Are there ANY positive childbirth stories you want to share?

[Dozeyland]

I know its called labour for a reason. And of course positive definitely means that the baby is healthy. but do any of you have a positive labour & birth experiences?

I am totally realistic and expecting the worst & hoping for the best (first-timer) but Horror stories are not what i need to keep hearing!!

any joy??

My best birth experience was actually an emergency caesarian! Yes, obviously this isn't what you hope for when you are writing your birth plan, but the supportive and listening attitude of the hospital, the cheerful and enthusiastic operating team, the way I was kept informed and everything explained to me, and the precious moment of cuddling ds straight from the womb made this a day I still remember with a smile on my face 10 years later.

DS1 born in hospital. Quick labour and not a bad expeience, but didn't feel in control.

DS2 water birth at home. Most wonderful experience of my life. Very relaxed (watched Dirty Dancing whilst laying in the pool in labour!). Had my own space as wa in the water and felt in control.

Can't put into words lifting my son out of the water and being the first one to hold him. Amazing.

Not having anymore but do feel a bit cheated I won't go through that giving birth moment again. Wouldn't want to go through another pregnancy but would love to experience the birth again. Might sound mad but it really was the most perfect moment!!

First birth had to be a section because I had twins who were breech. That wasn't ideal but it was ok.

Second time round with DD3 was great. Yes it hurt, but it was manageable. Heart beat dipped a bit at the end and I had an epistosomy but that was okay - painful but there was an obvious reason for needing it.

All the memories of the pain went away as soon as I had DD3 in my arms.

I focussed also on seeing the pain as a necessary and positive pain - my body knew instinctively what it was doing and I just let it get on with it!

I had to be induced at 41+6, which I hadn't wanted at all and was terrified of.

Was actually a lovely, calm experience with fab staff who listened and spent time with us. Had epidural early so almost pain-free, DS turned out to have cord wrapped around his neck and was born blue, but mw so calm we trusted her completely.

Went home the next day with the tiniest tear that healed by itself.

I regard my birth as a very positive experience, even though the details look v unpromising!

Yes, mine was a positive experience. I also find that in real life people seem to tell only the "horror stories". This may be because people have a greater need to talk about and make sense of traumatic births. I rarely volunteer DD's birth story IRL unless someone asks about it.

I had a homebirth with an independent midwife. It was bloody hard work but wasn't either the most painful or most difficult thing I've ever done.

Despite unexpected back labour and lots of stopping and starting, it was largely a straightforward birth, with ARM towards the end. I asked for gas and air in transition but it was over too quickly to get it... Pushing was only around 10-15 mins and I had no tearing, no afterpains and minimal bleeding. DD's heartbeat was steady throughout labour and she had an apgar of 9 straight away. Breastfeeding was very easy for us.

We went to bed at around midnight (DD was born at 2330ish) and I got up at 0800ish feeling like I'd done a day's hard hill-walking but otherwise fine.

PP bleeding lasted for 2 weeks and I was out jogging again by 2.5 weeks PP.

I had 2 very different but equally positive birth experiences both at a huge maternity hospital that seems to come in for a lot of criticism in general.

Despite a lot of intervention, (18hr labour, epidural & ventouse) we had great fun with DS1 because all the staff were delightful, full of character and humour and fully involved us in all decisions. The exception was the arrogant young anaesthetist and whilst the midwives stopped short of pulling faces behind his back, their expressions were priceless. I struck up a good rapport with the doctor who eventually delivered him as she was exactly the same age as me, her birthday was 2 days after mine. Highlight for (tightfisted) ex-h was the huge fry-up he got in the hospital cafe for £2 as they assumed he was staff and gave him the discount.

DS2 shot out after an intense hour-long labour with no pain relief, ex-h only just made it and didn't get any breakfast this time .

My advice to you is - communication is the key, and keep an open mind. Good luck!

Three lovely births here too. Three lovely, bouncing (all 9.5lbs+) baby boys.

