Positive Birth Story #2
I recently posted my Positive Birth Story from Little Q's birth back in 2016. I'm not one to share widely when I'm expecting as pregnancy is a deeply personal experience and one that I personally was not comfortable sharing until our baby had safely arrived.
On the 20th Oct 2018 we welcomed into our family a little sister for Little Q, Little S. We are so unbelievably happy and now in the process of trying to adapt to being a family of four!
After my experience with hypnobirthing last time and the difference it made to my anxiety about being out of control especially in the face of induction I knew as soon as I saw the little line appear on that stick that I wanted to look at Hypnobirthing again and try and have another positive birth. I found the Positive Birth Company during this research and bought the online pack with the videos to work my way through. I found the science behind it incredibly clear and really enjoyed the tone that Siobhan use throughout. Its nice to feel like you are being spoken to rather than lectured at.
My second pregnancy seemed to be going the way of the first around 40 weeks when I was still pregnant despite a lot of very strong Braxton Hicks and numerous other signs that I was gearing up for labour being present since 37 weeks. I resigned myself to another induction and then realised that actually this could be great as my first induction was amazing and worked out perfectly and this time it would mean we could plan for Little Q's care whilst we were in hospital which I was quietly worrying about.
The night I turned 41 weeks and just had the most horrific night with insomnia and Braxton hicks and just realised I couldn't look after Little Q and rest so we asked my parents to come up and help, they were going to look after Little Q when I went in anyway and we knew I'd be induced Sunday if necessary so they were only coming up a few days earlier than planned. The moment they turned up I felt an immense pressure lift and just relaxed as Q was being entertained, I knew they were here if I did go into Labour and it lifted the load from little Q's Dad.
Friday I accepted a sweep and found I was dilating and was reassured that if I was induced it would probably be even quicker than last time as I was clearly ready to go and just needed that last little push. I got home from the sweep and found myself having random contractions which got everyone except me excited as I'd been here before and didn't want to risk feeling disappointed if it all faded away again. So to keep things positive we got my favourite take away and decided to watch The Lord of the Rings that evening. I suddenly realised half way thorugh the meal that I was having to stop talking and breathe through these random contractions and that they were not so random any more.
Mum, dad and my husband were giving each other looks whilst trying to follow my lead and pretend all was normal as I was so in denial that it could really be it! I was having a good evening and that was all. We got the film going and I was rocking on my ball when dad quietly asked how frequent the contractions were and after timing them for a bit I realised they were 1 in 10 mins, then 1 in 8 minutes then 1 in 5 minutes over the course of 45 mins. STILL in denial I decided to go to bed fully expecting to wake up in the morning with nothing again.
3am I woke up unable to sleep through them and started the timer up again. They were now varying between 1 every 3 to 5 mins. In my head I knew the birth centre wouldn't want to hear from me until they were 3 in 10 so spent the night breathing through them using my upbreathing and pacing or rocking whilst standing as as soon as I laid down they'd slow right down and I wanted to keep things going.
5.30 am my husband woke up and we realised that this really could be it! I was still using my breathing and feeling very excited that I was actually in labour and was going to meet our little one at last! I called the birth centre at 6am and they said on hearing me breathing through a contraction that I should have something to eat and then come in. My husband went to make some toast and wake my parents to let them know and we were on the road by 7.30 and even then I was scared they'd turn us away as I wasn't actually that far along! We got in and were shown to an assessment room where they were amazing and showed my husband some back massage and took my blood pressure. I was just standing there when mid contraction there was an almighty pop and my waters went and that was it, we were officially in and being shown to a room. Amazingly we ended up in the same room I'd had when having Little Q and it all just slotted into place and I felt calm, secure and excited that it was all going well.
We were left to it to labour as I was now using the gas and air well with the up breathing and all seemed to be progressing nicely. We'd been told that I'd have a little while yet and there was another two women in labour ahead of me so theyd pop in periodically and to press the call button if we needed anything. It was great, my husband put my headphones on and we piled up the soft play blocks so I could kneel and lean on them and to the dulcet tones of Paul Simon's Graceland we just got on with it for just under two hours.
I suddenly had 'the wobble' and started feeling pressure in my bum. I wobbled because I thought - it's too soon! They said it wouldn't happen yet! But I knew from the hypnobirthing what was happening and said that we should call someone in as they needed to know. A trainee came in, said she'd get someone to double check but I still might have a way to go (only negative part but I KNEW she was wrong so didn't let it phase me) and then the head midwife came in took one look and suddenly I was in the pool, and there was a room full of people and preparations were being made for our little ones arrival. I didn't mind everyone being there, they were so quiet and professional and I was so in the zone with the breathing that I just went with my body and the pushing phase started.
The midwife gave short gentle instructions and they worked with what my body wanted to do and I just went with it. 8 short minutes later our new daughter was born and in my arms. I'd wanted to have skin to skin and just enjoy the moment but a couple of minutes in to this whilst still in the water the midwife was getting concerned about the amount of blood so Little S was handed over to Daddy whilst they got me out of the pool and checked me out whilst preparing to deliver the placenta. Luckily it was ok and just being in the water made it look like I was bleeding more than I was, the placenta arrived and I was wrapped up and they'd taken the opportunity to weigh and check over Little S so she was handed back to me to continue skin to skin and have her first feed. It was all so wonderfully calm and cheerful that even when they were worried I was never stressed by it.
What an experience! I felt so elated, so proud of what I'd done and so relaxed because it'd all felt so in control.
Little Q meeting Little S for the first time and still in love the next day!
I cannot recommend hypnobirthing (or the Positive Birth Company) enough for equipping me to handle this experience.