Anyone had a labour ward birth without any intervention? Positive stories please

[Flyingdolphins]

I'm nearly 39 weeks with DD3 and just found out that the birth centre has been closed the last few days due to staffing.

DD1 was a planned home birth but ended in transfer due to length of labour and exhaustion. Had epidural and delivered 10mins before they were basically going to force a forceps delivery.

DD2 was a lovely straightforward home birth, but for various reasons I'm not planning another one and had settled to plan a happy medium, hands off birth in the pool at the birth centre.

I have late babies and long labours so I'm worried about being put on a labour ward clock, leading to unnecessary intervention. (DD1 took so long I'm sure I would have ended up with a c section if I'd planned to have her at hospital) I found it really hard to advocate for myself last time I was on the labour ward, even though theoretically they can't force you into anything.

Now I'm reconsidering a home birth if the birth centre is closed at crunch time.

Not looking for scare stories 'if I hadn't have been on labour ward XYZ would have happened' please. Just anyone who has had a straightforward labour ward birth without intervention. And any tips to make it happen/better advocate for yourself. I wouldn't want continuous monitoring for example, I need to be up and about

Thanks so much

Yes, both my births took place in hospital, no interventions. The first I did need monitoring (due to a complication that likely will not apply to you) and they wanted me on my back for that, not realising at the time I was progressing very fast, so that was difficult. Once they realised how hard it was for me to lie still they checked and saw I was fully dilated. The second time I had my waters broken as he was late, and then they put monitors on me occasionally to see in labour had started but no other intervention once contractions began. So in both cases there was monitoring, but it was for a reason, and not extended unnecessarily.

I found that second time around they were much happier just to leave me to it, because they could see from my notes how it had gone last time. If you have a history of long labours and your most recent delivery was straightforward, your birth partner can use that information to advocate for you to get space and time. The context is different as well: the first time it was your first birth and you were being transferred so already there was a sense that this was going to need intervention. This time you are entering hospital with the expectation on all sides that this is going to be a straightforward delivery.

Best of luck!

For my daughter, I had also planned a homebirth but also transferred to hospital due to length of labour and exhaustion. I also don't want a homebirth next time.

I discussed with my homebirth midwife post birth, what my options are if I get pregnant again. She said I can be under the homebirth team again and labour at home for as long as possible, then transfer to the hospital once in active labour to deliver.

Would this be an option for you? Hopefully by being at home for as long as possible would decrease the staff forcing any unwanted interventions on you.

Best of luck with the birth, hope it goes well for you both 🤞🏻

Three and no interventions, stayed upright for as long as possible

I am a midwife and have facilitated many, many hospital births with no/low intervention.

Wishing you all the best of luck 🙂

Hi OP, I had both of my DC in hospital with no intervention. With both I stayed at home, walking, in the bath, swaying for as long as possible and then arrived at the hospital (20 mins drive away), for a further hour of contractions before the pushing began. With both deliveries I was on the ward for 5-6 hours for a cup of tea, baby checks before leaving for home later that evening. Stay at home and mobile as long as possible, tell the midwife that you are more comfortable being mobile and want an active labour. Good luck!

Had a very straightforward birth with my second. I did have intervention in the form of the hormone drip because my waters had broken but labour hadn’t started and I tested positive for GBS. I know you asked for intervention free stories but I’m sharing because while I did have an intervention it was not pushed or forced on me in any way. The team were very supportive and presented all the facts and let me make my own decision. They also gave me a lot of control over the drip in that they started extremely low and maintained that without increase because things did start to move albeit slowly. I guess my point is that even if you are advised to have interventions in my experience this was presented as advice rather than forced upon me and my labour was very manageable with just gas and air and all done in six hours from first contraction with just a small tear

Can your partner not advocate for you? I specified before my labour ward birth no forceps, and they did ask again when it was time and he just had to remind them it was a no and that was it (I did allow the head suction thing instead), but I’d see if he can support

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. I totally agree with staying home/mobile etc as long as possible. Maybe I'll treat it as if it's a home birth and transfer myself as late as possible! My fear there is that I have such long labours I might leave it too long and accidentally have the baby at home! Hopefully some sort of instinct will guide me when it's time to go in.

I suppose there's no way of knowing until the day, the birth centre might be open and none of this will be an issue but I'm a planner and an over thinker!

Yes, my first was a very straightforward labour ward delivery in my local huge hospital.

I had gas and air. No other intervention or treatment. DD was front facing so it was very painful but they kept me calm and I was in Labour for six hours start to finish. 💐

Yes, for my youngest I was on the labour ward. She arrived quickly, I was able to be upright/active, all was good.

Yes I had 2, one induction one spontaneous with an epidural, both absolutely fine 😊

Yes, I had a very easy completely hands off birth in a high risk labour unit.

I wanted a homebirth bit had some issues in pregnancy. The medication they gave me meant that the baby could be born floppy and so I was considered high risk and had to go to the bigger labour unit.

I deliberately stayed home for almost too long. Arrived at 9cm and barely got into the room before baby was born. They were all still arriving and putting gloves on and it was all over. I was quite smug that they didn't get to do all the things/monitoring/lines they had said I would be subjected to.

Baby was born floppy and so was the right thing to be there. Just glad I wasn't there for too long in labour as think I would not have been able to up and active in a way I was at home.

Yes DD2 was a completely straightforward birth on the labour ward, I arrived there about 6cm dilated, same 2 midwives looked after me throughout but they didn’t try and interfere or anything, was there about 3h before she was born. Didn’t see a doctor at all!
Gave birth 3am and was home lunchtime the day after.

I’ve had 2, both fine. DC2 was a lovely experience - arrived already at 9-10cm, born within the hour with a bit of entonox. Fed, cuddles, I was in the shower then only had to stay the night as it was late, otherwise would have gone home! Hoping for a repeat this pregnancy.

I have had two hospitals births and they have followed my plan of wanting to be as natural as possible (happily accepting gas and air mind you 😅).
The first time I got the birth pool but there was only one available in my local hospital so I was lucky that it was free at the time.
The second time, the room was more calm with dim lighting and projector lights! It was a tricker birth for me so they wanted to do a C section. I kept advocating my stance and told them no and to wait and thankfully my baby came in time before any intervention. Perhaps if I didn't keep saying no they might have taken me down sooner.
Of course everything is done for the safety of you and your baby so if they need to do something, I'd like to think they wouldn't take that decision lightly, especially if you've clearly communicated your wishes.