Birth story - Michelle and baby boy

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Siobhan and the positive birth company! Without the digital pack and your book, I have no doubt that I would not have experienced the birth I had on Sunday.

Xavier is my second born and his birth was everything I could have hoped for, low risk, no intervention, water birth!

Surges started around 11pm on Saturday, very sporadic but I knew the familiar feeling from my first birth. I also started to have a bloody show so knew active labour was impending! I had a warm bath to relax myself and tried to get a bit of sleep, however that’s when the intensity of my surges started to ramp up therefore I couldn’t sleep through them anymore. I used my tens machine and the Freya app to time surges, as soon as Freya told me I was in active labour I contacted  the hospital and they said I could go in.

Typically, but not unusually, when I arrived in hospital the surges slowed down. Fortunately the hospital were very good and allowed me to stay. I had an internal examination (which I would NEVER have normally allowed due to feelings of anxiety, however I was so relaxed with my breathing and in a totally different head space that I really didn’t mind!) and found out I was 3cm. The midwife offered to do a stretch and sweep for me which I agreed to (again something I never would normally have allowed/felt comfortable with) and she managed to stretch me to 4/5cm. Within half an hour or so my surges really stated to ramp up and were coming closer together. I then asked if I could get into the pool. The water was SO warm but what a relief! I managed to keep going with just my up breathing for a little while longer, before opting for gas and air. In my previous birth, gas and air made me sick, though this time, being in a better frame of mind and more relaxed I managed to get the full benefit of it...and WOW it was amazing!! Before long, I reached the point of transition which is by far the hardest point of the labour. I recognised the stage I was at and this was the hardest point to stay calm! I was asking for an epidural and to go home...the midwife and my husband were encouraging and got me through it before the final stage began...the pushing!!

It is absolutely correct when they say you have no control over pushing, my body literally took over and the familiar “mooing” sound was coming from my mouth! At this point my waters broke (which was a huge relief) and from that point I had just 7 minutes of pushing before my beautiful son entered the world weighing 7lbs 15oz. I had delayed cord clamping and delivered the placenta naturally. After some skin to skin time the midwife examined me and I had got through with a second degree tear. This was stitched up with the help of up breathing and gas and air! I’m now recovering really well and I’m still on a high from the birth I never believed I could achieve! A far cry from my first birth, THANK YOU so much for everything. I will forever be grateful xx