I gave birth to DS1 in Belgium. Was taken in for induction on the Sunday night, failed to progress so was sent home on the Monday. Went back in on the Tuesday night, two lots of gel overnight, followed by syntocin around midday on the Wednesday. Contractions came on like a steam train so opted for an epidural (no G&A, pethidine etc in Belgium - epidural or nothing!). Had slight fright around 17.00ish when DS heart rate dropped and was prepped for emergency CS but it came back up and we carried on waiting to dilate. MW said she would check me again at 19.00 but at 18.45 told her I could feel alot of pressure (even with full epidural) and I was fully dilated, so off we went to delivery suite. Started pushing at 19.00, DS born at 19.11 (with episiotomy - they prefer to cut rather than let you tear in Belgium).
Not a positive birth story for some? Two rounds of induction? It was fine, I trusted my consultant. Panic when DS heart rate dropped and was prepped for section ? yes of course, but in the end it didn?t have to happen. Epidural slows things down? I dilated very rapidly towards the end and was only pushing for 11 minutes. What I am trying to say is that in the vast majority of cases it probably won?t turn out just like you put down in your birth plan but be flexible and go with the flow ? I had great intentions of bouncing around on a birthing ball and using breathing techniques to get through it ? but you know what, it didn?t turn out that way and it didn?t matter one jot ? I have never felt that I could have had a more positive or better birth experience.
Am now 34+5, this time in Bahrain and looking forward to doing it all again ? whatever way it happens. It looks like it might need a section which I am a little disappointed about as I was actually looking forward to the whole labour thing again ? mad cow that I am!
We are all encouraged to write our birth plans these days ? and they are a great thing as they make you investigate, explore, consider your various options and try to make some choices before you go into labour ? but they have to come with a caveat ? labour and birth is not predictable, so you have to be flexible. It does worry me that they set so many of us up to ultimately be disappointed in our birth experience ? who in their right mind would write a birth plan that included labouring for 48 hours followed by an emergency section? But if that?s what ends up happening, and as long as you and DC are ok at the end of it, it?s the same outcome as a 2 hour, ?didn?t even realise I was in labour till I felt the urge to push and then DC popped out?.
I don?t post often and I might not dare to post again after this, but I feel very strongly that although childbirth is not a competition, it is often portrayed as such, or rather perceived as such. Whatever birth you have ? fast, slow, with or without pain relief, natural or section - you are the one who did it, you became a mother, and that?s the best feeling in the world.