So scared abo birth - positive stories please.

[Showgirl109]

After measuring big at my last 2 midwife appointments I am being sent for a growth scan. Started to google big babies which is a terrible idea! I am terrified of giving birth and all I hear is scary stories of things that have gone wrong.

So in an effort to feel more positive let's have any positive birth stories. I'm not trying to gloss over the pain and very much understand that it will not be sunshine and roses but REALLY need to focus on the positives! Thank you in advance!

[MoonHare]

-Read 'birth skills' by ju ju sundin
-There's a website called tellmeagoodbirthstory.com

• drink plenty of raspberry leaf tea from 36 wks, helps make contractions more effective apparently, think it worked for me
  
• remember it's just one day out of your life and it brings the biggest joy you will ever know into your life
  

3 positive birth stories for me. All straight forward, no pain relief needed, 2 of them home births.

[Terrifiedandregretful]

I second birth skills by Juju Sundin. I can't praise it highly enough! I found labour to be like terrible period pain followed by terrible constipation. Painful but perfectly manageable using the skills from the book. I have very fond memories of my labour.

[WiMoChi]

I had a negative birth experience... Until I got to push and it was absolutely lovely. The best part (19 mins) and could feel her coming out and twist and every move. Wonderful, and pushing isn't as bad as id thought it was going to be. Wonderful X

[WiMoChi]

Ooh I also had an episiotomy. Didn't feel it, didn't even feel them stitching me up and healed just perfectly.

[Oysterbabe]

The birth of my pfb didn't go to plan but was absolutely fine. Waters broke at 4am and 4 weeks early. Went into hospital and they wanted to keep me in and induce if labour didn't start on its own. Started getting some back pain around 5pm. It got worse and worse and kicked in every 3-4 minutes but was still OK, I just breathed through each bout and then chilled. They examined me at about 7:45pm and I was 6cm. I was really surprised because it really hadn't been that bad. They said they would examine me again in 3 or 4 hours but at about 8:30pm my contractions felt completely different, they were suddenly in my tummy not my back, we're intense and rippled down my body. So they examined me again and I was fully dilated. The baby's heart rate started to dip a bit too low with each contraction so they wanted to get her out fast. They attached a ventouse to her head and with some pushing from me and pulling by them she popped out at 9:05pm. I had one tiny first degree tear which they stitched and no pain relief required. It really wasn't as painful as I'd expected and it obviously hasn't put me off as DD is only 6 months and I'd love another asap :)

[MaGratgarlik1983]

I was worried about giving birth and although it hurts it's manageable with gas and air. You feel so happy and so pleased to finally meet this mew person that the endorphins take over. Good luck :)

[dats]

I'm not sure anyone needed to hear that, but thanks

[Showgirl109]

Thanks everyone well apart from dilemma that's exactly the sort of scaremongering that I wanted to avoid on this thread. 🙄

Thank you so much for all of your stories, I have found it really reassuring.

[fauxhito]

I've had three babies. The toughest was the smallest. The easiest birth was dd2 and she was 8 lbs 15. The bigger they are, the easier to push out.

[iniquity]

I had an emsc and a ventouse delivery, so on paper not the best births. They were both fine and I would do it all again. Was a bit sore after both, but healed perfectly.

[pfrench]

Well, mine didn't go according to plan - I ended up with an epidural after two nights of labour and almost 12 hours in a birthing pool - there was a change of shift and being hauled around to get checked out at that point just broke my 'zone'. BUT, it was fine really - it hurt a lot until the epidural, I tore and had stitches, but I was home quickly and could have ridden a bike after two weeks.

[Griffs123]

People definitely love to tell a gruesome story (or 12) to pregnant ladies. I remember telling everyone 'I don't want to know' before they started speaking if I knew where it was going.

I had my little girl 4 years ago at local birth centre. I had a straight forward labour and wet in to established at around 4pm. Did some labouring in the pool and around 10.30pm my waters broke and noticed that she'd passed meconium. They were just about to send me to hospital as I was only 7cm when I felt this crazy need to push. I only had 4 co-codamol throughout labour. I pushed and pushed and she came out like a little pink torpedo. Wet from 7cm to having her within 45 mins. It was magic. I didn't do birth classes or anything but have been told they're really nice but personally I didn't want to focus on the pain. My thoughts were she's coming out and that's that. Try not to worry. It will all be a memory before you know it :) Good Luck!

