Birth story - Kellie and baby Indie

I had found the positive birth company on Instagram by accident whilst pregnant with my 2nd! My first birth was ok, but it was long and drawn out, I had a partially failed epidural, I had a tear that needed stitches and I took a long time to feel normal. I felt like I needed to be better equipped this time so was browsing online and came across this company. Loved the idea of the digital pack as I didn’t live close to any of the classes that were being run by them.

I downloaded at around 20 weeks and just slowly worked my way through the videos. I was also listening to MP3s when possible and reading everyone’s stories daily! I LOVED the science behind everything as I’m a very practical person, I felt completely empowered. I also signed up to a birthing class by the daisy foundation which follows a lot of the hypnobirthing principles.

Due to gestational diabetes, I was told they would like to induce me at some point. This wasn’t a process I particularly wanted (however I knew the risks with having GD so wanted to go with advice) so when it was booked in for 39 weeks I started to try and make sure I was prepared and if possible get natural labour started! I read the positive induction stories multiple times a day, did a lot of the old wives tales (keeping active, raspberry leaf tea, spicy food, sex)...but mainly did as much as I could do release as much oxytocin as possible! Warm baths with candles, watching friends, cuddles with my little boy and partner. It seemed to work...!

On the first of Feb at 4am I woke up feeling uncomfortable...I went to the toilet (a few times) but couldn’t get back to sleep. I downloaded a surge timer (Freya wasn’t released at this point ☹️!) and noticed that these tightenings were coming once every 10mins. I stayed in bed until 8am when my partner got up for work. I told him I didn’t think he would be going today, however he said he had to go for a couple of hours! So my mother in law came round about 9am and sat with me to help look after our little boy. I bounced on my birth ball and was using the breathing through the surges. 11.30am and my partner came back and my mother in law left with our son so that we could carry on at home.

It seems funny now but for the next 5 hours we watched tv, had a sandwich at lunchtime, I had a shower and got dressed and applied my make up. I also managed to have a short doze on the sofa! 4.30pm came and I noticed some blood when I went to the toilet, I rang the labour ward for advice and they asked when I last felt movement of the baby. I realised I hadn’t in a while so they advised me to come in so they could have a listen. We went in and I was hooked up to the monitor for 30mins in the assessment area. They said baby’s heartbeat was dropping a bit with every surge, they weren’t worried but did want to keep an eye on it. I was offered an examination and I accepted as I wanted to know where in the journey we were! It was 6pm and I was 4-5cm, so we were here to stay!

I had wanted a water birth, however as they wanted to monitor baby, I couldn’t get in the pool. I was disappointed but making sure the baby was ok was the most important thing. I got transferred to our room on the labour ward at 6.30pm, my partner helped set it up with my battery candles, fairy lights, electronic aromatherapy diffuser and my iPad with Comedy Central on! The midwife fully supported everything we wanted to do and dimmed the lights.

I had a lot of pressure and surges were getting stronger, the up breathing got me through these! Even with having to lay on different sides, or sat up when they were trying to get baby’s heartbeat to pick back up. I had a few different people come in to check the machine’s print outs but they were all very respectful and quiet...

At 9pm I was offered another examination which I accepted, still only around 5cm. My midwife offered to break my waters, again I accepted. She couldn’t quite break them but managed to pick at the membranes.
At 9.30pm I had my wobble, which I realised after was the transition, and asked what pain relief was available as the surges were more intense and the pressure was so strong now. Pethidine (which I couldn’t have as it could make baby drowsy and she was already struggling a bit) or epidural. I asked her for the epidural! She said it could take a while to sort but she would check me in 30mins. I think she knew baby was on its way, as less than 30mins later I was mooing like anything and my body was pushing my baby out! The midwife wasn’t quite ready 🙈 and got my partner to call for another midwife...6mins and 2/3 surges later with my body just doing its thing, and my baby girl arrived Into the world! She was pretty tangled in her cord, which explained the drop in heartbeat when I had surges.

She was untangled and put onto my chest and quite frankly I felt elated. I had skin to skin, with lights still dimmed, tea and toast (after 8months of GD, this was amazing!) and just before midnight I was having a private shower in my labour room 😊

I had apparently a very small tear, which she went to stitch, but when assessing, decided it didn’t need it as long as I was happy to leave it too. I was on cloud 9 for about a week afterwards and I truly believe this was down to the hypnobirthing as it gave me this amazing birth and just left me on a high! I felt amazing and was out and about so soon afterwards, I recovered in a completely different way to before. I can’t thank this pack and Siobbhan enough 💕