We had a wonderful birth story from one of the Calm Birth School instructors Liz Stanford from Enhance Your Birth. Thank for you for allowing us to share your birth story Becci and congratulations on the birth of your little boy.
Finally getting to write you my birth story. I had gone over my due date (guess date) and as you know I really wanted a natural birth. I knew time was running out before they would want to interfere and induce me. I had (as well as my husband Daniel) put a lot of preparation into our birth experience. I had been to antenatal yoga classes every week from 10 weeks, did birthing partner workshop and hypnobirthing classes. I also did perineum massage every night after my bath from 34 weeks. Me and Daniel both feel it was because of all of this we had such an amazing positive birth experience. We really can’t thank Liz enough for everything she taught us, and for reassuring me through any of my fears or worries.
I had reflexology to help encourage my labour to start naturally. I had a session with Julie coming to my house on Wednesday (4days over my due date). Then with midwife Becky at Samuel Johnson Hospital on Sunday (8 days over. Becky gave me acupressure points to do 2 or 3 times a day. She also gave me some oils to sniff to help bring on my labour as well as oils to put in bath. I had a 3rd reflexology with Julie on Mon 3rd Oct (9 days over). I was doing everything I could to bring my labour on naturally. Drinking raspberry leaf tea, eating lots of pineapple, medjool dates and hot curries, going for long walks daily, hot baths, sex, relaxation, breathing techniques, listening to my hypnobirthing mp3s, Daniel doing soft touch, stroking massage. I was doing my lunges over my ball and hip circles and on all fours to help my baby be in the best position.
My surges started on Thursday 6th October about 6.30pm after a sweep I had at Samuel Johnson at 11.15am at which point my midwife said I was 1cm dilated (I was over the moon, I knew finally things were starting). I went for long walk after. The midwife did have to book me in for induction at Burton for 8am the next morning, which I wasn’t overly happy about. She reassured me that I didn’t have to be induced, but to go and be checked, but I know I had till midnight Saturday to still go to Samuel Johnson. I was doing my breathing and hip circles etc. Daniel was timing my Surges on his phone app, it said for us to go the hospital. Daniel phoned Samuel Johnson and they recommended I come in.
I went to the hospital on at 10,20pm, they got me settled in the pink room, lovely lighting, nice and chilled. After about 20 minutes I was offered an examination to see where I was. I was 1-2cm dilated, my surges had calmed down too, which I knew was common and so did the midwife, so she said to relax and made us both a hot chocolate. We stayed an hour and the midwife said it was up to us whether we stayed or went home. We decided to go home and try and get some sleep. My surges were 2 every 10-15 minutes. I did stay in bed, even though I really didn’t get much sleep, but I knew I needed to try and rest, reserve my energy ready for the birth. I did my wave breathing through each surge.
I went to Burton Hospital at 8am (Friday 7th October) for my induction appointment. I was tired and having to stop and lean over with every surge, hip circle and breathe through it. They hooked me up to machine to monitor my surges. They wanted to do a Vaginal Examination (VE) because they needed to see both dilation and surges to know if I was in established labour. I did question the VE, once understanding why I let her do it. I was 2-3cm dilated, she said she could feel my waters bulging and would be able to easily break them with her fingers and I could have a water birth there. She thought my labour would move along quickly once my waters had been broken. I said I would rather be able to go to Samuel Johnson. She said I could go home and to not leave it too long to go in. So, we went home and had a hot bath, which was lovely, and helped my surges feel a lot more comfortable. I did my breathing, listened to my mp3, and got ready to go to Samuel Johnson.
We got there at 12.30/1. When Daniel called, they asked what room we would like, we said the blue room, with the birthing pool. When we got there, there was a student midwife and another midwife. They got us settled in the room. They did a VE and I was 3-4 cm dilated. I was told my waters were bulging, so I was nearly classed as being in established labour. The student midwife was the one who was mainly looking after me, she would come in and check on me and check baby’s heartbeat.
