Jas’ Positive Birth at 37 weeks

Love reading positive birth stories? You’re in the right place! This birth story is with first time mum Jas who had a positive birth at 37 weeks and 2 days after her waters broke spontaneously a few weeks ahead of her due date. Jas used gas & air as pain relief.

On Tuesday the 7th – Thursday 9th I had period pains and back ache during the night only. The pains were in the lower belly area and lower back. They didn’t move from those areas the whole time until birth. Thursday afternoon I had my first part of my show. 

On Friday 10th the pains were coming in the day too. Again the pain was in the same areas but were really mild like my period was due. At the weekend (11/12th) the pains weren’t too bad. I had the odd one through the day but hardly anything on the Sunday. 

On Monday 13th September at 4am I woke for a wee. Walking back to bed I noticed a dribble going down each leg. There were a few wet patches on the bed sheet. I wasn’t sure what was happening so went back to bed. 

At 6am I woke for another wee. When going back to bed there were move dribbles going down my legs than at 4am. I told Chris and I decided to put a pad on to see the colour which turned out to be pink. I rang birth centre and they told me to come in. 

At 7.30am I arrived at the Birth Centre and they monitored Skye’s movements and heart rate which were all fine. My waters were running clear so no sign of meconium. The consultant told me to go home and come back in 24 hours due to risk of infection as my waters had gone. 

At 11am I arrived home to contractions coming every 5-6 mins or so. The pain started in my lower back and then went to my lower stomach (stayed in my back also) and then stopped in my stomach and ended in my back. Every other contraction was extremely intense, and then the ones in between were either just in my back or smaller versions of the extremely intense ones. I tried my best to use a breathing technique of breath in for 4 and out for 6. I’d run out of breath if I breathed out for 7! During the extremely intense ones I was just concentrating on breathing in general because of the pain. 

At 1pm the contractions were lasting a minute or so with a gap of 3-4 mins. I rang birth centre but they wanted me to have a gap of 2-3mins before coming in. 

By 1.30pm the contractions increased and were 1min / 1min 20secs duration and about 2.5mins apart. Chris rang the Birth Centre and they said I could come in. 

At 2pm I got checked and was 6-7cm already. I’d managed to get there at home just using the breathing techniques, staying mobile, bouncing on a ball and watching Friends! Started with gas and air which Chris kindly held for me, one less thing for me to worry about. I loved it, but luckily I had used it before in previous hospital procedures when I was younger so knew how to use it properly to get full effect. 

At some point between 2pm and 2.54pm Chris gave me gas and air and contractions were coming thick and fast. Then I needed to push. Skye’s heart rate was low so they called the doctors in and said I needed to push her out in the next few contractions otherwise they’d need to help me.

About 3-4 pushes later baby Skye was born at 2.54pm.

Below are timings I found in my maternity notes:
First stage labour (4-10cm):Started 1pmDuration 1hr 45mins
Second stage labour (pushing):Started 2.45pmDuration 9mins
Third stage labour (placenta):Started 2.54pmDuration 8 mins
From waters breaking to birth of Skye: 10hrs 54mins

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