Birth story - Eleanor and baby Sidney

It has taken me a while to know how, and whether to even write my birth story as I wasn’t feeling particularly positive about it. However... I am 2 weeks into life with my new baby & have had time to reflect on my experience.

At 39 weeks my waters broke first thing in the morning. I attended my local birthing unit based at the hospital to be informed that if I hadn’t “progressed” in 24 hours, I would be advised to have an induction due to the risk of infection to the baby/me.

I went to bed that night, after having no sign of surges all day and expected to wake in the middle of the night with everything in progress. Safe to say my baby had other ideas! Come 5am, I started having some very mild surges. I set up my own peaceful environment at home & was really enjoying the feeling of making some progress. I called the birthing unit to inform them that things had begun, but was told that I still needed to go in due to the risk of infection.

As soon as I was told this, my surges stopped.

I arrived at the hospital (no longer the birthing unit due to the need of monitoring) and was told by a doctor that they would insert a pessary, and 6 hours later if I was not in established labour I was to commence the syntocinon drip. I loved the feeling of being in control of the surges, and if I do say so myself.. managed them in a relaxed way. The environment wasn’t ideal... I was in a bay with 3 other women. However, I made the best of it that I could. After 6 hours I was 1cm so was told I needed the drip. I did use my BRAIN at this stage, and asked the midwife if I could just continue as I was doing as I felt that I really was doing well.... I was advised against it.

The drip was commenced, and there were lots of events which were completely dictated by my baby, and to cut a very long story short I ended up with a forceps delivery in theatre.

There were times during the birthing experience that I felt cheated, deflated & scared. But upon reflection, I remained calm & just wanted the best for me and for my baby. My baby & body just had their own way of doing things, and I think we need to accept that sometimes things are out of our control. There must be a reason why my body wanted to do things the way it did them.

In an ideal world- of course we would all love our natural, birthing centre/Home birth experience.... but what I have gained from this experience is that actually it does not matter how our babies enter this world.... it’s the fact that they enter them in the first place that counts.

The feeling of sheer love and adoration I felt immediately for my little baby boy was, and still is overwhelming.