POSITIVE BIRTH STORIES

[Franny0696]

Being a first time mum to be I was finding myself search birth stories and 99% of the birth stories I came across were negative and it caused me to have intense nerves in the run in up to my labour. In fact It made me so scared when I got to the 37 week mark I searched even more to try and find a “positive” story to compensate for the bad ones. But to be quite honest the positive ones were very hard to find. When reading threads I saw that the majority of people recommend different ways to prepare yourself for labour ie- birth plan, hypnobirthing etc. But the more I came to terms with the fact ANY can happen during labour whether it be good or bad I didn’t want to have a birth plan, I didn’t want to do hypnobirthing, I wanted to go in with an open mind and whatever happens happens...

This is my story-

MY DUE DATE - 11.09.20
ACTUAL BIRTH OF BABY - 02.09.20
SLOW LABOUR STARTED - 27.08.20

I was 37 weeks & 6 days (a Thursday) when I started getting what I thought at the time was mild contractions which where actually just belly cramps which I thought was strange so I rung the ward and they advised me to keep an eye as I had no intense contractions or waters breaking. The next day the Friday I lost a bit of my mucus plug which continued until the Monday (midwife informed this was the very start of early labour which could go on for days, hours or weeks!) I had no more cramps just extreme discharge. Then on the Tuesday at 8:30pm I got into bed a bit of water came out. I thought I just weed myself but due to the mucas plug going and this I thought it was best if I went up to the ward to get checked. we got there at 10pm and I didn’t have any more water coming out nor contractions. They advised me it looks like my waters and I need to go home and wait it out for the next 24 hours if I don’t go into labour naturally then they will induce me. (This point 38 weeks & 4 days) the moment I got back to my car I started getting mild contractions, I got home & my waters broke completely and my contractions started very intensely. (My hospital is 10 mins away from my house so this happened quick) straight away I started panicking not knowing what will happen...
we rung the ward and they advised me to have a bath and go to bed until they are very close together. MY CONTRACTIONS WERE EVERY 2 MINS! I decided to take the chance and go back up the hospital this was 11:30pm I was in so much pain water was coming out even more, I could hardly walk it was so intense. NOT LIKE A BAD PERIOD PAIN.
When I got to the ward they checked me out and I was 4cm - active labour. I said to myself if I was in 10/10 pain il take an epidural. The nurse asked me and I said i wanted to try the birthing pool to see how things go before I committed to pain relief. I don’t deal with pain well but I really didn’t want to have to stay in the hospital for a long period during a pandemic! I got in the birthing pool on gas and air & was in there for about 2 hrs. The pool was lovely and soothing and my husband spoke to me the entire time to calm me down. I took a LOT of gas and air it was worth it haha! The midwife wanted to check so see if she could see anything as she couldn’t using the mirror in the pool. I got out and she check and baby’s head was there 9 pushes she was out born @ 3:12am - 8lb 7oz healthy baby girl. 2 hrs 20 active labour. Very fast all on gas & air. Unfortunately I had a 1st degree tear which required Stiches which hurt MORE than the crowning! But I hate needles so that’s why!
I couldn’t be more blessed that I had such a easy birth it was so plain sailing and I recovered very fast. I was home the afternoon of the birth. The adrenaline I got after the birth is out of this world and it makes me laugh every time I think about it as I was saying some funny stuff! The feeling is amazing.

I had such a good birth experience I wanted to share it with everyone so people don’t just take into account the bad ones. No way on this earth did I think my baby would come 10 days early. I had a easy non risk pregnancy. No way did I think I could do it on just gas and air no way! Our bodies are amazing they really are!

I know there are some bad stories out there and I’m not being sensitive to any of them. Just my experience of searching birth stories I just wish there was good ones out there to help boost my confidence during labour!

Please share your stories below!!

I'm glad it went well for you, OP, and that you're both safe and well

I disagree about the idea of bad or negative birth stories, though. They're just birth stories. Experiences that women had of the same process you've just been through. There's no magic spell to give you one outcome or the other, just luck.

I laboured with no pain relief for 12 hours, then gas and air and the pool for 3, only 4cm, started to struggle with the pain, went from 4cm to 7cm in the 40minutes i was waiting for the epidural. Everything slowed down post-epidural, i had a nap and did some knitting. Then was pushing for 2 and a bit hours, needed a suction cup and an episiotomy in the end. It was an incredibly positive, powerful, empowering experience and i am full of joy and awe when i relive it, even a year on.

I have to say, birth plans are important. Not only do they help you to clarify your thinking around your wishes, if you have any, they are a vital tool for your birth partner and midwives to have if they need to advocate for you at any point. If you're off your head on the G&A, if you shut down at any point due to pain, if you're unable to communicate - the birth plan is there to make sure you still get what you wanted, if that's possible. It is very important.

