good course that one!” So a big thank you to Beth (midwife at TBTBC) for this amazing course! You’ve helped so many women and should be mega proud of what you’ve created!
Olivia 30/12/2020 6lbs 0oz
The perfect way to end a year and start a new one!
Click the link for more information about The Bump to Baby Chapter’s Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Online Course. Know what you can do to stack the odds in your favour for the birth that you want. Videos, checklists, audios & a support group all created by a midwife to get you feeling excited, prepared and confident for birth.
~Waterbirth at MLU using tens and breathing techniques
~Positive transfer for placenta removal
A huge thank you for this course, it taught me everything I needed to know for birth. I wanted to be prepared for the day knowing about what would happen physically and why, this helped me to write up my birth preferences, which led to the labour and birth I imagined. I did need a transfer after the birth but I had a positive experience with this too.
I was 40.2 weeks when my waters slowly went at home in the afternoon, I went to get checked and was sent home to see if things would progress naturally. At around 9pm I started getting contractions at home, so I had a bath, used breathing techniques (in 4 out 7) and leaned on the birthing ball as that felt like a comfy position (also upright and forwards) whilst sniffing lavender on a tissue.
It was around 1am that we decided to go and get checked and I was around 3cm. We were allowed to continue labour at the birth unit as things were progressing. I had a bath, used the tens machine and concentrated on breathing. Around 6am things were getting more intense so I requested to be checked again and was so so happy to be about 6 or 7cm!! I had a burst of energy knowing I could now use water to help so I got in the birth pool.
I tried gas and air but because I was so busy breathing in through my nose I couldn’t use it properly so went without and just carried on focusing on breathing 4&7. The environment was just right too, it was calm and dark helping me to really get in ‘the zone’. At around 8am there was a shift change and I remember noticing the lavender diffuser being topped up.
On my printed birth preferences sheet, I wrote that I wanted Matt to be in the pool with me and if possible to ‘catch’ her, so he got into his swimming trunks and patiently waited behind me in the pool. I was so focused though, so I didn’t talk or want any physical contact. I remember blowing bubbles in the water and counting down on my hand 5 sets of 4&7 breaths to get through each surge.
My body started feeling ‘pushy’ so I went with it. Imogen (Immy) Theia was born at 10.26am into her daddy’s arms weighing 8lb12. Matt told me after that the 12 hour piano playlist I had on throughout had finished by this point and she arrived to Sigur Ros Hoppipolla 🥰
We got to spend time together in the pool before we got out and Matt cut the cord. My placenta didn’t want to be delivered naturally or with the injection so I knew I needed to be transferred to the local hospital for a manual placenta removal.
Learning about each stage on the course helped me remain calm at this point and I remember saying to the midwives ‘I need to go to the hospital now don’t I’ after the attempts to remove it and I knew what was next. During my pregnancy I was worried about giving birth at a stand alone Midwife Led Unit because of the possibility of being transferred during birth and doctors not being near. My antenatal midwife had reassured me that should a transfer be needed at all during birth at a MLU, you are made a priority, this really helped when deciding and I had confidence that it would be okay.
I was in the ambulance (for the first time ever) and Matt brought Immy along in the car. I got to see them both briefly before going into theatre for a spinal, the procedure and a few stitches. I had some blood loss and stayed for two nights being very well looked after.
Although not the ending to my birth that I had visualised, I am grateful to everyone who cared and supported for me so well at both hospitals whilst in full PPE and the birth itself was incredible 💕
Our little girl was born 6.50am 6th November 7lb 6oz.
Thanks to this course I was really relaxed about giving birth, I felt that she had to come out and there was no point in worrying about what might happen but I felt I had the knowledge to deal with anything as it came. I was lucky there were no complications but I think being so relaxed helped.
Started contractions Thursday evening and gave the hospital a ring when I got to 5 minutes apart, they told me to ring back when I got to 2-3 minutes apart. So rang back then and my waters had broken by then too and they said it’s up to you if you want to wait at home longer or come in so I waited another hour just using the tens machine at home. This bit I found a bit weird because I had no idea how far along things were and didn’t want to get there to be sent home again. When I was assessed at 3 or 4am I was 6cm so they called my partner for me who was waiting in the car park and then he was with me throughout.
I hadn’t made a plan but I liked the idea of the pool and there was one on the delivery suite so I spent most of labour in there. They needed me to get out to check if I was ready to push and once I did I couldn’t be bothered to get back in so gave birth not long after at 6.50 am.
I had been doing all the things recommended to avoid tearing but she came out with her hand over her face so did tear a bit but had a bit of gas and air while they did the stitches and it was actually nothing like as bad as I imagined.
Thanks to Beth for all the advice through the course and thanks to everyone in the group for being so supportive of eachother x
For more information about The Bump to Baby Chapter’s Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Online Course. Videos, checklists, audios & a support group all created by a midwife to get you feeling excited and confident for birth.
