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

my middle child was a great birth. i was induced which was no problem. it also meant i could take my first child to his aunts where he was staying and spend time with him before we went to hosp. no dumping him on someone in the middle of the nite! i also had an epidural fairly early on- highly recommended, so no pain. i had the 2 nicest midwives at RAH, and my hubby was really involved. i needed a few stitches, but it was a fabulous female registrar who did them so well i couldnt even feel i had any in!

just dont ask about the first and third births.... (theme tune from jaws....)argh!

I honestly had a lovely second birth - yes it hurt but nowhere near as bad as no.1. Was so convinced must still have hours to go only just made it to labour ward - arrived in a chair, stood up, waters broke and DD arrived 7mins later! Felt so good was home in own bed just a few hours later - bliss

Labour with DD was very long (48 hours) but I do have very fond memories of it. The first day or more was spent at home, hanging around in doorways as I found that the most comfortable place to have a contraction. My parents arrived unexpectedly and Mum still giggles at the memory of arriving at the front door to find me in full contraction mode. Transferred to hospital in the early hours and watched a lovely sunrise. Paced around the hospital for a long time trying to speed things up, with DH following me with a stopwatch humming the theme tune to Rocky. There was a fuzzy couple of hours in the middle, and then the latter part of it was on an epidural. My parents came in to the labour room for a cup of tea at one point, and then I fell asleep until the wonderful midwife woke me up to tell me it would be time to start pushing shortly, but she'd just go and get me a cup of tea and a muffin first. I wouldn't let her reduce the epidural, so she said she'd give it a try as long as I promised to do exactly what I was told. And she felt for all the contractions and told me exactly when to push and how hard, and it just worked. So DD was born in the early hours, with just the midwife, me and DH there, in a very quiet and peaceful ward. So lovely.

lol at this thread. I have very fond memeories and would do it all again in a heart beat (but not being pg or having a newborn, giving birth is the easy bit and am jealous of anyone about to do so.)

#1 was planned as a hosp water birth but labour started with meconium in the waters. i had everything bar a c section (drip, epi, ventouse etc) but when she was born it was unbelivable. I wanted to do it all again (but naturally). I was on a high for months (it felt like)

#2 was a planned homebirth (which I had to fight for, stupid mw) It went like clock work and he was born after a fairly quick, intense labour. I remember after his head was born having a bit of a rest and being on another planet, it was serious euphoria. I have never experienced anything like it. I think there was one more push and he was out. I was a bit stunned by his birth really. It was odd.

I love some of the descriptions. Lol at the fairy lights in the conservatory and watching the sunrise. And I love the poetry by blue butterfly. Giving birth to #2 was primal for me too.

My memroies include the spring sunlight coming through the window at the hopsital, it was really bright (and having tea and toast).

With #2 the first mw turned up and I was already in the pool. She wasn't a trained wb mw and started getting jittery. She wanted to examine me and I refused. I was obviously well into labour and you couldn't have dragged me out of the pool. She put the sonicaid (sp?) on my bump and was faffing about so much it fell into the water and stopped working. She had to use one of those trumpet things. I remember thinking 'where's the other mw'. I was so focused though and so confident. The proper mw turned up and was great. Ds was born 20 mins later.

Trust yourself and listen to your body. It will know what to do. And I'd suggest staying off your back if poss.

I had a terrible time with my 1st son,(16 yrs ago in hospital with epidural and a nasty midwife..)48hrs later, thinking I was dying and WANTED to!!

This time, I had an accidental home birth (I was told to shut up, as I was making too much noise with the 1st, so this time I left it too late as I thought I was being a pussy over the pain.) 4 hrs later,and 2 paracetamol, I had the most wonderful birth, and have a very contented baby boy.

It hurt, but this time, I knew I wasn't going to die!!
I felt the contractions, and knew they were working for me and my baby. (1st time,due to the epidural, my body didn't feel it was working properly..)

I had the most wonderful experience, with the most wonderful paramedics/midwives this time.

Just to add,(hope you's don't mind, as I could tell my story over and over!!)

I remember the bright Autumn sunshine coming through the curtains. It was the most beautiful day outside..
I had to go to hospital for 12hrs, as there was meconium, and the placenta didn't come away, (cord snapped when they pulled it..)
I begged them not to..I felt it should have been left to happen naturally, but they were worried as I was an "old-bird!!" lol!

I had postnatal depression after my 1st.
This time, I am still in heaven, and I truly believe it is because I had a normal, natural experience, with the support of wonderful,POSITIVE professionals that I trustd.x

Just to add,(hope you's don't mind, as I could tell my story over and over!!)

