Birth story - Amaara and baby boy

First birth *trigger warning*

So my first child was born 37+5 - my bags were not complete and when I went for a check, I was not able to return home without giving birth (1st lesson learnt -have bags packed completely in advance!).

I had to be induced because I realised 3 days of incontinence was actually waters leaking, and because I didn’t get to active labour in good time, I was unable to have a MLU birth. Instead I had the pessary, followed by a drip and a birth on my back in stirrups which of course meant an episiotomy in addition to a second degree tear. We were both on IV as I showed septic factors and I needed 2 blood transfusions having lost 1 litre. My little one had jaundice so was under the light for a few days too. Although its sounds traumatic, I really didn’t feel traumatised throughout it. That said, I REALLY DIDNT WANT A REPEAT OF THIS with my second.

*The build up if my second labour!*

My bags were packed by 25 weeks! The bouncing and red raspberry leaf tea pills started from about week 35. I was frequently going for walks and doing yoga in between anyway because I had sciatica and SPD/pelvic girdle pains.

*The big day!*

Monday 16th August at 4am, I had my first surge, which quickly turned into 3 in 10 mins but not intense. I called the MLU for advice and they said to wait for the surges to intensify and then call back. They regressed by 5.30am and I think its because my husband brought my mother in law to the house (thinking omg 3 in 10 mins means we have to go hospital) but that really put me off because I would have preferred the privacy at this stage and wasn't in the mood for conversing. Since she was here, I asked her to stay with my little girl, and around 7am, we went for 1hr 20min walk around Tandle Hill park...I had no surges in this time but lost a lot of mucus plug.

Upon return, had a chocolate sandwich and bounced on a ball, the surges restarted infrequently but continued to be bearable.

The surges began to regress again by 3/4pm. At 5pm I called the midwives due to conflicting bath advice from friends and was told to come in based on a brief mention of damp period pants due to history. We walked to hospital at 5.30pm (I live a block away) and had 2 contractions en route. After a long wait at the birth centre, with contractions slowing down to about 1 in 20-30m, I was sent to triage in order to have a swab. By 6.30pm, the swab was taken, my cervix was checked and found to be able to be stretched up to 5cm. Surges returned much stronger and became frequent. The midwife was getting my notes ready to discharge me but when she came back I told her I was having surges every 3-5 mins...and last time once I reached 10cm dilation, baby was out in 40 mins. So she went to call MLU to see if they can take me now which they agreed. In all the time she took sorting this out I was in the corridors while I waited whhich was not an ideal environment. Someone I know saw me and thought it was amazing how I fell silent when I was having a surge (I spoke to her post birth about how PBC helped me with that!)

I got to birth centre just before 8pm and my husband arrived with the tens unit. I used the tens unit for the last few surges before entering the pool. Within an hour it got intense. I wanted to bear down but was conscious I needed more pain relief. I took cocodamol x2, had about 4 surges and then got gas n air to help bear down better.

I felt like one of those mean merpeople from Harry Potter with my legs floating up every time I bore down. My husband insists I wasn't so bad. I truly felt the sensation of baby coming down and crowning and with 2 more pushes, baby was born but man did I let go of the breathing technique and feel that burn. Nevertheless it was incredible. So surreal and so so different to my first experience of birth.

The aftercare seemed more longer lasting than my previous birth.

Despite having the injection I needed more surges for the placenta to come out. I had a second degree tear which seemed to be a greater deal than with my first birth. I expected it as I felt it but I thought it would take less time since it was only a tear and graze - not also an episiotomy like 1st time. This wasn't the case. I spent around 30- 40 mins being sorted.

Nevertheless it was such an empowering experience and I hope someone can benefit.