Lily’s Positive Midwife-Led Water Birth
This midwife-led water birth story is with first time mum Lily who gave birth to her baby boy Bodie in July. Lily had a midwife-led water birth on a midwife led unit using gas & air for pain relief. Love reading positive birth stories? You’re in the right place!
As this was my first rodeo, I had no idea what to expect in terms of pains/contractions etc, only to look out for waters breaking and maybe losing my plug. On Saturday my husband and I went for a bit of an inclined walk with the dog. I should mention during the week I had been regularly bouncing and swaying on the ball. And having lots of lovely foot rubs from my husband (which have funnily enough stopped!).
A couple of hours after the walk I started getting what I can only describe as mild period pains every now and then. Thinking nothing of it, I continued bouncing on my ball in the evening and chilling on the sofa watching a film. My husband was watching me out the corner of his eye. He definitely knew something was up. I didn’t want to get his or my hopes up! That night I managed to sleep just fine but waking up at about 1am for my routine wee and feeling a lot of pressure. Again naively, thought nothing of it and went back to sleep!
The following morning
I woke up straight away with the ‘period pains’. These weren’t going away and they had ramped up by midday as ‘heavy period pains’. This time I told my husband about them as he was continuously watching me. Passing them off I tried to go for a nap but Sam came in as I couldn’t sleep. We started timing them and discussed maybe just calling the triage line to get some advice. I explained over the phone how they had started the night before and I had woken up to them once again. At this point they were coming every 4-5 mins and lasting around 45 seconds to a minute. The midwife on the phone invited us in to be examined. We packed the car with our bags (luckily) and made our way in.
At the Hospital
After being examined and Sam waiting in the car expecting to go home, I was told I was 2cm and my cervix was very short and that I would likely be in that night anyway in active labour. She also asked if I had noticed many baby movements that day to which I replied ‘not really’. I had been too busy concentrating on these weird cramps. So they sent me downstairs to the ward and hooked me up to the monitor. Baby was fine. However, this was my second time in a week that I had been admitted for reduced movements so they told me I may have to stay in and deliver on the delivery suite. But – because cause of the busyness of the delivery suite I had to stay downstairs and wait for a doctor to make the final decision.
Labour Progressing
Fast forward 4 hours later, I was examined again and to the midwifes surprise I was 4cm!! I was hooked up again to check on baby who was all good and told they had room upstairs on the Birthing Unit! Hooray! Off we toddled to our lovely suite and it was go time! Using just my breathing techniques from when I was first examined. I was told on my 3rd examination that I was still 4cm and waters still intact. My lovely midwife asked if I wanted my waters broken and I gratefully accepted. No pain whatsoever having this done!
Contractions “ramping up”
Soon after my waters were broken my contractions ramped all the way up to the point where I couldn’t stand alone and my legs were jelly. In just 45 minutes I had dilated to 7cm and the pool was set up. In I hopped (or was carried) with my gas and air and gripping my husbands hand for dear life. I continued to dilate fully. At some point my midwife got me to do some practice pushes as my body was taking over and pushing for me! (I had accidentally dislocated Sam’s thumb at this point).
Hello Baby; midwife-led water birth
I definitely felt my transitioning. I was apologising a lot for making noise and telling anyone who would listen that I couldn’t carry on! God bless midwives!
I was coached through my pushing and told when to ‘pant’ during the crowning phase which I listened to miraculously and it helped a lot.”
After half an hour of pushing and a total of 9 hours in active labour, Bodie was born at 0646 on Monday 12th July.
Sam cut the cord and was handed Bodie for some skin to skin whilst we got down to birthing my placenta. I didn’t expect to still be contracting as much as I was. It took a little while to be born. I’d had the injection to help it on its way. After this, my midwife examined down below for tears. I just had a small 2nd degree tear that required a couple of stitches. A this point I was so knackered that I didn’t feel a thing and slept during the process.
Life with Baby Bodie
That afternoon, we were discharged and on our way home with our new addition within 24 hours of arriving at the hospital. I am now 9 days post partum and feel back to myself despite the wobbly tummy and extra stretch marks that tell the world I grew and birthed my beautiful baby boy! I would do it all again for him in a heartbeat.
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.
To read more midwife-led water birth stories, check out Valerie’s Positive Water Birth. Knowledge is power, so also have a read of What happens if I can’t have a water birth? to arm yourself with the knowledge to know that you are strong enough to walk whatever turn your birth takes.
