Any positive first time birth stories?

[ilovepuppys]

Am so nervous of giving birth! Am only 23 weeks but please reassure me with any positive experiences 

I went into labour 'prematurely' at 35 weeks and was terrified... but despite that (and becoming 'high risk' as a result) I would still say it was a totally positive experience.

I was so nervous whilst pregnant and found hypnobirthing amazing, in fact I'd say it made me not fear birth or labour and I felt calm and in control throughout. It helped me physically and mentally, I'd definitely recommend if you're someone who is nervous.

I had ds in May and felt quite nervous about labour but really focused on letting go of those nerves so that I could be relaxed when I went in labour and I think that helped a lot! I didn't really have an early labour, I started having quite painful and frequent contractions around 2/3am. Arrived at the hospital around 5am, was 5cm dilated.
My son was born at 9:16am! He was absolutely fine and handed straight to me. No tears or intervention. Gas and air and pethidine for pain relief. In hindsight I regret the pethidine as I think I could have done without it, and it didn't really help with pain for me.
I'm quite small and baby was 7lbs14 but it all went incredibly smoothly and I look back on it as a positive experience!

Congratulations and don't worry!

And I second hypnobirthing. I didn't practise it, but a few friends found it amazing! I was given a booklet of breathing strategies and visualisations to help with the pain and I applied those when in labour. Would definitely look into it.

DD1 - planned home birth - waters broke stroke of midnight. Rang MW who said ah, you'll be ages, get some sleep. Went to bed but some niggles started off and couldn't sleep. Paced corridor, niggles worse. I knew they were not contractions as only in my cervix. Eventually DH said.... you know, I've been timing these niggles and they are 90 seconds apart. Shall we ring MW again?

We did and she set out, about a 30 min journey. I started to say to DH, look like this quite hurty and how am I going to cope when real contractions start? Maybe I should transfer to hospital?
He went downstairs to look out for the MW. My body started pushing. I thought fuck, wait, this is actually full labour. The MW arrived. I delivered DD as she ran up our stairs.

Painless 2nd degree tear, healed fast, never experienced a proper contraction!

Oh yeah, and I also hypnobirthed. Also for my twins. I was induced with them and needed no pain relief at all. Hypnob'd religiously throughout that pregnancy.

You might want to check out the positive birth movement and the positive birth book. Loads of great stories out there.

Lovely first birth here! I had stop start contractions for a few nights, then a sweep at 39+6. Labour started after that. I laboured at home for about 12 hours, with a TENS machine. Went to the MLU, was in the pool for awhile until I felt the need to push. I went from 3cm to 10cm in about 4 hours. I asked for pethidine in transition, not because I couldn’t manage but because I thought I had hours left Inn labour!
Pushing took awhile as DD1 was back to back, but she turned and came quickly after that. I just had a 1st degree tear and remember thinking I could totally do it again while being stitched up!
DD2, not so easy but I think it’s was down to stress!

Mine wasn’t very nice but it was only 24 hours out of my life and it’s the sort of experience that you forget after a while. The emergency c-section part was lovely, I’ve never felt so calm.

What has the greatest long term impact is not that short period of being in labour, but how you recover in the weeks and months afterwards. Two women can have the same 24 hour labour but the one who recovers quickly and returns to normal will view it much more positively than the one who had permanent damage and needed reconstructive surgery and physiotherapy etc.

Straightforward first birth here, it was long and not something I was in a rush to repeat, but nothing that left me petrified of doing it again.

Was about 30 hours from start of contractions to delivery, contractions still weren't consistently frequent or long enough after 18 hours so I went for a walk (with great difficulty!) and it sped things up substantially. We then drove into hospital who said I was 4-5cm and I opted to go to the birth centre. Wanted to get in the pool but room wasn't available at that point so was in another room for about 4-5 hours with tens + gas & air. When pool room became available, I went straight in and was ready to start pushing, baby was delivered less than 30 minutes later. Had a second degree tear which was horrible to have stitched but healed perfectly and wasn't even noticeable a month later.

Have a plan of what you would like to happen in ideal circumstances but be open to all options. If you want labour without medication, look at strategies for coping with contractions (hypnobirthing is a good one) and try stay as fit as you can in pregnancy (health permitting of course). Having a straightforward labour is more than 80% luck but it really does help to be prepared and mobile right until the end.

I had a great first birth last year, and I'm definitely an advocate of hypnobirthing!

