Birth story - Hayley and baby Tiger Lily

On Tuesday evening, shortly after ‘Bake Off',’ I started to have mild contractions but assumed they were Braxton Hicks as it was 6 days before her due date and I had been awake the previous evening with cramps (which I now realise was early labour!)

At around 11pm we started to record the surges with the Freya app as we thought something might be happening. Every time I went to the loo I nervously awaited the “show” or any sign of my waters breaking. We rang Liverpool Women’s at midnight to ask for advice and they said to wait until there was a pattern - I was still convinced it was false labour!

Simon, cool as a cucumber, suggested we gather the hospital bags and prepare to leave “just in case”. We sat on the bed and chose her outfits, and lovingly packed her little bag.

An hour later and things were moving quickly, my mucus plug had come out and my surges were getting very frequent - lasting 45 seconds, every 2 minutes or 3 in 10 minutes.
Simon rang the hospital and they advised we come in, as the Freya app had notified us that I was now in established labour. We used the tens machine and in between surges I took one last photo of my bump in the mirror before heading to the car.

What a journey! I personally think it’s quite cruel to expect anyone in labour to spend that long travelling during such intense and frequent surges. I had a flannel in my mouth to bite down and (muffle the sound of me groaning)... every speed bump or dip in the road was torture! We listened to the positive affirmations mp3 and kept on with the breathing exercises.

We arrived at the Midwife Led Unit and requested a birthing pool, pausing every 2 minutes in the corridors and lift for each surge. When we got there the midwives recommended an internal examination to see how far along I was, which I had originally declined, but if I was dilated enough I could get in the pool... which was all I could focus on at that moment so I allowed it. It was rather uncomfortable, but not painful and didn’t feet as invasive as I imagined. And as I was at 4cm I was allowed to get in the water.

We didn’t even have time to set up all the relaxing tools we had brought with us - battery operated candles, aromatherapy oils, positive affirmation cards - all remained in the bag.

It was now around 3.30 in the morning and I felt a very sudden urge to push shortly after getting into the pool. I requested gas + air, not necessarily for pain relief but for a distraction I think... it was soothing to have something to aid me during each surge, even though I didn’t feel anything from it other than something to bite down on.

In the early hours, as I watched the sun rise and the room slowly filled with sun light, not much had progressed; my waters still hadn’t broke and as I requested not to be coached to push, instead to use the down breathing technique... it was getting quite difficult and we were all exhausted.

6am came around, positive affirmations mp3 still playing and Simon next to me holding my hand and passing me water. I remember the matron coming into the room around 7am and in hushed voices discussed “other options” and she basically told me if things didn’t progress then they’d have to take action. I politely declined a second internal examination as I felt getting out of the pool and onto my back at this point would only hinder anything. And I was sure baby was nearly here.

I gave myself another hour or so and at 9am accepted my waters to be broken - as I believed this was making it harder for baby to make her way out. I didn’t feel a thing actually, just a gushing of water in the pool, as if someone was running the tap behind me!

Just over an hour later, at this point I had asked the midwife to encourage me to push / bear down... and baby’s head was out. It was a very gentle descent, she would bob down and then back again, very very slowly and gently.

The midwife could see her dark hair floating in the water and this encouraged me to push one final time so that I could finally hold her. I must be honest here... the sting was unreal. I thought it would hurt in the perineum area but it was more north of that region that I really felt it.

I think this was holding me back... fear of what would happen if I pushed too hard, fear of tearing, but if I didn’t then she wasn’t coming out. I took hold of Simon’s hand, looked at his excited little face and told myself he’s waited 9 months to meet her and in just one more moment of this stinging and he would finally get to see his daughter. I thought about every appointment he’s stood outside of, rain or shine, every scan he’s had to have described to him, every voice memo of her heartbeat he’s listened to from afar... it was finally his time.

I put the flannel back in my mouth, bore down, a bit more... little bit more... one final push and out she came into the water and into my arms.

And since that moment we have both been absolutely and unconditionally in love with her. She was ours to take home and I still can’t believe how lucky I am for both her and Simon.

I can’t recommend Hypnobirthing enough, we were told afterwards how relaxed and calm I was during labour and birth and it was all down to the positive birthing company course we had taken and the tools my birth partner had learned. He was absolutely amazing - it was everything I’d hoped and wished for.

I’m so thankful for the team at Liverpool Women’s Hospital and my midwife Susie for her encouragement, reading + supporting my birth preferences, and for the best cup of tea + round of toast I’ll ever have.