Birth story - Mum and baby boy

*Trigger warning* - Contractions (not negative for me), pain, true knot, second degree tear, previous birth trauma

So happy to finally be sharing my birth story! I’ve not seen many stories with GD and water births but very thankful to have had an amazing empowering experience - the complete opposite from my first! Apologies it’s a long one but for anyone with GD, it does NOT have to be an overly medicalised birth if that’s how it’s been sold to you!

From the beginning of my pregnancy I had the date 14th of April in my head, as the day I was going to give birth. I’d also (weirdly) correctly guessed the date of my first born too!

I was diagnosed with GD for this pregnancy at around 16 weeks - I’d had it during my first pregnancy and was diet controlled with overnight insulin, and this pregnancy was the same. I used BRAIN and accepted induction for the 13th of April, with the thought of trying to naturally induce it beforehand if possible. My LO tracked between 15-50th centile the whole way through, so there wasn’t that increased risk of a ‘big diabetic baby’ that could get stuck - so when I’d pushed my preference for a water birth I was surprisingly met with support for it!

I re-purchased the PBC digital pack, and started preparing myself early. I had a labour debrief to go through my previous labour, and to try and ease the anxiety and trauma that was left from it. Thankfully I received fantastic support from the hospital, and felt confident in my own preferences and options thanks to the course.

Ideally I wanted a water birth, or at the very least to labour in the pool and come out for the pushing stage if needed, and understood the risks with this for GD and why it might change during labour. The main thing was for me wanting to feel supported and not automatically put on the drip and offered epidural etc etc.

From 37w I tried everything I could to naturally induce labour - I had a sweep which showed my cervix wasn’t ready, and decided after that I would leave any further attempts and just try to relax before induction.

Labour

I arrived at hospital and had the pessary - nothing happened at first, there was no change to my cervix and my contractions were very small initially. I spent the day watching tv and films to try and increase my oxytocin, bouncing on the ball, and napping whenever I felt like it!

At 1am I woke up and realised my contractions had been waking me in my sleep, and I could no longer ignore them. I went up to use the loo and suddenly felt a lot more pressure, so decided to ask for pain relief. I asked for paracetamol, and was put on the (wireless) monitoring for 30mins to see what was going on. My contractions were coming on strong, and the paracetamol didn’t make any difference - in fact after the 30mins it was more intense! I used my up breathing, a comb in my hand, and tried dancing to music to get through them. I was examined and was only 3cm however my contractions were strong and fast, and babies head was at the bottom of my spine already which is why I felt so much pressure.

My noises changed and the midwives ran in saying they were filling the pool for me, and supported me in breathing through and keeping UFO (on my knees, leaning over the top of the bed). I remember them saying to get through the next 45mins and the room would be ready - I wasn’t sure how I would be able to, but sure enough, I used my breathing and next thing I know, I was off to the pool room!

I got into the pool around 3am and INSTANTLY felt relief. The warmth, the weightlessness, and the lovely dimmed room with twinkly lights - instantly my body relaxed. I tried gas and air and absolutely hated it so didn’t use it at all.

My body relaxing in the pool caused me to transition straight away! I must admit, I lost some control here. It was very intense and I found it painful - I was breathing through but during the peak I would have a wobble. I subconsciously knew this was transition but equally because I’d not long been examined, I thought there was no way and that I just have so much longer to go! I begged for the epidural - my midwife (absolutely incredible woman!) agreed to examine me to see if it was possible (she later told me she knew it wasn’t and that I’d transitioned but she wanted to support me!) and it showed I was 8cm~ but baby was coming. I had a big sob here because I realised I had no other option and didn’t think I could do it!

I shook it off, and got back in the pool. Suddenly I got myself into green and went into the zone - the midwife and my husband thought my contractions must’ve died down because I didn’t make a sound, but I remember it more as an out of body experience occasionally I’d let out a moo, or a really primal cry, super hard to explain but I couldn’t help it. My body started involuntarily pushing, which was amazing because it was so strong and I wasn’t doing anything at all! It felt like there was some resistance though (I later found this was my waters!) so I spent the whole time trying to poo, it was the only way I knew to help my body birth the baby. Next thing you know, I pushed and felt a huge pop - my waters had finally broke, right at the entrance! I felt a massive wave of relief and instinctively got on my knees - two seconds later I’d pushed out his head! I didn’t feel the “ring of fire” at all and admittedly was worried it was going to sting but I’d felt nothing at all but relief.

I was so shocked I’d asked the midwife if she’d put her hand in me but she’d said it was his body waiting to be born! I was impatient here and pushed him out rather than waiting for the next contraction, and she passed him through my legs and I bought him to my chest! Most amazing experience ever, I will never ever forget it. It was so gentle that he barely cried, he opened his eyes and just lay on me. I couldn’t even cry I was just overcome with emotion and in shock that I’d done it!

I got out of the pool after delayed cord clamping, and agreed to have the injection for the placenta as it was making me uncomfortable. There was also a true knot in the cord but had caused no issues thankfully! I delivered the placenta and the midwife talked me through it, as well as showed me the baby’s sac. She examined me and I had a second degree tear - I believe this was due to how I was pushing. I struggled to use quick down breathing and so didn’t do small pants to push, I don’t think my forceful pushes helped! This was quickly stitched up and I enjoyed skin to skin with my son, who eventually latched on naturally!

The birth experience this time has completely wiped any trauma I had from my first - and I’ve been left feeling so empowered and on cloud nine. The fog has been lifted for me finally and I can honestly say that was one of the best experiences of my life and I’m so proud of myself for doing it without pain relief! I had the epidural for my first and couldn’t see how I’d do it without again, but I’ve surprised myself with my strength, especially when I knew I’d not got any other choice!

I’d also had no intervention from doctors/consultants and had only two midwives with me throughout, so although I wasn’t on MLU, I felt like a normal risk pregnancy just being midwife led! Again, something I’d been made to feel wasn’t possible with GD.