Birth story - Clare and baby boy

My waters broke at about 9:30 am 5 days after my due date, the day I was booked in for my first sweep. We went to the Birth Centre, where they checked and confirmed it was my waters, and then booked me for an induction 24 hours later. We went home, and I was not really in any discomfort. I was determined that I did not want to be induced (though using BRAIN I would have of course done it for the safety of my baby), so I decided to try to walk the baby out! I started to get some pains after a walk up to a cafe for lunch. My waters were still going, basically constantly- I went through 3 pairs of trousers and most of a pack of maternity pads!

I was able to cope with the surges in my back and at the front they felt like period pains, and started to become regular about 7pm. We ate a Malaysian curry (well done to my awesome husband) and then I had a bath, listening to music from our wedding and with a candle scented with my wedding perfume burning. When I started to get ready for bed I realised I couldn’t really get comfy, so sent my husband to bed and tried to stay up/fall asleep in the living room watching The West Wing. We had phoned the birth centre who spoke to me and decided I was doing well at home so should stay put. I was happy to do this and carry on breathing.

All of a sudden I was very VERY sick. My surges were now coming every 5 mins lasting 1:30mins ish and I ended up sitting in the kitchen, backwards on a chair with my husband massaging my back which was amazing. By now I was using the TENS machine and breathing on each surge.

My husband phoned the Birth Centre again and we went in to be assessed at about 1am. I consented to an examination and was told I was 2cm dilated (but the head was very low) and told to go home. I was very disheartened and actually cried. I had a bit of a wobble then. Apparently when I was in the loo the Midwife told my husband that I wasn’t anywhere near ready and would be being induced the next day as planned.

We went home, where all of sudden I was very sick again, ran another bath, and tried to get into the zone. I got out quite quickly because the TENS machine had been working so well and I had nothing in the bath. After about an hour or so (sitting in the dark bathroom!) my husband asked if I was trying to push. Apparently I was! I tried very hard not to as clearly I couldn’t be that far along yet?! Eventually I climbed back into the empty bath and was preparing myself to be delivered by ambulance or my husband as I didn’t think they’d take me back at the Birth Centre so soon. My husband phoned them and told them I felt like I was pushing. We drove over again (thankfully my husband drove faster this time!) about 4am. This was when I had my biggest wobble and thought I couldn’t do it- if they sent me away again I felt I couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Transition I now realise!

It was a great relief that the pool was being run when we got there. They examined me again and told me I should use each contraction to push (on my back at the time 😳) because I was fully dilated!! They gave me a temporary catheter as I hadn’t had a wee in some time. I was warned that I was seriously dehydrated and would have to get out of the water if I didn’t drink more. My husband took it upon himself to make sure I didn’t have to get out again by making me drink really regularly. I got in the pool about 4:30, and my beautiful boy was born an hour and a half later - on two paracetamol, down breathing and a LOT of strange noises! I brought him up out of the water and revealed the gender to my husband which was wonderful, even if it wasn’t something we knew we wanted to do! My husband was brilliant throughout the pushing stage- he just stayed quiet and told me how amazing I was. I have never felt more loved or supported. The midwife was also brilliant and only interrupted me to listen to the baby’s heartbeat under the water. I kept forgetting she was there except when I apologised for burping!

The techniques I learned in the digital course helped me so much. Mostly the breathing and the affirmations, some of which I muttered to my husband when we were at home, which he thought were very wise and didn’t realise I hadn’t made them up myself! I have recommended the pack to all my other pregnant friends because it was so good to truly understand about the science behind what was happening to my body. I totally believe that hypnobirthing was the reason I had such a wonderful, intervention free birth.