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!

mine was great, even though i couldn't have the home birth i'd originally hoped for and had to have continuous monitoring in hospital. mild contractions throughout a day of pottering around at home, ate a whole box of pasta for dinner kneeling on the floor taking bites between contractions, waters went with a pop at about 9:30pm, took a cab to the hospital arriving at 10pm (remember checking the time on Big Ben opposite the hospital), 8 cm dilated when examined, baby delivered just under 4 hours later, no tearing, just gas and air, midwives were wonderful and respected my birth plan as much as possible.

looking back, i think the pasta was key! seriously, there's no way i'd have eaten it if i'd known how close i was as i was scared of throwing up in transition (didn't happen) but i think it gave me the energy i needed!

best experience of my life. home birth. room vibrating. 13 hour labour, lovely midwives. got to listen to music I liked, smell a load of aromatherapy oils and swim around sitting room in the birth pool. Felt more in love with DH in huge waves of contractions and emotions (he was brilliant).
Got rather trippy with visualisations etc. ended up white water rafting in transition phase (!?!)
I AM WOMAN hear me ROAR.
no drugs v lucky. Beautiful baby girl.
Read Ina May Gaskins "spiritual midwifery" and believe that you too can have a hippy birth... didn't think it would work for me but converting the pain into 'birthing energy' was a revelation. good luck OP... have faith in the amazing power of your body, mind and spirit xxx

I also had a great birth (7 hours, no stiches nothing) with an epidural at 3cm dilation. The effect was wearing off just at the end so I could feel enough to push at the right moment etc. Still pretty painful! Then on my feet to go to loo a couple of hours later. Despite trauma of a premature birth, the birthing experience was wonderful and I just felt fantastic for days after.

I gave birth in France where almost everyone has epidurals and the idea of "cascade of interventions" is unheard of. I was knackered by the end, but I wonder if I would have had the energy to push if I had had hours of contractions to deal with beforehand....i'll never know

The more I hear of sisters and friends etc who hold out as long as possible before having the epi, or worse, not having it then being so traumatised with the pain they don't want another baby makes me sad and just a little bit angry that the midwives in the UK are so anti-epi. Surely women shouldn't be made to feel bad about opting for an epi IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.

I don't think UK midwives are institutionally anti-epi. I think they generally try to keep women going with G&A etc but when people want an epidural, they usually get one! Depending obviously on the availability of an anaesthetist.

i was utterly petrified before the birth of my DD, but in the end it truly was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.
My waters broke 10 days early but I didn't go into labour so I was induced - she was back to back too. I was pretty terrified. I had an epidural. And after 3 calm hours she had turned and I was 10 cms dilated. I then pushed her out in 20 minutes.
I am not joking when I say the fear of labour somewhat clouded my pregnancy. But in the end it was a calm, beautiful process. I try to share my experience with people because so many people terrified me during my pregnancy.
Good luck! x

started contractions about 3 am but was just regular twinges so kept it to myself and tried to dose ( was actually quite nice lying beside DH thinking about what was coming nice and relaxed) woke him about 7am. mum was staying for when baby came, so went to car boot sale and lunch at John lewis. I didn't eat much and kept having to go off for a walk during contractions ( don't like people around me during that type of thing and was great to walk them off) then home as were getting stronger. then needed to get out and walk ( live in centre city) so went to beach and walked. stopped at pub as needed loo ( mum and DH got a drink!) god knows whaT PEOPLE who were using at the same time thought, took me ages to get out of cublicle waiting for space between contractions and the noises i was making, ( not loud but strange grunts not a single person sent anyone in to check i was OK!) went home and spent ages in the shower ( time began to blur a bit) Mum said my noises began to change so we should head to Hosp ( mum midwife so was cool to let her call it was fab not to have to worry about that ). got there 9 cm dilated, delivered in pool myself 3 hours later. the pool was fantastic gave me space and meant people didn't crowd me ( important). no tears natural 3rd stage 25 mins later. most satisfying physical experience of my life. have a plan but be flexible to go with the flow, trust your birth partner and relax if poss.

Last labour - decorated downstairs loo (on crutches! SPD!) then watched a history programme on TV, thought, "Interesting, better walk this one off" - DH phoned mw and told her to come quickly - she arrived very shortly afterwards and I was in the kitchen leaning over the worktop - then I realised things were hotting up and I stripped off and got into the pool - 20 minutes later I gave birth to DC4 in about 3 pushes, narrating events as they happened (Boff) "Transition going to happen after I drink this apple juice" "I know" (Midwife) "Crowning about to happen now, brace yourselves people" (Boff) "I know" (Midwife). Placenta took best part of an hour to come out (boring) but straight afterwards I was in my rocking chair in the living room having a cup of tea and holding a newborn as though nothing had happened, but someone had left a baby there. Great stuff.

