Awesome post
Wow positive birth experiences! I've done it 4 times and expecting my 5th january god willing.
My first was long, 48 hours, had to be induced as my eldest boy was a week late. Pessaries are rubbish and took I think 3 or 4. This is 12 plus years ago. Spent a lot of labour in bath which helped and then had to be brought out of the bath to deliver. Long labour and was pushing for about 40 minutes. Long recovery also. It put me off having anymore.
Second child born 2013. Waters broke at home after having sex. Husband literally just left for work, night shift and then my friend came to take me to hospital. Called hubby to meet us at hospital. Had to stay in .very spaced out 1cm contractions for the best part of a day. Given the pessaries. Didnt work. Given the drip, which is by the way the worst experience of my life. They turn it up bit by bit increasing the contractions back to back hideous pain begging for epidural. Didnt get it . Finally gilave birth. Total of 48 hours labour. Awful. Put me off having any more. Recovery was hard too because the after pains of breastfeeding was just terrible. I even wanted gas and air.
Third baby born 2016. My youngest boy. An absolute walk in the park. This was my perfect labour. Waters went in the bed sort of 2am. Hubby on nights , came home roughly 4am, no rush as my body does long annoying labours. Got to hospital and I want dilated enough. They sent me home. Kids went to aunties. So I was home all day with hubby , sort of doing things to keep me busy, even gave the house a full clean, up and down the stairs and so on, played word games, had a bath, by roughly 10pm I had been getting them stronger. Went back to hospital only 3cm dilated. They gave me an injection of pethidine which really really helped. Taken to ante natal ward. Dozed off for a bit . By 6am the pethidine had warn off. Midwife came and brought me gas and air, which really helped. I sort if listened to tv while taking gas and air which took my mid off the contractions. I was then wheeled over to the labour suite and had a water birth which was what I had planned.
Absolutely amazing. I was so relaxed and ready to push. Pushed for about 5 minutes and out he came. Was so weak after though and threw up couple times due to gas and air on an empty stomach. But best labour and delivery . Wish my 4th and bope my 5th can be like this. But again wish it read a shorter labour. It was 36 hours in total.
Fourth child born 2018.
Woke up 2am.Called my husband and said I've started having contractions. Not to worry because it will be a long labour and finish your shift. He cut his shift short and got home around 6am. By then I was still having mild contractions. He drove the kids to their aunt. Then took me straight to hospital and surprise surprise I was only 1cm and had been for roughly 5 days when I had the sweep 5 days before. The midwife sent us home and we sort of chilled ar the house, had food, relaxed watched four in a bed and various other movies and so on. By 7pm contractions had slowed down and hubby said let's just go get the kids. I agreed. Seemed like nothing was really happening. Went to pick up the kids and had harder contractions all the way there so we decided to go back to the hospital instead. Got to the hospital and was 3cm dilated. Got given a horrible check by the lady. When examining my cervix she dug her nails in, she really didn't like me for some reason. And when I put my hand up for help, she said no and out her hands behind her back. She gave me pethidine to help and I dont think she administered it properly because it wore off after a couple hours and not like the first time I had it with my last labour. By about 2am i had had enough and was howling for help. I still wasnt dilating enough a d they gave me gas and air and moved me to the water birth room. Got in the pool which helped me a lot. New midwife examined me. Lovely girl. She said you're not dilating much so I'm going to pop your waters. I said ok and was nervous as I though it would hurt but it doesnt. I asked if I cam get back into the birth pool. She said absolutely. Then another older midwife took over as midwife 1 finished her shift. I asked to get back into the pool. She said no I have a bad back and cant bend down. And while I respect that I thought to myself I wanted that birth pool. Shouldn't I get what I want but I didnt know if it would be rude to ask for a new midwife. Anyway, still for hours contracting and nothing happening. Got to 10cm and the midwife said the baby cant get out. Its stuck at an odd angle. I was crying in pain. I was literally begging for help. I then also needed the toilet . Turned out the walk to the toilet and back to the bed helped baby into position and literally 3 pushes and she was out. My husband couldn't believe how quick I pushed. I think it was because i had literally had enough. I also vomited again because too much gas and air . A total of 32 hour labours. The recovery was horrific as breastfeeding makes your uterus contract quicker back to it's normal size so it's like bloody contractions all over again. I was doubled over in pain at some points. But they only last a few days.
This and my 2nd were definitely my worst. My 3rd was brilliant and really hoping my 5th will be like this too.
It is scary and daunting thinking about birth. But even though all mine were long and 3 out of 4 were hard, it's all worth it.
Does any other women have ridiculously long labours like me???
Or anyone have really fast ones???
Really hoping my 5th will be shorter.