Pregnancy after previous traumatic birth

[shakeyospeare]

Hello!

I'm just after some experiences/advice before I decide whether or not I should speak to my midwife or not.

When I had my youngest, I had a pretty traumatic labour - baby was back to back, there was a LOT of meconium when my waters broke, her heart rate dropped, and I was rushed into a new room with 8 midwives and doctors (later told I wouldn't have made it to the theatre for a c-section), and then a ventouse was used. Baby was born with cord around her neck but all turned out okay.

I'm now pregnant and I've never really dwelled on my previous birth because it was just what it was. Baby was okay, I was okay, and I thought that would be it.

Has anyone had any experiences like this and then gone on to have a drama free birth? I always dreamed of having a water birth but I'm worried this is a pipe dream.

Thank you

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Hey, my first I felt was quite traumatic for me - nothing actually went wrong and no medical issues/interventions so to say it was traumatic some may feel is over dramatic but to me it was...

I was young (22) it was my first and it was very long - Sunday night - contractions starting around 11.30pm and I had him as 3.45pm on weds. I was sent home several times as I wasn't progressing fast - I was 3cm when I went in, but I didn't reach 4/5cm to be classed as active labour until the Tuesday, but I was having strong, regular contractions 2-3 mins apart from the Sunday. As I wasn't in active labour the hospital wouldn't let me have any pain relief it was only finally on the Tuesday after they agreed I was in severe pain that they let me have it.

Anyway this time round I woke with contractions at 4.30am strong but 5-6 mins apart, I rang the hospital thinking I will be checked over and sent home, by the time I got there at 5.30am I was having contractions every 2 minutes - went straight to the MLU where the birth pool was already set up and ran for me and the whole thing was over in 4 hours 27 minutes from waking up to having a baby in my arms :) x

Oh, that sounds a lovely ending!

I've ordered 'The Positive Birth Book' and am hoping that this time 'round I can have my lovely chilled, water birth with no interventions, no horrible gas and air sickness, and no sitting on the toilet wailing, "I need a poooooo!" when actually, I was ready to push... One can only hope!

Hi there! My first birth Similar to yours my DD shoulders got stuck, heart rate dropping, cord was wrapped around her neck ended up using forceps they didn't work so had to use the suction cup after being cut . When I found out I was pregnant again I did nothing but panic about the birth.
But when I had my second all was fine, labour for ten hours from first contraction, she was facing the right way so didn't get stuck and no cord around her neck. Couldn't have asked for it to go better.

I hope this time round goes great for you too!

I don't have experience of a traumatic birth (although 40 hours of contracting every 10 minutes was pretty shit) but I would highly recommend doing a natal hypnotherapy course or something similar. I did it and it focuses loads on how to prepare for pain and the fear of pain and how to cope when things don't go to plan. I am mega resistant to hypnosis so that part of it didn't really work, but the prep was fantastic.

Ps just read your last post, that was me too! I wouldn't leave the loo at home coz I was convinced I needed to poo, but now realise I needed to push! The 30 minute drive to the hospital was interesting... I was 10cm when I arrivedn