Steff’s Positive Birth Story

Positive Imduction ? 3rd time mama ?

I went to the hospital on Sunday for my induction due to baby size. Had pessary in at 10am. Where I am, you have to stay in so off I went to the ward. Nothing happened till midnight when I started having contractions. Waters went at 1.45am and contractions quickly became 1 min long and 3 mins apart. My previous two births have been very quick so my partner was allowed in since I was on my own in my ward. Well that didn’t go according to plan! 

At 6am my contractions stopped. Examined me and baby was still high and my cervix wasn’t ready. Having been up all night…. I cried. So my partner had to go home and I was bumped to the top of the list to go on the drip because of my waters and the risk of infection. I didn’t end up going up till 4pm on the Monday due to emergency c-sections but finally it was my turn and my partner was allowed back. Contractions started thick and fast quickly after having the drip. The midwives were great and I was able to really be in control. I had my music on, tea and water on tap and I was allowed to move about and bounce around on the ball. They just moved the machines around with me! 

My labour took longer due to baby and cervix not being ready so at midnight on the Monday, gas and air weren’t cracking it and i was exhausted as hadn’t slept for over 48 hours. I was examined and told that cervix was now paper thin and baby was a lot lower so cervix would start dilating. That news wasn’t received well as The contractions were the kind you get when you are usually ready to push. Having had natural labours previously, I would agree with other comments that they are more intense with the drip. 

Had a chat with my partner and midwife and I decided to go for the epidural. They were great discussing options and explaining what would happen and I felt completely in control. The epidural itself was no issue at all and in super quick. I have a massive fear of needles so this surprised me. Don’t be put off if you feel you need one. 

After that, things changed completely. I had no pain but could still feel my contractions. I just felt below tightening as if I needed a poo ? I was tucked into bed and my partner provided with pillows and blankets so he could make a chair bed and we dozed off till 1.30am on Tuesday. The midwife examined me and said I was fully dilated and ready to push!!!! She said she would leave me an hour just to make sure baby was as low as possible and then she would talk me through it. However at this point I kept getting the urge to push. Again as if I had a poo that needed to make an appearance. ? I even checked as thought I may have had an accident ? Due to this we decided to start pushing straight away. I was unable to stand due to the epidural but I chose to go on all fours on the bed. The midwife was there to tell me when I needed to push but I found that wasn’t needed as although there was no pain I was getting urges to push when the contractions happened! So push I did! 

Olivia Randall was born at 3.45am on Tuesday 29th September at 39 + 2 weighing 8lb 5oz. Lots went wrong during labour but I felt in control of the next steps and decisions throughout. The midwives and al the hospital staff were brilliant and I was well looked after. 

I am so glad I did this course. Although I have had two previously, as they were easy, I had no idea about pain relief or inductions or c-sections. Thanks to this course, I knew all my options and I knew all the pros and cons. Most of all I took away the confidence to make all the decisions from this course. I wasn’t afraid to question the medical staff and take control. 

Thanks Beth and good luck to everyone who is waiting for their baby to arrive. I would do it a fourth time!

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.