Birth story - Louise and baby Ivy

I’d like to share my positive birth experience because I devoured everyone else’s stories in the lead up to the birth of my second child.

Firstly, I’d like to say how much I loved that the course is rooted in SCIENCE and PHYSIOLOGY! I’d used Katharine Graves’ Hypnobirthing book in my first pregnancy/labour so I was no stranger to the philosophy but I really liked learning about the power of oxytocin vs. adrenaline, the impact of gravity on birth and the effect of oxygen on the muscles of the uterus. I’m actually quite surprised that this information isn’t more widely known and wish all women knew this going into labour. I also appreciated the way that the course empowers you to ask questions and learn about all the options available to you.

Secondly, I feel it’s also important to recognise that birth is unpredictable. Not every birth is going to go the way we would like it to but researching birth ‘preferences’ for every scenario rather than having a set birth ‘plan’ means that it is hopefully easier to stay calm and feel in control regardless of the outcome.

Thirdly, in line with what does appear to be an ‘over-medicalisation’ of birth, I was put in a situation where it was initially suggested that I had an induction that I believe wasn’t clinically justified. Before I go any further, I want to clarify that I love the NHS and I would never go against the advice of a medical professional if they told me that it was in my best interests (or that of my baby) – but having done the course I felt able to use my BRAIN and ask what the alternatives were. I’m aware that induction can be a quick, positive process but it can also be drawn out and lead to other interventions which I was keen to avoid.

So, rewind a few days and I went for my 40-week midwife appointment at 40+2. Before I was measured she offered me a stretch and sweep which I declined, as anecdotally - and from doing the course - I haven’t heard of sweeps being particularly effective. I’d measured big throughout my entire pregnancy (approximately two weeks ahead) which had never concerned me as in my experience, measurements tend to be pretty inaccurate, and also I felt like if I was going to have a big baby I’d be able to deliver her as I’m not particularly petite myself!

At my appointment there was my normal midwife plus a student midwife. The student measured me first – getting a measurement of 38w, and then my midwife measured me – getting a measurement of 39w. This in itself was a pretty clear indication of the inaccuracy of measurements given that I was laid on a bed in the same position and generated two different measurements! Regardless, these were a drop from my previous measurements and my midwife called the hospital and relayed what they were saying back to me (I just want to reiterate that I remain happy with the care provided by my midwife and understand that she was following normal procedures). She asked the hospital whether the normal protocol would be to go straight in for induction (I think they said yes to this) and asked me if I wanted to do that. At this point I used BRAIN to ask if there were any alternatives. She advised that the hospital had said that I could go for a growth scan first to check baby’s size and the blood flow to the placenta. I asked if I could take this option first and then perhaps book in for an induction following the results of the scan.

I was given an appointment for a growth scan at 40+4. I felt quite anxious for the two days leading up to the growth scan, wondering if I was doing the right thing, but baby’s movements were still fine and I kept reminding myself that nothing had changed other than the supposed measurements. At the appointment, the sonographer and midwife confirmed that everything was fine with the baby; the blood flow was good and they estimated her weight at 9lb 13oz! This prediction made me a little bit anxious about labour but I was still keen to go ahead with a spontaneous delivery (and rightly so, given that she ended up being 8lb 5oz!) The midwife just recommended going home and relaxing, and doing whatever I could to stimulate oxytocin production.

The next day I spent most of Saturday evening bouncing very enthusiastically on my ball and watching Beyonce’s Homecoming film on Netflix to get my oxytocin going (I love Beyonce, haha). We also ‘did the deed’ – and one or all of those things must have made a difference, because at about 1.50am I woke up feeling quite uncomfortable and wasn’t sure whether I just needed a wee. I went to the loo and found quite a bit of blood (my plug) and came back to bed and felt the first couple of surges happening.

I woke my husband at about 2am and started to use the FREYA app to time my surges. I called my parents to say they might want to get ready and set off just in case as we’d planned that my dad would take us to hospital and my mum would stay and look after our 2-year old son. I used the up breathing to breathe through my surges and loved that the app did the counting for you. We realised that my surges were coming very closely together (about a minute apart) and the app very quickly told me that I was in established labour. My parents arrived quickly (thankfully!) and we jumped straight in the car and headed to the hospital which is about a 20-minute drive from our house.

In the car I continued to breathe through the surges and was able to sit quite comfortably and make conversation with my husband and dad. We arrived at the hospital at about 2.50am and I accepted an examination, at which point the midwife advised that I was between 1-2cm dilated. I was a bit surprised at this given how close together my surges were but the midwife said that we could stay on maternity assessment as she could tell that things were progressing quickly. I stayed sitting upright, mindful of gravity, and as my surges intensified the midwives agreed that I could go round to the Midwife-Led Unit (MLU) to have some gas and air.

On the MLU (I think at around 3.45am) they started to run the pool for a water birth and I climbed up onto the bed and remained in a kneeled, squatting position with my head over the back of the bed using the gas and air. I knew how important it was to be upright, forward and open (UFO) and I think this made a big difference to my labour. At this point I remembered how much I love gas and air and how well it works for me in labour. I also remembered what a funny noise it makes!

We hadn’t been there long when I felt my waters gush (this was a new sensation for me as my son was born in his bag!) I was still wearing my leggings at this point and when they pulled them down I heard the midwife say ‘Oh, baby’s coming!’ which was a bit of a surprise! They told me that there’d be no time for a water birth as the pool was still running. Her head came out and her body followed with the next surge, and the midwife from the MLU caught her and passed her up to me through my legs. She was a bit stunned but they gave her a rub and she was fine and gave a little cry. She was born at 4.27am, around two-and-a-half hours since I’d felt my first surge!

I’d included delayed cord clamping and a ‘golden hour’ of skin-to-skin in my birth preferences which was lovely. She immediately started rooting for boob and fed really well straight from the start. Once she was weighed (a pound and a half less than estimated at my scan a couple of days before!) the midwife examined me and advised that I hadn’t torn and just had a couple of small grazes either side which would heal naturally. I’d had a couple of second-degree tears with my first baby and the difference in recovery time not having to have stitches was really significant.

I felt a little stunned too but elated about how well things had gone and how I’d managed with the labour. I really credit the PBC course with a lot of this – I feel that staying calm and approaching birth with a positive mental attitude is invaluable . The up breathing helped me immensely and staying upright most likely made for a quicker labour with no tearing. I also really enjoyed learning about the physiology of birth and would recommend this course to anyone.