Birth story - Cat and baby Rowan

I was fully expecting to go past my due date as my first was born 41+2, however I had such random surges over several days and it was really starting to get to me. Plus trying to keep oxytocin going in a heatwave with a raucous toddler wasn’t easy
I’d had a couple of surges through the day at 41+1 but nothing I took to mean the real start. I’d had a bit of bloody show and wasn’t entirely sure if my waters had a slow leak that morning or I was just peeing myself pretty consistently...

I put the toddler to bed around 8pm and sat back on the yoga ball to watch a movie with my husband. Surges began again and were 10 mins apart fairly quickly. I coped with them well by using the up breathing and standing and swaying. I’d knock on the coffee table to indicate to husband when one was starting/finishing and didn’t have to worry about the timings myself.

They progressed quickly to 3-5 mins apart lasting about 45 seconds and continued for an hour that way so I phoned the midwife unit (30 mins away) who told us it was time to come in and my husband phoned my mum to come down to be with the toddler.

Surges were difficult to cope with in the car and started coming a lot closer, I had to ask my husband to count for me at that point as I couldn’t concentrate on numbers.

We got to the unit and the midwife was so incredibly lovely. She had run the pool in anticipation of us arriving and did the usual checks, stopping to give me time to breathe with each surge. I was only 2cm dilated which I found disappointing but she assured us she wasn’t worried and second babies can come quicker. It was nice just chatting to her about our lives between surges, she and the other midwife were very complimentary of our room spray (Neals Yard Calming Room Spray, reminds me of being in the forest).

I stayed out the pool and on the ball for a while until the surges ramped up and thought I’d get in to relieve them there.

I’ve no idea of the times from there as surges came one after the other really intensely and I retreated into my own zone, only about summoning the words to tell my husband to get the flannel from the bag to wet and put on my forehead (the midwife even gave him a bowl of ice water to keep it topped up, angel)

I doubted I’d actually moved to the down stage as I’d thought I had been in my previous labour but wasn’t actually. But the pressure (and really feeling like I needed a poo haha) helped me go with it. Everyone kept quiet and let me get on with it so it was only until I heard the midwife saying she was topping up the warm water for baby I believed it.

I was pretty vocal at this point and found it difficult to control my breathing but bearing down and breathing for that helped a bit. I half pushed/let my body push as I could feel him crowning and wanted it to be over. The feeling of relief when he was out was incredible. I was out of breath from the effort but it was amazing to hold my baby in my arms straight away as I didn’t have that with my first. He was born 3 hours after we got to the unit so I’d dilated fairly swiftly.

We had loads of skin to skin, he even latched on before the cord stopped pulsing. I delivered the placenta naturally not long after (I was worried this would be like the same crowning sensation but honestly barely felt a thing).

My husband held baby while the midwife cleaned me up and helped me out the pool, the feeling of all my organs shifting about was so weird! I had only a graze which could’ve had one stitch but there wasn’t much point in doing one stitch so it’s been left to heal on its own.

We were home mid afternoon that same day and recovery has been brilliant, and breastfeeding much more straightforward this time too.

Oh jeez...didn’t mean for it to be this long for such a simple birth! I totally appreciate the PBC online course for helping me be informed, particularly about being UFO and setting up the environment how I would like and being prepared to make sure my opinion was heard. I think the midwife we had made such a difference too in being so supportive - she was brilliant.