My third was my favourite birth as the midwife was lovely. I rang the alarm and told her I needed to push and she and her colleague stayed back out of the way rather than rushing towards me with gloves! She said, 'You've done a brilliant job, you're nearly there! You know what you're doing now, I'm here if you need me' She was right beside me the whole time gently encouraging, but with her manner and her kind words made me feel in control of what was happening and like I could follow my body's urges rather than being told what to do - wonderful! :)

I know that I have been lucky and SO hope that I have a lovely birth with DC4 (due in 4 wks) too.....

"I also find that in real life people seem to tell only the "horror stories". "

I've had one horror story and one fabulous one - a month ago today. I can't stop telling people how brilliant, easy and pain-free it was!

I have had three births which I would rate as 9/10 for the first, 10/10 for the second and 8/10 for the third.

My first birth involved labouring in the birthing pool, but then getting out for the actual birth and 3rd stage. I've deducted one point for the midwife's taste in music - I had a "James" (??!!) playing in the background - the midwife's favourite band - followed by "whale music". I asked for the music to be switched off. Other than that VERY minor thing, I had a very pleasant and dignified birthing experience. In that respect, I should give the birthing experience 10/10. The birth was everything that I had hoped for.

My second birth was in the pool - from 7cm dilated to the 3rd stage. The birth experience was my definition of a perfect birth. The water temperature was just right, I had the right amount of G&A, the midwives remained with me all the time, and my husband had finally learnt the skills of massaging. A very blissful experience.

I was induced for my 3rd birth, but otherwise very good. I have rated it 8/10. I've deducted 1 point for the 2 useless midwives who were asked to look after me for just a few minutes whilst the other brilliant midwives (who had been looking after me to that point) went away to do something else and would be back. Of course, it was at that moment that baby decided to make her appearance - and quickly. These 2 midwives didn't believe that I was 'crowning' until one of them reluctantly checked me and then yelled "hell, she's crowning" but did nothing. They just looked/stared at each other, although not for long, because the other very competent midwives hurried over, took over the proceedings and the rest of the birth was bliss. The wonderful midwife had a very soothing voice with a gentle and reassuring tone, saying all the right things - the words you want to hear during a birth. She comforted me by saying that I was doing very well, she informed me when the shoulders were out and that with one last push, my daughter would be out too. The midwife brought her straight to my chest and continued to reassure me (as my baby looked purple) that everything was fine. With a genuine smile, she congratulated me.
The reason why I've deducted another point is too lengthy to go into but suffice to say that one of the useless midwives made (said) another gaff after I had given birth, but thankfully she was very quickly ushered out of the room.
The wonderful midwife continued to do a great job of stitching me up. She ensured that I had a room to myself during and after the birth. She took the time to have a good chat with me after the birth. She helped me have a shower and arranged it with one of the kitchen staff to give me some delicious buttered toast and a very well made cup of tea - at 1 minute before midnight!

All in all, I would highly recommend the maternity service I received. My last birth was over a year ago, and I've already forgotten the pain. As I look back on my birthing experiences, I can't remember the pain but I can remember the magic moments.

I wish you all the best for your birth and I hope I have inspired you to look forward to a positive birthing experience. I am proof that positive birthing experiences do happen as I have had 3 of them!

DC2 - lovely easy, peaceful homebirth, height of contractions felt nasty but perfectly copable with nothing but breathing, the longer time in between was blissful. No VEs, no-one tried to tell me what to do, no need for concious pushing. The music we put on gave me such a rush... The coming out bit hurt a lot, but over so quickly really. Seeing DD coming up out of the water with her mouth open ready to cry... (think the coming out bit must've hurt her her a bit as well as me! Wish I had tried harder to relax at that bit).

I had a long labour but most of it was at home and not too bad, uncomfortable rather than painful. Went in when 5cm and went from 5-10 in about 20minutes. Body took over when time to push and that was only 25minutes, did not find it too painful - might have been the gas and air or pethidine but also because I had something to focus on. Baby was born and I had no tearing, a couple of grazes that were stitched but nothing too bad. Overall a pleasant experience. TTC again now 8 months later so could not have been too bad!

