is there anyone here who have had lovely births????

[psychomum5]

there are so many sad sad threads here of women who have had truly awful times, and someone (sorry, can;t think who now), commented that we only really here the awful stuff and never the nice births.

so, in some type of helpful way, maybe we can have a thread where women can go that can be an encouragement that some births can be lovely and fabuous........VB and CS births.

will post this now and then come and say mine

girlsallaround.....any type of brith counts......it does not matter if you had CS or VB, what I thought would be nice would be to have a thread showing other nervous mums that births can be lovely, that not all women suffer and have appalling times.

we seem to have an influx right now on the boards of really sad women not being able to get past their tramatic births, and they need to be able to talk about it to be able to reason with it and ultimately (I hope for them), get past it......but.....in the meantime we could be scary first-timers into thinking that all births are hidious and can go wrong, and that is so not true DYGWIM?

I look back and glow when I think of the days my children were born. yes, I had a few issues, and to be quite honest had I had my last birth first I would be in the same place that some of those poor women ar enow.....but I was very blessed that my first birth was so wonderful and controled that it carried me on thro my next births too.

The birth of dd2 was a wonderful home birth and was everything I hoped it would be.

Ooh this is lovely. I'm 22 weeks with my third.

Had to have an elective section under GA last time for my twins, so have no clue as to what birth is like when you're awake!

I get terrified by all the horror stories so it's really lovely to hear nice experiences as well to prepare me for the end of this pregnancy .

I am the biggest wuss going and was petrified of giving birth and was willing to have every drug available... My water's broke at midday, contractions started at about 4 pm, in to hospital at about midnight (4 cm dilated), fully dilated at 4.30 am and dd arrived at 6.28 am

I had baths at home and put the TENS machine once in hospital. I had gas & air for about 10 minutes when fully dilated (just because I didn't want to miss out ). The pushing was hard work, the crowning and last little bit was eye wateringly painful (but fairly brief) and the contractions were painful, but not excrutiating...

At the end I felt like the most powerful, fantastically clever person in the world (yup, I really did think I was the only person to have ever gone through it ) and having dd placed on my chest and peer up at me was the most amazing feeling in the world

I actually almost enjoyed it all and am looking forward to the next one

I've had two near perfect births - the first in hospital 12 hours long, drug free, dd1 placed in my arms immediately - that was incredible .

DD2 born at home, also drug free delivery, slightly harder then my first birth, but still had a home water birth.

I've been incredibly lucky to have a very supportive dh and great midwives.

I'm expecting dc3 in about 7/8 weeks, and am very nervous, but also very excited as well. I'm hoping for another home birth.

Thank you all, you have really cheered me up. Hopefully this one is just going to pop out with all this positive thinking. Have a great weekend x

Had a painful and yet brilliant birth with dd2. We'd lost her sister at 21 weeks the year before, so were very stressed through pregnancy - but we felt very confident in the hospital, who treated us like royalty. In labour at home for about 4 hours, and then in hosp for about 5, with 2 hour active phase. MWs were lovely - dd got a bit stuck, so they were planning for forceps when consultant came in, took away G&A (!!!) and I delivered her naturally. She was huge but I only had a couple of stitches. So, it hurt A Lot, but my memories are really positive and happy - remember feeling really supported and part of a really good team. Just hope I get a chance to do it all over again!

thats so lovely habbibu.

Thanks, Psycho. I should say that in the middle of pushing I do remember feeling very sad that I wouldn't be able to do it again because it hurt so much! But that passed, as soon as dd was born, and it's something I remember with a laugh.

I had a cs first time round, sadly not a happy experience but that was due to the situation and not the cs itself.

Next time round I so wanted everything to be different, and I chose to try a vbac (this was my choice, I had a lovely supportive ob who was quite happy to go with an elective cs if that was what I wanted). My birth plan was one sentence - anything you need to do to have a healthy baby.

Started feeling contractions on the Saturday night, not terribly painful, but when they started getting regular on the Sunday morning I phoned the hospital and they told me to come in. When I got there I was only 2-3 cms dilated but they kept me in because of the previous cs.

Had a little bounce around on the ball and about 15 mins later my waters went and things got underway!

Stayed upright for almost all of the labour, and I'm sure this helped loads. I did have to push for a long time (over an hour and a half) but ds2 was over 9.5 lbs so not surprising! No episiotomy and only a few minor tears.

