Anyone want to share a GOOD birth story?!

[BellaCB]

It just seems like everyone has horror stories! And not just the people who are overly keen to share horrific stories - for all my family and friends who have had babies over the past few years its been a litany of forceps, 4-day labours, emcs, inductions with pain off the scale, filthy hospitals...!

I'm 32w with DC1 and could really, really do with hearing about a pretty decent birth before I terrify myself into utter panic!

I had nice straightforward births with both my dds. Dd1, contractions started gently in the middle of the night, so gentle that I sent DH off to work thinking nothing would happen for ages. Called him back at about 10, he got the birth pool up and filled, dd born at home under water at 2.30 pm with no tears/ grazes.

Dd2, waters went in the middle of the night a month early. Went to hospital, told midwife I would be staying mobile despite need for continuous monitoring, delivered dd at 3pm kneeling up on the bed, no tears or grazes, she was absolutely fine.

It is more likely that you will have a nice simple birth than that things will get complicated, it's just that people sometimes feel guilty telling our good birth stories when others have had a rough time of it.

All 5 of mine were 'good' birth stories even the 2 that were started by induction.

My darling son was born at 30 weeks and yet i consider it to be a good birth - i was allowed to active in stage one and stage two was explained as i had to have a managed pushing stage (i.e hands on by the doctor) because ds was early but i felt i still had dignity, no lasting injury and the pain was manageable. The third stage was a little hands on but again it was explained that it was normal for a prem birth. Looking back i would say more than anything it was good because the team that delivered him were good and didn't stop explaining.

When your pregnant people always come out with the horror stories as they seem more interesting - just ignore. Giving birth is a case of mindset - go in with a open one!

I'd be happy to. Induction booked for Sunday night. Can't even remember what it was I got, gel? Anyway - sent home and told to come back in the morning. This the low point - not able to hack it alone at home, no time between the "twinges" to make myself comfortable - got stuck on toilet, unable to find time to walk to sofa. Then stuck on sofa, unable to find time to reach for glass of water. Eventually started lying to hospital on phone until they said I could come in at four am. On arrival, they conceded that these are contractions, not "twinges." With gas and air, a couple of baths and a pill of some description laboured away confidently all day, pacing around and eating oatcakes. Problems with peeing, but catheterised and problem solved. Found pushing the baby out pretty challenging, couldn't tell the difference between pushes the midwife was liking and the ones she said were puny rubbish, but did get the baby out. It wriggled like a fish on exit. By now it's five in afternoon. Had a wee shot at feeding, husband arrived. He got to cuddle baby while I went to theatre for some stitches. All theatre staff very impressive. Up to ward, fed baby all night long. All good in the end.

I had a Lovely birth with DD2 but the reason that people tend to give you the horror stories is because they're more exciting to tell and some people love a whinge.

With DD2 it was a pretty straight forward, easy birth. I'd had a few weeks of stop/start contractions (nothing too uncomfortable just a bit disheartening when you're getting anxious for the baby to arrive) and woke up early morning to more and thought, "oh here we go again!" Although this time they got stronger and more frequent - tried to tell DH, "I think this is it this time" DH laughed at me, didn't believe me and buggered off to work! He returned half an hour later when he realised that I was serious.

I had to wait for my mum to come to look after DD1, went to hospital and was 7cms dilated. A few hours later out pops DD2, easy as pie .

DD1's birth wasn't horrific btw, but it was long and not as easy - but ignore that!

Congratulations and good luck!

How about two lovely stories! First baby I had heard all the horror stories and expeceted to last about three days. Started being able to time them about 2pm. Got comfy on bed and relaxed until about 7 ish. Lazy madam! TENS lovely. About 9 pm stronger so got ready to go to hospital. Got in about 10pm. Expected to be sent off and told to take paracetamol. 5-6 dilated. Surprise. Baby born 12:35 in lovely water birth. Bit of gas and air but needed nothing else. So proud and happy!
Second baby whole labour 1 hour!

I've had two. They were painful but manageable (well until the very end). I look back on them as good experiences. I was up and in the shower within an hour of giving birth and ready to be discharged after a sleep. (both evening births). No ongoing problems such as tears or anything like that. There are plenty of us out there!

