Positive stories please?

[LucyB1]

Feeling really anxious and 37 weeks with my first. This section seems to be full of horror stories. Does anyone have anything positive they wish to share?

[allhailqueenmab]

Oh I remember that horrible anxiety.

bad news: you might have 5 weeks left to go

good news - things are likely to be fine!

I had two babies, one at home, one in a MLU and their births are among my happiest memories. It could be like that for you too.

[runningonwillpower]

For sure, there are a few shocks along the way but it's the most amazing thing that will ever happen to you.

The euphoria when your baby is born and handed to you. No words can express.

If it were all bad, we would all be only children.

Congratulations!

[LucyB1]

To be honest 5 weeks is fine with me as long as It delays the inevitable. Apart from the fact that it comes coupled with induction. Which also freaks me out!!

[callamia]

No one ever shares a (boring) straightforward birth story!
Mine was very straightforward I think. My waters broke, contractions started a few hours later, I went to the MLU, they ran the pool, it was amazing... I got out of the pool because things were slowing down a little, I gave birth on a birthing stool. From contractions to birth, it was about nine hours. It took five hours from when I turned up at the MLU. My husband and midwife were incredible. I remember my baby being given to me. I realised that he was really, actually, finally here. All that anxiety, and he was here. I feel teary thinking about that.

I'd advise taking some lucozade though - it's really quite hard work. And it does smart a bit (but nothing a billion tough women haven't coped with before). You'll get a cup of tea and some toast afterwards as a reward too. You will feel a bit like you've been run over by a bus afterwards. Be gentle and slow. Eat a lot of cake, and as much brie and other contraband as you wish!

Good luck, and however it happens, I hope you and your baby are healthy and happy.

[LucyB1]

Thank you camalla. That's the kind of reassurance I needed? Did you have an easy pregnancy too? Did you need stitches?

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Lucy my first in March was a brilliant experience and easier than I could have hoped. 7 hours from first contraction to her arrival in the pool. Was only 3 hours from arrival at hospital as I was 7cm when I got there. Tens machine, 2 paracetamol and the pool; I didn't need anything else. Like an earlier poster said you just don't hear the great stories where it is easy but there are hundreds and hundreds of them x

[LucyB1]

Sorry for the bad spelling callamia

[Pointeshoes]

I had ds at 37 weeks, he was my first so everyone was telling me I'd be late, came a bit of a shock haha! Everything went fine and I went into hospital ( midwife led unit) 2 hours before he came out. I managed on gas and air once I got to hospital which I wish I had earlier as it took the edge of the contractions , then it was time to push. The contraction but was the worst for me , started off like strong pulling period pain and got stronger after 4 hours. I used a bouncy yoga ball thingy which was great at the start- should of used it later on too. I used a tens machine throughout which took my mind off it. I was surprised at how much my back hurt, actually thinking about it when it got going all the contractions were in my back.
I think the most important thing is to tell yourself that you can do it, listen to relaxation or hypnobirthing music from now and get used to learning how to visualise somewhere that makes you feel safe and calm such as a beach! Honestly I think that is what helped me the most and gave me the control back of the situation.

[StormyBrid]

I had my first in March last year. Spent far too much time on here reading horror stories, and was convinced the whole thing was going to be an unmitigated disaster...

Contractions started en route to a curry house two days before my due date. Enough to stop me sleeping that night, but not painful as such. Ramped up over the course of the next day. By 6.30 I finally admitted to myself - having been in the early stages of labour for twenty four hours - that it was the real thing. By 7pm DP had got home and was flapping about going to the hospital. I got him to make me a brew and sat down to watch EastEnders. By 10pm it really was bloody excruciating quite painful, so I had a couple of paracetamol. Headed to the hospital at 11, 8cm when I got there, loved the gas an air, baby turned up on her due date just before 1am. It was a doddle, to be honest. No instruments, no stitches, just a textbook sneeze birth. They do happen! Good luck, OP, I hope you get an easy one too.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

I had my first 16 months ago. Waters broke at midnight 2 days after my due date. Contractions started at 3am, went to MLU at 8am and was 4cm. DS was born at 3.40pm that day.