My first labour was 7 hours with some gas and air. 6lbs 15oz baby girl. My second labour was 3 hours with no pain relief and I delivered an 8lbs boy. Also, I may be strange but I enjoyed giving birth.

What a great thread. I just had my first child and this is my story.

My due date was 16th December. I had gestational diabetes and was told I’d be induced on 15th December. My waters broke on 30th November so I went to the hospital and they were surprised I was 2cm. They sent me home and told me to wait 24 hours then come back in to be induced. Nothing happened whilst at home.

I went back to hospital on 1st December and they put me on the hormone drip at midnight. I had slight period pain type cramps at first then it got intense after they turned the drip up. I asked for an epidural and that worked really well = pain free and chatting away to midwife lol. I was able to move around.

My sons heart rate was low so they wanted him to be delivered quickly. At one point they took me to theatre and said I could push but if nothing happens I’d have a cesarian. Everything was explained fully and everyone was professional and calm. They told me they would have to give me a small cut and use forceps. In the moment this wasn’t as scary as I’d imagined.

I went to theatre and after 3 pushes my son was born. No tearing, only stitches from the cut.

My entire labour was just over 5 hours and my son was 6lb 11oz. They gave me pain killers after and everything went well. I was moving about and going to the bathroom later that day pretty easily.

My stitches have healed and I’ve been mobile and pain free. Managed to go to the supermarket and out for short walks. My son is now 11 days old and I feel good. Only have very minor bleeding

now and a very mildly sore back occasionally.

Like many I’d read so many horror stories and got myself nervous. For me I’d just tried to take everything as it came, ask questions and not be afraid to communicate my needs.

The day before I was due, I had a show at 5.30am and slight period pain twinges getting stronger all morning. Midwife had a look at midday and suggested I go to hospital when I couldn't cope any more. Contractions were getting v strong so went in fairly soon after. Was really in established labour, all going well, powering through, daughter born 4.52pm naturally and I just had a tiny graze /tear which didn't need stitching. She was my first, 7lb 6 and I'm 4ft 11!

Second baby was 2 weeks early and labour was about 2.5 hours. BUT, I am absolutely convinced that taking raspberry leaf extract tablets religiously during the last 4 weeks of each pregnancy helped so much. It makes contractions more effective and shortens labour. It's well worth going for it and so many people agree. Nothing to lose. Trust in your body OP.

My due date was the 18th October 2020, baby was born on the 27th September 2020.
I was 36+5 when I started to lose some of my mucus plug and had what I thought were mild Braxton hicks. That continued until I was 37+2, then I was sat on the sofa and felt a pop, found some fresh blood so rang the emergency triage number, went to the hospital to get checked over at 6:15pm. Started contracting in the car on the way, got checked over by a nurse who promptly told me that I was 8cm and needed to get to the birth suite ASAP 🤣 baby was born at 8:01pm in the birth pool❤️

My 3rd labour was great in the sense of where even though I was in a long labour, my birth plan went fully ahead. I was in labour for a total of 36 hours. Kids went to my aunts and so hubby and I could spend most of it labouring at home. After about 20 hours went to hospital to find I was only 3cm, got given the pethidine which pretty much let me sleep for a bit. Woke up at around 5 or 6am, was examined and was 7cm, went to the birthing pool and got it at 7cm. Gave birth at half 10 to my lovely boy. It was definitely much easier to push in the pool and definitely so much more relaxing.
It was definitely my best birth out of all 3.

Currently 35 weeks pregnant with number 5, I can hardly believe it. I am so blessed and lucky. Hoping to have a water birth again this time. I highly recommend it.

Wow, @daimbar2030

Congratulations

You're a total superstar handling it to 8cm with no pain relief. How on earth did you cope @daimbar2030

I won't go into great detail but I had a "dreaded" C-section and it was a great experience.

Wow ladies all your experiences are so different & so beautiful!

My actual birth was quite positive, but the recovery was bad & very hard.
I was induced at 41 weeks. The broke my waters but nothing progressed so I went on to the drip. It was very intense ! 3 failed epidural attempts. They wouldn’t let me have any diamorphine as my sons heart rate kept dropping. Gas & air didn’t even touch the sides so I ditched it. Active labour was 1hr 50 mins & pushing stage was 50 mins - so it was very quick. His heart rate dropped again during pushing so an episiotomy & ventouse was needed. Still very positive. But I had complications with stitches & healing after which kinda put a bad spell on it. I still think I’m superwoman after it all though haha.

