Birth story - Katie and baby Maxwell

So as a second time mum, in my previous labour I had developed pre-eclampsia and had all the common effects of this including early labour, a fast delivery and low birth weight. Therefore this was something I was very aware of throughout this pregnancy, however it seemed to be very smooth going despite the worry of COVID19 - I avoided watching the news and focused on taking each day/week as it came.

I had felt a bit strange all week, one day to the next I would feel that it could happen soon and the next that he was staying put for longer. However I had a feeling that what the midwives were telling me was his bottom each time they examined and measured my bump, could actually be a head (I had bad indigestion and felt a lot of ‘kicking’ lower down but midwife had said shoulder and arm movements as he was so low down in my pelvis).

On the Wednesday I went on an extra walk and felt he was heavy and low. I went to bed and had dropped off for around 30 minutes when I felt my waters go at 11.15pm. I initially said ‘oh no’ and began to cry as I had a bad nights sleep due to my daughter being sick the night before, so did not feel rested or prepared.

My husband woke my daughter to drop her at my in laws and I stood in the bathroom with the Freya app playing the MP3’s and up breathing to try to calm my nerves. I phoned the birthing unit to ask what to do (my midwife appointment the same day had said due to the speed of the last delivery 1 hr 30mins from waters breaking, I was to phone sooner rather than later) and I was told to come up, we arrived at around 12-12.30am once we got ourselves sorted.

As I was low risk I had a lovely room on the birthing unit at Broomfield Hospital where they already had the candles and lighting, with a huge birthing pool and low bed. My husband stayed in the car and I went up where the midwife met me, did a speculum examination to check it was my waters but said she couldn’t see a head yet. So she left me to it with a cup of tea and some biscuits whilst she began to half fill the pool and my surges built up. I used up breathing with the MP3s and a birthing ball.

The midwife popped in on me several times and then at 2am said call your husband to come up, you will be having this baby soon. When he arrived I was managing the surges well, but they were building in intensity. Whilst they finished filling the pool they offered me some gas and air when they realised I was transitioning (as I told them ‘I need to cry’ and could see my behaviour change). I got in the pool and it wasn’t long before the urges to push came, I must admit as this point I’m not sure if I had used the down breathing. I controlled my urges to push so to ensure I didn’t deliver too quickly, which got more and more difficult to do. The midwife told me to feel for the baby’s head with my hand, to which I replied ‘it doesn’t feel like a head’. She reassured me and had a look, and said ‘I think we may have a hand’ my husband peeked over my shoulder and said he could see a finger (turns out it was his penis 🤦🏻‍♀️).

I was helped out of the pool and I heard the midwife say ‘baby’s breech’ this scared me as I knew common practice was c section for breech babies. I got on the bed on all fours and they guided me to continue to go with what my body was telling me. I noticed another member of staff came into the room (who I assumed was a more experienced midwife, but was a doctor - who stood back and let the midwives get on with their job). With some guided pushing and some intense stinging birthing babies bottom I eventually felt his legs birth which brought a lot of relief, I had to wait for the last surge (which took quite a while to build) before birthing his head. He had the cord wrapped round his neck twice (he didn’t show signs of distress throughout the labour) but was quickly passed between my legs for cuddles 3.54am.

Placenta injection was given and was soon delivered. Midwives checked my perineum, I was fully expecting to need some work down there due to breech baby and my previous episiotomy, however there was a small tear which would have only needed one stitch so the midwife decided that it would heal without the need for a stitch and I agreed.

Despite the last minute panic of discovering that baby was breech I am so glad we didn’t know as I would have had a c section with the added healing time. Instead I did get to use the birthing pool (which I actually found difficult to get comfortable in and got too hot so was a welcome relief when I had to get out anyway). Gravity and my body did the job and I have had minimal healing pain and was up about quite quickly so my husband and I got to stay in the birthing room until we were discharged in the afternoon.

I had a positive experience and wouldn’t change it for the world. I felt in control, albeit until the very end, and was aware of the signs to looks for. The Positive Birth Company pack was very insightful and helped me to remain in control, I would recommend to anyone.

Good luck mummas to be, you’ve got this 💪 xx