Birth stories

[Holiday16]

Hi, I am only 20 weeks pregnant but I am already worrying about the birth. Please can you share your labour experiences as I have no idea what to expect. My partner already has a child so he kinda does know what happens and I don't want to go in completely clueless. Thanks in advance x

Hellooo,

Everyone’s labour is completely different.
My daughter was two weeks late, and labour never bothered me until My midwife told me to do the deed to get things started and I was like oh my god no, this baby’s got to come out. I ended up having a sweep, the day after my waters broke, I had a epidural as I just couldn’t stand the pain and also my partner...and that feeling still hasn’t gone 5 years later lol, she was Bron via foreceps. You are so desperate to get the baby out it’s all a blur when it’s over. It’s so hard to explain and so strange, but I spent every minute just not taking anything in.. I didn’t really get to experience it like some other people would.
Gas and air works for some people and others it doesn’t. You will just have to see what suits you when it happens.

Good luck!

If you are feeling nervous about it I would massively recommend taking an approach if seeking out varying positive birth stories! If you want to hear about different experiences - something like the gas and air blog has lots I think, and I have also done the London Hypnobirthing audio course (which is currently half price at about £40 I think) as it's really just about being informed and feeling in control (you can still take your choice of pain relief and have a hypnobirthing approach, it's not all breathing the baby out in water lit by candlelight!). Oh and don't watch one born every minute 🤣

I managed to convince myself that labour would be amazing and exciting. I couldn't wait. And it was! I would do it again in a heatbeat (or approx feb'20).
I didn't know I was in labour and had gone in for a sweep at 40+6 and was told I couldn't go home as I was 5cm dilated. So there I was in no pain, couldn't feel a thing. There was a birthing pool so I was in that just chilling out really (I was definately trying to have a swim). Eventually I had my waters broke and then all the pain came, It was awful! I was transfered from the birthing unit to the labour ward at the hospital 20mins away via ambulance as I wasn't progressing, Had an epidural and slept for a few hours. Woke up, had a baby. 28hours it took from the 5cm sweep to birth. It was awesome! So excited to do it again. Even though it hurt like crazy it was a great experience and it was empowering knowing I would only get to do it 2-3 times in my lifetime. For me the worst bit was the stitches afterwards and when they examine you to see how dilate you are. They hurt terribly. Good Luck and don't worry!

I was in the 8% or so of women whose waters break without contractions. As nothing happened for 24 hours we had a very weird, non-urgent drive to hospital the day after for induction. I had a propess at 1pm, walked around the hospital for a bit, contractions at 4.30pm, a plate of sausage and mash at 5pm. Then they were getting really close together. Beware of midwives who don't believe you are in active labour because you aren't screaming - I had to really insist I was examined, then was transferred to delivery at about 6.30pm, 4cm dilated. I was 10cm at 7.30pm and gave birth with a tens machine and a few puffs of gas and air just before 8. I would describe it as "fine". The hard bit is the week after birth!

I had slight period pain & back ache from 8pm ... rang hospital at 11:30 they told me to stay put and I was probably 2cm ..... demanded to be driven to hospital at 12:30 as the pain started to get worse; but it was all in my back - got to hospital at 1:01 and my daughter was born at 1:11am - she was already frowning as I was stood by maternity doors
I remember is as a burning when I pushed her head out; but I had no pain relief as there wasn't time so .... would do it again :-)

*crowning 😂

2 v positive birth stories here.
Both born at home (2.5 years apart) in birthing pool.
1st one took 36 hours no pain relief as I was told it would feel like I was dying so I kept the gas and air for that. I never felt like I was dying. Had gas and air for my stitches.
2nd one v fast 3cm at 12noon he was born at 1.05pm.
No gas and air. No time. Midwife only just made it in time. 👍

First child, my labour started with a little niggle here and a small cramp there while out on a dog walk about 2pm. Knew it was the start, I was 39+4. Went home, had a lie Down, tried to rest, had a bath, tried to get some sleep. Things ramped up at around 2am and I started to panic, dp rang the hospital who told me to take 2 paracetamol, I'll cant remember the exact ramble of expletives I shouted at that advice 😂..... Went to the hospital around 4am, was admitted at 4cm. Had gas and air then diamorphine, napped in between contractions, Daughter was born 2pm with only a couple of pushes, So 24 hours from first little uncomfortable pain to having her in my arms.

Second child. 40+8, booked in for induction the next day, searched online for labour inducing dances, found a stupid one on YouTube, dd and I had a good laugh copying it around 5pm. By 7pm started to get uncomfortable pain put daughter to bed, had a nap, had a shower, rang hospital who told me to wait at home for as long as possible and I was exaggerating the pain I was in as contractions don't last that long (was getting them back to back and dp wasn't sure when one was finishing and the next starting to time them accurately) ended up going to hospital anyway to get checked over at 3.45am, got admitted at 9.5cm and Ds was born at 4.15am. 10ish hours start to finish.

Think I coped second time round as I remembered to breath through the pain, not hold my breath and I didn't panic which helped loads.

Good luck! Hope all is well and no stories scare you.

I'd recommend listening to some birth story podcasts like Big Birth Junkie and The Birth Hour. There's so many wonderful and informative stories there :)

Baby 1 I had a sweep the day after I was due...contractions every 5 minutes until 11am the following day. Then thought my waters had gone so went to the hospital. I was 5cm. Turns out it was only my hind waters so ended up having my waters broken. Back to back labour with diamorphine and an episiotomy. Was sick a lot but was fine, mostly just exhausting.

Number 2 got to the hospital around 9 and was 4cm. Had him in the pool at 11.25! Was amazing, so empowering! Would do it again in a heartbeat!

I didn't find labour in any way unbearable, if that helps! It was hard work, but not agonising.

My waters broke before I had any contractions, which was weird (I felt them pop!), and then contractions gradually amped up. I echo a previous poster, though: don't be fobbed off by midwives who don't believe you're in active labour because you aren't screaming. I didn't scream at any point (well, not until the forceps, but that's a different matter!) and I was treated like a FTM who had no idea what she was doing and couldn't possibly be in labour - it meant I wasn't even seen until I'd been fully dilated for ages, just because I could cope with the contractions. If you feel you need to be seen, don't be afraid to make a fuss until you are!

Forceps aren't fun, but all in all, it was okay. I'm fine, for the most part (3 months post-partum); baby is fine; it's okay.