Two home births, first one labour of eight hours, ds born into the water pool with no complications, no stitches or grazes. It hurt but manageably so. Two cheerful, supportive midwives as well as dh to hand, who put me to bed with baby, tea and toast after the placenta was delivered and baby was feeding, then cleared everything and left us to sleep before returning to our home to check on us later in the afternoon.

Second birth was 1.5 hours from first twinge to birth with less than ten pushes and not enough time to fill the pool. Except for when he crowned, none of the contractions hurt enough to make me do more than say 'ooh'. As before, great midwives who looked after us, cleared up and were lovely throughout.

No drugs needed with either, at no point did I feel that I couldn't ask for drugs, but just kept thinking that I'd ask for something when it to got to the really painful stage, but it never did. Am now pregnant with number three, and hoping for a repeat of the last labour!

DD was born at home with an nhs midwife. My contractions started just after lunch. They started gradually and got stronger and I decided to phone the midwife at 1.30pm and put the tens machine on. The midwife arrived at 1.45 and examined me and found I was 4cm dialated. She asked me if it was OK for her to do a postnatal visit. The midwife phoned me at 2.15 to see how I was and I told her I was fine. I phoned my husband to tell him to come home and the contractions intensified. I had a show and then I phoned the midwife as my contractions were starting to get strong.

The midwife and my husband arrived at the same time. I told the midwife that I wanted a poo and got annoyed as the midwife insisted on examing. She was worried I was going to give birth on the toilet. I was 6cm dialted and not in any real pain.

When I sat on the toilet the contractions intenfied and it started to really hurt. I screamed because I didn't like the sight of blood. It felt as if there was a large piston in my body pushing downwards. I told the midwife that I thought my uterus had prolapsed. The midwife took one look and told me that my uterus was fine and it was the head. There was one final push, my waters broke and dd was born.

I only experienced 3 minutes of pain during a 3 hour labour. I had no pain relief other than TENS.The second midwife turned up ten minutes later and helped the first midwife clear up.

I've also had 2 but DC2 was by far the best(apologies for the long post).

About lunch time myself, DH and DS all got in the car to do the weekly food shop, we managed to make it half way to the supermarkert when I started to feel a bit odd so asked DH to take me back home. In hindsight I should have known something was up as 1. It was a Saturday and I try to avoid supermarkets at all costs at the weekend. 2. The food shop is usually something I do by myself as I'm a get in get out sort of person and DH is a ditherer and DS is just irritating (imagine 'mum can I have this, mum can I have that?). 3. I proceeded to hand DH my bank card minus the shopping list even though when he does go shopping with a list he still manages to spend twice as much as I would with only half the items we need making it home.
I then sat down at the dining table with a book of Soduku that we had left over from a holiday and distracted myself with that until DH and DC1 came home an hour and a half later. By this point it was about 2 pm and I had definitely gone from feeling a bit weird to having contractions and at about 4 pm put on the TENS machine. By 5pm the Soduku wasn't really helping to distract me much so rang my mum to come and collect DS and once he'd left I rang the MLU and they asked me to go in.

This is the bit where it gets a bit blurry. I think we eventually got there about half 6 and I was examined on arrival and was already 7cm dilated and not long after the exam I decided the gas and air was needed. Not much really happened for the next hour or so that I remember apart from a bit of monitoring and the contractions getting more intense. Then I started to transition and things get really hazy. I have vague recollections of telling the MW not to fucking touch me, demanding pethadine as it was the only other form of pain relief available and getting stroppy when they wouldn't let me have it and again swearing at the MW when she told me that the head was bulging out and the baby would be here as soon as the waters broke. Something along the lines of 'well fucking break them then' rings a bell, although DH will neither confirm or deny this.
Anyway, about 9pm after about 5 minutes and 3 pushes DD was born back to back (no turning at the last minute for this one)without a so much as a mark on me. After the initial checks, cord cutting, stage 3 etc we had a go at BF, she fell asleep and I went for a bath whilst DH stayed with her. We all then waited around while MW typed up the notes and at 12.30am they let us go home.
I'm currently 35+3 with DC3 and am hoping for a repeat performance of this.

