He’s here! (Positive story)
Due 4th May but woke to my water’s breaking the morning of 28th April. It was pink, so I feared it’d be like my first where I had to be induced and on labour ward from unexplained bleeding but this was blood in the waters, which is fine apparently.
I nervously headed to triage to confirm it was my waters and due to group B strep, I started on 4 hourly anti-biotics straight away. Throughout the day, I was contracting infrequently, but some were really strong.
A dr had said that I can labour without intervention until about 6pm and if no progress, they’d talk about the hormone drip. I was determined not to have intervention unless completely necessary, however 6pm rolled around and I was 1cm dilated and posterior cervix, and wasn’t contracting in a pattern. I cried, thinking that I’d “failed” and that they’d be along to discuss induction at any point. They didn’t. It got to about 8pm and contractions were ramping up a little, giving me a little break between bursts to get my breath back. They suggested an examination, and I went for gas & air for this examination because the first time was pretty uncomfortable. I was 3-4cm and although initially I’d hoped I was about 5, they put wheels in motion for me to go to the birth centre (just along the corridor).
That took a while and had to stop a couple of times for contractions. Got myself sorted in the birth centre room and whilst they were doing the initial observations, the contractions really ramped up. Listening to baby’s heartbeat after every contraction for 15 seconds each time became tricky for the midwife because some contractions were back to back.
I laboured on a birth ball for a short while, still had my knickers on 😅 and after a few contractions on the ball, I felt my body begin to push. I said this to the midwife amongst puffs of gas. Next contraction I felt the need to move off the ball, we discussed me going to the loo (I had a bladder protection plan in place) but I couldn’t face it. Next contraction, managed to kneel on the bed and got my knickers off finally and I think these were back to back contractions because in the movement from the ball to bed, I was making the most deep involuntary noises and the head was born. Everyone was in shock and awe that it’d happened so quickly. Next contraction and the midwives guided baby to twist and out he came! I was in shock and awe myself. Two contractions and baby was born and not really any coached pushing, just trusting my body!
It was a little tricky to deliver the placenta, I tried pushing but I don’t think I had any push left after ejecta-baby 😅 tried sitting on the loo to push placenta out but no, they grabbed a senior midwife who coaxed it out. I had to then go to theatre for a 3rd degree tear, which I cried about but honestly, the whole experience was worlds away from my first birth 3 years ago (I had dilapan rods after unexplained bleeding, quick labour, felt body pushing but encouraged to get on the bed for examination, baby’s head was right there so coached to push on my back, had an episiotomy to help baby out but the healing wasn’t great and ended up with pelvic floor issues from an hour of coached pushing on my back. Then had feeding issues, sleep deprivation and mild PND from it all).
Even after a trip to theatre for these stitches, I feel far less tender than I did the first time, I’m slightly more emotionally stable so far (although today is day 3) and feeling so empowered and strong from midwives actually listening to me. I have barely slept but feel better rested. It’s just more positive all round.
