Birth Story - Aimee and Baby Girl

After having 3 positive births (older daughters 13, 10, 6) I was completely and irrationally more nervous for this labour than I had been for the others. So after a little bit of research about hypno birthing I came across the digital pack at 30 weeks. (With my older girls I had attended active birthing classes and did a lot of anti natal yoga). I didn’t start watching the videos until 35 weeks- I then watched them all in a couple of sittings!! 

I had convinced myself that baby would arrive early especially as I’d had really strong Braxton-Hicks from 37 weeks and my middle two daughters were born on their due dates but not surprisingly baby 4 had other ideas and when 40 weeks passed with intensifying Braxton-Hicks and pressure. Baby remaining back to back actual labour was no where to be seen.

I accepted a sweep at 41 weeks at the MLU. I was 2cm dilated, which is how my cervix could be at all times due to previous labours, cervix thick and long and it was very posterior (I have a reversed womb so this wasn’t a massive surprise but I had thought it would be more favourable due to the amount of regular practice pains I had been having). But the lovely midwife (with gas and air) was able to perform a sweep and help bring it forward a bit.

Induction was booked for the following week at 40+12 but I was confident that labour would start before then.

I resumed bouncing on my ball at all opportunities, walked the dog daily and tried to occupy my frustrated mind as much as possible. As well as pineapple, curry, evening primrose oil in and up, clary sage baths and the rest. 

On the Friday evening I had my first proper surge, not uncomfortable but an around feeling with back cramps. 

I tried to go to bed but the surges were strong and I was too excited to sleep and nervous that once it really got going baby’s arrival would be quick due to my previous labours. I got up at midnight and put on my TENS. At 3am I woke my husband as surges were 4 mins apart and lasting a min and we live 40mins from the hospital. 

Pretty much as soon as we got in the car my surges grew further apart and irregular. The midwife met us at 4am and we were monitored as she read our notes and birth plan. The room was already softy lit and well equipped for an active labour.

We sprayed our mio room spray and I stayed as active as possible but every time I relaxed the surges calmed down and at times were 15 mins apart. At this point there was a shift change and when the new midwife, Katie, came in and assessed me and we discussed our options. I then asked for a sweep to see if that might encourage the surges to ramp back up (and out of interest if I was any further along). My cervix was the same as before but I was aware that with any consecutive labour the could rapidly progress. But the surges after an hour were still not regular (we now believe these irregular surges were turning baby into a more favourable position). So we headed home. 

When we got in around 10am I headed straight to bed as I’d been up all night the night before. I woke at 12.30 with strong surges and decided to have a bath. I took off my TENS ran a deep bath and positioned myself on my right side and allowed the water to swish over my back during the surges. When they got more intense after an hour or so I got out the bath and asked my husband to help put my TENS back on which was a lovely relief. I then knelt on the floor and hung over the side of our bed as the surges got stronger. By 2.45pm they were 3 mins apart and lasting a min so we left for the MLU.

We arrived at 3.40pm after an intense car journey, me back to front on the back seats listening to the positive affirmations and boosting the TENS and concentrating on the UP breathing which was a god send. We were met by Katie the same midwife from the morning and shown to another lovely room. Katie promptly offered me a VE which again out of interest I accepted- along with the gas and air. I was 6cms and all was progressing quickly. I then positioned myself up over the top of the bed and things changed rapidly. The surges where intense and rolled into each other I then made the moo and the midwife commented on how well I was using my breathing and John commented that usually the moo only has one or two more surges and then the babies start to arrive. I didn’t think of down breathing (which had been fantastic to use during pregnancy when I was constipated). At this point I said I couldn’t handle another one like that and another surge built and with that the baby was born in one go whilst Katie was holding my perineum asking me to breath but I couldn’t slow anything down- baby was born in her sac with just her feet poking out along with my waters (my show had arrived only a couple of surges before).

Total labour noted as 44 mins. Second stage 24 mins.

I had the injection for the placenta which was checked and wrapped for encapsulation.

Then 2 golden hours of skin on skin time (John had the skin on skin time while my placenta was managed). And a pretty immediate breast feed.

The digital pack gave me the confidence that I had lost in myself. Reminded me of the science involved and that being relaxed and positive are so important. I have particularly enjoyed reading all the birth stories on this special page. 

Thank you Siobhan and team. This pack has actually been priceless for how it helped me, best £45 spent .