Birth story - Erin and baby Sorley

*Trigger warning* - Use of the word contractions, previous forceps birth with episiotomy.

My pregnancy was low risk and fairly straightforward other than first trimester sickness and pelvic pain towards the end. I was due on the 19th June however fully anticipated going overdue as I had to be induced at 10 days over with my first baby and he took a further two days to come! So when I reached my due date and nothing had happened I wasn’t surprised.

At 5 days overdue, I tested positive for Covid. I was absolutely devastated, as well as feeling really rough. I was terrified at the thought of going into labour feeling so rubbish, but also that my husband would test positive as the rules at our hospital is that birth partners who are covid positive aren’t allowed into the hospital. It seemed to be a very real possibility that I’d have to labour alone.

I had a provisional date for induction booked for the 1st July when I would be 12 days overdue, and was resigned to the fact that I’d probably not be meeting my baby before then. However, on the evening of 29th June I went into spontaneous labour and thankfully my husband was still testing negative and was able to be there with me!

I had been having lots of ‘false starts’ for around a week before I went into labour (strong braxton hicks, period pains and backache) so when I began to feel it all starting again this day I didn’t think much of it. I’d been for a walk to the beach that morning with my 2 year old and my mum, and a few hours after I started feeling some very mild ‘contractions’ which at the time I thought were just more braxton hicks. This went on all afternoon but I barely noticed them. Around tea time I began to feel quite uncomfortable sitting down so decided to go for a bath. The tightenings kept coming but again, I thought nothing of it. When I got out of the bath I had a very small show, so did get a bit excited then! But didn’t want to let on to anyone that I thought something might be starting incase I jinxed it.

At this point I was still isolating from my husband so was sleeping in the spare room. (I had no symptoms now and felt completely fine, thankfully!) We said goodnight (from a distance ) and I went to bed. It was around 10 o’clock and I had told him that I was feeling tightenings but nothing worse than what I’d been feeling all week so not to get excited. I got into bed and started watching the love island repeat with a cup of tea. At 11 o’clock I tried to get to sleep but I was just getting a bit too uncomfortable so decided to walk around a bit and start timing the tightenings. I did this for around half an hour and was surprised to find that they were coming every 2-3 minutes! But were still very manageable and I was convinced they would stop.

I thought it was about time to tell my husband that something might be happening and then phoned the maternity unit. I told them that I ‘thought’ I might be in labour and when I told her the time between contractions she told me to come up right away. I thought to myself ‘well if they think it might really be happening then maybe it actually is ’

At 23.40 I called my mum to come over as she would be staying with our eldest overnight and started getting my bags together. On the very short drive (5 mins) to the hospital I had two stronger contractions sitting in the car but managed to talk and laugh through them- neither myself or my husband could believe it was actually happening.

We got to the hospital around 20 past midnight and my favourite midwife met us at the door, she took us to a side room (one perk to having Covid!) and monitored me for a little while. I was able to walk around and was most comfortable standing/leaning and swaying. I was listening to my hypnobirthing, doing my up breathing and Finlay was rubbing my back when things got a little more intense. It felt really peaceful. My midwife told me she didn’t feel it was necessary to examine me unless I wanted her to, but I was happy to be left and ended up having no dilation checks the whole labour!

As things progressed I was asked if I’d like to try the tens machine, which I did. I did feel it helped me cope with contractions, but felt the pulses in-between annoying and just went back to having my lower back rubbed - poor Finlay!

At around 2.25am I started feeling a change and lots of pressure. The midwife suggested we go up to the pool room and asked if I felt ok to walk, which I did. I had another 2 contractions on the way, this time a lot more intense but I was just so excited to potentially be getting the pool birth I’d wanted, and so excited to meet our Sorley.

I got into the pool at 2.35am and the water felt amazing. I had a bit of a break from the contractions when I got in and worried that it would stop things but my midwife assured me that sometimes it was mother nature’s way of giving you a rest before the baby is delivered and she was right!

I was in the pool for around 45 mins and used gas and air to help control my breathing. The contractions got really intense here as I began to feel our baby move down my pelvis. Feeling him crown was just the most insane thing ever! the midwife coached me with my breathing at this point and I was so grateful to have something to focus on. Before I knew it, his head was born, and a couple of contractions later, and a wee positional change (his shoulder needed a little help out) the rest of his body followed and he was passed to me and I lifted him up to my chest it was absolutely incredible, the oxytocin was flowing and I was just so excited and relived that he was here safely just 3 hours since I realised I was actually in labour

We did delayed cord clamping and I came out of the pool to deliver the placenta and have cuddles with my boy, he even latched. I was then checked for damage, something I was quite nervous about after my first birth requiring episiotomy and forceps, and knowing he was a chunky 9lb 9oz (a whole pound heavier than my first) I expected it to be bad! Somehow I managed to come away with just a graze and recovery has been amazing. I’m still in shock!

It really was the birth of my dreams and I still can’t believe he’s here. I would do it all again tomorrow and I’m just so grateful for how peaceful and non-invasive it felt compared to my first birth. I owe so much to hypnobirthing, understanding what was happening in my body and how to help instead of hinder the process with breathing etc was invaluable. 2 weeks on I’m still on a high from the experience!