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!

Both births brilliant. One in hospital and one at home. The pushing hurt a bit, but for me it was managable with some gas and air.

I would give birth again any day if I could. I feel sad that I will never experience it again because it was so amazing.

DD2: Started at 5am, all done by 5.15pm. No epidural, midwife was LOVELY and really listened to everything I had to say. Really wonderful experience after first birth (which I won't share here as you said you want good stories) - let's just say it was long and ended in an EMCS. No forceps/ventouse/unwanted intervention - the only thing they did was break my waters for me. Best feeling EVER was her body coming out, I could do that bit over and over again. And I didn't even swear or threaten DH with death at any point during either labour

If someone had a bad birth they would definitely tell you the horrible bits, e.g. painful stiches (I had btw, but NEVER felt any pain), stuck baby, forceps, emcs because baby's heart beat could not be detected etc.

But if everything was normal what would they do? Come and say "you know, I had a pretty straight forward birth without this and that and so quick you know", it doesn't make sence, does it?

And because you mentioned forceps, I am not an expert but I know 2 cases (and a third but without any details) which were the result of using an epidural. A friend told me that at 3cm she requested one so later she couldn't feel when to push and it took her 2 hours for a premature baby. I remember the first time that I went to hospital during labour my pain was immense. I heard the midwife telling the obstetrician that I was only 1cm and thought "what????? So much pain for nothing?????". I thought I would faint! So it's not that I was not hurting, but I didn't even know that I could actually request for an epidural instead of being offered it when the midwife would judge it fit. I guess I hadn't done my research because I have heard horrified childless women asking a group of mums whether they had it and what happened. Seeing now what happened to my friend I am glad that I was in the dark because the pain helped me a lot. The other woman also had an epidural followed by foreceps but I don't know anything else.

And like others said go with an open mind! And if someone need an emcs it's not their fault!!

Sorry if that sounded scary but my point was that to avoid an epidural since you can't manage your birth.

My birth was fantastic. I was 39wks and contractions started at 10pm went through the night at 5am they were 4-5 mins apart so went in. 3cm dilated and given a Tens machine (which in my opinion is magic!) went up to the MLBU and it went from there. Contractions gradually increasing til about 2pm when it all stopped, I had a little nap and some lunch then cracked straight on. 5.16pm my pfbs was born (7lb 4oz), I only used the Tens and a bit of g&a through transition and to get him out but it was a dream. My midwife was amazing, very good at her job and we built a great rapport. All the staff were very helpful/thorough and the hospital was immaculate.
My advice would be to stay calm and let it take as long as it needs to, my was 17hrs in all and I truly believe it needed to be that long to get him out safely and relatively pain and stress free. Listen to your midwife, she is the expert and try to enjoy it...!

I had a lovely birth :)

Had been having what I thought were "braxton hicks" all day. They were abit stronger than the ones i'd had previously, but there wasn't any regularity to them, I hadn't had a show and still wasn't due for another 5 days.

Contractions started to get stronger when I was in bed asleep and I woke up wondering why I couldn't get myself comfortable, until the next contraction ame along and I felt the first trickle of my waters breaking. This was at around quarter past midnight. Woke DH up, calmly checked my hospital bag to make sure everything was there, got dressed and then rang the hospital. Arrived at the hospital at about 1:15 where my waters went completely as I was stood waiting to be let in...nice!!

My contractions still weren't very regular, but they hooked me up to the monitors and left me to see how things were going. I was actually on the monitors for more that normal, as there was one point when DS's heart rate really dropped and I'm convinced that's the point when he finally engaged.

At 4:15, someone came in and told me that I could go home. My baby was going to be born today, just not yet and that if things hadn't moved on themselves that I was to come back in about 12 hours. So I went into the toilet to get dressed and that is the moment that the contractions started coming every 2 minutes or so. When I managed to get myself out of there, the midwife asked me did I think I was going to be able to manage at home and did I want any pain relief. I'm there thinking that it's only the early stages and I'm a bit of a wuss if I need pain relief now!! Thankfully I mentioned to her that I really felt like I needed to go for a poo...at which point she told me to get back on the bed and she examined me. I was fully dilated!! My only comment was "well there goes the chance for any pain relief"!!

An hour and a half later, just with the help of some gas and air, DS was born. I did tear (and I think I used more gas & air when I was stitched up than I did throughout the labour!) but I have to say that it was a wonderful experience xx

I had a good birth, although on paper it looks long and complicated. The main thing is midwives were lovely and I was very calm, thanks to hypnobirthing and being well-informed about what might happen.

