Positive first time stories

[chipscheesegravy]

Hi everyone,

Just wondered if anyone would be happy to share their positive stories on their first? All I seem to hear are the horror stories and people keep saying to me oh your first is the worst etc.

Just need to hear some positivity!

Hi OP! Congratulations on your (impending?) baby!

I had my DD in a birthing pool with no pain relief (tried gas and air but it made me feel sick). There were less than two hours between my water breaking and delivering her. Whilst I wouldn’t say it’s the most fun thing I’ve ever done it certainly wasn’t as bad as I’d feared!

Aw thank you ☺️ I'm 29 weeks so still quite a bit to go but starting to think a lot more about the birth now! Thank you for sharing!

Definitely agree that all you hear is horror stories. People with positive stories tend to be quite reluctant to tell them so that they don’t make anyone who had a bad experience feel worse!

My first was a positive experience. I went 16 days overdue but everything was so ‘ready’ down there that I just had my waters broken to get things going. Wasn’t allowed the pool as was overdue but couldn’t have cared less. Had about 6 hours of irregular contractions (was difficult to manage but just had g&a) then my body just started pushing her out. 45 mins later she was born, 10lbs, and a 2nd degree tear. Overall surprisingly quick and not too much damage for such a whopper!

#2 due any day now so hoping for something similar or better! Best of luck to you!

My 1st was quite good 6 hours total just gas and air 1 slight tear that didnt bother me at all. Was up after birth in about an hour 😊

Hind waters broke around 7am, hospital around 9am where they decided to keep me in due to waters. Started getting uncomfortable around 2.30, examined at 3 and realised I was 9cm so they ran me down to the delivery suite where they broke the forewaters, baby was born by 3.30pm. Spent one night on the ward to monitor blood loss and home by lunch next day.

I’d a mostly lovely experience with the birth of my first 😊
I was induced as I was two weeks overdue and high blood pressure. That wasn’t fun. It meant contractions just never stopped!
But it was manageable and I just kept focusing on my breathing.
Someone told me the first part (contractions) feels like you need to do a huge poo. That’s exactly how it felt for me. The second part (birthing the baby) is a burning feeling but it doesn’t last too long and you know you’re about to meet your love 💗
Keep an open mind if you can. It’s an amazing experience.

I have only had one babe and I was an older mum. I was induced in the morning and watched Wimbledon during the afternoon and evening! The co tractions seemed to gather speed and I thought it might be time for an epidural. When I mentioned it the midwife said "goodness no time for that baby will soon be here! (I must admit to a feeling of panic here! However, within two hours my daughter was born, gas and air and no stitches. After the birth I was so full of energy that I wanted to walk to the bathroom but was not allowed. A positive experience all around. Hope it is the same for you.

chipscheesegravy - also one of my favourite meals

Just gas and air here, contractions for six hours, pushed for two. I was scared, but I also had this really strong sensation that my body knew what it was doing. My contractions started at 9am and by 11am were close together (3 in 10 mins) and strong. I laboured in the bath for a bit but got so uncomfortable (for me, the contractions are like cramps - can’t walk or move BUT they peak and pass) I went to the birth centre and was 9cm dilated when I arrived. Sadly too late for the water birth i had planned but the midwives were amazing and calmed me down, and coached me through an active labour. I found that contractions were worse than the pushing part because once you get to actually pushing you’re going to meet your baby soon!

I had 2 tears and the midwife stitched them herself. I had a prolapse but it’s recovering really well (if this happens to you, get a referral to a gynae physio, they’re great).

Can I just add that nothing in the world tastes like the nectar of the tea and toast they give you after you deliver

Good luck with your labour and congratulations mama, you got this!

My first pregnancy was plagued with problems including gestational diabetes during which it was pressed upon me I would be induced. I just wanted a natural delivery as possible. I got my delivery, waters broke at 36+4 which was a surprise. No contractions so attended Labour ward for monitoring, they were happy all was well and sent me home, gave me 32 hours if no contractions they would induce due to infection risk. Contractions started following morning at 6am, they gave strong and quickly, went to hospital and gave birth 10 mins after arriving at 7.11 am. Had no pain relief, no time. No tears or cuts and we were home late that night. I heard nothing but misery throughout my pregnancy, would be overdue, induced and require intervention, not always the case. Recently had my fourth and despite induction was a lovely Labour and delivery.

Nice and easy, didn't take too long and wasn't terribly painful, so I needed no drugs.: I was glad about that because I hadn't intended to have drugs. I got into hospital at 4.30am and had my baby just after 6.30am. I did have a small episiotomy which was stitched and there was no problem with that.

Congratulations to you and good luck.

My labour was long, very. I started off in a birthing pool but it stopped contractions and after 15 hours of that on and off with a back to back baby, I opted for an epidural and laboured for the next 18 hours pain free which allowed me some rest (epidurals wear off and you don’t have to have them topped back up if you don’t want to) and gave birth a beautiful baby.

The length of it sounds awful yes, but my wishes were respected and I was looked after really, really well. I found the midwife in the MWL unit annoying when I asked for the epidural but in hindsight she was just trying to make sure that I was sure before I was moved to the labour ward.

I look back, 4 years on and am still happy overall.

