Does anyone know anything about these?
I had a pretty easy birth, using hypnotherapy and tens machine. I was planning to use a birth pool at a birth centre, but there was meconium when my waters went so I had to go to hospial and be put on on monitors as they thought the baby might be a bit distressed.
I had been standing up until the pushing stage but once I needed to push, his heartrate dipped badly unless I was flat on my back. Not the best position for me but I had no choice under the circumstances. It still dipped when I was on my back but always went back up when the contraction finished, I think this is how I avoided any major interventions.
Anyway, I pushed and pushed for two hours but he just would not come out. I'm not unfit or anything and the midwives told me I was doing everything right. Things started to get a bit fraught after two hours and they told me he needed to come out because his heartrate was dipping more and my contractions were stopping, so they did an episiotomy and he came out straight after it. The midwives told me there was a band of muscle on my perineum that wouldn't stretch to let the baby out. They also told me that, if they hadn't done the episiotomy, I would probably have torn 'upwards and downwards' .
I realise I probably had a lucky escape with a small cut which healed up well. What I'm wondering is, would I have the same problem with another baby? Would he have come out easier if I'd been able to stay upright - this was always how I felt most comfortable. Would being in a pool help things to stretch or would I risk the nightmare sounding tear if there wasn't a midwife watching what's going on? I'd never heard of these 'bands' and don't know anyone else who has either.