I've had two lovely natural births. Both in hospital but nice and low key with kind midwives. Lasted 12 hours and 10 hours but pain was v manageable for most of it. Used TENS to start with and then gas and air for pain relief. I did have a small episiotomy with my first but it healed very quickly with no problems.

I actually found giving birth very empowering. BUT people don't tell you positive birth stories because other women who have less good experiences will often say you are being smug. So you play down your experience to keep the peace. If you say being relaxed and well prepared helped you give birth you are wrong and it was purely down to luck. Of course you can be unlucky but I think there is a lot you can do to help yourself.

My birth story would probably be counted by many as a "bad" one - induced by syntocinon drip at 38 weeks due to galloping pre-eclamptic liver failure. Motionless on bed being monitored, waters broken, the whole nine yards. After feeling like I couldn't hack the pain any more (and asking how long I had to go, to be told "ooh, another 5 or 6 hours") I opted for an epidural - BEST decision I ever made - once it had kicked in, and I could see nice steady contractions on the monitor trace, I fell asleep with the words "wake me up when you need me to do something". I was prodded awake for the pushing stage, which was a bit weird given I couldn't feel anything from the abdomen down. But push I did, and with the help of the forceps, my beautiful little boy was born. They put him straight onto my chest and I wept buckets. I still well up now when I think of that magical moment. The midwife and registrar were faffing around waiting for the placenta to emerge and sewing up my episiotomy, and I wasn't aware of any of it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: even a so-called bad birth experience isn't necessarily bad. I have no lasting trauma, either physical or mental, from mine - the episiotomy healed fine, no pelvic floor problems (other than such as are to be expected from any vaginal birth), son absolutely dandy. I know it lasted 10 hours because that's what the paperwork said, but in my mind it was two, maybe three. Yes, it wasn't what I'd have chosen, but it was what had to happen to keep us both safe. The care I had was exemplary and at no point did I feel panicky or out of control (other than at the very start, when they said "we gotta induce you now, do you have your hospital bad with you?")

Hopefully, number 2 will arrive in June 2012, and I'm looking forward to it - no matter what the experience might end up being.

Agh - "bag" not "bad"!

A lot of 1st births are tough because they are longer and women often need some help delivering.
2nd and subsequent births are always easier and done with less intervention so women tend to romanticise the no intervention route whereas it tends to be more about the length of labour.
My 2 were great - the 2 best days of my life.

I had a fantastic birth and pregnancy.

After 5 miscarriages I got to 33 weeks and my medical issues and BP caught up with me, so we planned a c section for the monday.

Spinal anaesthetic, DS born, given cuddle off to NICU, saw him next day and Daddy looked after him on NICU, whilst I lay itching from the morphine and intermittently throwing up!!!

It was controlled and DS alive, kicking and now 4yrs old.

Have no regrets, no yearning for orange oil, panting, breathing or pushing. I am healthy, DS is now healthy and it was the safest option for us.

Love the docs, nurses, gasman and everyone else - I have a beaut little boy which I had given up ever having and have no regrets.

From the facts of my birth it sounds awful- contractions started at 5pm, midwife came at 2am to check me (planned homebirth) and I was 3cm so she went away again. She refused to come back again as my contractions were never closer than 7 mins apart so we ended up driving ourselves to hospital with me trying not to push in the car, waiting for an hour on labour ward as again nobody would believe I was really in labour, followed by 4 hours pushing, a ventouse and stitches in theatre.

BUT- it was amazing. The pain was always managable, with only my tens machine, and I have never felt more powerful or in control in my life. The midwives all followed my birth plan as much as they could and involved me in each decision and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. Even when I was pushing we were all chatting and laughing between contractions. I'd do it all again any day.

C-section - unplanned, some probs.

But seriously what overwhelms the experience was how lovely everyone in the hospital was, lovely midnight chats with the nice ladies I was in with, being able to text my husband little messages in the night after he'd been with us all day... and making a tent with the curtains, getting eeeeeeeverything close by:snacks, TV, phone, drinks and camping out on the ward with my GORGEOUS new baby. I chatted and chatted to her telling her about everyone she would meet and everyone who loved her. I promised that she would be loved and that when she was weaned I would always share my chocolate with her.