My first labour and birth were very medicalised, but the experience was positive. I had to be continuously monitored because there was meconium, but I was encouraged to be upright the whole time. I ended up having an epidural because I had an insane premature urge to push that was really difficult to handle, but it never felt like it was too much to handle. I got an epidural as soon as I decided I really needed one and it worked well (maybe a bit too well). I subsequently had a ventouse delivery and a PPH, which were both handled well by all the staff. It wasn't the birth I hoped for as there was definitely a cascade of intervention, but it was fine!

My second birth was a dream. And FWIW I actually have very few friends who have not had an overall positive experience with their first birth, despite how it may have progressed.

If you would like my advice...I had a difficult first birth. But that wasn’t because of what happened. I needed lots of intervention because the baby got distressed and at no point did I disagree with any of the treatment I was given. Looking back I wouldn’t do anything differently at all as my baby was well when he was born and after a few weeks I felt pretty much back to normal. The midwives and doctors were all amazing and so supportive and helpful.
What made it difficult was this: I went in pretending I had an open mind about how the birth went but deep down I wanted a drug free waterbirth and I just thought I would be able to ‘do it’. Afterwards I blamed myself. When in fact there was nothing I could have done, or would do, differently. That’s what made it difficult.
So go with an open mind. Educate yourself on different things that can happen. Good luck!

Thank you everyone for sharing. Really helpful ☺️

I'd say my first experience was a positive one. I was having very irregular contractions for around 12 hours but had no idea that it was labour. I assumed it was braxton hicks or something as I'm not good with pain.
My waters went at 9am, at which point I realised this was it. Contractions were then very close and I was at the midwife unit by 10am. Straight into a pool and gave birth to dd using gas and air at 10:50am. I had a 3rd degree tear, but do you know what, I was taken to hospital and stitched up in surgery. Yes it was uncomfortable for a while but I don't consider myself to have any lasting damage. The worst thing for me was the fact that as dd decided to come at 37 weeks on Xmas Eve, I missed Xmas Dinner due to an overnight stay after surgery and then the hospital failed to tell me that they had extended visiting hours for Xmas day so when all the visitors arrived for everyone else that morning I was alone as dh wasn't aware he could come earlier.

I'm sure there is a book or more than one full of positive birth stories. May find it on Amazon.

Actually I did hypnobirthing and had a book called 'Effective Birth Preparation' by Maggie Howell. It was brilliant actually and did have lots of positive stories in.
I was almost phobic about giving birth first time but ended up having a really calm water birth in hospital. This was definitely due to doing the hypnosis book and cd that came with it.

Congrats! My DS is 10 weeks now. I had the most amazing birth, at home in a birthing pool. 7 and a half hours from first contraction and an hour after he was born I was saying I'd do it again. You hear so many horror stories and it's hard to ignore them all but try to, because they aren't all like that! I love telling people about my birth because it was just that amazing!! Hope you have an wonderful experience too.

I had a brilliant first birth experience! I went on to enjoy all my labour's but I think having the first good experience helped with that.

It wasn't easy as such, in that I was overdue and had a long stop - start labour (not counted by the midwives as labour ) but I felt safe and well looked after and actually enjoyed the 'I am woman, hear me roar' bit of actually giving birth. I will hold on to the high I got from it forever!

I found Active Birth classes very helpful and I listened to a lot of hypnobirth/positive birth podcasts in pregnancy and I also read lots of positive birth stories online and in books by Ina May Gaskin. I think there's a website called 'good birth story' or similar.

I don't think I had an idealised 'perfect' birth wish, and I do think the hypno stuff is helpful in terms of feeling safe and coping with whatever kind of birth you have.

Good luck and congratulations!

Like a pp I had pretty much every intervention going including induction (took three days to open my cervix enough to break my waters and the third person who tried, actually managed to break them), plus epidural, episiotomy, forceps and was wheeled into theatre and prepped for a section, avoided at the last minute (not that I would have minded if it was needed). At every step I felt calm, safe, and confident that each decision made was best for me and the baby. I think a lot of this was to do with the midwives who were incredible - understood our needs, advocated for us, treated us with respect and dignity.

It’s hard and it’s messy but finally meeting your baby is so special. And I think for most people the memories fade so quickly because all of a sudden you’ve this baby to worry about and provided the birth was relatively straightforward and not traumatic, it sort of pales into insignificance next to that enormous responsibility!

My first was an o-p (back to back) labour, so very painful for a couple of hours until DD finally rotated, but I managed with no pain relief apart from some nitrous oxide for the final hour.
DD was an 8lb 5oz spontaneous delivery, following which my consultant colleague did an excellent episiotomy repair that was pain free and healed well. I was discharged home six hours after delivery.
Apart from my DH fainting on the floor at the sight of the episiotomy scissors going in, it was all uneventful!

I am in the same position as you (not as far along) and I'm also getting a bit sick of hearing horror stories. I just tell people that unless they're going to tell me something positive, now is not the time to share their pain with me. I find it really rude and unsupportive and I just can't be arsed with that right now.

My MIL is the main person supporting me, she only tells me good things, tells me that I'm strong so of course I'll be fine, tells me both her births were just fine. She could be just BSing but I'm so glad to hear those kinds of words.

My own mother...the less said the better.

Nothing positive to say about my first birth except that it resulted in my amazing DS. However I'm 35 weeks pregnant with my second and this time round I bought the Positive Birth Company online course and I so wish I had known all the info first time round, as I think my labour would have gone very differently!
thepositivebirthcompany.co.uk/