Birth story - Laura and baby Miller

I started the digital pack really early on at about 12 weeks as I wanted to go over it a couple of times before I was due to give birth. Just listening to the science behind birth really made sense and I wondered why all this time women had been lead to believe that it would be the most traumatic experience of your life and were automatically placed on their back, legs in the air!

I was so lucky to have had an amazing pregnancy and enjoyed every minute and knew I would miss him being in there. I know this isn't the case for everyone and some women really struggle with being pregnant so I really do appreciate how lucky I was!

I felt really confident in the lead up to his due date that I would have the birth I wanted, at the birthing centre and in the pool with as little pain relief as possible. Period like pains started at 4am on his due date but nothing I couldnt handle so I told my partner to head off to work. I had a bath at around 10am and the pains started to get a bit more intense and I couldn't lay back anymore. I got out and asked my partner and mum to come round and I called the midwife, as they come to home check before you go to hospital so you don't have a wasted journey. Within an hour everyone was with me and I was checked by the midwife, between strong surges, and was so pleased to be 4cm so I could go to the birthing centre. Approx. 1pm by this time.

My midwife meet us there and I was so pleased we had one of the big rooms we had been shown around during our visit. I asked when I could get in the pool but the midwife took a sample and unfotunatly baby had pooed so I wasnt able to get in. I held off on the gas and air for about another hour and was most comfortable stood up with my upper body resting on the bed.

Surges soon got too intense and I tried to focus on my up breathing with the gas and air and held onto both my partners hands with each surge which i found helped so much. It was like our little routine. My waters hadn't gone but I could gradually feel his head pushing down then sinking back up which was frustrating but also meant I knew he would be here soon.

My waters finally broke and my body needed to push so my midwife got me up onto the bed on all fours and told me to just go with my body, which i did. I felt every single part of his head come out which I found the hardest and most painful part and I touched his head as he crowned. I don't remember feeling much of his body coming out but he was passed through my legs and I put him straight onto my chest after admiring what my body had just done with just gas and air. Baby was born at 4:25pm so from 4cm at 1pm my labour really was pretty quick.

We had about half an hour skin to skin while we waited for the cord to go white and then with 2 small pushes I delivered the placenta, while he had skin to skin with his very proud daddy.

I didn't tear externally but I had internal grazing which did require some stitches and being honest this part was not pleasant but I know it's very common and I kept the gas and air going to get me through.

After being stitched we tried to get him to feed and he eventually latched on. Ladies if you are planning to breast feed all I can say is be patient because it really isn't easy but it's really rewarding when you finally get the swing of things.

I think without this course I would have been incredibly stressed and not breathed at all which really is the key. The contractions really do take your breath away but if you can focus just try and breath as best you can because it really does help!

After swearing I would never do it again even now I'm forgetting the pain and the look of that face makes every single pain so worth it.

Reading everyone else's stories on here really helped me so I hope mine helps in some way at all for anyone due to welcome their new addition! Good luck, you’re amazing!!