With ds my dc2 my waters broke at 11am and Mw came I wasn't contracting so she advised a walk, dh and I pottered about went for a short walk. At about 4pm I started contracting all very manageable Mw came back to see me I was 4cm ds was back to back though, she recommended we go to the hospital but we stayed home dh made me sausage and mash with gravy at my request and then some ice cream to follow, I ate this standing up rocking through the contractions.
Getting in the car was the hard part, we got to the hospital I laboured on all fours the problem I had was that the reason I had been sent in rather than have a home birth was that the Mw thought I wasn't progressing much after my waters went so early I was examined and found to be 7cm but the dr recommended I wasn't examined again for at least an hour. Straight away I started to push but they were telling me not as I'd end up needing a section due to swelling so for an hour I fought against the urge to push which was the hardest thing ever, I kept telling the Mw that I could feel his head but she wouldn't examine me in case they introduced infection. Coming up to the hour she went to examine me(finally) and said oh there's a head I think I said thank fuck almost just stopped squeezing him in and his head was born, one push big shoulders out and then the rest just fell out, the notes said it took 2 mins and he was over 9lb, easy peasy.

My doula has some on her website too. www.hackneydoula.co.uk. Some tough labours, but positive experiences IYSWIM.

I really have fond memories of giving birth. Yes it was bloody painful but I was also really proud of what my body could do!

My waters broke with big GUSH as I got out of bed on my due date. I thought that even if I didn't give birth that day I would deffo be legs akimbo shortly. I decided to have a shower and shave my legs (luckily for me I had had a wax the week before, shoot me now ladies from the hairy mclarey thread!). Got out of shower, dried hair, checked bags (again!). Cue first contraction at 8.30 am! They were quite gentle and I could eerily breathe through them.

By 10.30 they were a little more intense. But it was their frequency or two-three minutes apart and lasting AGES that made me decide to go to hospital.

Once their the pain stepped up a bit. Still tolerable but I really had to get in 'the zone.' However I was then examined and told I was fully dilated and in transition which the midwife said 'this is the worst it's gonna get.' sand ai just thought it isn't THAT bad. It hurt of course but it wasn't like I was dying! It was a good pain and good to work with your body.

I started pushing and 20 mins later DD arrived weighing 5lb 12oz. I gave birth on all fours in the end (DH was most annoyed and kept squatting under the bed for a better view!). I had wanted a pool but it all happened quite quickly! The midwife said I 'stretched beautifully' and had no tears of grazes which it quite miraculous for a first birth!

We had a good hour of skin to skin before I had a shower. DD took to breastfeeding like a little pro. My breasts would also appear to be highly skilled milk tanks!

I stopped bleeding about 3 weeks later and spotted for a further week or two on and off. I didn't diet at all but felt back to 'normal' and wore pre-pregnancy jeans to my DDs first set of jabs.

I think it was also about this time we tried to have nookie again. It was fine and needn't have worried as much as I had! Although boobs were off limits due to their milk-tank properties mentioned earlier. Don't get to DTD as much now DD is here, but I'm glad we enjoy it when we do.

I feel very lucky for how it all went and I am pretty sure lots of walking and swimming helped the birth go so smoothly.

I had a lovely birth :)

The build up was horrid - 15 days late which was awful. Then the pessary induction kicked in and contractions started.
They were quite severe and my waters had to be broken so I had an epidural as gas and pethidine weren't cutting it.

I know that sounds like a horrid medical birth. But it wasn't! Once the epi kicked in it was lovely, I could walk around a bit. I had two more hours of contractions which I could feel but which weren't painful, chatting to DH and te midwife. Then when it was time to push I could feel when to do it, and feel him coming out, with no pain. Only 10 mins of pushing too.

He was delivered straight onto me and for two hours did skin to skin with me or DH while I was sorted out and had a shower and tea and toast. Then more skin to skin and he fed beautifully :)

We went home the next morning.

I wante to let you know that even if you need some interventions, it can still be peaceful, and calm, and feel 'natural'.

Good luck!

I had a pretty good birth and this too is dc1 for me. Mild contractions all day on the Monday, mild enough for me to do all my housework and a full food shop.

Started to hurt a bit at 10 pm so I put my tens machine on. 11pm waters broke - I actually heard them pop! 12am went to hospital and was told I was 3cm dilated. By 2am I was 7cm, dd born at 4:50am using only gas and air.

I did tear (1st degree) all the way down inside my vagina and my perineum so had quite a few stitches and actually recovery from that was much worse than giving birth!

