Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrsTittleMouse]

I saw my midwife for the first time and it was a WONDERFUL experience! I can't quite believe that it went so well. I had such a dreadful labour and delivery with DD1, and I am still having problems with my scarring, so I have been very very stressed about this pregnancy, and the fact that I will have to get the baby out. I was very worried that I would either be told to forget about it until I was 36 weeks, or to be told (as I was by the MW in my last pregnancy) that I couldn't have the birth plan that I wanted.
My new MW listened very carefully to everything I said, sympathised with the problems that I've had, and we discussed LOTS of options for me, including actually having the birth plan that I want and it being followed by the medical team (basically that I will do everything they ask to get the baby out naturally, but if things start to go wrong, I do not have an instrumental birth but a CS, and that if I tear that I have a senior MW or consultant to stitch me up).
She did everything that I could have wanted, and the visit that I was dreading (I even took DH with me to be the "heavy" if she didn't listen!) was better than I ever could have hoped. She was lovely, but she was also very practical and had lots of suggestions, without giving me false hopes about an easy birth (as it could be that I have a pelvis that forces the baby to lie OP and there isn't much that can be done about that).
Sorry to waffle on, but I am so happy, and it has been such a weight off my shoulders. As no-one in RL knows that I'm PG, it's great to be able to celebrate on MN.

Oh I'm so pleased for you, MTM as I know how much have suffered with your last delivery and how worried you were. Good Luck, Honey !

Oh good. Without giving you false hope, lots of women who have awful times first time round have fab times second time round. You probably will, even if it stays op you might well be farily quick and easy. Looks forward to finding out in due course. Also as a midwife myself I sometimes get a bit depressed reading mumsnet and finding out how rubbish we all are, so good to read your post. I have just gone back to work after 14 months mat leave and enjoying it loads, trying to help womens birth and early postnatal experiences to be memorable for the right reasons.

Am so pleased for you, i really am.... i really hope that this time around is a more pleasant, positive and empowering experience. x

Wishing you a smooth and happy pregnancy and birth.

Thank you!
Funnily enough, DH (who is your typical stiff upper lip British man) said that as we left he could have hugged her!
It turns out that the fact that we've moved has been brilliant, partly because we have a great MW, but also because I will change hospitals. To be honest, I think that psychologically it would have been very hard to go back to the hospital where I had DD. But also, once I was transferred to the consultant led unit, I was under a completely different team, and there were obviously polictical problems between the two units. In the new hospital, the same manager is in charge of both units, and if you have to transfer then you take your MW with you, so you have the same person who has seen you through the whole labour, and also who knows your birth plan inside out.
The MW also told me that if I managed such a long OP birth on so little pain relief then I would "be able to deliver in her room" as I was obviously very strong and good at coping with labour. It was so lovely to hear someone having faith in me. She also told me that it was almost certain that I would have a shorter labour and so would have the strength to either push for longer, or to fight my corner with the OB!
When I see her next (at 16 weeks) she is going to arrange an appointment for me to see the senior MW in the unit, and possibly one of the consultants too. She is a star.