Labour
My mucus plug started coming away Sat afternoon, I still thought I might have a few days at least. I was having Braxton hicks, then my waters went at 9pm Sat 16/01. I rang the south lakes birth centre and got checked to make sure it was my waters and then got sent home to labour as much as possible.
Then contractions started and got to one every 3 or so minutes, we went back up to hospital at 5ish am 17/01 and they confirmed I was 3/4cm i just used breathing techniques to get through them.
Labour slowed down though, and my contractions came one/two in 10 mins instead so I got sent home to see if that would help and get some rest. I struggled and went back up at like 3pm as I felt the birthing room was a more appropriate environment, they checked me and said I was 5cm.
I got in the birthing pool and had gas and air and used my breathing techniques again. This was actually a lovely experience here between myself and Rob with a calm undisturbed environment listening to my own music and Rob counting contractions without me knowing. Contractions started speeding up again but then also slowed down.
Confident decision making
I got checked about half 7 as we had discussed I would need help with progressing labour via the oxytocin drip if I hadn’t dilated further because of the waters breaking at 9pm the day before. They explained after 24hrs there is more risk of infection and I had already went two days without sleep.
We used the BRAIN method to understand what could be our next steps as I was gutted that it would mean I’d be on the monitors and drip meaning I was pretty restricted and no longer able to birth in the pool.
However, hypnobirthing allowed us to feel calm about the situation although we had become a little negative. Rob tried to keep positive for the both of us. I got on the monitors but baby’s base heart rate had increased and at a contraction her heart rate was lowering, so they did discuss this might lead to a c section – but it was all quite calm still.
They give me IV fluids for an hour to get her heart rate down and that worked so they put me on the drip which started working well and gave me the spurt I needed. Rob and I had discussed if I was to go on the drip and wasn’t able to birth in the pool I’d be more open to some pain management, so we discussed what I wanted and I asked for diamorphine which worked well as it allowed me to genuinely rest between the contractions.
Birth
I think me being able to be more restful allowed labour to progress as I was just so tired from not having slept in 2 (nearly 3 at this point) days. By this time I was having like really intense contractions I don’t think I was on the morphine anymore but with the gas and air that really helped with the breathing and gave me something to clench down on!
Then I genuinely just knew I needed to push at about half 1ish, and midwife checked and I was 10cm and could push. Changed positions a couple of times (on all fours) and stood up, but actually ended up on my back as that seemed to work best surprisingly! Midwife guided my pushing which helped me a lot and I actually asked for her to carry on with this, and the pushing hurt but it was an end in sight, and then there was a point where we just chilled there waiting for a next contraction whilst her head was stuck out haha that was weird! But then that was it – 40 minutes of pushing and she was here 🥰🥰 and all worth it.
Positive experience
So although birth didn’t go the ‘ideal way’ and there were a couple of scares along the way, it lasted, I’ve been able to look at it as a positive experience due to the techniques we had learnt with you on the course – Rob being able to advocate for me even when I didn’t realise I needed him to, both of us knowing what to expect and to ask about alternatives and risk, breathing techniques got me through most of it pain wise, and also not panicking when the situation changed. We planned to not have a plan and that worked best for us!
So thank you so much again for all your help and the course was one of the best things Rob and I did! Now we’re just enjoying our new born bubble spoiling her with cuddles and breastfeeding is going well although I’m attentively awaiting the arrival of my milk in a couple of days.
