Birth story - Megan and baby Hazel

My previous birth had been fairly straight forward and an overall positive birth, but having an age gap of 6.5years between them, my memory of labour had gone a little hazy and I had ups and downs of excitement and anxiety about my second labour. Anyway I found the digital pack online, and thought my boyfriend would snigger slightly at the “Hypnobirthing” idea, but he surprised me and totally got on board and we both really enjoyed the videos! My first was born at 39+1 so I naively thought my second might follow suit and arrive before 40weeks. Well she didn’t!

I firstly want to add that I tracked my ovulation and had my own due date already worked out, 30th Oct, when I went for my 12 week scan, they moved my due date to 23rd October. At my 40week check up, my midwife offered me a stretch and sweep and using my BRAIN I declined, I felt fine and I know this isn’t a magical eviction date for baby. I was also offered to book an induction, which again seemed totally pointless when I was literally just at my due date!

So my 41week check up arrived (Tuesday) and I accepted a stretch and sweep but midwife couldn’t reach my cervix. I was then advised to book my induction date, so I asked for the furthest possible date, which was 40+12 booked in for the Sunday morning. I felt slightly deflated but my partner helped me turn it into a positive, thinking of how organised we could be and how we could get our final jobs done on the Saturday etc.

Then the Friday night at exactly 6:03 I felt a period pain, then again 8mins later I felt it again. I kept quiet thinking it was Braxton Hicks or something, as it was all low down pain. I eventually went to bed and woke up every 9mins with a surge. At 2am I came downstairs as I had to use the toilet 😳💩 then my next surge I started to throw up. My surges were 5-6mins apart and I rang my midwife led unit, where the midwife said the choice was mine if I wanted to make the journey or not. (We live 30-35mins away)

We eventually decided to set off, we then arrived at the hospital at around 5am, I walked all the way to the ward, even though everyone kept trying to put me in a wheelchair 🙄 I got examined and my cervix was 6cm and would stretch to whatever. So I was moved straight to a delivery room. It was a busy night, so my midwife had to rush off somewhere else, so I was left with no midwife for a little while. But it was fine as my partner and I were just breathing through all of my surges. Then all of a sudden, I felt pressure! So I pressed my buzzer.

In walked an on call midwife, who just so happened to be one of the mums from my sons class! I was on all 4s on the bed breathing through my surges, until that became uncomfortable, so I slowly turned round and was sitting on the bed. To me, being sat up slightly and on my back was most comfortable. From there I must admit I kind of lost my down breathing technique. But in 13mins I pushed my darling daughter out, my body just knew what to do and my midwife and partner were so wonderful, just telling me to follow my instincts and push when I needed to. No pain relief, no stitches, no tears. Two tiny little internal scratches, that healed within a couple of days!

Established labour was just over 3hrs, and second stage was 13mins.

Amazingly positive birth, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat! (Kind of can’t wait for baby no.3. My midwife said I should consider a home birth as I was the perfect candidate.)

Thank you for this course it helped me no end, if it wasn’t for this I would have probably booked my induction at the first opportunity and I would have been induced the Friday morning, when I went into spontaneous labour Friday evening!

Also a quick note to add that Hazel was born with quite a bit of vernix still, which a baby at 11days over would probably not have had! The midwifes at the hospital also agreed that my dates were more than likely more reliable than the scans! So I’m so thankful I trusted my body and everything was 100% natural, as I was more than likely 40+3 and not 40+11!