Maddy’s Birth Story after Feeling Scared of Labour
I’ll start off by saying that I’m usually a very anxious person. I always worry about everything and think of the worst case scenario. So no surprise when I found out I was pregnant I had the exact same thoughts about birth. It was going to be horrendous, it was going to really hurt and it was something to be feared.
I thought I better get prepared for the horror of birth. Along came The Bump to Baby Chapter…
However, after completing the course, practicing hypnobirthing daily (including; practicing breathing techniques, reading positive birth stories, listening to birth affirmations and listening to the meditations every night) and visiting the birth centre I actually ended up looking forward to birth!
On the 25th February 2024 (3 weeks before my due date) at 10am I felt a sudden gush of water. In all honesty I thought I’d wet myself! I went to the loo and felt another gush and soon realised it was my waters.
My husband was at work so my mum took me to hospital. She was sat in the car (slightly panicking) with the engine running waiting for me whilst I was upstairs shaving my armpits (priorities) feeling surprisingly calm.
When I got to hospital the midwife told me to go home and if I didn’t go into labour within 24hours I would need to come in for an induction.
This was when one word entered my mind: OXYTOCIN. From my birth prep I knew this was the magic that I needed to get my labour started. By the time I got home my husband was there and knew exactly what I needed! I had my list of things that made me calm/happy at the ready. I had a cuppa, chocolate, watched Friends on TV and cuddled with my dog and husband. Plus continued to laugh!! By 1pm my contractions had started. I knew I needed to keep the oxytocin up to keep them going.
At about 3pm the hospital phoned to say they’d found protein in my urine sample from earlier that day. I went back in and was monitored and gave a further sample which came back clear. My husband continued to make me laugh in the hospital and kept me fed/hydrated and the contractions continued.
By the time we got back home the contractions had become stronger and closer together. My husband had an app ready on his phone to time them. I was using my breathing techniques and managing the pain well.
At 8:30 I was starting to struggle to manage the pain as well with just breathing so we phoned and went to the birth centre.
When we arrived I was examined and was 3cm. I made sure I had the mindset of ‘Go me I made it to 3cm’ rather than ‘I’m only 3cm’!
I was taken to my room in the birth centre. My husband turned off the lights with just the fairy lights on, put on my playlist and held my fan to my face. I continued to breathe through the contractions. The midwife gave me paracetamol and codeine but I unfortunately immediately threw it back up! So I was offered pethidine. I then was able to get into the ‘zone’ and sat for 2 hours on a bean bag breathing through my contractions whilst my husband continued to hold the fan to my face! He says it was like I was in a trance. The midwife came in regularly to check in and check baby’s heartbeat.
I then felt the urge to go the loo and was feeling slightly panicked. I started to say things like ‘ I can’t do this’ ‘Help me’. The midwife asked if I wanted to be examined again or if I wanted to get into the water. I was unable to answer so my husband decided to get me in the water. Which was a great decision as I immediately calmed as I got into the water and started pushing! Although pushing was uncomfortable I was able to stay calm and focus on the task at hand! After 6 minutes of pushing my beautiful baby was born. It felt magical that I was able to lift him through my legs and out of the water myself.
My greatest achievement.
Questions about this birth with Midwife Beth
Q. Do I always have to go home if I am not 4cm?
A. Not always. If you would like to stay in for support or pain relief then you can. The midwife will show you to a room and then usually keeps popping in as you need. You have one to one care from a midwife from active labour. Another reason when you may stay in is if you contractions are coming really regularly and strong but your cervix isn’t 4cm. In these times you may be advised to go for a walk, or stay in rather than go home.
Q. Can I go into the water after pethidine?
A. Pethidine and Diamorphine makes you drowsy, so you wouldn’t go into the pool straight after this pain relief. By about 2 hours after, women are usually less sleepy so are able to go into the pool.
Q. Do I have to have a vaginal examination before I go into the pool?
A. You can always decline a vaginal examination. In Maddy’s birth, it sounds like it was really obvious her labour had progressed so a vaginal examination wouldn’t have changed the decision to get into the pool. In some situations, a vaginal examination can change the advice given, but even in these times you can still decline a vaginal examination. Use EBRAN when offered to help you decide if it’s a right choice for you.
Q. What is the white stuff covering baby at birth?
A. The white coating that you can see on baby in the photo is called vernix. Having a water birth doesn’t wash this off. It is thick and waterproof so only really comes off if you wipe it. It’s really good for baby’s skin so is best left on, but it’s also important that baby’s are dry so they don’t get cold. A midwife will place towels over you and baby when you get out to help reduce the chances of baby getting cold. We will use a first towel to dab off water and wipe their heads, then place a second dry towel over baby to keep baby warm whilst in skin to skin.
Q. Why is there no blood in the pool when baby is born?
A. There can be blood when baby is born, but there is always blood just before the placenta. Just before the placenta is birthed, a separation bleed happens where the placenta comes off the uterus wall and blood comes out. In this photo, that could have happened but it just wasn’t a lot so hasn’t discoloured the water. Or there wasn’t much blood at the birth of baby and the placenta hasn’t come out yet. If the water is very discoloured with blood, then that’s a sign that a higher amount of blood has come out and you will be helped out the pool and treated (ie. given drugs or stitch a tear) to stop the bleeding.
