Anyone want to share a GOOD birth story?!

[BellaCB]

It just seems like everyone has horror stories! And not just the people who are overly keen to share horrific stories - for all my family and friends who have had babies over the past few years its been a litany of forceps, 4-day labours, emcs, inductions with pain off the scale, filthy hospitals...!

I'm 32w with DC1 and could really, really do with hearing about a pretty decent birth before I terrify myself into utter panic!

I WANT A BABY

Ahh - I was shitting myself, SHITTING MYSELF, with DS, really horrified by all the birth stories, Jeysus Christ THE HORROR. I WAS CRAPPING MYSELF WITH ANTICIPATION.

However, I got to 37 & 1 - went to see the obs (was obs led) - stood up in the waiting room, huge gush - waters went - was ushered through - examined - 6cm gone, no pain, was told I should probably 'stay there'. So I did.

Boinged around for a while, read the paper, had a sandwich, felt some pressure, lay on the bed (bad idea, they made me push), pushed, had some G & A - told some crap jokes, thought it might really hurt so stopped pushing.

Obs Consultant came & threatened me with forceps - pushed more - DS born.

Fine.

Really.

DD - a dream - home-birth, felt some twinges, MW came out for a look, 5cm, told me to call back.

Did three hours later, very gentle contractions, seven cm, no pain.

I think they were a little bored - two hours later they asked if they could break my waters. I ambled off to the kitchen for a whisky, had a chat with DH, decided to getthe job done, MW broke my waters, pissed on the carpet, four very strong contactions, shat on DH's foot, went mental on the G & A - DD appeared.

No pushing.

Lovely.

I'm another one who is a bit bored of telling the whole story but chalk me up as someone who was lucky enough to have two positive, straightforward, quick births, clocking in at under 4 hours each. Is not all horror stories. Good luck!

ps spiderslegs, I love your mid-labour whisky! If I ever do it again, I'll be replicating that.

"All I'm trying to say is that the thing you are most scared of (and believe me, before it happened section was absolutely the worst case scenario in my head) might just turn out to be quite cool."

PPS! OP if you're reading, DwayneDibbley makes a really good point. I think a lot of angst after labour comes from it not having gone the way you hoped it would - but as Dwayne points out, that doesn't have to mean you have a bad experience.

Had my first baby at home, wasn't planned that way but she was in a hurry to arrive. Pain free, and just the most amazing experience of my life. She arrived after 1.5 hours. It was exciting and amazing and so special. I didn't even push, she just popped out. I had expected a long labour so after an hour I was surprised when it really felt like the baby was coming in a rush! I gave birth on the bed, and my husband delivered her. so magical.

Here you go then!

First baby: On the due date: Doc says I am 4 cm dilated, but I feel nothing. He says the first half of labour can go unnoticed! I go home. Woke up next morning with "cramps", after an hour or so went to hospital. Nurse measured and said: 8cm already! A few hours later baby pops out. I get an episioptomy, but did not feel it and am repaired expertly.

Second baby, I have cramps, walk around the table for half an hour, then wake DH and say: It's every 5 minutes already. In hospital, am measured and they say: 10cm, you are ready to go. Quick quick quick. I vomit in paperbasket (that bit is not so great) but docs happy as vomiting means a swift labour.

20 minutes of pushing and baby is out.

Pain wasn't too bad (did not even feel the first 5 cm after all) and it was all very quick and dealt with well by staff.

For those who think life is unfair, I may add that I was horribly sick throughout the pregnancy...you can't win em all

DC1 - induced, but born in about 8 hours start to finish - lovely baby at the end!

DC2 - about 4 hours start to finish, no pain relief as was 'in the zone' - lovely baby at the end

DC3 - induced, but born in about 6 hours start to finish - lovely baby at the end

Yes, there was pain and epidurals and drugs and all that and I did have to clean my room on one occasion but honestly they were lovely experiences - which is why I did it three times! And at the end I got my three snuggly little newborns. Fret not. Do your preparation, practice your breathing and stay as mobile as you can.

