Emily’s Positive Birth

Imogen Theia (Immy)

~22/10/2020 at 10.26am

~8lb 12~40.3 weeks

~First time parents

~Waterbirth at MLU using a tens machine and breathing techniques

~Positive transfer for placenta removal

A huge thank you for this course, it taught me everything I needed to know for birth. I wanted to be prepared for the day knowing about what would happen physically and why, this helped me to write up my birth preferences, which led to the labour and birth I imagined. I did need a transfer after the birth but I had a positive experience with this too.

I was 40.2 weeks when my waters slowly went at home in the afternoon, I went to get checked and was sent home to see if things would progress naturally.
At around 9pm I started getting contractions at home, so I had a bath, used breathing techniques (in 4 out 7) and leaned on the birthing ball as that felt like a comfy position (also upright and forwards) whilst sniffing lavender on a tissue.

It was around 1am that we decided to go and get checked and I was around 3cm. We were allowed to continue labour at the birth unit as things were progressing. I had a bath, used the tens machine and concentrated on breathing.
Around 6am things were getting more intense so I requested to be checked again and was so so happy to be about 6 or 7cm!! I had a burst of energy knowing I could now use water to help so I got in the birth pool.

I tried gas and air but because I was so busy breathing in through my nose I couldn’t use it properly so went without and just carried on focusing on breathing 4&7. The environment was just right too, it was calm and dark helping me to really get in ‘the zone’.
At around 8am there was a shift change and I remember noticing the lavender diffuser being topped up.

On my printed birth preferences sheet, I wrote that I wanted Matt to be in the pool with me and if possible to ‘catch’ her, so he got into his swimming trunks and patiently waited behind me in the pool. I was so focused though, so I didn’t talk or want any physical contact. I remember blowing bubbles in the water and counting down on my hand 5 sets of 4&7 breaths to get through each surge.

My body started feeling ‘pushy’ so I went with it. Imogen (Immy) Theia was born at 10.26am into her daddy’s arms weighing 8lb12.
Matt told me after that the 12 hour piano playlist I had on throughout had finished by this point and she arrived to Sigur Ros Hoppipolla ?

We got to spend time together in the pool before we got out and Matt cut the cord. My placenta didn’t want to be delivered naturally or with the injection so I knew I needed to be transferred to the local hospital for a manual placenta removal.

Learning about each stage on the course helped me remain calm at this point and I remember saying to the midwives ‘I need to go to the hospital now don’t I’ after the attempts to remove it and I knew what was next.
During my pregnancy I was worried about giving birth at a stand alone Midwife Led Unit because of the possibility of being transferred during birth and doctors not being near. My antenatal midwife had reassured me that should a transfer be needed at all during birth at a MLU, you are made a priority, this really helped when deciding and I had confidence that it would be okay.

I was in the ambulance (for the first time ever) and Matt brought Immy along in the car. I got to see them both briefly before going into theatre for a spinal, the procedure and a few stitches. I had some blood loss and stayed for two nights being very well looked after.

Although not the ending to my birth that I had visualised, I am grateful to everyone who cared and supported for me so well at both hospitals whilst in full PPE and the birth itself was incredible ?