Birth story - Kerry and baby boy

*Trigger warning* - gestational diabetes, possible large baby / other complications l, previous forceps delivery in theatre, reduced movement, use of the word contractions (not negative to me)

First birth - for background

When I had my son 6.5 years ago I went into the labour process very naive. When my waters broke before my contractions began and, as a result, my contractions became very intense very quickly, I panicked. I thought contractions “only” started gradually and as a FTP I would spend hours bouncing on my ball at home. I ended up asking for an epidural immediately on arriving at the hospital. My labour was long and I needed a syntocinon drip and ultimately a forceps delivery in theatre which was all a bit of a blur. While I have never regretted the epidural in itself (I didn’t have any other “tools” to manage the panic I found myself in) I came to the conclusion that if I were to get another chance I wanted to feel more prepared and in control of my choices.

Pregnancy

Finding out I was pregnant in January 2022 was a bit of a shock and for various reasons I found it difficult to get excited about the pregnancy until we’d had the 12 week scan. That being said, the 1st trimester was fairly straightforward - some bad nausea for 3-4 weeks and the normal tiredness but nothing more.

At 16 weeks I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and had the extra worries that came with that including the risk of a large baby. I managed to control the diabetes through changes to my diet but it definitely took its toll on how I felt at times.

As well as changes to my diet I also made sure I exercised regularly and took online strength and pregnancy safe HIIT classes right through to 38 weeks.

With gestational diabetes there can be a need for additional interventions etc. at birth but I was lucky enough to have baby tracking on the 50th centile by week 36 and was signed off by the consultant for midwife led care which meant a birth centre birth was an option.

I had heard about PBC via Instagram and a couple of personal accounts of how helpful the course had been. Around week 30 I started listening to the online classes and at the same time introduced a room spray & yoga / “spa” music to my bedtime routine to associate both these things with a relaxed, calming environment.

Learning about the physical realities of birth - what was actually happening during a contraction and the need to control the various hormones produced as a result was so helpful in making me feel prepared for labour. Up and down breathing became something I practised as often as possible (practising down breathing when I needed was super useful!)… I also attended a pregnancy yoga class which was another opportunity to practise my breath work.

The Birth

By 38+4 (Monday) I was feeling increasingly uncomfortable and when I was offered an “early” sweep to try to avoid an induction due to GD I accepted. The midwife who performed the sweep was very encouraging saying baby was very low and that I was already around 1cm dilated with a very “favourable” cervix. However, aside from losing my mucus plug and experiencing more & more regular braxton hicks nothing much happened over the next few days.

On Friday morning I was concerned about a change in baby’s movement and while monitoring confirmed baby was happy the consultant discussed accepting an induction that day due to the fact I was already 39+1 and had a greater risk of placental deterioration with GD. Using my BRAIN I accepted the recommendation knowing I would be even more anxious about movements otherwise (not conducive to oxytocin!) and also that I was still feeling very uncomfortable overall.

My husband and I returned to the hospital a couple of hours later and at 2pm I was given the 6hr pessary to start the induction process. Baby had to be monitored for an hour but then we were encouraged to get active & we went for a walk around a park across from the hospital grounds for an hour. When returning to the ward I remained mobile & UFO - bouncing on a ball and chatting to my husband.

By 4pm I encouraged my husband to leave the hospital to spend some time with our 6 year old as I wasn’t due to be checked until 8pm and there were no signs of labour.

This is when things changed; around 5pm my waters broke naturally and I had to call my husband back. While I waited for my husband to return I started feeling mild contractions and used up breathing & swaying to get through them. I also listened to a “spa” playlist to remain in the “green zone”. I had downloaded the Freya app but didn’t start timing contractions straight away as I thought I’d have a while to go!

By the time my husband got back to the hospital about 5.45pm the contractions were becoming stronger and more frequent. He was great - rubbing my back and providing counter pressure. He also constantly reminded me I could do this. I started timing contractions around this time and the Freya app immediately told me I was in active labour!

I consented to an examination and the midwife said I was 5cm dilated and that she needed to let the delivery ward know to make space for me.

Time is a bit blurred from that point although I know we needed to wait a little while for my move to the delivery suite and that contractions got more intense with very little time in between. At this point up breathing was how I remained focussed and reduced panic but I also asked for gas & air to take the edge off the intensity.

It was also at this time I had a few “wobbles”; telling my husband I didn’t think I could do it. In hindsight I think this was my transition period but at the time I didn’t think I could possibly be that far on!

I was finally given gas & air for my move up to the delivery suite which must have been around 6.30/40pm. I couldn’t bear to sit in the wheelchair so agreed to walk with the midwife. On the way to the delivery suite I had to stop twice for contractions & at this point the sensations changed to one of needing to push (although I thought I might just need a poo!!).

Once in the delivery suite I made it on to the bed on my knees leaning on the back rest. The midwives asked me to lie down to attach a monitor to baby’s head but at this point I told them I needed to push. They told me to trust my body so at this point I started down breathing.

7 minutes from arriving on the delivery suite our little boy was born at 6.59pm! I opted for the injection to deliver the placenta and then enjoyed a golden 2 hours of skin to skin where baby immediately latched to feed.

I did have a 2nd degree tear which required stitches (I didn’t feel the tear at the time). Having the stitches was more uncomfortable than the labour - and up breathing and gas & air also helped there!

This birth experience was everything I hoped it could be - even though not everything was to plan - and I credit my ability to make good decisions & remain calm to PBC. Thank you!