I was 40+5 and had a 2nd sweep, still 1cm & cervix 'favourable' but still the same from previous sweep at 39+6.
Went home and cried for 2 hours. Napped all afternoon. Started with contractions that night. Every 5 mins all night, went to the hospital the next day around 2pm, contractions not agony but FTM so didnt know if they were contractions. Checked, confirmed I was in labour and they were still coming every 5 mins, did me another sweep, still only 1cm. Baby had decided to go back to back.
Went home, bounced, spent alot of time in the bath, contractions were sooo strong now so phoned the hospital at midnight and went in...2cm dilated. Sat and cried some more, read 4 million horror stories about back to back labours that didnt dilate and needed emcs or ended up with forceps and a million stitches.
Left the hospital at 02:30am, had been in labour 29 hours at this point. Went back home, they gave me some codeine for the pain. And aromatherapy 😂 by this point I wanted to punch her in the face for giving me aromatherapy when I was in so much pain. 6am I got in the bath, by around 7am I was having so much pain and pressure in my butt I was literally holding my ass on every contraction. Hubby woke up at 8am and demanded to ring the hospital as he couldnt see me in pain any longer. I spoke to the midwife and was crying and begged for some more codeine and told them to just 'cut him out' as I'd read all the stories about not dilating and I was still 2cm only a matter of hours ago.
I walked into the hospital, still holding my butt every contraction, literally feeling like he was going to fall out of my ass hole. 😂
Midwife checked me, guess what you're 10cm and that pressure in your ass is your body naturally pushing, he is literally nearly here.
I literally cried 'can I push please can I push now' she let me and OMG the amazing feeling of pushing after holding against that pressure for so long!!! Now I was tuned in with my body and knew exactly what it was doing so I could go with it.
20 mins later he was born. G&A at the ring of fire. Grazes and a tiny tear with 1 stitch.
No interventions, no tearing from front to back.

So whilst my labour was 36 hours in total, I am a happy positive story that back to back & not dilating can end in a happy story!!

My labour was my favourite part of my entire pregnancy and it made me feel like superwoman

My labour was brilliant .... I had an emergency after birth sadly but all ok in the end.

I was induced due to obstetric cholestasis at 39 weeks. Induction started at 8pm Friday night. Contractions started 9am Saturday morning. Went for a walk around the hospital, grabbed a Costa coffee, got back to my room seconds before my waters broke ( Hollywood style) at 11am.
Active labour by 4pm - although the midwife didn't believe me and it took three attempts at explaining my high pain threshold before she finally checked - I was 5cm and moved to delivery suite where I was given gas and air.
At 6pm and 9pm I was given sterile water injections for back pain ( these were amazing at relieving my back pain) got in the pool at 9:30pm. Daughter (9lbs 12) born in the pool at 10:40pm.
2nd degree tear but I didn't notice it.

Unfortunately after birth I couldn't deliver the placenta and was taken to surgery where I had a PPH and needed intensive care but to be honest that bit is just a blur and my after care was brilliant. I was back home after 3 days with very little bleeding and no further complications.

I'm pregnant with my second and hoping to have a lovely labour again.

@PopsicleHustler

You're a total superstar handling it to 8cm with no pain relief. How on earth did you cope *@daimbar2030*

Thank you! To be honest I didn't realise I was in labour and expected them to check me over and tell me I was 2 cm max and send me home🤣 I was quite shocked to be leaving with a baby! Had gas and air for 15 mins but had to stop using it as i wasn't pushing through the contractions fully xx

@BeautyAndTheBump1 omg you explained your story so well!! When you said it felt so good to push I get that feeling so bad!! Hahaha it's crazy how some people describe it as the worst part but I feel like it was the best part for me it was a relief for sure!

@Johnson10 you sure sound like superwomen! It's lovely to know even though your story sounds horrendous you can see the positive side of it!

[quote Franny0696]@BeautyAndTheBump1 omg you explained your story so well!! When you said it felt so good to push I get that feeling so bad!! Hahaha it's crazy how some people describe it as the worst part but I feel like it was the best part for me it was a relief for sure!
[/quote]
Right?!! No one ever told me about the butt pressure!! I didnt feel a single thing in my vagina (until the ring of fire ) it was all pressure in my butt 🤣🤣

@BeautyAndTheBump1 hahahha ring of fire😂😂 I was so petrified of tearing I wasn't using gas and air when the "ring of fire" was happening as was trying to concentrate on the midwife and jeeeeeeeez it hurt

Thought I would come on and add my positive birth story for anyone needing it :) I know that’s all I was reading leading up to my due date.

