Birth story - Abigail and baby Roux

So here we were on baby number 3, after two early inductions due to Obstetric Cholestasis I had my fingers crossed I wouldn’t get it again despite the 70% chance of this.

I got to 37 weeks and didn't get OC again! I had already purchased the PBC digital pack and we watched this most nights and LOVED the opportunity to revisit and refresh our memories and to also practise the breathing. I started to have niggles and period like pains from 37 weeks, however this never amounted to anything but was great to practise the breathing and using the Freya app.

We hit the “due date” and no signs of the little one, I had decided after watching the digital pack that I would not be medically induced and will wait until our baby was ready. We hit 41 weeks and was measuring as 35, I had to have a growth scan and was advised the baby would be too small, I wouldn’t be able to have the home pool birth we so wished for. I had to go to the hospital daily and every day a registrar advised I needed to stay in and be induced... “the baby would be too small and struggle” I refused induction daily as the estimation on scan was 7lb09oz this wasn’t small in mind or my midwives eyes. I held out with hope that our baby would arrive before 42 weeks of which she didn’t. I reached 41 weeks and 6 days and had decided that I would accept the induction should she not have entered the world.

I left home on 12th May on a beautiful sunny Sunday, we travelled to the hospital singing and all excited for our day ahead, I didn’t feel anxious, I didn’t feel nervous. I had a pessary at 13:30, headed off to the hospital restaurant so Ben could have a roast, had some niggles but nothing I couldn’t breathe through. I was asked at 17:30 how I was “all good nothing significantly strong” I asked what the next steps were and they advised they’d examine me at 19:00, low and behold I was already 5cm and in established labour! I couldn’t believe it! My waters were broken shortly after, and my surges came instantly, I was monitored and these were showing on the 100 mark continuously. I was so zoned with my breathing I didn’t take in what Ben was talking about however I heard him suggest to my mum our support that she thinks I need the pool ASAP. Without the knowledge he had received from the pack I don’t think he’d have known that I was ready. I was focused, in the zone and breathing. The mw’s asked if I was in labour and quickly got the pool ready! I walked down the corridor and entered the pool at 20:28, I knew the baby was close and continued with my breathing whilst constantly thinking ‘my body will work with my baby’ I told the mw that she was coming and she left the room to get the bits she needed, with that I birthed her head and the student mw looked at Ben and said “hit that button” he didn’t realise he’d hit the emergency button 🙈 all the mw’s came running in!! I missed pushing with the next contraction and birthed my baby on the next! The mw’s instant response after the shock at the speed this all happened was that she wasn’t a small baby at all!

Roux Genevieve Rivers came earthside at 21:02 weighing a lovely chunky 08lb12oz.

Thank you PBC for the informative pack, for helping us, without this I don’t think I would have been half as relaxed knowing I wasn’t having the planned homebirth we had wanted.

What a wonderful day this was!!! ❤️