Please share your positive hospital birth stories

[Summerhols]

I am having a hospital birth and find that reading some posts on MN make me nervous about it. I know that some women have difficult experiences (and I am v. sympathetic) but I would love to hear some positive hospital birth stories.

Just as a bit of a confidence boost really!

Thanks in advance

with ds2-arrived 8am, fitted with tens and sent off for breakfast. back to labor ward and told either go home or shopping(i live hr away) so chose shopping, walked around town centre for about 4 hrs "shopping" and went back when i felt it was getting unbearable. back on labor ward they ran the water for the pool, got in watched creature comforts and ds2 was born(in water) after 2hrs of being in the pool

Had 3 hospital births, all good, no trauma, straightforward natural births, no stitches, lovely midwives who listened to me, cups of tea brought round at regular intervals on the ward afterwards...what can I say!
My only complaint is that they didn't have mash on the menu with ds3 and I had really enjoyed that with the other stays

Little tip - take some juice or squash in with you as the water in the wards can sometimes be rather warm but it's drinkable if a bit of juice is added
Likewise, take cool nightwear and some cooler flipfloppy alternatives to your big fluffy slippers because I found the wards really hot!

Did all the early labour stuff at home, and ensured that I ate my chicken casserole for dinner , timed contrations during Top Gear (or similar) whilst eating fruit cake . Rang labour ward, advised to take a couple of paracetamol(ha!ha!) and take a warm bath.

Insisted on being taken to hossie, arrived 11pm, DS2 born 11.45pm. MW and student MW were FAB! Gas and air offered, my birth plan read and understood, and they asked if I wanted to do skin to skin (forgot to add that to the plan) and offerd DH to cut the cord. Couldn't have asked for a better experience after the hideous time with DS1.

The student MW was a good call, she was lovely and stayed with me while DH got the TENS together adn the more senior MW read my birth plan. I did add the proviso when I was asked whether I would like a student to attend, that if I wanted that she would go.

Now I'm sure we all have a few stories on the state of post-natal care of new mums!

Hope all goes well for you.

I had my dd just before Christmas.

Lovely experience.
I had a MW + Student MW, both were absolutely lovely.

MW explained all steps very clearly and I never was alone in the room.

I did not have a birth plan, but the MW asked all the important questions anyway and dh knew what I wanted.

Had DS last January in Hospital.

Away from home, two weeks early, no notes or hospital bag with me.

But LOVED it. So much so I'm doing it again in May!!

Contractions went straight into every 4/5 minutes - waters broke on the 2nd contraction - had tens for first few hours, then pethidine (won't bother with this time, didn't do anything!) and then g&a for the last stint.

He popped out after roughly 12 hours!

I don't know why all the scare mongering about childbirth happens - it REALLY isn't as bad as some people will lead you to believe.

Good luck Summerhols when are you due?

Waters broke at 10.30pm on the Sunday - went to hospital to be checked out, then sent home. Stayed at home all day Monday whilst contracting, then about 3am Tuesday contractions got much stronger so went to hospital.

Wasn't too confident in the midwife at first, but she turned out to be great.

Had a lovely calm, quiet room, with dimmed lights and the bed pushed to the side of the room.

Midwife left the room for quite a lot of the time, so was just DH and me. Had gas and air which was helpful, but ditched it once I got to the pushing stage.

Things progressed quite quickly, and I was fully dilated by about 4.15am, though the pushing stage was quite long.

I was very tired, but talk of forceps gave me the strength to push that bit more and baby was born at 6am with two midwives present. DH tells me there was some light arguing between them as midwifeA had been pressing call button frantically for midwifeB to come in, but I was oblivious to this due to G&A/crowning pain/baby's arrival! He had had the cord around his neck and abdomen, but he was ok and they put him straight on my chest after a little rub with a towel. I had also asked for the injection (can't remember name) to have placenta delivered and it came out straight away. HCA helped me into shower and to wash myself and get dressed. She was lovely.

We had a 5 day stay in hospital due to baby's low blood sugar/infection/jaundice, but I must say that we were taken very good care of. Most of the midwives and HCA's were superb - so willing to help, and spend time helping you to breast feed. Some were a bit narky, but they were always changing shifts.

My only gripe was probably the condition of the hospital - I mean it was clean, but everything in the ward seemed old, things falling off the walls, no plug for the sink etc. Also the communal showering and toilet facilities were just awful.

All I wanted was a lovely warm powerful shower, not a trickle of lukewarm.

Anyway Summerhols you will be fine! One of the best things I did was go for a look around the ward beforehand so I knew where everything was.

If you are lucky and you have no complications then you may even get out the same day - but make sure you are happy with the feeding and your health first.

Also totally agree with displayuntilbestbefore - take cool nightwear and dressing gown.