I was 37+6 days, it was a Monday! We picked up the keys to our new house the Friday before and spent that weekend moving.. I did not expect my waters to break but they did haha!! Unfortunately my body didn’t go into labour naturally and although I really Did NOT want to be induced, I had no choice :) I had a previous emergency c section with my first born so trying for a VBAC was scary as it is and then having to be induced increases risks for rupture but I stayed positive and knew this baby had to come out one way or another :)

So I got induced at 9:15pm, I started on gas and air managing quite well. I was in active labour around 11pm so the midwife scheduled to check me at 3am. My pain was getting worse but totally manageable. It got to around 12:30am and my pain was getting quite unbearable so I asked for an epidural (screamed for an epidural more like) midwife was trying to talk me out of it and suggested I wait till she checks me at 3am and have one then but at that point I felt like I really needed one. The doctor came in to talk to me about it all but because I was clearly in pain and wanted him to shut the f up and get on with the epidural he told my MW to check me straight away and to my total surprise I was fully dilated and ready to push!!!!!! My beautiful baby girl was born at 1:24am so a total of 4 hours in labour from the moment of being induced and a VBAC! Just to add I am a total WUSSSS!!!! I’m scared of everything and anything...even with my first I had an epidural before they induced me because I had it in my head I wouldn’t be able to bear the pain but this time I wanted to try and I did and it was only at the very last stage I found it bad but it didn’t last long and I believe that was the transition!

You can do it ladies honestly we are Superwomen but no matter what your situation and how you end up having your baby, vbac, emcs planned section, pool birth and all the rest... you are still amazing, you have carried and made a baby inside you for 9 months, you’re already superwoman xxx

I won’t go into detail for my first as it wasn’t the best, but it was a really long labour ending in an instrumental birth, thank heavens for epidurals! My second I was due on the 9th and started experiencing mild pains whilst at work on the afternoon of the 31st. As I’d had a 3 day labour with my first, I thought I’d be in for another long few days so I ignored these and carried on. Around 6pm, me and a colleague decided to head to Nandos to grab a takeaway. The pains at this point had increased so she went in to collect the takeaway whilst I was stayed in the car, on my knees, gripping the headrest. I wasn’t aware of how often the pains were coming and said I was fine to head back and eat our food at work. We pulled up outside and saw a family friend who peered into the car, saw me and suggested I give my aunt a call. She lived on the same road so we drove up and went inside. She said to call the hospital as I was having contractions every 2 minutes. I was oblivious to this as I was just trying to breath my way through each pain, thinking again that I’ve got hours or days ahead. The hospital said to have two paracetamol and a warm bath and phone back in a few hours but my aunt insisted we drove to the hospital immediately. I can’t remember the journey but on arrival, I was taken to a waiting room and told to wait for someone to assess me and my waters suddenly broke. The contractions became continuous and I felt immense pressure down below. I vaguely remember being held by a midwife and my aunt who were basically carrying me to delivery suite. I got to delivery suite, was breathing through the contractions whilst the midwife filled the pool. I was then picked up and placed into the birthing pool. My body took over and started to push and my baby was born minutes later. It happened so fast that I didn’t even get chance to use the gas and air as I simply couldn’t hold on to it whilst pushing. I cannot believe I gave birth with no pain relief as I am a wimp when it comes to pain but I am so glad I got to experience every single feeling of my baby entering the world. I’m due in 7 weeks and hope to have the same experience this time. Hopefully I’ll actually realise I’m in established labour and I won’t leave it so late to head to the hospital

Two water births here with only having gas and air.
First was triggered by a sweep after being 5 days late and using hypno birthing managed to stay at home and was shocked to find i was already 9cm when I arrived at hospital. Ingot straight in the pool but I do feel this slowed my labour down as I'd spent the rest of my labour on my feet walking around. However after about a further 2 hours I had the urge to push and it probably took a further hour of pushing but my first dd came out in the pool and I don't remember doing so but apparently I caught her as she short out. Had a grade 2 tear though as I pushed a bit rather than let my body take over so I kinda forced her out as inwas wanting it to end 😂
Second birth was 6 weeks ago in lock down. But different as partner wasn't allowed in until the hospital knew inwas staying in so he had to literally stand in the corridor and I had to go in alone to be examined etc. it was my due date and was home alone as partner was work and first dd at nursery. Inwas having mild contractions but they weren't regular so was just kinda ignoring them, cleaned all the house getting ready 😂 Got to nursery pick up time and they suddenly started to hurt so had to pick my dd up and drive with contractions which wasn't pleasant. Got home and started to time them but only every 10-15 mins. Partner got home at 7pm I said they're really sore now so started to time them again ana they were every 4 mins, phoned them hospital and as it was my second they told me to come in, cue a quick trip to hospital, arrived at about 6 cm dilated at 10 pm. Back into the pool by 11pm and hoped for a due date baby but she came out at 1.16 am. Only had gas and air again. My waters still hasn't gone by the time i was pushing and the midwives said that the waters were stopping the baby from coming out so they popped them and literally she shot down snd with the next two contractions she was fully out. Very different pushing stage the second time round as I didn't try and force the baby out this time but rather let my body kinda take over and do it. I still tore where my initial stitches after dd1 were but less of a tear and i felt more calm where as with my first inwas trying to hurry it.
I wouldn't say I enjoyed labour at all but am still really shocked at how powerful a women's body can be if you trust it and just let it do it's thing xx