Positive Birthing Stories?

[user1493714466]

Hi,

I am interested to hear people's positive birthing stories as I'm due in less than 2 weeks!! Any good ones people are willing to share?

:-)

[Chasingsquirrels]

Ds1 - my waters went 3 weeks early, the hospital said to come in and they'd check me out but probably send me home. We went in and my contractions started in the car on the way, probably 30 minutes after my waters went. The hospital put me in a room and by the time a midwife examined me I was 10cm. Pushing took an hour. No tearing or stiches. Plenty of gas and air. 2 hrs from 1st contraction.

Ds2 - planned a home birth. Waters went 3 weeks early (a theme?). Called hospital to request a midwife. Contractions started 10 minutes later, as midwife called back and I told H she had to get here quickly. 3rd or 4th contraction I got off the bed (it was late and I'd just been sat in bed reading) so H could put some plastic sheeting on it, thought I just better check things were okay, reached down and delivered his head into my hand. Said "I'm having the baby", H said "I know" then looked over in shock at a baby's head between my legs. The rest of him fell out, H called 999 and paramedics got here before the midwife - they looked at us briefly then went downstairs to wait until the midwife turned up. From 1st contraction it was less than 15 minutes.

[MacNcheese87]

Two positive birth stories here too.

Ds1- first few contractions started around 6am. Didn't realise it was baby, I just thought it was bad trapped wind. Kept active during the day. Walked to the local chip shop, bounced on my ball, chatted through the pain until around 7pm when the pains became much more intense. DP ran me a bath and I got in, IMMENSE RELIEF. For some reason I remember the midwife feeding me a banana. I'll never forget being in the bath with a large woman holding a banana in my mouth!

Waters broke in the bath. Pain became stronger and more frequent. Went to the birth centre about 15 minutes away, can't remember how I got there but I do remember gas and air canisters!

Got to the birth centre, gas and air was so much better being plumbed from the wall! Felt the urge to push, fought with the midwife who wanted me to give her back the gas and air so I could focus on pushing, (i won) and then DS1 was born quickly and rather easily at 11pm. He was 9lb 8oz, no tearing, no interventions.

Ds2- Planned homebirth this time. First contractions noticed around 12.30am but ignored until 1am when I could no longer sleep through them. They were coming every 5 minutes but bareable. I bounced on my ball, rocked through the pain and chatted whilst DP filled up the birth pool. At 5am the contractions were much stronger and I got in the pool. Midwife arrived just after, I was examined and found to be 7cm. Pain was much stronger at this point, I had a few puffs of gas and air but it was more hassle than what it was worth at that point. It just made me feel dizzy and I couldn't concentrate so I stopped using it.

Waters went 4 minutes before he was born. I remember feeling his head crowning, and that ring of fire people mention, and importantly, I stopped physically pushing at that stage and did my best to breathe through the pain. Ds2 was born, in the water, straight after. Again, no interventions, no tearing. 8lbs 13oz.

Good luck OP. If there's any advice I can give you is to have confidence in your body. Your body is amazing. It's designed to grow, birth and nourish a baby. Let it do what it does best. If possible, try and avoid interventions unless medically necessary. One intervention often leads to another and it can add risk to mother and baby. Trust that your body knows what it's doing and try not to fight the pain.

Of course, if you want an epidural, or all the medication in the world, go for it! It's your labour and birth, but do make sure you are aware of the side effects and possible other interventions you may need. I have many friends who went straight in for the epidural, their labours were longer and not as straightforward, but they were more than happy with their own choice.

[Lotsofqueries]

Started with contractions in the night. Wasn't painful at all. Sent other half to work in the morning and did some housework. Gradually they got stronger but not painful. Waters broke at dinner time. Got other half to come home and take me to hospital. Arrived at hospital 2pm. Baby arrived 5pm. All very calm. No tear or cut so no stitches. Jumped off the bed 5mins after to get the room organised. First baby and this is coming from an absolute wimp!!

[annlee3817]

My waters started to go in small gushes at approx 1am, called the hospital and they said to go in if contractions hadn't started by mid morning. I excitedly pottered around our bedroom for a bit and got my first contraction at 2am, they were immediately 2-3 mins apart, hospital said I could go down but would probably be sent home.

Got to the hospital at 3am, waited in reception for an hour to see if I'd be on the birthing unit or labour ward. Went up to the birthing unit at 4am, waters went properly absolutely everywhere. Examined and found to be 5cm, got in the pool, could feel the contractions getting quite intense (transition I think) tried gas and air but didn't like it. Focused on my breathing, was ready to push just before 6am and Dd was born at 7.17am out of the water as I was getting hot and bothered during the pushing take. it was quite quick, and despite the pain it was a really positive experience, I'm usually a wimp. My hypnobirthing Cd and book helped me to keep focused and fairly calm :)

[2ducks2ducklings]

After pregnancy, both of my birth experiences were positive ones. I was induced with my daughter, had a failed epidural and was violently sick straight after giving birth. I still found that easier than pregnancy.
With my son, he was two weeks late. I went into natural labour the night before I was due to be induced. As I was induced before it took a good few hours for me to even consider that I could be in labour. By the time we got to hospital, I was 8cm dilated and he was born 30 minutes after we arrived. I only had chance for gas and air. It was hard going and I never use this term but, I've never felt so empowered. I'll probably sound like a loon but I really enjoy labour, compared to pregnancy, I find it to be a breeze!

