Gestational Diabetes: Vanessa’s Second Birth Story

Second time mum Vanessa shares her positive birth story. Vanessa had gestational diabetes and used EBRAN to support her throughout all stages of labour. Vanessa had a vaginal birth following a previous forceps birth. Love reading positive birth stories? You’re in the right place! 

I just had to share my birth story after recently having my 2nd little boy. I know that following your course helped me focus my mindset to feel positive about birth and also feel prepared for all eventualities!

My previous birth

As a backstory, I first competed the course before having my first son Finn in January 2023. While this birth looked different from what I had hoped, hypnobirthing really made me feel informed and positive about my experience. I went into labour at 37+4 and arrived at hospital at 10cm dilated with my first. My waters had broken earlier that night. After 3 hours of pushing, baby was born in theatre with an assisted forceps delivery and episiotomy, having been back to back and not in an optimal position.

Having done the course, I felt reassured that what was happening in theatre (particularly how many people were there!) was completely routine. And not to forget that I used my breathing to get me to that 10cm at home without realising how far along I was! I’m also still in the WhatsApp group with other mums the Jan ’23 cohort. We speak every day and it’s been such a support.

This pregnancy

Fast forward to my recent pregnancy, I wanted to avoid baby being back to back. I wanted to try to be more active in labour (avoiding lying on my back if possible). I did pregnancy yoga, spent more time on the birth ball – and rewatched the videos from the bump to baby chapter of course (including a new module on biomechanics!) Before revisiting the course, I had started to become fearful of birth again, but as soon as I rewatched the videos I already felt much better.

Gestational Diabetes

I had hoped to birth on the midwife led unit this time. A late diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes at 35 weeks meant I was advised to give birth on labour ward instead. As my Gestational Diabetes was diet controlled, I hoped to perhaps be able to use the one room on labour ward with a birth pool. Having been convinced I would go into labour a bit early like my first, baby boy number 2 arrived at 39+4.

I went for a sweep that morning and the consultant told me I was already 4cm. I had been feeling lower back pain and a lot of braxton hicks, but couldn’t believe it. We went home and got settled for the day and my mum came over to be there to pick up our toddler from nursery.

Throughout the day I only had some mild cramps and some pressure. I had lost some bloody show over the week or two before. Come teatime and time for our son to come home from nursery. I started to feel a lot more pressure and quite quickly. I decided to call the EOU for advice as I was a bit worried about dilating quickly like I had with my first.

Using EBRAN

While I wasn’t having proper contractions, given I was 4cm in the morning and now feeling a lot of pressure they told me to come in. On the way I started to feel some fear creep in. I asked my partner should I ask for an epidural as soon as possible. The goal was to labour with only gas and air if felt I could, to help me stay upright and mobile or the pool if one was available. He asked me to talk through what I thought the benefits and alternatives were, reminding me of my EBRAN and providing a distraction.

At the hospital

When we arrived, contractions started to come quite sporadically before getting a bit closer together and I used my breathing again which works wonders. I was 5cm and admitted to the delivery ward. The whole experience felt a lot calmer than my first. When I arrived at the hospital the first time round I was already having the urge to push. I talked to the midwives about pain relief options and had general chats with them before they did a handover. The midwife who delivered our first was also floating around and we had a great chat!

At first I was disappointed that I was being handed over to new midwives within 30mins of arriving on the ward. Looking back though we had the best 2 ladies with us that we could have asked for. I debated on whether to ask for an epidural and they asked me to share what I had hoped for in terms of pain relief. They advised that I probably couldn’t wait too long to make a decision on the epidural. When I said I had hoped to try being in the pool, even though I was going to have continuous monitoring, they said they could check if the room on the labour ward with the pool was free and if we liked we could move. It was!

Getting into the birth mindset

They prepared the room for me and when we arrived. They had the lights off and a projector light on, a diffuser going and showed us how we could plug in our own music. I instantly felt so at ease! My contractions were ramping up but still were not consistent. I sat on a birth ball and chatted to my partner and the student midwife who was amazing. It felt like I was just chatting to a friend and not that I was in labour. I really feel that the relaxed environment helped with my oxytocin.

Around 3 hours after arriving at hospital, I agreed for my waters to be broken. I was feeling an immense amount of pressure from baby’s head, and to help my contractions progress. I was now at 7cm and stretching to 9cm and fully effaced. The midwives knew I didn’t want to lie on my back. They raised the bed up into a seated position and removed the bottom for me. Even though the pool was running I was quite comfortable like that. My partner said, it looked like I was on a throne!

Contractions thick and fast

After my waters were broken, contractions started to come in thick and fast. I really relied on the gas and air, but still chatted between contractions to the midwives talking about our jobs, our families and everything in between. I could not believe I was the same person I had been that was so scared of birth. Around 40minutes after my waters were broken, I felt an enormous pressure in my back.

Hello Baby

One of the midwives asked did I want to try lying on my side for a bit to relieve it. I thought this was a good plan and I got onto my side. Before they could get the bottom of the bed reattached, and within seconds, I had the most overwhelming urge to push!

I asked the midwife to help me hold my leg up and within around 15minutes of pushing our beautiful boy Charlie was here.”

My partner was so encouraging and made me feel I could do it, and I remember one of the midwives looking at me and saying “You’ve got this”. I couldn’t believe what I had just done and it was the most incredible feeling I will never forget. After a lovely golden hour, I had a shower and we went to the maternity ward to bed down.

I can’t thank you enough at TBTBC for empowering me to give birth to my two gorgeous boys! The course made me feel informed to ask questions and advocate for my preferences where possible and I highly recommend it to both first time and second time mums 😊