Birth story - Kate and baby

I never thought I'd be posting a positive birth story on here but the digital pack most definitely gave me the most amazing second birth!!

After developing pre-eclampsia with baby 1 everything turned quite medical and although it was a positive birth experience I was hoping for no pre - eclampsia for baby 2 but also feeling quite negative towards the labour. This is why I signed up and I am so glad I did!

I'd had a few tightenings from my due date then at 40+2 my husband and I got food poisoning! By the evening I felt a little better but was still willing not to go into labour (after wishing the opposite for the previous 2 boiling hot weeks!)

During the night the tightenings turned more powerful and by 4am I decided it probably was the real deal so woke my husband up. I think then mentally my body decided it was going for it and the surges ramped up pretty quickly. I put a tens machine on (would highly recommend) and used the breathing techniques to get through each surge. By 6am we called the hospital and they said to come in. When we got there I think the midwife wasn't sure if I was in labour but she examined me and I was 4cm thank god. I then moved to a labour room and was given the option of a pool but the hypnobirthing techniques (mainly breathing and the confident belief that I was strong and my body was made to do this) had kept me so calm I didn't want to change what I was doing and the thought of taking the tens machine off scared me! I then had a slight wobble (I think its not knowing how much longer there is to go) so I had some diamorphine. This didn't take the pain of the surges away but it helped me stay calm in between. The whole labour I stood up, partly from the advice in the videos but also just listening to my body, and no one else, about what was making me feel most comfortable. At 9.30 I then had an extra powerful and longer surge and my waters broke. Then the next surge I felt a downward pressure and my body just pushed the baby out. It was the most amazing feeling like it just knew what it was doing without me.

I had an amazing 2 midwives with me too (one of them was a student). They were so positive and made me feel so calm. I would say if you have a midwife that you don't gel with, definitely ask if you can swap. Also a husband armed with snacks and a fan.

Thank you so much for creating this programme!