Please don't feel you have failed by having an epidural. Research suggests that the position of the baby is what affects things, so what makes labour more painful and what slows down labour, rather than being the fault of the epidural itself.

I hope some people can come on and tell you some good birth stories that involve epidurals as well.

Very true Bartlet. I didn't have them because I didn't need them; my labours being short and manageable (ish!) but I totally understand why people want them if the labour is particularly lengthy or painful.

...and I meant to add- several of my friends have very positive birth stories involving epidurals.

I had an epidural because I needed to be induced with a drip. Not sure if they turned it down at the end, but I could definitely feel ds's head to push (although couldn't feel contractions) and it was fine, no intervention needed and no side-effects at all.

My birth - up thread - was a really good birth with an epidural. It's not true that you can't control your birth if you have an epidural (can't remember who said that). I only topped up my epidural once after the initial dose. The midwife asked me to read out the level on the epidural bag after my daughter was and she asked me to double check the level as she couldn't believe I had used so little.

It was the best thing I could have ever done and I think it actually helped me give birth to my daughter without intervention. I was having 1m 40 contractions every 2 mins (ie a 2 minute break) at 5cms and was totally out of it. Every contraction my eyes rolled back in my head and I couldn't breathe and was pushing involuntarily. I think this was because she had her hand by her head and therefore wasn't in exactly the right position to dilate me (So basically the strength and length of cx would have meant I would have been more dilated had she not been in a slightly off centre position). The epidural brought me back to earth as it were and allowed me to change position and basically wait for her to change position. The midwife also manually had a go at rotating her which wouldn't have been pleasant I imagine had I not had the epidural.

They also made me wait at 10cms for an hour and a half before pushing to encourage her to get into the correct position and move down by herself. I was in a fair amount of pain by the time I started pushing as I could feel all the cx and was very keen to start pushing by that point. By that point the epidural was just taking the edge off. Basically if I hadn't had it I think I wouldn't have been in much of a state to push her out and could well have ended up with forceps/ventouse. Especially as she had meconium and right at the end her heart rate was disappearing with every cx.

So there's your (v long-winded) example of when an epidural helped me have a good birth!

A friend of mine had an epidural so she could get some sleep having been off and on in labour for 2 days - she thought it was the best thing ever! She was also a teenage mum and very scared and she loved her MWs who she says were really kind and supportive.

(I think her main labour related annoyance was all their relatives turning up while she was being stitched up!)

I had an epidurul with my first, back to back, baby. Yes it was a slower birth and yes I was keen to avoid another with my second baby, but it was by no means a terrible birth and nor did I feel I had failed. The epidural takes the pain away and if your exhausted or just unable to manage the pain it is great. I still felt the need to push and was able to deliver him by myself. I was up and walking within about six hours.

With my second baby I was older and more aware of birth options and attitudes had shifted. I was allowed to labour quietly without interventions in the way I knew would suit me. I laboured in the birthing pool but chose to get out for the delivery. It was a fantastic birth without any pain relief just a belief in my self and the security that if things became difficult I had help at hand.

I think knowing your options before hand and having a flexible approach to labour and birth will give you the best chance to ,if not enjoy, then feel positive about your birth experience. Good pratice for life as a mother too.

Epidurals are not evil!

As mentioned above I delivered DS1 with an epidural (was on syntocin drip) and his birth was straightforward, no complications. I was able to move around my bed at first. The only thing I didnt like was the feeling of constant trickling of my waters, on the slightly numb skin.

The other positive about being induced & epidurals is that you are constantly monitored, which I found a relief first time around.

There wasnt enough time for an epidural 2nd time around, I had to make do with gas & air.

I also think the other major factor in a good birth is a good midwife. I had a fantastic midwife first time around. I dont think I would have torn so much with ds2 if I had had her second time around.

seems i was in labour while doing the tesco big shop -hubby sat in the car as he didnt like it on a saturday

went home, had some back pain but never thought i was in labour as i was expecting huge pain and much wailing -from me

decided to go to the hospital when my waters broke, walked in and said id quite like to push, ds was born minutes later

dd was breech so they induced me 10 days early, consultant saw me at 9am, went off and did her clinic and came back at 12 just in time to deliver

Re epidurals: my abovementioned first birth with DS1 involved induction, ARM, lots of pain, epidural which slowed things down, synto drip which was fine due to epidural , when it came to pushing I had sensation down below ie knew in which direction to push IYKWIM, but no pain. All good. DS1 was born after 30min pushing, no tear, no episiotomy, few stitches for labial grazes.

It was a good birth, all in.

And I don't think an epidural excludes a 'good birth', but it does have its risks, in particular the cascade of interventions. So hey ho, have one if you feel you need one, don't, if you don't (I didn't as it happens with my VBACs - not by design, but did not need one).