[CherriesInTheSnow]

Mine is a bit different as I didn't manage to stay calm and collected and was in a lot of pain in the last few hours.

However I'd like to share it because it was still an amazing experience. Contractions started at around 10am when I was 4 days overdue and had been trying everything to induce labour. Had a lot of fun in the first 10 hours or so, was comfortable and excited, bouncing on a birth ball and getting ready for going to the hospital (showering, OH was sweet and helped me paint my toenails etc). Contractions were fairly strong from the outset, I was told by everyone that they would start as a niggling or period type pain, but mine were straight away quite strong and could feel it as a tightening all around my lower abdomen and back. Very exciting!

Contractions started to get a bit closer and more difficult to cope with at around 11pm. I needed to wee a lot but a contraction would come everytime I pushed for a wee, which started to make me cringe away from the pain instead of flow with it. This made it harder to cope with, and I made the situation worse by going to the hospital at this point, only to be examined and sent home.

This was a big mistake for me, as the examination made the pain so much worse yet I still went home. I was also uncomfortable with the disturbance of going to hospital which I think made the pain harder to deal with.

I did in the very final stages get an epidural, and having to keep still while they inserted it despite no gaps in between contractions proved to me that I could have coped much better with the pain if I had focused, used coping mechanisms and stayed in control .

The actual pushing stage was intense but very empowering. I had been so out of control with tiredness and pain by this point, but feeling baby coming out just does something to you! Everything came into focus and it was a really amazing, it just glossed over everything else. I had no intervention (although it came a bit close - unnecessarily due to clip coming off baby's head) and only a tiny tear which didn't cause any discomfort.

I guess my point is, even if you don't have a perfect birth, it is not a platitude that people just dole out when they say the baby is all worth it, it really is true!

And my advice would be: stay hydrated, enjoy the early hours and use them to practise your coping methods even if you don't need them yet (breathing, rocking, finding the peak), and stay at home where you are comfortable for as long as possible, without leaving it so long you are a wreck! Good luck :)

[luckylucky24]

Mine wad 21 hours from first contractions and at times felt unbearable but I look back quite fondly on the experience.
First contraction at midnight. Went into hospital around 3am was sent home. Didn't want to be sent home again so I stayed home as long as I could bear it. I was rolling around the floor in agony and decided it was time. Back to hospital at 12 noon and was 6cm.
Because I hadn't eaten all day my contractions started to slow down and I ended up on a drip. The drip was awful. Things got to intense very quickly and I was in agony, screaming that I couldn't do it. A bit of the cervix was stuck on his head and they made me wait at 10cm for over an hour before they let me push because of it. DS was back to back too so they expected some trouble and prepared a theatre room but decided to let me have a go at pushing whilst they got it ready.
Turned out no need! 20 mins of pushing and he was out. I remember really giving it everything I could and pushing so hard I cannot believe I didn't tear! Midwives couldn't believe I had gotten him out on my own and were coming to see me even the next day. Made me really proud of my body. Only gas and air here too.

I would say don't go in with a plan. You have no idea how it will go, just be open minded and trust your body and the nurses.

[Mumoftheark]

I love giving birth :)
However any story that gets the baby out is a positive success story!

Think positive about it, look forward to it and don't be scared.

My son was born

[Mumoftheark]

..... in 4 hours start to finish.
My daughter born at home in 1 hour 13 mins.

Both very straight forward births no complications no medication.
Biggest advice is to keep moving - stay active, and stay off your back. You've got this, your body was born to do this

[Flowersonthewall]

All of mine were positive I'd say. My last one was my 'best' if you want to label it! At home. Contractions started at 6am called the midwife. They arrived about 8am. Mum came to look after the other children although they kept popping in to see what was going on! Kept chatting to the midwife and stood up circling Hips. Leant over bed having Contractions. At about 10/half past am Waters went and then urge to push came so climbed up on the bed. At this point another midwife appeared. On all fours arse in the air and out popped baby at midday
Other 2 kids came in to say hi. All very relaxed. No drugs only had gas and air when they had to examine me afterwards!
Chinese and prosecco that evening at home.

[Flowersonthewall]

So in short like mum of the ark said
Keep moving
Don't lie on your back
And keep positive!

[riddles26]

32 hours start to finish.

Felt crampy like I was on my period all day Tuesday. Went swimming in the evening and contractions started when I got home. Continued all night, around 2 in 10 minutes, lasting 30-45 seconds each. Put TENS machine on in the morning when they got stronger and were lasting a minute or so. Carried on this way all day, managed breakfast and lunch between contractions. Were even stronger early evening but still not consistently having 3 in 10 minutes and forced myself out for a walk. Walked for an hour (extremely slowly) and by the time we got back home, they were 3-4 every 10 minutes with barely a break between them.

Went into hospital, assessed as 4-5cm dilated and went to birth centre. Continued with gas and air plus TENS for 3-4 hours until pool was available. Midwife examined me just before we moved into the pool room and waters broke just before I got in the pool. Was in the pool for about 40 minutes then she came.

There were points where I did consider intervention but baby was doing well throughout so I just kept going. I had read Juju Sundans book and the strategies from there kept me going through it all - highly recommend it