I was transfered to the city hospital about an hour before DS was born but only because things were moving so fast and the midwife panicked.

When the midwife told me his head was out I asked if she was sure!

Soon you will have a wonderful snuggly newborn!

[LucyB1]

I like this. Keep em coming!!

[Everydaysanadventure]

Just to add a different slant...

When I had DS I had the full works... Induction, forceps, 3rd degree tear. He was almost 10lb & had rugby player shoulders.

But... My MW was amazing, she reassured me the whole way through, came with me to theatre & stayed with until I went to the postnatal ward. She also came back to check on me te next day.

I was out with the pram in a week, mucking out stables at 6am after 3 weeks and horse riding again after 6 weeks. (I may be slightly unusual )

So even a "bad birth" can end well.

And after all, you get a gorgeous snuggly baby to keep

Good Luck xx

[13Stitches]

Oh, labour was a breeze compared to pregnancy! I didn't even suffer that much, but I remember feeling distinctively hungover and ropey for 9 months (DS is 3).

My labour was 13 hours in total. It was a bit painful in places, and we had to transfer from the MLU to the Big Hospital by ambulance, but it was ok. By that point it was nice to know I wouldn't be pregnant for much longer, and after a fortnight of dull gestating it was good to feel purposeful.

I ended up with a tear (was a bit stingy at the time), which they repaired under a spinal block (weird, but a relief after labour!). But in all it was ok.

3 year olds, however... Well, I'd do labour again tonight if someone could invent a tantrum off-switch!

[callamia]

Hi Lucy,
I did have a straightforward pregnancy, that didn't stop those awful worries of a first-timer though. I was tested for gestational diabetes three times (all just about negative), and I went 12 days overdue. My boy was born on the day that he would have been induced. I did have stitches, but honestly, they were no bother. I was off my face on gas and air during the stitching. I really loved that stuff.

After the birth, my son spent a bit of time getting some extra oxygen after being born a bit soggy. His lungs were just a bit wet, so he needed some help drying out. This was nothing to do with his birth - it was just one of those things. He was quickly fine, and soon home. So things didn't go entirely to plan, but it was all fine. You'll be amazed at what you can do when you give birth. No matter what you go through - it's a big deal, and you should feel incredibly proud of yourself afterwards.

[MrsCakesPremonition]

Well my first birth was an induction which took several days, with G&A, an epidural and morphine. And I pushed her out on my own and it was an amazing experience which I wouldn't want to change and about which I have no regrets. It left me with a huge sense of pride and empowerment.
My second birth was nearly in a lay by, all very fast, lots of people in room in case baby needed ventouse (not needed in the end). It was another completely different, totally overwhelming and strangely wonderful experience.
May be not the conventional good birth stories, but they are mine and I treasure them. Is that positive enough?

[Justpickagoddamnname]

Well I had a dramatic start and end, very sudden onset of very intense contractions, blue light ambulance to hospital and emergency c section after five hours. But you know what, I actually enjoyed the labour. It was intense, but I used active birth moves and breathing and tens machine and gas and air and it was all perfectly manageable. I liked it!
I recommend using a tens machine. I was cynical before I used it but it was great.
C sections are a doddle btw.

[SomeSunnySunday]

My birth story with my first reads like a bit of a horror story - almost every intervention going, ended with an emergency section, but really, despite all of these things, it was pretty much fine. The interventions and section are not the disaster or, necessarily, traumatic event that the NCT would have led me to believe they would be. I still have nice memories of my labour - fab midwives and a lovely student doctor who stayed with me throughout, including in theatre.

I also warned and warned my little sister not to be too set on her perfect birth, and how something else wouldn't necessarily be a disaster. But - here's a perfect story for you - she woke up at 7 am on her due date feeling like she was in labour. She went to hospital, they sent her home, and as they pulled up in her drive her waters broke. Her neighbour, who was a midwife, came out to say hello and sent her straight back to hospital. DN was born just before noon (so in total her labour was slightly under 5 hours) with no pain relief whatsoever and no need even for stitches. She was a perfectly respectable 7lb something, so not even tiny. They were home in time for tea.

