Positive birth stories

@DRMK79 You are all mad to even look at them! Stop looking at anything that’s not NHS. Most births and babies are just fine. Getting upset about other people is ludicrous.

You'll notice as well that the reels will change with where your baby is at. I now get videos of poor babies in hospital with RSV! I don't know why any parent would film their baby when they're so poorly and post it online it's insane to me.

I had two amazing births.

Both DDs were transverse so they were planned section - super chill, just focused on me and the babies.

Quick ops and then immediate skin to skin and feeding. Genuine bliss.

Good luck OP!

@Walkinthesun I would say the most positive thing about being happy during birth is to not have hard and fast ideas that you are then disappointed about not getting. Stay flexible and remain positive. They usually induce 2weeks late in my experience. It’s just important to have baby delivered safely. To if it’s not a water birth it’s not. Go with the suggestions of the medical staff and stay positive about meeting your healthy baby. How is that not the most important thing? It’s the outcome that matters and don’t watch rubbish on SM and don’t obsess about what you might want - circumstances can overtake that. You aren’t very old for a second baby either!

That seems early for a sweep OP if you're only around 39 weeks (if I've calculated right?!). I wouldn't worry about your cervix being closed still or whether you'll have an induction at this point. A lot can change in a week or two. Will you be induced at 42 weeks?

I'm not sure if they do these now but with my second (4 years ago) I had a balloon induction (Foley balloon I think they call it). It was at 41 weeks - only because I was over 40 otherwise it would have been 42 weeks I think. They put a catheter in (the balloon) and inflated it to put a bit of extra pressure on my cervix then sent me home overnight. It worked (I was already having some contractions) and when it came out, they treated me like any non-induction and I got in the pool in the mw unit.

I did lots of walking and bouncing on an exercise ball in the later weeks which may or may not have helped!

I had my first baby in September and honestly facebook was the worst thing for my anxiety all the way through my pregnancy. Videos about miscarriage, still births, birth trauma and complications, failure to thrive. Was just bombarded with them I don't know how Facebook allows some of the videos that popped up in my reels. The best thing you can do is to just stop watching. What you don't know can't hurt you. Yes those horrible things may happen but just think of all the thousands of babies that are born everyday with no issues at all! I had a normal pregnancy and went on to have a yes very painful but complication free birth with a gorgeous baby girl 🥰 things can go wrong in any aspect of life you just need to focus on what can go right!

I had my second last year at 38. My eldest was 5.5 at the time. I'd hoped to have her in the pool in a midwife led unit but unfortunately my blood pressure led to an ambulance transfer to the nearest labour ward! Saying that, it was still an extremely positive and empowering experience (I'd also suffered secondary infertility) - All the staff were amazing, I never felt out of control and although it was painful, I was able to breathe through the pain at all times. She was born very quickly in the end, from leaving the ambulance to having her in my arms was 20 mins! I also had stop start contractions for about a week before she arrived - so annoying!
Good luck!

Haha yes it was definitely the right choice! I was the size of a bus when I was pregnant second time around, my feet quadrupled in size from the swelling alone!

I had two sweeps before DC1 arrived so don’t worry if it doesn’t “work” the first time. Second sweep I went into labour 24 hours later 😊

Just to counteract that, DC1 was 8lb 10oz and I delivered them naturally so I’m very much not advocating for sections for any baby over 7lb! It was just the thought of delivering a 10lb baby that made me wince slightly !!

Of course, DC2 ended up being pretty much 10lb! They had measured big from the beginning and I’d had various tests without any result that would explain it. However…me and DH are tall. In fact DH is very tall and I think DC2 was just destined to be a tall baby! However, I’m glad that I had an ELCS. I know some larger babies arrive perfectly fine but I knew in my heart that ELCS was the right choice for me on this occasion.

DC2 was 10lb at 39+4 when they were born.

2 positive births here aged 32 and 41. Both water births, gas and air, no stitches needed, fairly quick. Try and think positive if you can. I know it's always a worry how things will go. Doing a few hypnobirthing meditations (you can get free ones on YouTube) might help.

Each of mine were almost 2lb bigger than the last and each birth was faster and easier. 6lb, 8lb 0.5 and 9lb 9.5. They were however born at. 36, 38 and 39+5, so had two weeks longer to grow than the last.

Second birth, bent down to put some washing away and felt my waters pop and they started leaking. Called dh to come home from work and mil to come for eldest. Headed to hospital about an hour later. As I walked into hospital my waters went with a gush and contractions started at full intensity one after another with no break. Went into the room and continued to contract and felt like I needed to push forty minutes later. She was born around five minutes later, didn't need stitches and all was good.

Third was even easier, had no contraction pain at all just woke in the night with my body involuntarily pushing. Sped to hospital panting against my body pushing to try slow it down and he was born in the Assessment room when we got there, waters burst as he was coming out.

Slept through early labour. Arrived at the MLU to find I was already 7cm. Three hours and a lot of G&A later, DS popped out after five pushes. Absolute dream.

Hi OP, I had my two DCs at 31 and 35. DC1 was a natural birth with gas and air and a ventouse and DC2 was an ELCS due to their larger size. Both very different births, both magical and lovely and gorgeous in their own way ♥️

My first was hard slog. 2nd was about 2 hours beginning to end