I and an induction of labour, as a vaginal swab showed my waters had broken.
The plan was to have a pessary inserted to induce, start off my labour. If that did not take effect within 6 hours, I would have been taken to labour ward to be put on a hormone drip.
The pessary was put in at 4.20pm. Now there is a 6 hour wait to see if anything happens.
It’s 4.53pm, I’m definitely feeling cramps in my lower back and period pain area. Maybe the pessary is already working.
The pessary took effect, and very quickly. Within 1hr and 30 minutes, I was 3cm dilated. The pessary was over stimulating me and needed to be removed to slow the dilation down.
I used my HypnoBirthing techniques and a birthing ball to help with the discomfort which I mainly felt in my lower back.
I was having 7-8 surges within 10 minutes. It was super intense and there was no let up inbetween surges to relax. I wondered if this was normal. I was struggling to cope without a break from the intensity. What I realised later, what that this is not normal, and I was coping amazingly well. I am highly responsive to medication so it doesn’t surprise me that this happened.
I was then moved to labour ward. Baby girl was continuously monitored. Due to the amount of contractions/surges I was having in 10 minutes, baby girls heart rate dropped.
It was explained to me that I needed a medication to slow the labour down, as the intensity of the surges were causing baby girl to become distressed.
The surges then became more normal in rate and intensity. I was having 4-5 surges in 10 minutes and there was some time inbetween them for a break. Baby girls heart rate normalised.
Our midwife, checked to see how dilated I was very shortly after being taken to labour ward. I was still 3cm but she realised that my waters were still not fully gone. She suggested breaking them and explained that I would have had a very small leak from the back which is why I didn’t notice that they had gone before. I agreed to this and she broke my waters.
A consultant then came into the room to offer me pain relief. Our midwife had read my birth preferences and said that I would ask for pain relief if I needed it.
It was agreed that I would be checked again in 4 hours to see how dilated I was, and how the labour is progressing.
The room was darkly lit with fairy lights on. Callum was playing the HypnoBirthing music on our speaker and I was smelling my essential mandarin oil. It was very peaceful. When a surge came, I put into practice all of my learning. The breathing techniques helped massively and I just got into a zone.
I was able to chat, eat, laugh and drink in between surges. Callum was amazing reminding me to relax and conserve my energy in between surges.
After just under 2 hours, the surges were very intense. At this point, I said to Callum that I think I need to be checked again to see how dilated I am. We asked the midwife to check and she explained that the doctor didn’t think it was necessary to check for another 2 hours.
At this point, the discomfort was stepped up to another level. I needed to know how dilated I was to make a decision about if I wanted pain relief or not. I said calmly to Callum that if I was only 4cm say for example, and this was how labour felt, I needed relief as I would not make it until 10cm and have the energy to birth our baby.
As soon as I said this, our midwife excused herself and went to the toilet. At that exact moment, I felt an enormous pressure. I wanted to bear down. It felt like I was going to do a massive poo. I asked Callum to find the midwife and tell her.
She came back into the room and agreed to check how dilated I was. This was 2 hours after being brought into labour ward.
I was 10cm and it was go time. I think I knew I was 10cm. The sensation was so different. Surges feel incredibly different to the bearing down stage. Surges feel like a strong cramping and bearing down feels like doing a massive, massive poo but out of your vagina.
It’s very primal and instinctive. Everyone says your body will know what to do, and you don’t really trust that, but that’s so correct. You really do need to just follow your natural instincts.
I delivered baby girl vaginally within 30 minutes of bearing down, humming and pushing with my natural instinct to do so. I instinctively wanted to be on my all fours, and when I did, could feel how easily she was coming out in compared to being on my back. However, when I was on my all fours, we lost her heart rate, so the midwife explained that I needed to be in a position where she could be monitored closely. I delivered our baby girl on my back without assistance.
I did not need any pain relief during the birth or labour. My HypnoBirthing techniques were essential and helped me cope.
The bearing down was hard work. It wasn’t painful however. I kept reminding myself that with each surge, and each bearing down, my baby girl was moving closer to us. Callum told me that I was super calm and relaxed throughout the birth and labour. He said I was surprisingly quiet and just got on with it.
I’m so pleased about the way in which I gave birth. It was a very beautiful experience and I really enjoyed birthing my baby girl.
It wasn’t until after, and Callum told me, that the doctors continued coming in to offer me pain relief and our midwife just kept sending them out. My birth preferences were followed as closely as possible. I gave birth on labour ward, and not on the midwife led unit, however the birth was fully midwife led.
I was not able to use a birth pool, but we definitely had the right birth for us on the day. It was perfect. Just the four of us in the room together. Callum cut the cord and baby girl was instantly placed on my chest for skin to skin. Callum enjoyed watching the birth and delivery.
We had lots of skin to skin time and alone time as a family which was lovely. Callum was amazing throughout the birth and played his role perfectly. Our midwife gave us some space after stitching me up. The birth was very fast. Giving birth is definitely the most incredible thing my body has ever done. Of course it is not pain-free, however it is totally manageable when using the right techniques.
I was stitched while baby girl was on my chest which helped distract me from the pain of being stitched. We were breastfeeding within two hours of the birth. I was able to walk myself out of labour ward and to the post natal ward.
The whole thing was such a surreal and incredible experience.
I think the HypnoBirthing helped her to be a calm and chilled baby which she has been so far.
I already look back on my birth with such fond memories. It was a really positive experience.