At 3.30pm they were debating/discussing whether it be best I go home and come back when I was further along. Me and Daniel both weren’t happy with this and I said to Daniel “I’m not going home”. The midwife from the night before had said they are not allowed to break your waters because that is classed as a form of induction, but certain midwifes there are happy to augment your waters and to discuss with who was looking after me. The student midwife said no, I asked her to ask the more senior midwife who then came in and said she wouldn’t be happy to do it because how far past my due date I was and how close I was to being officially overdue. My 42-week date was the Saturday. She was worried there would be meconium in my waters and said there would be a high chance. That came with dangers for baby and I would need to be in a hospital. So, I knew I didn’t have to have another VE for them to see my dilation, so I didn’t at that point. Me and Daniel said we were not happy to go home, they said they couldn’t make us, but they made us feel uncomfortable, not welcome to stay, but we were adamant we were not going home.
They said they’d give me an hour till 4.30pm. We told them our concern was I was really tired especially because I hadn’t slept properly since Wednesday night and I wasn’t sure how long I could go on with such low energy. The thought of another night with no sleep was a very worrying thought for me. So, they suggested calling Burton Hospital to see if I went there would they break my waters and move things along. Burton said they were short staffed, I could go there but they wouldn’t be able to break my waters until Saturday. So, me and Daniel discussed this and decided we were staying put. I allowed them to do a VE at 5pm and I was 4cm, thankfully because I was classed as being in established labour. So, I could stay without feeling I couldn’t.
Thankfully they had change over in staff. Mel and Kate come on shift, both very experienced midwifes. They both came in and introduced themselves. Kate was a trained hypnotherapist and was very keen and interested in my hypnobirthing preparation. Both midwives couldn’t believe how quiet and calm I was. All this time I was doing hip circles and figure of 8’s through each contraction. I started leaning over the bath then as it eased stood upright and did figure of eights.
In between surges, sitting on a birthing ball, leaning forward, or sitting forward resting on chair. Using my different breathing techniques for resting and through my surges. I had a hot bath as my back was aching, Daniel did pressure on back and massage to help my back through my surges, and pulling my pelvis out and back which helped. I had another VE at 8pm I was 6cm. I felt it seemed I was dilating really slowly and I was tired, just not knowing how much longer it would be going on for. I just didn’t feel I could face another night with no sleep.
I kept thinking once I get to 10cm I will get the resting stage, that was the only thing helping me get through the tiredness. I kept getting cold, whole body shivering especially legs shaking even though the room was not cold.
I kept feeling like I needed a poo, I went to the toilet and did birthing breath. At 10.15pm my waters popped on the toilet. It was like a water balloon popping. As soon as they went my surges really ramped up. They became intense and I started making some noises, coming from deep within, at the back of throat, uncontrollable. They wanted to examine me again, said I was still 6cm and to get on the bed and lean over the back of the bed.
I could really feel the pressure of the head. I said I can feel the head bearing down and that I felt I needed some help with how intense the surges were. Daniel carried on with discussing what my options were. The sounds, deep mooing (animal sounds) totally uncontrollable just like my body was taking over and pushing my baby down.
I kept thinking ‘stay open’ as my baby beared down. The midwife discussed pethidine and another drug which affected the baby less (I can’t think what it was called) or gas and air. Daniel said I didn’t want pethidine which he knew from what we had discussed in the build up to the birth. So, we agreed on gas and air. I didn’t know how to use it, I would take one little inhale, didn’t feel it was doing anything.
I said I can feel the baby’s head moving down. The Midwife said I still have a couple of hours. Daniel firmly suggested they start filling the pool. He knew from how I was being (the noises I was making and how in the zone I was) that our baby was coming very soon. The other midwife Kate showed me how to use the gas and air, breathe in and in and in all the way up to the peak of contraction. I could feel the difference then. The pool was nearly filled and I could get in. Daniel and a midwife helped me in. I literally got in and breathed my baby’s head out and then one more and got baby’s shoulders out. My baby was passed under my legs to me. The midwife had to give my baby some oxygen and a bit of a rub, only matter of seconds and he was brought back to me in the water. Daniel told me our baby was a boy once in my arms which was so beautiful, such a special moment.
The midwife who was trained in hypnotherapy was really keen on hearing about the hypnobirthing I’d been taught. She said she wished she could have filmed my birth to show to the other midwifes.
Thank you. I truly don’t believe it would have been such a positive enjoyable experience without everything you taught us.”
If you’re based in Solihull and looking for in person classes please check out Liz’s page Enhance Your Birth and if you’re unable to make the classes, remember we have you covered with our video course. Try before you buy with our free classes here