I am another mum with good birth experiences.
I put it down to luck and planning for the best. When the pain started I let my body do what it wanted/felt comfortable and just let go (sounds airy fairy )

DS was 4 hours total, used tens for 2 hours till I got to hospital then pushing took just under 2 hours. I had an episiotomy but even that wasn't too bad.

DD was 2 hours with no pain relief until G&A during stitching (second epis). I recognised transition ...shaking and painful ...so was relaxed and knew it was time to head for hospital

Am enjoying reading these. DS2 due in a couple of days and you're all making me feel much better.
Lovely thread, Dozeyland. Cheers!

I have two children, two lovely home births, the second was the best, really chilled and he was born in a birth pool in my front room just after midnight. Was lovely and I enjoyed both times too! You'll be grand (try hypnobirthing!)

i had a great birth the midwife had my sense of humour and we bounced off each other im not going to ,lie the contractions are'nt nice but because i was expecting much worse i waited a long time before asking for pain releif pain relief. i had made the decision to have an epidural early on and im really glad i did it meant i could relax and sleep for a while , downsides were not having the urge to push so relied on conractions to know when to push, i had a tiny tear which needed no stitches and two grazes which stung like mad when i went to the loo, the best advice i could give you is to pee in a large tub of cool water it mind sound a bit tmi but it saved my sanity.
walking helps ease labour pains as does rocking from side to side , i also found if i got my breathing right i could cope much better
good luck

Anybody else care to share?

I love reading all of these, just hope in less than 2 weeks i can add to the list!

DD's birth was quite nice. Hardly any pain with contractions- which did last for about 20 hours but were completely manageable, I was shopping for a lot of that! When we finally convinced the hospital to let me come in and be checked I was 8cm. DD was a back to back labour but only the last hour hurt really and I managed to push her out with only three pushes. The not nice bit was being ignored by the midwives in the hospital.

DS I went for a homebirth - it was a perfect gentle birth and I would do it again tomorrow. I breathed him out and could feel everything but it was completely pain free and an amazing experience. I had about twenty minutes where I felt out of control but I was fighting my body's urge to push thanks to the useless midwife. The high from his birth last six whole wonderful weeks.

Used TENS and g&A for both of them and I loved my TENs, best thing for long back to back labours I think. Both times I listened to my body and moved around as I felt I needed too. Also read Odent's Birth Reborn which helped.

I'd love to give birth again but I hate being pregnant and having a small baby!

I had an elective caesarean with my ds(after an emergency cs with my dd where I was afterwards advised I would v. likely end up with another cs). It was calm, happy (lots of smiling faces, lovely midwives, radio playing in theatre), dh got to tell me what sex the baby was when he arrived. Ds cried the minute he was born and dh got to hold him after a couple of minutes, I was able to hold and breastfeed him in the recovery room. A very positive experience all round
CS with my daughter wasn't as relaxed (as unplanned!) but I still look back on it with fond memories as one of the best days of my life.

I had to have ventouse, but would still def call it a positve birth experience...

I got to hospital at 10am after thinking my waters had broken, to find i was already 5cms. I got to 10cms in 2 hours and was pushing when he got distressed so i had an epiostomy and ventouse. The only pain relief I had was the entinox and a local anathestic afterwards for my stiches. I didnt feel the epiostomy at all, and have (touch wood, so far) had no trouble with my stiches. I gave birth on Tuesday and have only had one slightly sore day yesterday :)

The child that was the end result is bloody brilliant. She's the best thing I've ever made.

hello and good luck

well what i finally learned second time was not to be too scared, that does really really help, read childbirth without fear maybe?

so my second labour was fast, and in fact it was only painful for about an hour, and pushing whilst intense was not as painful as I feared. and I was estatic to have had a fast, good birth. I finally "got" the natural childbirth thing!

that said do not be shy of epidurals, as first time can be long. if i was doing my first labour again I would have an epidural, I just would have tried to have been less scared

its not that bad, good luck!