Yes it hurt like hell at the time but the whole time I was very aware of what was waiting at the end - another beautiful boy. The only bit I found very difficult was the transition phase, where I lost my marbles a bit and started talking about what time I could go home and whether the freezer had been defrosted (no idea where that came from). But that only lasted about 10 minutes and I gather its quite common to go a bit do-lally!

Recovery very quick, out just a few hours later I was home snuggled up with my baby.

Things I wished people had told me:

(1) transition - I lost the plot a bit. Apparently its quite common to suddenly want an epidural then! A friend of mine apparently tried to leave the hospital at this stage because she'd decided she wasn't having a baby thanks, she wanted a new car instead. She was frogmarched gently but firmly back to her room.

(2) I did NOT need or have continous monitoring because I'd had a previous cs, nor was any time limit set on how long I could be in labour. Yet I was told both of these things by people before I went into hospital.

(3) MWs - I had two wonderful mws (change of shift half way through) and they were so fantastic it almost reduces me to tears now. To have someone tell you calmly and quietly "you know you can do this" when you're struggling is wonderful. I wish I could book the same ones this time round!

(4) First time round breastfeeding was bloody painful! It didn't "come naturally" and I almost gave up. But I'm so glad I didn't.

I wish you all the best no matter how you give birth - I'm very sad at how the threads over the last few days have gone, but sadly I do think its very indicative of the "competitive parenting" you come across nowadays. Whatever way you give birth there's no medal at the end, but there is God willing a healthy baby, and that's all that matters.

Yes, I was very excited about the prospect of giving birth. It felt like the ultimate physical challenge to me. A real extreme sport. I wasn't disappointed. It was difficult and is exhausting but the rush I got afterwards was like nothing else and to this day is my proudest moment. It is a life experience not everyone is capable of or is lucky enough to experience. I feel very lucky to have been through it and hope the next is as good if not better.

I got my first contraction at 11 oclock one evening and DD was born, drug free with two lovely supportive midwives encouraging me at a birthing centre 5 hours later. The care and encouragement I received was absolutely great.

I forgot to say. There is something animalistic about giving birth. Your body and your pure emotional self take over. Most people are a lot stronger (emotionally and physically) than they give themselves credit for. Trust your body would be my advice

habb....it is utterly amazng how quickly we forget the pain

I would have done it again at any point up to about 5 months.
The he started crawling (well, a bit later) and I thought coping with one was more than enough

Fab thread. Everyone always tells you the horror stories instead of the lovely stories.
Ds1 was born 4 weeks early. Waters broke at home and me and hubby spent about 3 hours trying to work out if i had weed or if my waters had broke! Phoned Hospital and they said to have bath and go in. Still wasnt having pain so decided to stop at my SIL on the way. (as you do) Started having very mild period like pains, nothing major. Just spent 30mins or so walking about and they gradually got stronger. I decided to make my way to hospital by they time i got there pains were quite strong. had some pethadine and gas and air and he was born after 30 mins pushing and just 3hrs 50mins after very first pain. Had to stay in for 2 nights as he was early but he was fine. it didnt hurt half as much as i thought it would. One of the best days of my life.
Ds2 was born 3 weeks early. Waters broke in the morning and nothing else happened. Spoke to midwife and i went to hospital to discuss the next step, e.g starting me off
i decided that i'd wait to see if bubba came of his own accord, they said they would give me 48 hours but then i would have to be started off.
went home and did the usual, washing, dinner etc etc. At 7.30pm got afew pains, put ds1 to bed inbetween contractions and then phoned my mum to come over to watch him. me and hubby left for the hospital at 8pm and bubba was born at 8.53pm, only 23mins after getting to hospital. by midnight i was back home with ds1 in bed with me, ds2 in his moses basket and dh sat on the end of bed in a state of shock! had 2 wonderful births and i cannot wait to do it all over again.
xxx

I did! It was not the birth I wanted BUT it was lovely, despite being about as far from my ideal as possible.

Initially I wanted a home birth - DH said NO WAY, maybe next time.

Then I a wanted to stay at home as long as possible, walking up and down holding DH's hand, then a leisurely trip to the local hospital and a pool birth with everything and everyone very chilled and relaxed and a six-hour discharge.

