Birth story - Jodie and baby girl

*Trigger warning* - Very quick labour, meconium present

Pregnancy:

Straightforward pregnancy. Just very tired towards the end! Suffered with sickness and severe nausea.

Labour:

So I used the PBC for my first labour with our son and I couldn’t recommend it more! So going into my second pregnancy and labour I was determined to use the same techniques I’d learnt the first time round.

The day before labour began I had dealt with a very angry tantruming toddler in the park, having to carry him back to the car.. I’m pretty sure that’s what bought the labour on early! 😂

On 4th August I was woken at 4.30am with period like pain. These twinges went on till about 7.30am when my son woke and then they seemed to disappear or were very sporadic but not painful just uncomfortable. By 12 noon I was tired and frankly thought that it was false labour as my first born was textbook contractions. I’d been using the Freya app and the contractions seemed to have stopped for about an hour and half. I took a bath, and still nothing so I decided to try and sleep. At 12.30 the pain seem to start to intensify.

On to my hands and knees leaning over my birthing ball for comfort. As the contractions started to ramp up I told my husband that I thought it was time we headed to the hospital as the contractions were coming every minute or so. We left home at 2pm and arrived at the hospital at 2.20pm. After getting out the car, I just couldn’t walk. A huge pressure was felt below and I believe I then started trickling waters and I now wanted to start pushing .

My husband went to get a wheelchair and before I knew it there were 5 midwives with towels and blankets. Thankfully we made it into the hospital and led into the midwife led suite. I got into all 4s and they began running the birthing pool.

My waters then fully went and there was quite a significant meconium present. I was told I would have to be taken down to delivery due to this. I must admit I panicked slightly as I just didn’t want to be moved. The midwife asked if she could examine me before they moved me. I agreed and the midwife and student did the examination to tell me that I was 10cm and they could see the baby’s head! No time to be moved and no time for the water, baby was coming now!

I began pushing with the help of the midwives telling me when to push, how to breathe (blowing out the candle) and within 11 minutes she was out and passed through between my legs. I was so grateful for their guidance and advise. I had no tears or grazes (2nd tear and graze with 1st born) and I believe it was down to the way they guided me to breathe.

Our baby daughter was born at 2.51pm and was happy and healthy. I had the injection to bring on the placenta, caused quite intense contractions again but it didn’t last too long!

We did have to stay in over night for observation due to the meconium being present in the waters but everything was perfect.

The birth was very quick but it was the most euphoric moment. I’d recommend hypnobirthing to anyone that’s wants to try it, because to me it really does work.