I remember the bright Autumn sunshine coming through the curtains. It was the most beautiful day outside..
I had to go to hospital for 12hrs, as there was meconium, and the placenta didn't come away, (cord snapped when they pulled it..)
I begged them not to..I felt it should have been left to happen naturally, but they were worried as I was an "old-bird!!" lol!

I had postnatal depression after my 1st.
This time, I am still in heaven, and I truly believe it is because I had a normal, natural experience, with the support of wonderful,POSITIVE professionals that I trustd.x

My second was at home and quick and easy. Two hours after labour started I was in bed with a baby and a cuppa, bliss

I had a really very lovely birth with DS and am hoping for the same again with #2 in April.

I remember thinking and saying 'this really isn't bad at all' all the way through - which was very surprising to both me and DH given that aged 30 I still cry at blood tests (they hurt - I don't care what anyone else says!)

The 'birth gone bad' stories really frightened me when I was pregnant so I do try and reassure all the first-time pregnant women I know that, whilst things often can and do go wrong (through absolutely no fault of the mother), it can also be a very nice and calm experience.

The birth of DD2 was truly the best experience of my life. Planned home water birth. Lovely kind supportive midwives and DH by my side, with DD1 asleep upstairs. Very quick, painful and intense but I felt a lot more in control this time round.

A couple of odd moments though - looking at the welsh dresser half way through and telling the midwife that I should have put the iron away, and being stitched up on the dining room floor afterwards! But the best moment had to be DD1 appearing at breakfast time, inspecting the baby, kissing the baby and then demanding crunchy nut cornflakes for breakfast. I think she knew it was the one day when I would let her!

I second the good first birth story! I remember that I probably started contractions about 1pm in the afternoon, and knew I was definitely in labour at 10pm (Despite DH telling me I wasn't, and to take the tens machine off and go to bed!!!!). I spent the next 4 hours lying in the dark on my side snoozing less and less until I woke DH at 2am and he started timing the contractions. Well that soon got him going! We shot down to the hospital asap and was told I was 8cm dilated. Too late for any pain relief other than gas and air.
Anyway I was lucky enough to be put in the only room with a birthing pool so thought I'd give it a go. DD was born at 4.45am and just prior to that I remember thinking that I was going to have to push the baby out at some point and that while it was no doubt going to really hurt, the sooner I did it the quicker it would all be over...so I just went for it...

Think the gas and air, the water and the semi darkness of approaching dawn in the room all helped create a less fraught atmosphere. Plus, I definitely didnt have any fixed ideas of what or how I wanted the birth to happen. I just wanted it to end with a healthy baby and not to be too awful! Hopefully that the second one (due dec) is just as 'good'!

I did tear (3rd degree) but don't actually remember any pain with it happening so can't share any bad stories there either and also had a retained placenta that was taken out with spinal block in the theatre, without much drama really and went home 2 days later with my beautiful baby girl.

If you are looking for happy birth stories, have a look at Hypnobirthing. I was very sceptical after a not pleasant birth experience with DS but amazed at how different it was with DD (now 9 months) thanks to the hypnobirthing. Felt relaxed and absolutely focused, a lovely waterbirth and it just didn't occur to me to ask for pain relief, honestly! I was on a high for ages afterward, I think DH was thinking I'd lost the plot I was so bouncy!!

Not sure they've all been what would be classed as 'lovely' births but I did love giving birth. 9 times for me. Something that, at times, I do feel sorry not to be able to experience again.

Lovely births come in all shapes n sizes

My second birth was an elective section and a truly euphoric experience. Calm, serene, painless...and the moment of birth was beautiful. I was on cloud nine for weeks and weeks afterwards. I felt like Superwoman. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I could guarantee it would be that fabulous.

Oops, I'm one of the traumatic birth posters on here... physical trauma, mental trauma, long recovery, the lot.

But, my second birth (Elec CS/medical reasons etc) was just lovely. So calm, so cathartic and in my control unlike the first one. Great midwives/doctors too.

She had my heart from the very first second.. "Somewhere over the Rainbow", Haiwaiin version was playing as she was born, then "A Day Like This" by Elbow as she was handed to me. She BF straight away in recovery, and non-stop for days afterwards, and even when one nip was skinned and the other split I just did not care .
The rush of love was unbelievable and all the pains and tiredness were irrelevant for a week or so.
Well, you can only stay up mooning at your sleeping baby all night when you should be grabbing some shuteye for so long then it comes back to bite you!

I had 2 lovely short and I would even say enjoyable labours.

1st labour with DS had braxton hicks like tightenings from around 7.30am, called midwife and was told to stay at home until pain was regular and unbearable. I never reached the regular and unbearable stage but started to bleed at 11.30pm. Arrived at hospital at 11.55pm and gave birth to DS on the operating table (I was prepped for emergency CS) at 1.08am.