Had my first baby at hospital, first inkling to babe in arms 5 hrs. Very little pain. Just some G+A at 8cms which didn't seem to do much more than give you something else to think about. Pushing about 5 minutes. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

I've been very lucky and had two fantastic births.

DS had some niggles for a couple of days then contractions started about 2am but so mild that at 6am DH and I had a chat about whether he should go to work. Drove to hospital arriving at 10.20, baby born at 10.43- in the time it took my Mum to park the car!

DD had three days of niggles then contractions 4 mins apart at 4pm. Decided felt well enough to walk my Mum to the train station. Got in the car at 5.30, arived hospital 6.20, baby born at 6.51 with one push and no tears.

Have been very very lucky and although both were uncomfortable, at no point was I even offered gas and air (bit disappointed as had been looking forward to trying it second time!).

I think the key to a good birth is to be prepared. i had two very different births. One at hospital with epi, ventouse, episiotomy and second at home with a tens machine, couple of puffs of gas and air at end of second stage and pool. I did a hypnobirthing course and can honestly say I felt no pain in either labours. Both hard work and intensive but not at all painful. I felt calm and in control both times and only had an epidural first time round because it was a long one and I wanted a nap! Good luck.

I've been lucky enough to have three good births. DC1 was born after 6 hours with a little gas and air in the second stage. I was fully dialated when we got to the hospital.

DC2 was born after a nine hour labour. No pain relief or tears

DC3 was born at home as we didn't make it to the hospital. He arrived 7 minutes after the paramedics arrived!

All three labours were manageable pain which only got really bad in the last 20 minutes or so.

Well I had to have all 3 of mine on a normal delivery suite due to maternal problems / meconium in waters when I finally went into labour with DS3 nearly 2 weeks late.

All 3 of them had things happen that weren't what I'd hoped for, whether that was an epidural I'd been keen to avoid but decided was for the best 18 hours in, or a ventouse delivery for the third after managing on nothing but standing up and gas and air until the last minute.

However, by the time the baby was out I looked back on all 3 and felt a mixture of pride (that I'd managed to get these gargantuan heads out of me and gratitude to the staff that had put up with helped me through it all.

mine was a good birth i was induced though was in labour 12 hours before she was born wish is ok but leading up to birth i had pre eclampsia so it was a difficult worrying time.

I had a wonderful homebirth. After obsessively typing out THREE different birth plans and going a fretful week overdue, my waters broke unspectacularly at 10 o'clock pm. I bounced on my ball and watched Spirited Away for an hour, by which time the contractions were nicely (!) started, and DH called the midwife, who arrived and was GLORIOUS. Filled birthpool, quite comfortable for a little while, then things moved sharpish and contractions got hardcore and close together. So I disappeared into the loo and bellowed like a cow in calf for a couple of hours - it was really helpful and I liked being able to brace my feet (and also I felt less worried about pooing in unconventional places!) While I laboured, I could hear DH and midwife calmly chatting, which was great - it reassured me that there was a normality and I would one day return to it, if you know what I mean.

Staggered out of the loo, demanded exam, midwife said calmly that the baby was coming NOW, blasted pool one degree too cool for me to get into it but second midwife arrived in nick of time to catch DD, and I was very glad she did - she proved a dab hand at getting the cross little red thing to latch on for her first feed. Skin to skin, delayed cord cutting, hormone bliss-out, small tear which I didn't care much about and which the midwife sewed up commenting approvingly on our lamp ("I've never seen a lamp as good as this one for stitching a perineum!")

I have but one regret, and that is that every bloody thing on my birth plan was beautifully carried out, apart from that I never got any gas and air because midwife didn't expect DD to arrive so promptly! Two paracetamol and a bottle of Lucozade is for a HANGOVER, not the pains of childbirth. True, I am now slappably smug "woman of steel" whenever tiresome mums wish to get competitive, but I WANTED that gas and air, not least for the funny stories I read on mumsnet about its effects beforehand.

I was so lucky and am so grateful, SO grateful that everything went right. I wish you the best experience with your birth.

PS huge takeaway feast after birth, cuddling tiny new person - HURRAH!