I went into labour in the evening of 40+6 and my beautiful baby girl arrived 21 hours later. I stayed at home all night, sleeping and bathing, and went into hospital in the morning when my contractions went crazy! I had a heart problem throughout pregnancy so had to be monitored constantly in hospital but it was absolutely fine - I didn't need any pain relief at all, just listened to my hypnobirthing water soundtrack. I needed a bit of help at the end so had a forceps delivery.

Today's actually my due date with number 2, and although I'm apprehensive about birth (he's a biggie!!), I know it can go well. I was absolutely terrified the first time around but don't have that fear today.

Best of luck to you!

My first birth was a natural delivery and wasn't without its issues... but...once that baby is in your arms nothing else matters! Whether a vaginal or section us women are amazing!

Sorry haha not sure why it put those bottles on the end of my post! Was supposed to be smiley faces

Planned home birth with DS and planning on home birth in Dec with #2. 16 hours in total. First half was relieved by warm bath and it was 8 hours from contractions starting before I phoned for the midwife. No tear and used nitrous, TENS and paracetamol. Did ask for section in transition though.

Just wanted to add a slightly different (but equally positive) experience to those who had easy births. If you don’t want any details stop reading now, but i think it will really help!

On paper my labour didn’t go as planned - I had meconium in my waters so needed constant monitoring so couldn’t use the pool. Baby then got stuck and I had a failed ventouse followed by forceps. Also had a second degree tear and needed stitches afterwards. But.....

None of that was anywhere near as bad as I had imagined they would be when I thought about them beforehand. I just had gas and air and dealt with the pain fine. The forceps were fine - I honestly didn’t really know what was going on down there! My stitches healed perfectly, I wasn’t in any real pain as I recovered and haven’t suffered any issues since. My recovery was MILES better and easier than friends who had Caesarians for example.

I guess my point is that even with a non straight forward birth it was a hugely positive experience. I’m 22 weeks with number 2 and am excited about the prospect of giving birth again!

I just gave birth 2 weeks ago for the first time,,
It was long (24 hours) but when your going through it, it goes really fast! My babu was back to back so it was more painful than a normal birth but it was all amazing! I loved experience overall and would do it again in a heartbeat if I could feel themoment my son arrived again,,,I was also petrified of being cut or tearing but that wasn't badeither,so I now know for next time there's nothing to be afraid of :) xx

Planned home birth for first baby - TENS machine and birth pool - was just wonderful , i was lucky it was very easy and straightforward. I had HG so when I toured the hospital I felt even sicker because of the different smells so went for a home birth instead.

Another vote for hypnobirthing! And for waterbirths. And for home births too.

First birth 5 hours start to finish, at home, in the birthpool, didn’t need to push, body just did it. No drugs, no stitches.

Second birth, labour took a bit longer to get going but once it did, 5 hours again. Needed a bit more effort on my part, but again in thr pool, no drugs, no stitches.

I am sure that mindset plays a big part.

I had a positive experience. Went in with an open mind and just let the midwives guide you. They know best. What ever they do will be in the best interests of you and your baby.

My labour was long, I was pushing for a long time, nearly had forceps and had a 2nd degree tear but as I had no expectations, all of that just didn't matter as I had my perfect daughter safe in my arms. The same day I have birth I said to my husband id do it all again tomorrow to have another!!

Birth is inevitable and however it happens, as long as you have a safe baby, that's really all that matters. You will heal and you will forget. And you have your baby forever!

To be honest I think we focus too much on the birth. If at the end you have a healthy, happy baby in your arms, nothing else matters as much as you think it will.
My first birth ended with a Cs but it was absolutely fine. Not what I wanted, but honest fine. The moment they handed me my baby I couldn't care less which exit she'd taken

I had a positive first birth. I was panicking in the weeks leading up to the birth. Then when the day came I felt so relaxed and "in the zone". Just kept telling myself that every contraction was bringing me closer to meeting my baby. And I kept an open mind about pain relief. There are no prizes for having a drug free labour!

I ended up with gas and air and one diamorphine shot. As PP has said I also took a diamorphine shot during transition as I thought labour was going to go on much longer. It made me so sick. I regretted taking it afterwards but at that stage I felt I couldn't cope without something.

Waters broke at 10am. Contractions started within the hour. DS delivered before 11pm that night. I dilated quite quickly but had a long pushing stage. No tears or injuries.

Good luck OP. Wishing you a safe and positive delivery.

What really surprised me was that it was such a relief to be pushing!! Definitely the best bit for me.

Mine was brilliant - birth pool and gas and air was the best combo.

Tried to do the second without the gas and air and really struggled with it!