2nd labour with DD, I had niggles and contractions on and off for about 3 weeks before she finally decided to put in an appearance. I woke at 6.15am having a huge contraction got DH to call MIL to come and collect DS. Had 2nd contraction 10 mins later so thought I had plenty of time but then the contractions came on top of each other so we had to call ambulance.

DH ended up taking instructions from the operator and delivered DD on our kitchen floor just before the paramedics and MIL arrived. DD's birth was logged at 6.59am.

I had 2 C/Sections - the first because baby was breech, the second elective. With the first they injected me with Pethidine afterwards and it made me so ill that when they brought my daughter to me for the first time I told them to go away - awful - I still have guilt trips about that one. I also took ages to recover as I lost a lot of blood.

The second time I took charge, told the gynae & paediatrician I wanted to hold my baby when she is born (this is in South Africa), I did not want any drugs afterwards and definitely not Pethidine. In the morning I met my friend for her birthday(same birthday as my second daughter!) and had a huge English breakfast to keep me until that evening when I was going to have my c/s. I had a great c/s, held her afterwards, then when I was back in the ward I kept nagging them to bring her to me so I could breastfeed her which I did and it was so cosy and quiet late at night - wonderful. I did not have any pain injection until 4:00am the morning after the birth and I got up that same morning and got going - much better than the first time.

That said the birth was probably 'good' because I had such a bad time the first time round!!

my 1st was pretty good by any standards - 37 weeks, waters went, contractions started 30 mins later, got to hospital 30 mins after that, about 30 mins later needed to push, 1 hr pushing with gas and air, ds1 delivered with no cuts or grazing so no stitches needed.

but my 2nd was on a different scale - 37 weeks (well v v nearly, just before midnight), waters went, contractions started 10 mins later, max 4/5 contractions, no idea how long 2nd stage was as basically I put my hand down to check nothing was happening and delivered ds2's head, max 15 mins after 1st contraction. little grazing but no stitches. placenta took a whole while longer, probably about 1h30m - but wasn't a problem. All tucked up in own bed within 2 hours.

I have had two lovely births and in a way am looking forward to giving birth again in January.

First one long early stage of labour but only five hours of intense contractions (were very intense for five hours but I could cope with it) Was just thinking I couldn't handle it anymore when I wanted to push and half an hour later dd popped out in birth pool (hospital birth) pain of actual birth was no where near as bad as I expected.

Second one at home easier as the early labour stage was much quicker, intense labour only two hours, had him in the water. The birth its self hurt much more than the first one, probably as he was a lot heavier, but it was still a fab experince.

Yes, well they were OK and the outcome made them lovely events.

Mine wasn't 'natural' but it was perfect and just how I wanted it. I had an elective section and it was fantastic - very positive memories.

utterly wonderful birth of my DD2

radical-mama.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html

Ds I woke up with a strange feeling stood up and waters went at 1am went to hospital cc every 5 mins was told I had to stay in because of risk of infection. Spent most of the day relaxing with dp and gettting excited about the prospect of meeting my ds.

At 11.30pm the cc were right on top of each other and I started to panic so I had a half dose of pethadine.

At 12pm I started to push and I remember being so overwhelmed by emotions that blocked out the pain.

At 12.30 ds was born 7lbs 2oz no stitches and I remember feeling such a burst of emotion and crying he was perfect.

On dd cc regulated about 4pm I labored at home till 12pm when cc were right on top of each other.

I had a little gas and air in hospital again getting quite overcome with emotions.

at 1.44 I felt an urge to push and was just getting the emotions coming when dd was born at 1.46. She latched on straight away again no stitches and she was perfect I remember this birth was much calmer.

I loved both my births and would love to have another baby.

I had 3 lovely births. I wouldn't want to be pregnant again, but giving birth was really exciting! I didn't need elaborate birth plans; I didn't have any. They were all in hospital, but no one ever saw me until the last stages.

Both my births were lovely - although not textbook natural births.
As my due date approached I started to feel very calm and serene and able to cope - so much of the fear went away (although during labour itself there were moments when I wondered if I'd be ale to see it through - a daft but common feeling I expect).

The awareness that my baby was going to be arriving soon and that we would be meeting was wonderful. The early pains were pretty mild, and dealt with with some paracetamol.

The moment when I actually pushed the baby out, the push, the 'pop' and the slither of warm wet baby across my thighs and as they were lifted onto my tummy, was completely amazing and empowering and wonderful.

The actually mechanics (induction, syntocin, epidurals, tears, high BP etc. etc.) are not something I've really dwelt upon - I'm sure some people would be disappointed, but I thought my births were wonderful.