Birth story - Hayley and baby Ava

A friend recommended the Positive Birth Company to me and I am so grateful for the experience I received. I truly believe my positive birth story is a direct result of the education and knowledge provided not only by the digital pack but from the amazing birth stories that are shared here. After reading so many wonderful and inspiring birthing stories on this group I feel it’s only right that I share mine too.

After a traumatic labour with my first born resulted in a series of interventions and PTSD I was determined that this birth would be different. I knew this birth would be my last and in a strange way I wanted it to be a cathartic healing experience. I was also turning 40 the week of my due date so secretly hoping for an early birthday present. My daughter didn’t disappoint and arrived just 7 hours before my big day! 🤗🥂🍾🥰So here goes...

Pregnancy

I was really enjoying my pregnancy and my growing bump. I had a little nausea and the usual tiredness but nothing to complain about. That is, until I was diagnosed with PGP around 28 weeks. I have to say it made the last trimester of my pregnancy quite tough and difficult to bear. Especially when trying to look after my two year old toddler and move house! I was also concerned about the effects this may have had on my labour. Safe to say it didn’t affect my birth at all.

Birth

One week before my due date I was getting the standard period pain like cramps intermittently but not in any regular pattern. I was also nesting like crazy so kept busy, active and tried my best to ignore them. Three days before my due date I awoke around 4.30am to slightly stronger cramps. I lay awake and timed them... roughly about 15 mins apart. So at 5.30am I woke up my husband, “I think she is coming now” 🤗My husband was a trooper! He hooked me up to my tense machine, brought me a cuppa, packed our toddler off to his mother’s and set up the birthing pool downstairs. He popped his head around the bedroom door... “how are we doing?” At this point I’d been timing surges on the Freya app for about 90 minutes and they were now 7 minutes apart so we decided to call the home-birthing team just to let them know and to just be on their radar. To our surprise they decided to send the midwife out there and then!

7.30am

Two midwives arrive and before my husband had a chance to protect my cave they took themselves straight up to the bedroom and said hello. Very pleasant and lovely ladies but after bombarding me with a series of questions and chatting about getting stuck in traffic etc I was very quickly out of the zone and my labour had slowed right down. My surges were now every 15-20 minutes and much less intense. At this point they asked for my birth plan.... bit late asking for it now I thought 🙄 but they were quite apologetic and embarrassed when they did read it. They offered me an internal exam to which I declined and then after briefly checking me over they decided to leave us to it and told us to call again should things become more established.

8.30am

My husband then took me downstairs to show me what he had been up to. The sitting room was completely transformed. Scented candles, spa music, lavender room spray, sofa bed covered with soft throws and old cushions, even a fake log fire on the smart TV! 🥰 The birthing pool looked so inviting I couldn’t wait to get in! I remember thinking how different this all was to my first labour and I knew right then that we had made the right decision to birth at home.

10.30am

Lying on the sofa bed eating cheese toasties and binge watching new episodes of “The Crown” I almost forgot I was in labour! Surges were still only 15-20 mins apart but quite manageable with the TENs machine and up breathing. I decided to pull my finger out, get back into the zone and get myself on the birthing ball.

12.30pm

Surges were now 10-15 mins apart and getting stronger. Whilst bouncing on my ball, listening to positive affirmations on the Freya app, my husband gently massaged my shoulders and stroked me back to green after each one. I found that UP breathing, visualisations and the TENs machine really did help me through each surge. Each time I felt a surge building, I hit the boost button on the TENs machine, I stood upright, forward and open (UFO) over the sofa and imagined filling up like a hot air balloon for 4 then blowing out a golden thread for 8. I know it sounds ridiculous but I imagined my cervix opening and the thread coming out both ends!

4.00pm

Finally the Freya app informed us that we were in established labour!! Great!! Only took 11 hours! 🙄 ...... I practically dived into that pool! Meanwhile my husband called the midwives.

Now, I’m not sure if it was the water or my excitement but things started happening very quickly at this point. The surges started coming thick and fast and much more intense. I grabbed my husbands hands and squeezed with every surge, he talked me through the breathing as we just didn’t have time to use the app they were coming so quickly. Suddenly the surges changed and my body was pushing down with such intensity there was nothing I could do to stop it. I could feel baby’s head in my birth canal and slowly moving down with each surge. “She’s coming! She’s coming!” I cried out! The fear in my voice was evident to both of us as the midwives were nowhere to be seen. My husband quickly called them whilst I was mooing and growling in the background! Noises so primal I barely recognised myself. I could feel the head crowning and anticipated the dreaded ring of fire! In that moment I was scared. Could I actually do this? He rushed back, grabbed my hands, they’re on their way they’re 5 mins away. I looked into his eyes ... my voice tainted with fear.... “her heads coming out!” He looked right back at me and said “I’m here, you can do this... just go with your body and breathe!” The next surge waved through me, I think I breathed, growled and moaned all at the same time as her head came out, no ring of fire, just a popping sensation..... I remember thinking oh my god I’m actually doing this! The next surge her shoulders were out! Then “Ding Dong!” The doorbell rang! I don’t think I’ve ever seen my husband move so fast! 😂 A flurry of voices, attempted introductions and asking for birth plans later my husband ushered three midwives into the sitting room. They quickly realised the urgency of the situation and gathered around the pool. One midwife attempted to listen into baby when I heard another say, it’s too late, Hayley reach between your legs and pull your baby up.

4.45pm

I did just that and out of the water emerged my beautiful baby girl still cocooned in her amniotic sack. So perfectly gift wrapped for my birthday and still sleeping. The midwives quickly peeled her out and laid her on my chest. She was so calm and relaxed as she took her first breath...... I lay back in the pool... relief, disbelieve, shock, happiness, all rolled into one. I looked over at my husband who I’m sure was feeling exactly the same.......We had done it! 🤗The midwives quickly set about doing their thing, clucking about and chatting amongst themselves whilst asking me questions. Our lovely relaxing environment quickly went out the window but at that point I really didn’t care, I had had the most amazing birth I could ever have dreamed of.

I had a little time with my baby girl in the pool for the delayed clamping but then got out for a physiological stage 3 in the bathroom so there was very little mess to clean afterwards. I had two small labia grazes but surprisingly no tears! Ava breastfed straight away and she had the vitamin K injection.

7.00pm

The Midwives left in a series of well wishes, goodbyes and congratulations. What an amazing team of women. Completely impressed by their professionalism, experience, knowledge and efficiency. They did all my babies medical checks then and there.

8.00pm

After a nice hot shower I was back in my bed with a cuppa and another cheese toastie, my baby girl fast asleep in her crib.