Birth story - Clare and baby boy

My pregnancy had been going well until my 36 week scan where the growth had tailed off and there was a slight increase in pressure in the umbilical cord. By the Friday I was feeling off and got my blood pressure checked which showed it was high. After some to-ing and fro-ing at the hospital I was eventually admitted on the Monday due to it being very up and down (but thankfully all tests came back negative for pre eclampsia). It was decided that I would have a scan the next day and go from there but they suggested that induction would probably be what was advised due to my history and issues with blood pressure at the moment.

Scan came and the advice was to induce as I was 37 weeks and baby was happy and my blood pressure was under control. I discussed it with my husband and we decided it was the best decision in order to avoid things progressing/getting worse if I hung on.

I had the pessary inserted on the Tuesday evening and we took many laps round the hospital. By midnight I was having twinges. When examined I couldn't have another pessary as the process had started but the midwife couldn't break my waters so she suggested that we both get some rest. My husband went home and I got as much sleep as I could. By 6am the twinges changed into mild contractions and I was using my breathing to deal with them while still trying to rest. The doctor then broke my waters 3 hours later or so and we were off! We again took laps around the hospital and when we were set up in my birthing room I bounced on the ball or held onto my husband while standing and rocking, using the up breathing.

By 12 I had to be assessed and it was decided to place me on the hormone drip to progress things. I had wireless monitoring and my music playing, yoga spray and was eating my yummy treats and drinking sips of water. My mum turned up and we all chatted away whilst being quiet during surges.

Toward the afternoon things ramped up and I could only breath through the surges and the up breathing was very useful but I felt I needed more. We put on my tens machine and this really helped. I also asked for gas and air after a while which also helped. My husband was fantastic and kept reassuring me how well I was doing and keeping up with light touch massage. He was also brilliant at reminding me to breath, lower my shoulders and come back to green.

The drip was increased regularly and this lead to my contractions being quite close together and quite intense. I asked for pethidine as I had had it in my previous birth and found it useful. I had to be assessed prior to it and my midwife told me I was 5 cm. I was a bit disheartened as I was finding things intense by this point but the pethidine really helped. My midwife also closed the curtains and set up tea lights which was lovely.

An hour later I had progressed to 8cm and the doctor came to assess me. I think baby boy was struggling slightly with the contractions but at this point they weren't too concerned to rush anything. The drip was decreased slightly and I was given time to progress. Less than an hour later I had pressure in my bum and I turned over on the bed to deliver. I kept trying to do my down breathing but my body took over at one point and there was no stopping it pushing out my baby. After some of my own pushing and my body pushing maybe 4/5 times my boy was born and we were having skin to skin.
I had a slight tear and that was it. I only had stitches as it was in a blood vessel which was bleeding quite a bit but it didn't hurt and I didn't feel it.

Our little man needed extra monitoring due to the medication I had prior and during the birth due to high blood pressure but he's fine and was very well looked after.

The positive birth online course was so helpful for my partner and I, it really helped us focus on how to make the experience easier and more positive than my daughter's birth and even my mum said the whole process was more relaxed than my prior birth. My midwife really took the time to read my birth plan and stick to it. She didn't really bother us, at one point when I had a panic due to the intensity (which reminded me of my daughter's birth) she was very encouraging and calm as were my husband and mum. They all rallied round to bring me to green which helped immensely. Thank you positive birth company! Best money I’ve ever spent!!