Can be far too much emphasis on horror stories..... I was petrified by these and was recommended Hypnobirthing - I read the book, listened to the CD and went to some classes and had 2 gentle, calm, amazing births... couldn't recommend it highly enough to anyone. Just search for hypnobirthing on google to find out more

I was absolutely distraught when told DS1 was going to be induced as i was 42 wks. I even spent hours on the internet finding reasons for why it wasn't necessary!

However, I was induced using syntocin drip (after pessary and breaking waters was unsuccessful), which then meant I needed an epidural (also another no,no on my birthing plan)

but birth was straight forward, under 12 hrs from start of induction to the moment he was placed into my hands. I had a little tearing/bruising (ds was 8.9 pounds) but needed no stitches.

I was also induced with DS2, just the pessary this time and I had my waters broken. DS2 was in my arms within 90mins of my waters being broken and just 9 mins of pushing! He was 10 pound, I delivered on my hands & knees but did require stitiches afterwards.

However, despite not having stitches first time round, I healed much quicker with DS2.

So an induction doesn't automatically mean a longer, more complicated birth for those of you that are going through the same thing that I did with DS1!!!

Another couple of great homebirths here.

DD1 - had a bath lying on the sofa watching TB when waters popped (audibly). Woke DH up but told him to go back to sleep "it'll be ages yet". Decide after 20 mins of gentle walking up and down it is now imperative that DH puts a curtain up, send him off for necessary as contractions start really kicking in. Whilst he is out my next door neighbour MW pops in saying "I though I just heard someone in labour" (I swear she had been listening with a glass for a week for me to start).

She gives me a once over and "pops next door to make a phone call and get the sonicaid" MW and DH arrive back and MW annouces she's staying. I am convinced I have another 15 or so hours to go. MW not. MW right.

Pool filled, quiet labour, baby born shortly after. 4h from waters to birth.

DD2 also planned HB, DD1 (16 months) slept through the 1.30 to 5.30am labour. The pool was filled but I was on all fours on the floor and there was nothing on earth that was going to get me to move at that point.

DD2 born into DH hands. No tears or grazes either time.

Brilliant both times - I am woman, hear me roar. I was down the park that afternoon with DD1 playing.

I'd love to do it again DH with sensible head on says no :(

OP I hope these stories have helped, I've loved reading them. Stay mobile, listen to your body, believe you can do it (with or without help). Have fun!

DD born at home in birth pool - no pain relief required! Not being smug, just had a lovely peaceful birth. It hurt, but was manageable. DS was a big boy. Still born at home but more painful, still managed with gas and air. One of my favourite things about having my babies at home is that the whole family were snuggled up in bed together the same night. I distinctly remember my DH feeding me some chicken pie while I fed the new baby.....happy memories.

Mine was lovely. Planned home birth; woke up at 3.36am on day 37+3 with mild contractions like period pains, but flooded with this immense feeling of calm and strength (having been terrified of the whole prospect beforehand). Pains so mild that OH and I both thought it was a false alarm and he went back to bed. Rang midwives just in case: community midwife popped in to check me out mid-morning and said I was a good 3cm dilated and definitely in labour. Popped the TENS on, inflated the pool, walked through the contractions and things progressed a bit slowly but steadily all day (including the consumption of a very large bag of chips!) until DS arrived at 10.36 that night with no pain relief, no tearing and just a slight graze. It was a long day and hard work, I'll grant you, but not one of the individual pains was worse than the cramps I'd been getting in my calves through my pregnancy. I was calm and in control throughout, the midwives were lovely and it was a vastly less traumatic experience than I'd feared.

Cooked lunch for Marcia Falkender whilst in labour, then decided as I had to go on all fours and start pushing that we really ought to abandon dessert and pop over to the hospital. She was very good about it.

Planned home birth here.

22 hours of contractions but they were manageable with TENS and breathing. In the pool for a bit and had G&A for about 30 mins, but that slowed things down. DS has a big head so I did need a quick episiotomy, and he was delivered in the next push!

I can't deny it did hurt but it really, really was manageable because we knew that we were getting a baby at the end of it and because I always had a decent break between each contractions.

If yours doesn't turn out the same, remember there are no prizes for how you deliver the baby. The most important outcome at the end is alive mother and alive baby.