Birth story - Francesca and baby Arabella Rose

I had always been terrified of the idea of giving birth, to the point I wasn’t sure I would ever have children. My, now retired, midwife mum would come home and tell me stories of all of the traumatising births at the hospital growing up, and that’s before hearing all of the general horror stories you hear about labour anyway!

My fiancée had always been desperate for children from the moment we started dating. At the end of 2019 we agreed we were ready and would start trying for a baby in the new year, we were very lucky and fell pregnant straight away. Almost immediately the anxiety started to sink in and I knew if I didn’t want to have to go through counselling to get through my pregnancy, I needed another way, and then hypnobirthing was introduced to me.

I purchased the digital pack about half way through my pregnancy and started watching the videos straight away, my fiancée also got involved and listened to Siobhan on his way home from work every day. It was so positive and reassuring, I knew we could do it, no matter what happened.

I had a straight forward pregnancy all the way through, apart from some reduced movements towards the end, when I went in with my second episode just before my due date on the Thursday, the midwives started talking about induction. Immediately I began to stress, knowing this wasn’t what I wanted and my partner would potentially not be able to be there with me for a long period of my labour which made me very nervous. Luckily I was sent away and told I would be booked in for a growth scan to check everything over before we discussed induction further. I was offered a stretch and sweep at this point which, after using my BRAIN, I accepted as I knew I could potentially avoid an induction this way. Unfortunately at this point my cervix wasn’t ready and they were unable to complete the sweep. The growth scan the next day was fine, all came back well and I was sent away with the midwives happy.

The following Monday at 40+2 I had my midwife appointment and accepted another sweep as I was beginning to get very uncomfortable and still wanted to avoid an induction at all costs. This time it was successful and I left at 10.30am feeling optimistic.

I started to get period pains and some slight back ache at around 12.30pm which I was told to expect following the sweep. At 4.30pm I got in the bath to help with the back ache and my partner excitedly bought me home an Oreos Krushem milkshake which I had whilst in the bath. At 8.30pm my partner and I went to do a food shop knowing we didn’t have much food in and ever hopeful the pains could be the start of something. Everything ramped up after we got home and I began the Freya app hoping I was having surges, not just period pains from the sweep, this was incredibly helpful and the affirmations between made me feel so calm.

At about 10pm I called the hospital to see if I should come in to be assessed, still unsure if I was in labour or not, having shown no signs, apart from the period pains and back ache. They told me if I could still talk I wasn’t having strong surges but to call back if they got stronger. About half an hour later I was sick and my partner told me to call them back and tell them we were coming in, even if I wasn’t in labour, it would only take us 10 minutes to get back. My partner also set up my TENS machine at this point, which was a lifesaver!

I struggled into the car and we made our way to the hospital. 45 minutes later (we made it from the car and through the hospital, we had to stop every minute or so while I had a surge) we made it to the assessment unit. I had to wait about 15 minutes to be assessed but at 12.15am on the 14th I was told I was 5cm dilated already and Danny could come straight through, heaven!

We were immediately taken down to the midwifery led unit where we walked through double doors and directly in front of us was my room, with the doors open for me and already dimly lit with tea lights lined up waiting for me.

Whilst waiting for the pool to be filled, I had my bloody show and the midwife read my birth plan whilst sorting gas and air for me. My partner set up my labour playlist, it was the most relaxing atmosphere I could have asked for. As my waters still hasn’t broken I had increasing pressure on my pelvis and struggled for 2 hours in an upright position, leant over a chair, while the pool was filled, requesting another examination to see how far I was gone. Due to having only been examined when we got to the hospital I was told I’d have to wait 4 hours or until my waters broke, whichever came first. At no point did I feel I couldn’t cope and kept breathing through.

My surges really ramped up at this point and I wasn’t having any rest between, luckily the pool was ready for me to get into. The TENS machine was then taken away but the water was lovely with the gas and air and my partner helped me to focus on my breathing. With every surge, I knew I needed to focus entirely on this and stay relaxed so my body wouldn’t tense up and I wouldn’t slow things down.

I laboured in the water for a while and suddenly felt my waters bulging, the midwife was really excited that the baby might be born in the sac. At this point our midwife went for a break and another midwife came to take over. Suddenly I felt my body change and knew I needed to start pushing, baby was coming! The new midwife wanted to check the babies head and felt she needed to break my waters so she could check this.

With my waters broken and the babies head crowning, the midwife told me to push slowly and gently while the head came as it was happening so quickly. Suddenly babies head was out and another couple of surges and she was here.

Arabella Rose was born on Wednesday 14th October at 4.09am, weighing 7.13lbs after the most peaceful water birth, everything went perfectly and I couldn’t be happier with my experience.

I did suffer a second degree tear, which wasn’t surprising due to how quickly baby girl arrived but this was quickly forgotten as soon as they put her to my chest. We then enjoyed the golden hour with delayed cord clamping, skin to skin while I delivered the placenta, she breastfed and then had skin to skin with her Dad while I had my stitches.

All in all, I couldn’t be happier with my birth. The digital pack was the best investment and I have recommended it to so many of my pregnant friends! I was so lucky to have the birth I did but felt confident should it have happened any other way, I had the knowledge to have a positive birth no matter what.

Instagram - @francescaru