Positive Birth Story- Baby Elsa
On 14/11/20 at 1:40am, I was mid-sentence discussing politics with my partner and sister (as you do) when suddenly my waters broke. We had planned a home birth due to my fear of clinical settings and so my partner and sister set to work getting the pool inflated and filled, while we waited for the onset of established labour. Straight away I was having irregular contractions averaging anywhere between 12-30 mins apart and this continued until 1:30am the next morning, by which point I’d been using the TENS machine solidly for hours and it was now having little effect even at the highest setting. It was then that the contractions began coming every 3-4 minutes and remembering what I’d learned from Beth’s videos, I used a combination of the breathing techniques and pacing up and down my landing to manage the pain. It was now almost unbearable and I called the labour line at my local hospital to ask for pain relief advice; they told me that due to a higher risk of infection, since it was now pretty much 24 hours since my waters had broken, I should come into hospital to deliver the baby. Luckily I had packed my hospital bags at 27 weeks just in case!
At 2:05am we arrived at the hospital and I was told I was already 5cm dilated. After handing me the tube for Entonox they asked me how I wanted to give birth and again, using the wonderful Bump to Baby Chapter information, I felt empowered to choose what was best for myself and my baby given that our plans had completely been overturned. I opted for an epidural and after 7 attempts it was successful; honestly, I would have been terrified beforehand but I cannot express enough how amazing I felt after having it done! I would 1000000% recommend one and would have one again in a potential subsequent birth. Using the breathing techniques I was also able to give birth to my baby without any perineal tearing, despite being prepped for an episiotomy just seconds beforehand!
Overall, I would 100% recommend the Bump to Baby Chapter for giving me such a positive experience despite all my plans going askew. Thanks Beth and team!
Elsa Beatrix, born 15/11/20 at 13:34pm weighing 8lb 0oz ?
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.
