Birth story - Jessica and baby Niall

Supposed to be a June baby...

With my first baby in 2013, I was induced for being post dates and the process took 3 days, lots of interventions, epidural and forceps. I discovered the Positive Birth Company through a friend and after completing the course, I felt so much more prepared for whatever this labour threw at me. I desperately wanted a spontaneous, natural, water birth but was prepared for anything!

I have to say, when I went overdue again, every day felt like a year and it was hard to stay positive. I tried everything to have a spontaneous labour before my induction date but nothing worked - baby will come when baby is ready! I had two sweeps and my cervix remained very much posterior.

On the day of my induction I packed ready for a long stay and felt positive. On arrival at 11am my husband dropped me at the door and I set out some of my hypnobirthing toolkit and started reading a new book, keeping upright, active, hydrated and positive. I was in a room with two other women and the atmosphere was quiet as there were no visitors or birth partners allowed. I had the Propess 6 hour gel at 1pm, they monitored baby for 20 minutes and then I settled down for the afternoon. At 3pm my surges gently started and I used my up breathing and felt totally in control. At around 5pm they became regular and stronger and I had to put down my book to focus on tracking them on the Freya app (shame as the book was getting really good!) I told the midwife (who commented on how nice my bay in the room smelt with my yoga spray and neom hand cream) and I think she thought I had ages to go by my relaxed vibe. I asked her to assess me earlier than the 7pm when she planned to as things were definitely ramping up quickly.

At 6pm she assessed me and said I was 4cm and I was moved downstairs to the birth centre quickly and my husband called to join me. Luckily he had already left as we live half an hour away. They were concerned about some decelerations of the babies heart beat after each contraction so I was unfortunately stuck to a monitor for the rest of my labour which I hated but felt at the time was best for baby. I was asked to lie on my side which was uncomfortable but the surges were coming thick and fast and I was focused on my breathing so went with it. At that point I knew I was in transition as I was screaming that I couldn’t do it anymore! I also shouted out that I needed to poo and push. They seemed very shocked I was at that stage already - they were trying to insert a cannula into my hand as they thought the baby’s heart decelerations were to do with dehydration and I told them not to bother as baby was coming right now!

Niall was born at 7:05pm - so from active labour (45 minutes) to second stage (8 minutes) I zoomed from 4cm to baby in arms in under an hour! Husband made it in time 🙂

When Niall arrived he had the cord wrapped round his neck which explained the heart rate problems but he was absolutely fine. I had skin to skin and delayed cord clamping and then I delivered the placenta and was stitched up (second degree tear due to speed of birth and some labial grazing).

My husband and I were left then till 1am together as a family. I was offered to go home but decided to stay the night as I was too exhausted.

Such a whirlwind but also such a positive empowering experience. I hope this is a reassuring and positive story for any other women being induced!

… Chose to be a July baby!