And the coming home bit was lovely.... we had lasagne with my sister and her partner and showed off our GORGEOUS baby.

Two delightful home births, midwives perfectly lovely before, during and after. Bf fine x2. I'd have another one if the birth was the hardest part !

My birth with DD was great even though i was terrified. I was induced at 38 weeks by having my waters broken, immediately went to 2cm and contractions started. Bounced on birthing ball for half an hour, Walked from ward to delivery suite, had gas and air, asked for morphine as it was getting quite painful, mw checked me and said i was 9cm dialated. 3 pushes later DD was born 6lb 2oz. My waters were broke at 9.30am and she was born at 11.53am :)

Both my dds(now 7 & 2.6) were born very easily and pretty quickly.

With dd1 I was in hospital to be induced about a week earlier than she was due cos they thought her growth had slowed down too much.

So I was to be induced and my consultant told me that some intervention may need to take place as he thought she would be too small to make her own way out!

But, I was very relaxed about the whole thing and when she came to induce me the midwife found that I was already 7cm dilated. I hadn't felt a thing, so at 7cm I walked from maternity to labour ward then read some mags and had a bit of a picnic with dp and my mum.

It was while bouncing on a birthing ball and eating worcester sauce crisps(!) that I suddenly felt a bit faint. The midwife checked me and said it was time to push but I still wasn't feeling the contractions so had to go off the monitor to know when to push. DD was born 1/2 an hour later.

DD2 was much the same. 3 weeks before she was due my waters broke at about 8.30 in the evening. Went to hospital at 10'ish but wasn't checked til nearly midnight. I was told the baby was back to back so kept standing up and on the move.

I had a few slight twinges over the next few hours but not alot. With dd2 I actually felt the urge to push for the first time. She was born after a few pushes, with me kneeling up on the bed, at 2.12am.

They were both mid 6 pounds, so small but not too tiny.

Although I realise that it is unusual to not feel contractions like me I think that the key is to stay as relaxed as possible. It really does help to not tense your body up. Just picture the journey the baby is making (which is not that far!), breath and STAY RELAXED.

Good luck when the time comes OP, I hope it all goes really well for you.

I am always happy to share my 3 lovely birth stories with pregnant women scared to death by other people's horror stories (really don't know why people feel compelled to tell pregnant ladies all the bad stuff!)

dd1- horrible pregnancy. My mum died when I was 11 wks preg, I was taken into hospital at 26wks with a suspected blood clot in my lung, high blood pressure throughout, just miserable. But the birth was a walk in the park!

Woke up 2am with first contraction. Ran bath. By the time bath was run, waters had broken and contractions every 3 mins. Woke DH. Very funny period of watching DH run around flapping like Basil Fawlty. Got to hospital about 3.30am, used pool for pain relief, nice and quiet, just DH, 1 junior mw and me. At about 5am-ish, felt I had to get out of pool. Junior MW insistant I had hours to go. I insisted on a number between 1 and 10, found to be 9! Rushed to delivery room, dd1 born 6am (4 hours after 1st contraction!), no tears, no trauma.

dd2- better pregnancy. Same scenario- woke 2am (seems to be the time I like to go into labour!), folded washing waiting for dad to arrive to babysit, off to hospital, pool again. Joking with DH between contractions, lots of funny moments. this time when I told MW I had to get out, she calmy told to get on and do what I felt. DD2 born 5.40, with me on hands and knees. I saw her first and cut her cord myself. No tears, really lovely relaxed birth

ds- was expecting 2 hour labour, so bit disappointed, having woken at, yup, you've guessed it, 2am (!!) that he wasn't here by 4am! He was back to back, and a bit bigger, so ended up being my longest labour at 4h 40mins- hardly terrible!

I would give birth over and over if I didn't have to endure the 9mths of pregnancy beforehand, so, for you OP, the hardest bit is over. Good luck

Joolyjoolyjoo, couldn't agree with you more, I could do it all over again except for the 9 months beforehand ! Pregnancies were not so great, first time, had loads of aches and pains, but midwife said these were just due to 'muscles relaxing'. Had similar during second pregnancy but went to see osteopath (recommended by friend) at 6 months and I could not believe it when pain went away completely !!! I wish I had gone to see him earlier, it felt like a miracle. He realigned whatever was out of sync and I could walk and sleep again. He said that muscles do relax but unless you reposition, they get strained and that is what was causing the pain. One session, no more pain.

