Lovely story posted on the Website MadeForMums.com
Hi Ladies Thought i'd post my birth story.... I had the most amazing labour and birth so think my story may boost some peoples confidence because all everyonne ever says how painful and horrifc it is!! I did a hypnobirhting course and practised everyday from 28 weeks, I also did perinial massage everyday since 36 weeks, took raspberry leaf tablets 2 a day from 32 weeks too. Anyway.... Monday 21st June I was 40+3 and had a sweep to try and get things moving, the sweep was not painful or uncomfortable and I was 1-2cm dialated, I was really excited that things were moving but didnt want to get my hopes up. anyway midwife also gave me some homeopathic tablets to take to help move on labour - I can't remember what they are called and have chucked them out now otherwise i would have been able to share the names of them - im convinced it worked for me! Tuesday 22nd June 4am I wake up with slight period pain nothing major and im trying not to get excited I dont mention anything to hubbie and go back to sleep for a couple of hrs at 7.30 woke up again with what felt like strong braxton hicks - nothing painful at all. Woke hubbie up and told him I thought I was in labour... We decided to take a walk around our garden because i felt so restless! at 8,30 my mum made me some breakfast -plum tomatoes on toast and we started timing our contractions and they were coming every 3-4 mins and lasting about 45 seconds... I decided to put my tens on as my back was sore but not painful just uncomfortable. Hubbie rang hospial - which is 45mins- 1 hr drive away and they told us to come in... we didnt want to leave in rush hour though and get stuck in traffic so we took our time - had to repack our hospital bag, hubbie had to do some work and i was just milling around. We left and arrived at the hospital at 11am i was dreading they would examine me and they would tell me I was only 2cm or something, I wasnt in any pain but contractions were coming regularly, midwife examined me and said I was 4cm which was great and unexpected! she also said baby was back to back but should turn during the labour.... I could feel lots of pressure in my back but not real pain. I was REALLY hot so stripped off and just layed naked on the bed on my side for a while and the midwife put a monitor on me to make sure all was ok, it was and after she has finished monitoring me I got off the bed and jsut kept sitting on the toilet and walking around. I wasn't in pain though and thought to myself I must have hours yet isn't this labour stuff meant to be REALLY painful!? The midwife then told me I could get into the pool if I wanted as I should be about 5cm by now... We got menus and ordered our lunch - jacket potatoe for me and chicken curry for hubie then custard and teacle tart and fruit! I also sent hubbie out for mars bar and malteasers! I was really hungry throuhgout my whole labour and was still eating malteasers at 10cm! Anyway got in the pool and it was lovely I loved the weighless feeling of being in the water floating around.... I was sleeping in between my contractions and then when i got one i just moved onto all fours and hubbie rubbed my backnot sure where the time went but midwife checked me and I was 10cm and she told me if I felt like i wanted to bear down and push i should... I jsut went with my body and started "breathing the baby down" - a hypnobirthing technique. Anyway I did feel an overwhelming urge to push so started to, pushed a few times and nothing happened but midwife assured me baby was moving down - i was getting really annoyed she wasnt coming out! then I pushed and I felt her crowning - I was really conscious of tearing so held her there for about 3 second and then pushed agsin and her head was out - it was the most amazing feeling ever! then I felt lots of shuffling and the midwife told me baby was turning herself so she could her her body out, I now got onto all fours (had been squatting in the water) and one more contraction and one more push she was here!!! I was SOOOOOOOOOO shocked!
We videoed the whole thing and my face is so funny when she comes out, I have big wild eyes like I dont know what just happened. I put her on my chest and hubbie was kissing me and looking at baby. We left the cord to pulsate till it stopped - I wanted to do everything naturally.and I delivered placenta naturally too... Dixie Lola Z******m was born at 4.19pm weighing 7lbs 13oz. I had no pain relief, had a graze they put one stich in and have to say it was the most amazing experience of my life, I loved it and can't wait to give birth again.... She is the most content alert baby and I adore her. I have to say the hypnobirhting really worked for me, all the practice I did everyday really paid off I think.
the hospital recorded labour as a total of 5hrs, it went so quickly I had no concept of time when i was in labour and have to say it was really really fine!! She had skin to skin with daddy while I delivered the placenta and got checked over and then we all went back to our room and chilled before our parents came to visit. We checked out the hospital at 12pm the next day and I'm loving being a little family. anyway i have blabbed enough, but I hope my birth story has shown it's not all pain and screaming... I would encourage everyone to hypnobirth!! You have much shorter labours and less complicstions when u hypnobirth.