[Pregnantagain7]

I've given birth 3 times and all of them were fine it is very hard work physically and I'm not going to lie to you it hurts but you can deal with it how you want to. You can experience as little or as much pain as you want to go into it with an open mind and you will be fine :)

Dd1- natural birth g and a 7lb 8 no stitches
Dd2- induction due to gd 7lb 13 no stitches epidural
Ds1- induction due to spd 10lb 8 no stitches epidural

All of my births were amazing but out of them all I found the last one (also the biggest by far) the easiest it was still hard work pushing him out but it was by far the most in control I felt out if all of them.
Regarding pain relief don't feel like a failure if you have an epidural lovely midwife I met on the anti natal ward said to me "at the end of the day love you get a baby at the end of it all not a medal do what you need to to get through it" best bit of advice I've had regarding child birth.
Epidural was great for me but everyone different, I'm currently pregnant with dc4 hoping to have another epidural but am also aware there might not be time if I go naturally. But if I end up with another induction it will be the only thing written on my birth plan

[Pregnantagain7]

Sorry also forgot to say last two were back to back as well so should have been harder I honestly didn't notice any difference though.

[MexicanSpringtime]

Another one, my contractions started at 1 am, went to hospital at 5 am, asked for pain relief at 7:30 am and the baby was born at 9:30 am.
Yes, the last part was painful, but like bad period pains, that you know are going to end with a wonderful baby at the end. The feeling when she was born was indescribable, going from the worst of the pain to totally painfree and this incredible love I felt, unlike anything I'd ever felt before.

[ColdCuppa]

I honestly enjoyed my labours, water births and recoveries. The high afterwards was brilliant!

Check out websites that have good birth stories and a book called Stand and Deliver helped too.

[Roxie85]

I had my first on Xmas Eve (she wasnt due until Jan 10th)

Now anyone i know will tell you i am a complete wimp and am not good with pain at all.
The Friday before the Tuesday she arrived i started to get uncomfortable, then over the weekend things started to get to the point where i was struggling to get comfy and had a lot of aches in my belly. I thought they were just braxton hicks as i had them a few weeks before and they felt similar and as i was only just 37 weeks there was no way it was labour. I had told the bump it wasnt to arrive before xmas as i wanted to stuff my face.
On the monday i had my show and thought hmmmmmmm. Then i didnt sleep a wink monday night and was in a bit of pain but i just paced around the room heavy breathing, convinced it wasnt labour.
9am on xmas eve (tues) my waters went, contractions really ramped up and i went to the midwife unit. I got there at 10am as we were rushing to get stuff in the car.
Examined at 10:10am and 6cms!! Started on gas and air and she was out by 10:50am.
I had a third degree tear (probably because it was all a bit speedy) but it was fine. Had surgery to fix it and all is back to normal now. Bit uncomfortable for a few weeks but id do it all over again.
And this is from a complete wimp!!

[13Stitches]

Oh yes, the high afterwards is amazing!

It's worth it just for that!

[qumquat]

I had a great birth experience. I would highly recommend Birth Skills by Juju Sundin. I had no pain relief apart from TENS machine, and I still found it a good experience thanks to the techniques in this book. It was painful of course but nothing I couldn't handle using distraction techniques. My favourite was dp telling me to wiggle specific fingers during contractions, I had to concentrate so hard it really dulled the pain and I always felt in control and calm. Labour was 11 hours start to finish, only final 3 hours in hospital. I finally tried the gas and air for the stitches (2nd degree tear/ didn't notice and healed fine) and it was great! That combined with the post birth euphoria and I was high as a kite. I'd honestly do it again tomorrow, the first two months of breast feeding were much worse than the birth for me (sorry for negativity! but if you plan to bf put the research into that to, I was so prepared for the birth but bfing was a horrible shock)