Back to births, first child born in hospital, I was naturally terrified at the prospect, but thankfully, due to amazing pregnancy yoga classes, I breathed my way through and used gas'n'air to deliver beautiful baby. My second birth was water birth in a birthing centre, so only midwives, no doctors, no epidurals, no c-sections. Anything like that would need a trip to the nearest hospital with maternity unit which was about 15 mins away in an ambulance. Again, breathed through, felt totally in control and delivered another gorgeous bundle of joy.

I could happily do the births all over again, amazing what our bodies can do, that's what they are designed for. Tell us how you get on.

I had alovely birth with my first. I went in to hosp 3 days prior to due date with high protien in urine and blood. Was admitted for induction following morning. I awoke in hospital at 0200 had bad cramping pain, told m/w who said try to get some sleep. I carried on having pains until 4am I went back to nurses station and explained pain was worse and quicker. Internal showed I was 5 cm!!! I rang dp who arrived at 0530 Transferred to labour ward at 0600. baby born at 0700!!! protien resolved within 2 days and went home. I loved every minute of it no time for pain killers or anything fabulous birth fabulous care. 2nd child birth story I wont share here !!

DD1 was ok. Went for an epidural as needed to push but wasn't dilated enough. That got me a break to recover and then I pushed her out in about three pushes.

With DD2 I was 12 days over due date and it was in a heatwave so went for an induction which worked fine (had been having loads of contractions in the previous few days so think she was about ready to come out).

Had G&A for about 6 hours of contractions then waters broke and she was born with one almighty push at 2.30am. She was 9lbs 14 but I was fine, no stitches. Both of us went to sleep then got up, checked over by midwife and home by lunchtime eating my mums soup and introducing DD2 to her big sister.

This will sound corny and daft but it was one of the best days of my life.

All the best with your baby.

I had a magical birth...18hrs, no pain relief at all & used the birthing pool & aromatherepy oils. Eventually baby decided he wasn't coming out so had spinal block & forceps delivery. The surgical team were amazing. Trust your body, it kind of knows what to do. Anticipating labour is somehow worse than enduring it. Agree with other posters about keeping upright...I spent most of the labour on my knees...and stay positive. Ignore horror stories & think the best. Pain tends to worsen with fear. And honestly do think of why you'll be going through it. You'll meet your baby and it will all be worth it. I was terrified of childbirth but it was actually one of the best experiences of my life. Best of luck!

My waters went at 11:30pm, then contractions started about 1am. Got really bad,.. so went to hospital about 8am. Got there, threw up everywhere and then contractions stopped completely. Went home, was leaning forwards over chair etc alot cos DS was 'back-to-back'. Had to get him to shift up and round. Went to bed for a nap about 11am, took 2 paractamol. Woke about 6pm, nedding to push. Got to hospital at 6:35pm, went straight into pushing and baby at 7:04pm, just lying on the bed. No painkillers other than the 2 paracetamol in the morning, didn't have time, but didn't need to really. My only issue was that the contractions were really irregular, even at the end. The midwife did have to push on my stomach a little when he was half out cos I didn't have a contraction for 3 mins. But that was the only touching I remember. They never examined me, because my waters had gone, risk of infection etc, so I hvae no idea how dilated I was in the morning when we went in.
I really enjoyed it actually, even though I never got the water birth I wanted. Opting for a homebirth next time because it was so easy, hope it's the same again.
Hope it goes well for everyone else.
x

Both my births were wonderful!
Only pain relief with the first was a TENS machine, 8 hours from start to finish with only 30 mins of pushing and slight tearing.
2nd birth - very fast, 2.5 hours from waters breaking - tiny bit of gas and air and TENS machine for pain relief, 2 pushes (one for head, one for body) and no stitches needed.
I am very lucky, but I think a lot of it is state of mind - keep positive and calm and hopefully you'll have a lovely birth too!!

After the first birth, I spent a lot more time researching and learnt from my first experience. I knew I wanted to try a drug free birth and to be more active for my next labour.

This thread really helped me to keep positive and I read as many positive stories elsewhere as I could.

I relaxed more, learnt how to breath, visualise and relax during contractions.
I got to 5cm dilated before the contractions felt strong enough to not be able to talk through them. Kept upright to let gravity do it's thing, used the ball a lot and had about 2 hours of strong contractions. Pushing stage lasted 7 mins and it mightve been faster but I kept seeking reassurance from the mw that it was okay to push as I was afraid of tearing like the first time.

I never got to use the TENS or gas as I was just so focused inwards during the contractions that the urge to push came much sooner than I had expected.

Positive thinking was key for me. Luck also played a big part but then my first birth was straight forward too. However, I thought it was going to be horrible going in and never gave myself a chance.