Becca’s Positive Birth Story
Love reading positive birth stories, you’re in the right place…. This positive birth story is with Becca. Becca used EBRAN to make informed choices and have a positive experience welcoming her baby into the world.
On my due date I had a midwife appointment and a sweep, this caused some of my “show” to come away. Midwife said I was 2cm dilated and short cervix. I went home and bounced on the ball, tried to stay active as much as possible. Nothing happened that day.
The next morning at 1am, I woke up with low back ache and strong period like pains that were coming and going every 8 minutes or so. My other half was working a night shift so I waited an hour before calling him (as I wasn’t really sure it was happening). I called the hospital and they also said it could be the start but it may also just go off. My partner arrived home about 2:45am and I was still having contractions (approx 8 mins apart or less). I bounced on the ball as much as I could all night. Contractions were constant at every 8 mins or less all throughout the next day. I put on my tens machine at about 5am and this was a life saver! The contractions felt pretty strong from the start (ones where I couldn’t talk through them and had to breathe through each one).
I had a bath at about midday which relaxed me slightly but I just couldn’t get comfortable sitting down. At about 4pm I felt a little trickle and thought it was my waters. By 6pm I was losing the will a bit, exhausted from no sleep and the constant contractions, they were now about 4 mins apart. I had a little cry (exhaustion I expect) and called the Labour ward. They recommended I take a paracetamol and get in the bath again as they did not want to examine due to risk of infection and my contractions were about 3 mibs apart. They wanted them to be 2 mins apart. By this point I did not want to take my clothes off (or the tens machine) and get in the bath again. Then tens machine was giving me a welcome relief from contractions and I felt a bit like it was one of those massage chairs each time I pressed boost. I waited another hour and then called the labour ward again, I felt as though I needed help with the pain. They agreed to examine me. I was relieved.
We arrived at the hospital at approx 8:30pm and I was examined with a speculum to be told that my external cervix was dilated but my internal cervix was closed completely. I was shocked. What had my body been doing for 20 odd hours! The midwife assured me my “body was getting ready”. I still couldn’t talk through contractions so concentrated on breathing and the tens machine. The midwife gave me oramorph to help and I was monitored for half hour. The oramorph didn’t touch the sides, the contractions were still the same level of intensity. I was then offered diamorphine but would’ve had to be admitted and on the ward without my partner. I used EBRAN and crazily decided to go back home to try and sleep but with the knowledge that I could call the ward at any time to go back for diamorphine.
We arrived back home approx midnight and got into bed. Both my partner and I were dosing off between contractions so not really managing to time them. Approx 1am I woke to a pop and gush of water. Then the contractions seemed to speed up. By 2am my partner was calling the Labour ward back to say I wanted to come back for diamorphine but also that I felt like I needed to push. By the time I had got to the bottom of our stairs, I wasn’t getting a break between contractions. The feeling of having to push was definitely there but I also thought I’d get to the hospital and they’d say my cervix was still closed.
I sat in the back of the car clenching every muscle I had with each contraction as I really felt the urge to push.
When we got to the hospital I was still having no breaks between contractions and the midwife was considering giving me an injection to slow them down. I was given gas and air and this calmed me down and I started to get a break between the contractions again. By this time I’d left the tens machine on boost (forgotten about it). I was examined to be told that I was 9cm! Woohoo! We were shocked. Within the hour I was moved to a labour room and pushing. The gas and air was taken away for this part and I was coached through by a student midwife on when and how to push, she was amazing! She told me to try and get 3 pushes in with each contraction, so I was trying to get 5 in as I was desperate to meet our baby! Within about 45 mins, Noah Thomas Parsons was born at 5:30am on 12.3.21, weighing 8lb 3oz.
We didn’t have time for my labour playlist or any sweets I’d packed in the end but the isotonic drinks were a life saver with the gas and air. For anyone worrying about the pushing – I much preferred this part to the contractions and you just know you are so close to meeting your baby!
That feeling of skin to skin straight after was just the best! Something I wish I could re-live already!
I needed one internal stitch after and was supported with how to breastfeed then the midwives left us to it for 3 to 4 hours. We were both in shock but on cloud 9. The midwives we had were so lovely and absolutely amazing! I was then transferred to maternity ward and my partner had to go home (he went to sleep straight away in his clothes). I couldn’t sleep for the whole day (one thing I would definitely do if i did it again) and was then discharged at 5:30pm the same day.
For two days after I think I was still in shock that we even had a baby and I’d managed to get it out but it’s safe to say I would do it all again in a heartbeat!
So grateful for the advice from Beth on the course! Being knowledgeable about my body and what it was doing, really helped me through the labour experience!
Click the link for more information about The Bump to Baby Chapter’s Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Online Course. Know what you can do to stack the odds in your favour for the birth that you want. Videos, checklists, audios & a support group all created by a midwife to get you feeling excited, prepared and confident for birth.
