Birth story - Sarah and baby Rory

'I did it! I did it!' I kept saying after giving birth to my son after a 12 hour labour which was such a positive and healing process for me - all thanks to the Freya app and the Positive Birth Company.

This birth was a hugely different labour and delivery to my daughter in 2017. I had every intention of having a water birth in a midwife led unit close to home but that wasn’t meant to be: after failing to progress, an uncomfortable ambulance journey to hospital and being left alone for a few hours before being assessed, my cervix doing strange things and being coached to push when only a few cm dilated, I finally gave birth on my back after a syntocinon drip. I was so proud that I got through it and despite a 3rd degree tear I was very happy and positive about my birth experience, I just assumed this was how birth was. 

Second time around I thought I'd give a few things a go to hopefully reduce the risk of tearing again and make this birth even better. My husband and I read through the book and online course, practicing breathing and I listened to the positive affirmations almost every night - these had a huge impact on me and I recited them daily as they were ingrained! A birth reflections meeting, chats with my midwife and perineal massage combined with hypnobirthing, I believe, all helped with the birth of my son.

I went into labour at around 11pm on Friday night with some gentle, irregular surges. These became more regular and I used Freya to help monitor them, after chatting to the midwife led unit at the hospital they advised I labour at home until I was more regular. I was happy to do so as I was worried the journey to the hospital would slow down the labour as the ambulance journey had done last time. Laying on my left hand side slowed down the labour but I knew this was what I needed to do, I wanted to conserve energy, I knew I would need it! By 7am the surges were slow and irregular again, my husband and I were disappointed as we thought this was it, my husband hadn't slept as he had been helping me breathe, tidying, and sorting the hospital bags. 

My husband suggested a shower - best advice he gave as after I got out the shower I knew we had to get to the hospital as the surges were intense and becoming more frequent. The car journey was the opposite of the ambulance journey and the surges were almost back to back, the breathing and counting that I had practiced definitely helped at this point! We arrived and I was assessed - the best part was finding I was 7cm dilated!

Before I could be taken to the midwife unit, my body started to push so we went to a delivery room and I managed to move from the wheelchair to the bed. Head down on all fours I laboured for about an hour and a half using gas and air and down breathing. I kept thinking that my body just knew what to do, and it did! I had faith in myself and my body and before I knew it, the surges were powerful and I could feel myself birthing my baby - something I didn’t have with my daughter as I was so exhausted. I felt powerful and allowed my body to be in control.

Rory was born at 11.37am on Saturday 19th October weighing a healthy 8lb 8oz. My midwife was brilliant at applying counter pressure to ease his delivery and she let me do my own thing, my husband was encouraging and was in awe of how different this labour and delivery was. I didn't properly meet my midwife until I was sat down feeding Rory and I could properly thank her for her support! This time I only had a first degree tear which has healed by itself. I was amazed that Rory's birth was so different, so positive and so healing for me. I couldn't recommend the Positive Birth Company more, I bang on about it to anyone who will listen!