I'm another '"natural" feeling while being totally medicalised' birth person. My best two births (out of four so far) have been the inductions, with epidural. Mellow, happy, minimal pain, in both cases the room naturally darkened as daylight dimmed outside, the baby came in the evening and it was actually lovely.

Hi Bella
When I had dd, my 2nd dc. I was 39 weeks pg and was meant to be getting induced. All they had to do was break my waters. I had heard horror stories on here and RL that having your waters breaking gave you a dry birth. That is rubbish IME.
Dd arrived with me just having Gas and Air 3 hours later with a quick 30 minute pushing session
It was so easy and I was in a lot of shock. She was born at 00.30 and I couldnt sleep for hours as I just kept thinking, 'wow, I did it'
I remember feeling very scared after the 30 weeks mark with both dc. Hope all goes well for you :)

DS1 - induced (at 42+5) at about 9pm. Tried cocodamol and TENS, but ended up in a nice warm bath. Wallowed there with lots of thightenings (thought they were prostin pains ) until I got to 9cms when I was transferred to delivery suite. Had far too much some gas and air and ds1 was born at 4.55am.

DS2 (had SPD and was on crutches from 34 weeks) - waters broke at 3am on edd . Tightenings (very mild) started around 1pm. Put on TENS and took ds1 to soft play. Tightenings suddenly became much more intense at 4pm so took ds1 to IL's and went to hospital. DS2 was born at 4.55pm with only my TENS machine as pain relief.

See - it's not all bad!

Good luck OP.

DC1 - overdue by 8 days. started contracting naturally about 6am. By 6pm knew instinctively that 'this is it' - wouldn't stop/start anymore, contractions too regular. Phoned hospital, told to wait as long as possible blah blah blah... phoned at 10pm wanting to come in, they tried to put me off again, despite cons being 2mins apart . Got to hospital at 11, DD1 born at 2am in the pool. Gas and air, no intervention. 2nd degree tear but can say hand on heart this never caused problems... stitched and healed well, went on to have 2 more DC etc For a 1st birth I don't think I could have wished for better

good luck

Know what you mean about the horror stories! I've just had DS2 & it was the same 2nd time round even though i'd had a really straightforward time with DS1!

I've had 2 home births which both went completely as per birth plan.

1st was about 18 hours from waters starting to go to birth, but only about 12 hours of contractions which were v gradual so manageable. Watched DVDs, Used TENS and pool, but delivered on dry land in front of sofa. No tears. Midwives cleared up & made tea

2nd was 6 weeks ago. Only 6 hours of contractions, DVDs & TENS again, then delivered in pool with gas & air. No pushing at all & went from 5cm-birth in 1 hour! No tears, tiny graze. DS1 was asleep upstairs. DS2 born at 23h15 so me, DH & DS2 got in sofa bed downstairs & when DS1 got up in morning he met his little brother!

I think one of the reasons for the horror stories is that some people do have bad experiences so it can feel quite smug to be going on about your wonderful home births when you're not sure if the person/people you're speaking to has had a different birth.

Good luck!

3 good birth stories here.

Dd2 was my favourite. Contractions started at about 10.30pm, fairly spaced out but could feel they were doing something. Got to hospital at 12am, 5cm dilated.

Straight into the pool, bit of gas and air. No further exams. Waters went at 3.30am dd born 3.39am. I delivered her myself in the pool and dp cut the cord.

It was so good I almost want to do it again!

DS1 - long labour, planned homebirth but ended up in hospital However, once I was rehydrated and glucosed up (was ketotic) things ran along nicely and 2nd stage took under 40 mins. Two tiny labial ears but nothing stitch worthy.

DS2 - homebirth. Didn't even realise I was in established labour (on phone to Delivery Suite MW in tears) til MW came out, examined me a nd siad I was fully dilated . 6 min 2nd stage. No tears, wnet out for lunch the next day.

DD - didn['t realise I was in establislhed labour but phoned delivery suite anyway since DS2 was so quick. MW got to us 7 mins before DD was born, lovely and easy.

If DH would agree ot more babies and pregnancy wasn't so awful I would keep going. I love giving birth.

Positive enough?
My top tip would be to keep upright and active. Don't let them put you on you back on a bed.

Stranded-what a story! So pleased you had a happy ending. Your DP sounds great