Birth story - Hannah and baby Patrick

Pregnancy:

I had a cervical stitch at 13 weeks as I am considered to be at high risk of severe preterm birth due to 2 previous LLETZ procedures. Other than this my pregnancy was pretty straight forward!

I had my stitch removed at 37 weeks and from then was told to expect my baby any day so I finished work at 36 weeks. The next few weeks passed with no sign of anything happening whatsoever, so on my due date I asked for a sweep, mostly so I could get an idea if anything was starting yet. My cervix was nearly 1cm and posterior so my midwife was unable to perform a sweep but agreed to book me in for another 3 days later at my request

40+3 went to hospital for my next sweep but unfortunately saw a different midwife who refused to do it as I wasn’t yet 41 weeks!

40+5 saw my regular midwife again and had a successful sweep, I was 1-2cm and cervix more central, however babies head not engaged but midwife assured me that often second babies don’t engage until during labour

41+0 had another successful sweep this time lots of plug came out! Midwife offered induction to be booked in which I did find a bit stressful but decided to go ahead and book it but see how I felt nearer the time, and in the meantime do some research

41+3 had a 3rd sweep! Similar to the last one, a little more dilated and lots of plug came out again, midwife explained who was on call that night and the next night for home births so I was feeling really positive that he would be here soon!

However still no signs of labour starting!

41+5 had a 4th sweep, this time I was >4cm dilated with ‘bulging bulging membranes’ 😃

Went home expecting to give birth any moment, haha but no sign of anything all day! … after putting our toddler to bed my husband and I watched Austin Powers and chilled on the sofa then got an early night

I then woke at around 3am to water trickling out of me, it wasn’t too obvious at first and thought I was getting my hopes up but by the time I was up and about the next day it was very clear that my waters had gone. I phoned the hospital to let them know, but then nothing happened all morning (other than more and more water coming out!) after lunch my husband and I went for a walk to try and get things going but still nothing. I was starting to feel super emotional and upset as I was booked in for the induction the next morning. We discussed what to do and decided we’d go in and ask lots of questions and see how I felt before actually going ahead, but my gut feeling was that I would go ahead with the induction as I was quite worried about the risks of my waters having gone etc. by 5pm we decided to take our daughter to the park and go out for an early tea together to take my mind of worrying and keep positive!

Before bed we got all our bags packed and by the door ready to be at hospital at 6am the next day, I had a good cry before bed which made me feel a lot better, I think it was just a big build up of emotions over the last couple of weeks, then my husband gave me a nice back massage and I fell asleep very quickly

I then woke up at 1.45am with a tightening in my tummy and very mild cramping sensation, trying not to get my hopes up I tried to get back to sleep, then 20mins later a similar feeling… I got up and went for a wee and came back to bed then it happened again after another 20 mins. It was now 3.30 and I couldn’t sleep so decided to go downstairs and make a cup of tea, as I was passing the end of the bed a very intense contraction came over me and I had to get on my knees and breathe through it, this woke up my husband who asked if I was ok, 2 minutes later another one came, and then another and another, they were quite short (approx 40seconds) but at the most 2 minutes apart, it was really intense but I was feeling in control and calm - the breathing helped loads! I told JP (husband) to call the hospital and start filling up the birth pool! At 03.40 I text my mum to come over as she was my other birth partner (as well as being on hand in case our daughter woke up). 04.00 My mum arrived, by this point I was on the floor in the downstairs toilet and was saying ‘I’m scared’ I think I was transitioning, but overall still felt pretty calm and in control

04.30 Having spent most of the last hour on the toilet and wanting to be left alone, I now went into our kitchen, which is where the birth pool was, and the midwife arrived. As she was getting things set up, I asked for some gas & air which she gave me but to be honest I actually found it a bit annoying and interrupted the breathing I had been doing, for some reason I persisted though in hindsight I shouldn’t have bothered with it I don’t think.

05.00 The second midwife arrived. Even though by this point I was starting to push the midwife asked if she could examine me which I accepted and I was fully dilated, so I got into the birth pool - it was amazing and felt like such a relief! I really got the overwhelming urge to push at this point, after a few pushes the midwife told me to try and stop pushing out of my mouth (I was kind of growling 😂) and focus it down into my bottom instead, this made a massive difference and I could really feel his head coming down with each contraction, then slowly going back up a little in between, I thought about the kneading of the dough at this point which I think helped me to think positively about the feeling of him going back in rather than only coming down.

05.20 I didn’t realise at the time that the midwives were starting to worry that he wasn’t come down effectively, but they asked me to try changing position so I moved from being on my knees leaning over the pool sides, to sitting on my bottom with legs out in front of me

5.30 unbeknownst to me the midwives decided that they were going to transfer me to hospital by ambulance for assistance to get the baby out, and asked me to get out the pool, they were so subtle about this I honestly had no idea so I was still super calm. I also think I just knew that it was progressing fine as I could feel him coming further down with each push. Anyway I got out the pool and squatted down by my sofa, leaning onto it, with my husband sitting on it next to me, then I felt this almighty contraction come over me, squeezed his arm and kind of screamed as I could feel his head coming out, I almost stopped as I could tell I was tearing but then was worried he’d go all the way back in again so did a final big push and out popped his head! Even though I could tell I was tearing it wasn’t painful (I feel like you just have to experience this to believe it, but trust me it’s true!) my mum told me that the midwife at this point was on the phone to the ambulance and had to say ‘oh never mind his heads been born!’ And cancelled it! I had a peek between my legs and saw his head poking out all covered in dark hair!! On the next contraction/push I felt his body come out, it felt like some kind of huge slippery fish 😂 and then I reached down and picked him up for a big cuddle! It was so amazing (he was born at 05.36)

After this the midwives lay out some sheets for me to move away from the mess and leant against the sofa while they administered the injection to deliver the placenta. We had delayed cord clamping then my husband cut the cord and the placenta delivered I think about 20mins after the birth.

I had a second degree tear which the midwife stitched while I lay on the sofa, and at this point (6amish) my 2 yo daughter woke up - I saw her little face peering through the glass door to the kitchen, she was very excited by all the commotion but was luckily kept occupied by my mum until I was finished being stitched. I went and had a shower then got into bed with my new addition and was soon joined by my 2yo for a lovely cuddle 🥰

It was such an amazing experience and although I didn’t believe it before, I honestly would say that it’s not painful, I explained the contractions to my husband as being similar that sensation when you’re being sick, it’s an overwhelming urge that you can’t stop and while it’s maybe unpleasant, it’s not painful, and your body knows what it’s doing and you have to just let it do its thing!