[MetalMidget]

After measuring big at my last 2 midwife appointments I am being sent for a growth scan. Started to google big babies which is a terrible idea! I am terrified of giving birth and all I hear is scary stories of things that have gone wrong.

Firstly, don't worry about having a mega baby from the fundal height measuring - I had exactly the same, with the estimated weight of the baby massively spiking up from the previous scans. Was sent for a growth scan, and it turns out my bump is just measuring big - the boy is nicely on the estimated curve set from the earlier scans!

Secondly, both of my sister-in-laws had 9lb + babies via water and hypnobirthing, and didn't need stitches (despite being short arses, and the one being a tiny size six). I'm hoping to follow in their footsteps!

[29redshoes]

Mine was only nine weeks ago so it is still fresh in my mind! It was honestly fine. Obviously it really hurts but you get through it and the end result is worth it.

I was like you, terrified of having a big baby. As it turned out DD's head was on the 98th percentile so yes she was indeed big, but she came out naturally and although I tore (of course) it's healed really well. Basically feel back to normal now.

Before I gave birth I read all the horror stories on mumsnet, I scared myself silly looking at old threads when I was on maternity leave. Now I know a few more "real life" mums my theory is that a small minority of people have nightmare births, a small minority have wonderful fairytale births but for most people it's just something you grit your teeth and get on with to get to the good bit!

[Ummusomebody]

Another positive one here. I'd been having on & off pains for like 2 nights before. So asked DH not to go to work. Due to pick my mum from the airport at 11 and although I didn't want to go, DH convinced me to come along saying we'd be back home soon. Ended up in the airport for 8 hours (missed connecting flight, delayed flight then missing luggage). By the time my mum arrived I was having proper contractions. It didn't help that I absolutely didn't look pregnant whilst sitting so apparently it just looked like I was making wierd noises to everyone. Told DH I think we need to go to the hospital but he wasn't convinced. Missed our way a couple of times on the way back. The 70 mins journey turned into 90+. Got home and went upstairs - 2nd floor of a masionaite, which I think finally did it. By then I couldn't stand still. DH was like have some dinner then we'd go. He went to put my bag in the car at this point I was rolling on the floor so dinner got cancelled quickly.
Went in, got told by a stroppy midwife I was "only 2cm" and couldn't have epidural. I wanted to kill her but thought I'd reserve it for when she asks me to go home. Lucky enough for her she didn't. Taken to early labour ward, and put on G&A , then some pethidine. After 3 hours told OH to go fetch the midwives as I felt the G&A had ran out. But he insisted they'd check me in 30 mins anyway and said it's unlikely the G&A was finished. Got examined and got whisked away to the labour ward as I was fully!!! Had baby about 30 mins later. Tore slightly but home that afternoon. First baby as well.
I'd been worried prior to that regarding CQC rating of the hospital I was using. I don't think I noticed where I was and what anyone was doing Tbh. And didn't need to do the postnatal ward so win win.
You'd be fine OP

[LillianFullStop]

Wow Ummusomebody your DH sounds really easy going - was this your first baby? I can imagine my DH and I freaking out over every little niggle!

Win on missing out on the postnatal ward nightmare - did they check baby was latching on before sending you home?

[Ummusomebody]

@LillianF, it was both our first baby. He has this belief that if you're positive enough you can make things work which sometimes us annoying. I remember him saying that he doesn't want me to stay in hospital and I as a healthcare professional insisting as my first baby, they probably won't let me go home. How wrong I was.
Yes they checked to make sure baby was latching properly before sending us on our way

[LillianFullStop]

ummusomebody a solid and positive person is always useful in those situations!

good to know re: being discharged after bfeed support. I would want to be discharged asap too unless I can get a private room (wards terrify me) but my only niggle is that I don't know the first thing about breastfeeding and would like some help before being sent on my way.

[directyourcall]

I've found this thread really helpful too. I'm 39 weeks and really ready for baby to be born now but feel like I've had my head in the sand a bit. We thought we couldn't have kids so I've spent the whole pregnancy worrying about getting to 12 weeks... Then 24... Making sure baby is moving... Now all of a sudden its like omg the birth.