Birth story - Emma and baby boy

These stories made me feel so much better and more calm about labour, I read them every day, so I thought I’d add mine especially as it wasn’t anything like I expected!

I heard about the positive birth company through a parenting Facebook group and I’m so glad I brought the pack and watched the videos - I’m naturally an anxious person, but knowing how my body is designed to birth a baby and the science behind it all made me feel so much better!

I watched all the videos by about 33 weeks and had planned to rewatch once on maternity leave after 37 weeks but that wasn’t meant to be!

On the day my waters broke I went into work as usual (it was my second to last day in the office) but felt a bit ill and very tired/emotional. I’d had Braxton Hicks most of the week so had already agreed with my boss to do some shorter days as I was starting to struggle. So I worked until 11am then went home where I tried to rest. That evening I had a full body pregnancy massage which was very relaxing (and I think may have started the oxytocin going!) then at 11.30pm my waters broke.

It was a bit of a shock as I was only just full term but after an initial feeling of panic I kept calm and rang the labour suite and was asked to go in. We decided to take the hospital bag just in case but I was sure I’d be coming out again. I was actually much more calm than my husband at this point which never normally happens!

Once there my blood pressure was taken which was high so they put a monitor on me and baby while they checked it was my waters - I had started having mild contractions but my cervix was nowhere near being ready and then they noticed babies heart rate was low. As it only happened once I was told they would like to induce me to get things going rather than wait to labour naturally.

I listened to all the information used my BRAIN but agreed as I knew 24 hours later I’d be back again anyway. I asked if I could still have my planned water birth and was told it was very unlikely but I took this in my stride and thought about how I could use active birth techniques instead.

Then babies heart rate dropped again and I was told that they were quite worried and rather than start induction they wanted to get baby out quickly so I would need to have an emergency c section!

Although this was scary and the one thing I really wanted to avoid I again used my BRAIN and saw it was the best possible option for baby so agreed. The next couple of hours were a whirlwind of people talking to me about the procedure and me being prepped to go into theatre - whilst this was a scary time I thought back to the course and how important it was to stay calm for baby and surprisingly I stayed very calm and felt in control.

7 hours after my waters breaking my beautiful baby boy was born! With none of my birth preferences being followed it should have been quite stressful and traumatic but I honestly think it was the best option for baby and I stayed so calm throughout. Without the positive birth company I do think I would have gone to pieces it’s the best £45 I’ve ever spent!