I had a fantastic birth second time around.

Woke up, in labour, on his due date.

Had 3 hour long bath with dh bringing me lots of tea & toast & I chatted on the phone to friends & family. Then 2 hours of walking around downstairs followed by drive to hospital where he was born 15 minutes later.

No drugs, no stitches and back home in time to read bedtime stories to ds1.

I think I had the best birth story! I went my entire pregnancy without knowing it! I found out the week before I went into labour that I was pregnant, but had only thought I was a few weeks "gone". Most of my labour I didn't know what was going on, took few painkillers then eventually had to call ambulance at about 415 pm (didnt realise I was in labour). Ambulance arrived very quickly and the crew were fantastic with my Mum who was with me, and me! Eventually worked out to take me to delivery not A and E, all a bit of a blur until dd arrived at 643pm, no tears, no stitches, no idea what had just happened!! met my midwife for first time 3 days later when we got home! Ambulance crew came to visit me the day after dd born, to check we both were ok! DD is now 9 months and so so perfect! I tell all my pregnant friends not to be scared of birth, mine was so easy and reletively pain free (just gas and air for 2 hours fifteen mins!

I have one :)

Ok so my first birth was very long and a bit ugly (18 hours,epistotomy and ventous,epidural, with DVT afterwards) but I gave birth 5 weeks ago to dd2, I was a bit apprehensive after first being so long but here goes.....

Friday morning 10am I had a sweep at 40 +2
I tried to put it out of my mind all day as I didn't want to get my hopes up or be thinking I felt things when it was in my head!
midnight, I started getting regular contractions so I got out of bed and went into the living room leaving dd and husband to continue sleeping. (I hadn't told him yet I was having contractions!
3am, I finally went and told him I thought I was in labour.
4am we went to the hospital where I was 5cm but waters hadn't broken.
5.30am after waters breaking I had DD2 with only gas and air as I had no time for much else!! It was very intense and very quick.
Afterwards I felt so much better than I had with DD1 and we were back home the next day. :)

So from the first contraction until my dd2 was born my labour was 5.5 hours!

Pretty amazing hey!! :)

Oh and I gave birth in a 'horror story hospital' in north London and I didn't see anyone else there and had one same midwife all the way through who was ery good.

Three births, each one very easy and peaceful. A friend told me that giving birth is the most amazing experience and that for her it felt like every Christmas had come at once. I chose to believe her and ignored the negative comments fromother people and she was so right.

Birth one, 5 hours labour start to finish, bit of gas and air for last 10 minutes.

Birth two, 2 hours, bit more painful as the midwife insisted I moved around to speed things up, ignored her, took to my bed, got comfy and in the zone (do they call that internalising when you are so focused that you are almost not concious of others?). Again, bit of gas and air for last 10mins.

Birth three, 20mins, no pain relief. Was in hosp anyway with pre eclampsia otherwise he would probably have been born in the car! I had agreed to let a student midwife assist but by the time she arrived I was cuddling DS and eating toast.

I get goose pimples when I hear of people going into labour, it can be very beautiful.

While pregnant with mine, I was retold a friends awful birth and then someone I worked with had a really bad experience. Compared to them, my labour was easy. I consider it a little horrific, because I just don't think I was fully aware of how painfull it was going to be. That and they wouldn't top up my epi!!

2 weeks overdue and induced and then sent home. Started having contractions and the TENS machine did nothing for the pain. I ended up having a friend on speaker encouraging me to march out the pain (it worked) while my other half tried to work out the machine. After 6 hours I went to the hospital and told the midwife who had to check how far along I was, that I was not going home, "I don't care if I'm only a cm!" Then sitting with my feet planted on the floor refusing to let her examine me, (Oh yes I was that bad). Admited (was 4 cm) and tried Gas and Air (made me high but I still felt the pain. Ended up letting OH have a go, who found it very relaxing!) Ultimately ended up with an epidural and loved it. Sorry for those who don't. One top up 30 minutes after and for the rest of the night had slight period type pain. Even managed a little sleep!

My waters did have to be broken, but did not get the pop, did not feel anything and quite frankly didn't care. She arrived 4 hours after that. The ring of fire, is aptly named and really pissed off that they refused to give me a top up when I asked for one, just before I hit the final stages. But I understand why. Still it would have prevented the jokes I now endure about my eyes rolling back into my head (they didn't) and some kind of primal scream coming from my body (I apparently made no noise in the final stages!).

Every birth is differnt. And my friend who had the worse kind of birth ever is about to have number 2, so not totaly put off.