I looked everywhere for a dressing gown and couldn't find one so took my old one made out of that stuff that's really soft and warm (not towelling, but looks like it).

OMG the ward was soooo hot! I had to get dh to go and get me another one.

I had a VBAC with pre-eclampsia six months ago, so was very high risk - had to go in as soon as contractions started, CFM, cannula, ARM, second degree tear - and it was still a really good birth.

I was really scared beforehand as I hadn't laboured at all before the cs, had read lots of negative things on here about hospitals and CFM in particular. I had the same midwife throughout, who was lovely and supportive, suggested TENS which I hadn't even thought of and encouraged me to walk around the room, use ball etc. Dd born after just 3 hours active labour with a bit of gas and air towards the end. She came out with her hand by her head so I think there was no avoiding the tear, but it healed fine.

It really honestly wasn't anywhere near as bad as I was expecting. The sleep deprivation on the other hand...

Good luck!

just to clarify, had obviously been in hospital for the cs! But knew nothing about the delivery suite.

What is CFM?

Stayed at home for 10 hours after the contractions started -was a bit in denial really Got to hospital to be greeted by a lovely midwife, hooked up to the monitor for about 20 minutes and all was fine. Told the birthing pool was available if I wanted to use that and while they filled it, i got in the bath. Waters broke in the bath and DD then arrived quite quickly - I was on all fours and could quite easily have been standing on my head - the midwife was toatelly supportive of me being in whatever position I wanted. Tried some gas and air but it made me feel nauseous so ended up with no analgesia at all. DD born all really relaxed and hassle free, no major hassles really (had some complications post birth but that was due to my own medical problems)

My next labour was more complex due to other complications but the midwives couldn't have been more supportive and caring and the registar was lovely

Thank you ladies! It is so nice to hear your stories. I think I needed a bit of reassurance as I have read lots of bad experiences of hospital birth it was putting me off and started to think 'oh maybe I will try for a home birth'. But I don't really want to do this due to my living situation - we have VERY thin walls and a nasty neighbour who would not be sympathetic or understanding about the noises women make in labour! Though don't suppose it is going to be any better once baby is here!

So now feel a bit more confident about hospital birth

Also thanks for the tips about what to take, will defiantly be taking some juice as don't like warm water!

TheChicOfIt, CFM is continuous fetal monitoring - you wear a big round pad thing (sure there is a more technical name!) strapped to your bump to pick up the baby's heartbeat throughout labour. I was very lucky to get a wireless version which meant I could walk around the room as much as I wanted, they could even monitor me from the bathroom down the corridor...

Waters broke whilst in hosp for soemthing else a week early with DS, so had to stay in. A bit of a long haul, 36 hours, epidural and ventouse in the end as so tired but all very professional. Lovely, lovely m/w who worked 3 hours over to be with me, never met her before, calling my DS's name to come out! Noisy ward though afterwards paid nominal fee to have a private room, agree with comments re extreme heat.

DD 3 years later didn't have first contraction til midnight, got to hospital 1.10am had her 1.14am, standing up just managed to get pants off, they caught her as she dropped to floor. But again a good experience, different hosp as we had moved by then, knew I'd already had one so left me to it which is just what I wanted.

Hope it all goes well for you.

Ok i didn't have the easiest of births with either of my two ds's BUT I will say that the care I received in hospital was wonderfull. The staff were fantastic and took very good care of us.

Yangymac - good point, which I except.

Oh and congratulations on DD

Had a lovey quick hospital labour in September. Contractions came on suddenly at 9am in the morning, also had a show, arrived at the hospital at 10am with contractions one on top of the other and first exam showed I was 8cm's dilated. First check was with senior midwife, who introduced me to my midwife, who would deliver my baby. She was lovely and talked to me all the way through and helped with my breathing etc.

DD was born at 11.55 am with just gas and air. There was a panic at the end as the cord was around the neck, but it was dealt with quickly and effeciently by mw and smw, and I knew nothing until afterwards, although partner was aware.

Ended up having one stitch and was on the ward by 2pm after a shower and tea and toast.

I was particularly impressed, even more so when I found out MW was due to go home at 11am but stayed with me. I have heard of some mw's just going and you get the next one on shift.

Good luck

both my DDs were born in hospital - DD1 in traditional labour ward and DD2 in Midwife led unit. Both were great - midwives couldn't have done more to help me, both really straighforward and no medical interventions.

Ah, continual foetal monitoring, should really have known that as I had that and just had to keep going from all fours to "semi-recumbent".

Thanks Liegeandlief .

I had the situation you describe HaveToWearHeels, where the midwife left just after she had stitched me up. I could tell she was in a rush during the whole process, which was a bit off-putting, but the new midwife was excellent.