Birth story - Emily and baby girl

*Trigger warning* - transverse lie, unstable lie, scheduled ECV, possible emergency c-section, induction, haemorrhage, contractions.

Personally I feel that my birth experience was a positive one, despite all that I endured. I can't rate the PBC and the Freya App enough! Worth every penny!

PREGNANCY:

At around 28 weeks I had a growth scan and baby girl measured on 3rd centile! After weeks of monitoring she piled on the pounds and levelled out at around the 25th centile. It was a worrying and emotional journey. The scans showed however that she had mostly been transverse the whole pregnancy. After weighing up so many options I decided to try and have an ECV.... However baby girl turned just before the procedure and therefore no ECV was needed! I was then discharged from consultant led care and I could continue with my birth plan/preferences.

INDUCTION:

At 39+4 I had a slight change in movement so I thought I'd best call and they told me to come in to be checked. I wasn’t worried but I wanted to be sure. Baby girl was monitored and was super happy however, after having my belly palpated and then a scan to confirm, baby girl had become transverse again! I was admitted there and then due to very small but serious risk of cord prolapse. As I live 50 minutes from the hospital and we didn't have many childcare options left due to Covid I decided this was the best thing and to stay in hospital.

The plan was to try and do an ECV and then be induced in a very specific way I really didn't want an induction again, especially the one I was about to endure, but the alternative was a c-section so it was my only chance for a vaginal delivery. I specifically didn't want my waters to be broken as the pain last time was unbearable. During the night baby girl became breech and then by morning she became cephalic (head down). After another scan to confirm I was taken to labour ward where I was prepped ready for induction.

It was very overwhelming as I had to sign a consent form that if the cord came down I'd need to be taken to theatre immediately and they'd only have minutes to deliver baby by emergency c-section, therefore I’d need to be under general anaesthetic! I chatted through a variety of induction methods and positioning but unfortunately due to baby girl being now an unstable lie there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t come back up out of my pelvis again. The consultant said my waters would need to be broken as part of the induction and she reassured me this wouldn't hurt this time as I wasn't in labour.

They did a sweep as they checked me, which I was happy for then to do, and I went from 0.5cm - 2cm but my cervix was still unfavoured. They broke my waters and pushed baby girl into my pelvis whilst the consultant still had her fingers in my cervix to help prevent the cord coming down. Once baby girl was fine and 'plugged' the oxytocin drip started.

LABOUR:

Contractions were mild and I just needed to lightly breathe through them. I laboured for 6 hours and DID NOT PROGRESS at all! I was crushed. I knew what that might mean but I didn't want to be on an even higher dosage of oxytocin as that was really high already. They said they would check in another 6 hours which upset me more. I decided to continue on the drip but at the same dosage as stronger contractions started happening and I felt I did not need a higher dosage.

Over the next few hours my body was taking over and contractions were getting stronger and the drip was getting turned further and further down. After another 4 hours with then starting to use gas and air I asked to be examined because if I was close I'd keep going but if not I'd get an epidural. To my request the midwife examined me and said I was at 6cm. Initially I was gutted as I still had a long way to go. But I was so happy because I'd done all this so far with just gas an air! I requested the epidural and the midwife stood up to leave to get the anaesthetist.

BIRTH:

Within minutes of my request I had a sudden urge to push! I hadn't experienced this with my first birth because I had an epidural so it was coached pushing. Even though I had just been examined I have read that other women have experienced this! I couldn't stop. With 3 pushes baby girl was born and she was placed straight on my chest! I had a mild second degree tear (tore on the inside only).

The next part is a bit blurry and I don't know how long things took. I had the injection to deliver the placenta. But I very soon haemorrhaged after birth (later confirmed it was a typical bleed from the contracting uterus. I can't remember the medical name). Within seconds the midwife told me the room would be flooded with people all to do a job but not to worry. It was a very surreal feeling as baby girl was crying on my chest, I was bleeding out and surrounded by so many people putting things in me and doing a job, so precise but so calmly. I lost around 1400ml. Time stood still. I still had the Freya App playing in the background. Multiple healthcare professionals told me how calm the environment was...it really did feel calm and that is all thanks to the techniques I learnt from The Positive Birth Company.