further to thread about good births, any good FIRST TIME birth stories?

[hostelgirl74]

Alot of the good birth stories I have come across (and there are not that many of them) tend to be people having the second and subsequent children. I expect this is cause they know went wrong before and take what action they can the 2nd time round. Also the fact that 2nd/subsequent babies are less likely to be late and you are more likely to have a shorter labour. Does anyone have any good FIRST TIME birth stories? As a first timer due anytime, these would be helpful!

Yes, me too! Started with little niggles at about 3am, just wanted to keep going for a wee. By about 6am was having contractions but nothing serious, still managed to doze. Went to hospital at about 11am and had him at 5.40pm with an episotomy and gas & air.

Have you read anything like this hostelgirl?

Most of these stories are of natural births I had an induction experience due to preeclampsia at 36+1 that was very successful. I was induced with the pessary, felt no contractions but was discovered to have dilated a few cms. Waters were broken nothing happened, then 4 hours later put on a synotcinon drip with epidural. I then slept for 8 hours (midwife checked me a couple of times but otherwise left me alone with DH). Then woke at 5am naturally as it was light and no curtains in the 5th floor room. 1 hour later midwife said start pushing - 10 minutes after this DS was born. No rips, tears, grazes, pain or panic. It was very uneventful really. I hope this time goes as well.

6.5 hours from start to finish, at home with just a TENS. Midwife arrived to tell me the head was crowning and DS born 30 minutes later at 842pm. One tear which didn't require stitches. Best bit was snuggling up in bed for the night as a family :)

My DM had wonderful births both times around. With me, her waters went, she was admitted to the labour ward in the evening and slept overnight.

The midwives wanted her to sit up to have some breakfast in the morning, but she couldn't quite get into the right position and so they checked her and she was 8cm dilated without any pain whatsoever!!

45 minutes later I was born. Utterly amazing.

Had planned homebirths with both mine, both were brilliant. 2nd time was much quicker but harder than first.

1st baby my memories are watching tv, bouncing on my ball, winter sunshine streaming into my living room. 9am 2cm, 3pm 7cm suddenly started pushing at about 3:30 and ds was there 6mins later...one wee graze.

The aftermath of hormones, new parent panic etc was overwhelming though! 2nd time much quicker (1st stage 1.5hours, 2nd stage 4mins) but more painful and intense. But again a lovely homebirth, 3grazes, much more chilled when DD was actually born.

Good luck!

Yup! It was painful and gruesome but also the biggest adrenaline rush of my life. It was exciting and I felt like a hero afterwards!!

In a nutshell:

• contractions started at 3am
• tried to keep sleeping until around 8am when I told partner
• went out for brunch! Sounds mental, but had to take mind off things
• contractions continued all afternoon
• contractions got strong in evening. Bath. Wine. Pizza delivery. Tens machine. Paracetemol.
• Went to hospital 10pm. Everyone was extremely kind.
• Pain got bad. Asked for proper drugs, only to be told "actually, you're about to have a baby so you may not need them"
• Tried gas & air. Fabulous, didn't need anything more than that. Pushed for about an hour. Baby born with just me, partner and midwife in room. Delivered kneeling.
• FELT TOTALLY FRIGGIN' INVINCIBLE!!

Dd1 was born in 2003 after a very short labour.

Woke up after waters broke at 4am. Headed in to hospital to checked over. began to get tightenings, so spent most of the time pacing the floor. At about 11am they said I could go to the delivery suite. I had one big contraction and started pushing - midwife dashed in and dd1 was born! No stitches.

Ds1 was born in 2007 at home - 2 hrs from start to finish. Dd2 also born at home exactly 4 yrs later with an almost identical labour and birth.

Good grief, I am so pleased someone started this thread (THANK YOU OP) as I have some major fears... currently 28+2 and keep burying my head in the sand.... you only ever get to hear the crappy stories!!

I am pinning my hopes on genetics... I was my mum's 3rd (so possibly doesn't quite count) but she woke up about 5am, and I was out by 8-8.30am... just in time for breakfast. At home, gas and air was late as midwife couldnt find our house!! She arrived, said where are we up to... then got gloves on and caught me! Sent my dad off to find a cutting thing and a tieing thing for the cord, and he arrived back with pinking shears and bootlaces! Gotta love my dad

Mine WILL be a couhg and it's out (yeah right) and if history is anything to go by and I get a 9 pounder, I want a 9lb ribbon please!

Thank you ladies for all of your glorious and HAPPY and NORMAL birth stories

What a fab thread! Thank you hostelgirl74 for starting it! Am due for DC1 in March and am also getting a little panicky about it. As you say, people love to tell you horror stories about their first...

read Ina May Gaskin, she includes tons of wonderful, positive birth stories in her books

I had a good first birth.

The labour was officially 3h15 minutes, with just 2 minutes of pushing. It was on the due date, to boot!

I decided that I didn't need to be in hospital so had the next three at home.

I had a wonderful first (and so far only!) birth. Planned home waterbirth, using hypnobirthing. I was 11 days 'overdue', but felt completely relaxed and happy to wait for my baby to be ready. First proper surges started about 3am, moved to the pool at about 5.

Spent the next few hours wallowing around feeling lovely and relaxed and happy. I started using a bit of gas and air during the surges, but combined it with the slow deep hypnobirth breaths, so when the midwives checked the cylinder thinking it would be nearly empty, I'd only used about a quarter.

The feeling of my baby moving down to be born was amazing - I could feel his progress with each surge. His heartbeat was steady throughout. When he crowned I felt it sting a bit. I would describe those final surges as kind of like being sick through my vagina.... that sounds a horrible way to describe something that was so wonderful, but I mean that involuntary spasm that you just have to surrender yourself to.

DS was born at about 10.30am with an apgar of 9, weighing 8lb 9oz. I had slight grazing but nothing needing any treatment.

After some cuddles, cup of tea and chocolate biscuit and a first breastfeed, DH got to have some skin to skin while my mum helped me have a bath. Then it was back to my lovely warm bed for more cuddles and breastfeeding while DH and the midwives cleared away the pool.

Happiest day of my life. I wouldn't have changed a thing