What I got was a planned section at 38 weeks, with me arriving half-starved at 8am in my wheelchair and six nights in hospital. Luckily I had time to come to terms with the wheelchair (I had severe SPD and many other problems) and accept that I was having a section and write my birth plan accordingly.

DH had skin-to-skin contact when DD was first born, whilst I was being stitched up, and did not leave my side the entire time. The professionals there could not have been more respectful of our wishes and concerned that we had as 'normal' a time of it as possible. I will always remember that time with fondness.

DS2 birth was lovely. He was an accidental homebirth - 4 3/5 hours start to finish but first 3 hours were just uncomfortable really.

Just after we decided it was time to go to hospital my waters broke so we stayed home and called an ambulance. DS was born 25 minutes later, 5 minutes after the paramedic arrived.

Despite the fact that it wasn't what I planned, I didn't panic or worry I just got on with it. I was secretly very pleased not to have to go to the hospital I was booked into as I really didn't like it (not the hospital where I had DS1).

I still remember standing in my own shower about 1.5hrs after the birth laughing out loud happy about it all. Must have sounded like a loon to DH and MW changing the bed next door!!

If it weren't for the million reasons not to have another child, I would love to go through it again but having a planned homebirth.

DS1's birth was good apart from the last hour where it all went a bit pear shaped (failed ventuouse, forceps and episiotomy). But on the other hand, I was really shocked to hear my HV say, the first time she visited me after the birth, that I had had a rough time. It didn't feel that way - I honestly didn't expect child birth to be pretty and it wasn't but it wasn't the stuff of nightmares either.

Like gingerninja, I was extremely excited to give birth. I really did see it as a physical challenge, something that would make me stronger and change my life. And I loved my experience with DS. I laboured at home for as long as I could, using a tens machine, then finally felt it was time to go to the hospital. I had to wait a while to be examined, and by the time they checked me I was at 9 cm! I was immediately put in a birthing pool as per my birth plan, laboured there for a short while, and DS was born there. I came out of the pool and he was immediately placed on my chest, where he stayed for hours. All in all the labour didn't take very long, I managed without any drugs, and DS was perfect. I really hope to have another great experience with the next baby, due in January.

my first birth was very scary because the staff did not realise that my first birth would be so quick and ignored me until they realised they had left DH to deliver DS1 while they complained in the hall about what a fuss I was making after only 2 hours !

Anyway DS2 was lovely. Ds1 waited outside with friends and then came in and we all cuddled on the bed as the sun came up.

And DD's birth was quick and painful but so fab. She was so much of a blessing ( Ds2's SN meant we had thought we would not face having any more children but we suddenly found we wanted to) and i just remember sitting on the bed cuddling DS2 while DH and DS1 bathed her.
We weren't sure that DS2 would cope with her arrival but as we were perparing to leave hospital a few hours later he got really upset because he thought we weren't taking her .

BTW I love his description of childbirth 'Big belly, splash it out - thank you human !'

Sorry - that is just gibber really but I am done with having babies and it makes me all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it

my second was magic. even with shoulder dystocia! good birth despite hard work etc...

having my DD was great. First went into hospital at about 4pm - was 4 cm dilated - so decided to go home to let things happen. Went back in about 8pm, had a lovely bath, and gas and air. Moved into delivery room and had DD at 10.04. Of course it hurt - but it was much easier than I thought it would be.

Lovely births DO happen!

hatrick, I also have done 4 births with 'just' gas & air, and I too feel as tho I should not feel proud and boast about it, but I do, and sometimes I do also boast about it.

the only birth I had stronger for was with DD3 and that was because I had split my pelvis by doing the accidental splits 5days pre-birth (thanks to DD2 and lemon squash!!), and because of the unstableness of my pelvis they were wanting me to go for CS......I was against that as I knew I could give birth (I had twice before) vaginally, and so they insisted on me having an epidural 'just in case'......I agreed, but epidural did not take properly (took down my right hand side only)......as the midwife went off to get the anaesthatist (sp?), so I started to push and DD3 shot out, luckily into her waiting arms but she was not gowned up as I had been just 5cms dilated literally 5mins before!!!

even tho that sounds traumatic (and believe me, the pain in my pelvis WAS), I can still honestly say that her birth was amazing as I had good midwives who listened to my wishes and gave me as much control within specific guidelines.

I am still wondering if the one aspect of us having lovely births is the amount of control we still felt we had.......