Birth story - Sian and baby Ellis

Just a bit of background, this is my second son, my first I had a very straight forward pregnancy and a pretty nice labour, (5ish hours from first surge, waters broke 2 hours previously, had started to push when I arrived at the birth centre and had a lovely water birth, with my first son arriving about an hour later).

With this pregnancy it felt like nothing was plain sailing. I had experienced unexplained bleeding early on, then found out I had low papp-a and would have growth scans and be consultant led, with talk of induction around my due date. It felt like I wasn’t in control at all and so I decided I would try hypnobirthing, to improve my mindset. I was delighted when I discovered Siobhan’s online course.

At each growth scan, baby was growing well but the consultant kept talking about induction around my due date. At my last growth scan at 36+4 weeks I went fully prepared, using BRAIN to discuss options with the consultant. Since baby was growing well he was happy to sign me back to midwife care, and consider me low risk. As a precaution I was booked for induction at 41 weeks but I was so happy and hopeful I could have a similar birth experience to my first and this time make it even better by using the hypnobirthing techniques I’d been learning.

On Tuesday 5th June at home with my son I felt what I thought was my waters trickling but it was actually a bleed. Remaining calm I called the hospital who in turn called my community midwife and an ambulance, since I was home alone with my son. I was ok and baby seemed fine but I was admitted to hospital. Once there I was told I’d be monitored for 24 hours and if nothing happened could go home. After a second small bleed it was decided baby was better out than in and so the induction process was started. At this point I was having some very mild surges so induction was very stop start as they didn’t want to over stimulate me. On Wednesday I was having some more regular surges and used my up breathing to manage them but nothing much else was happening and it certainly didn’t feel like I was in labour. Come Wednesday night I had the last gel I could for 24 hours, with no signs of labour being imminent and the surges irregular again I sent my partner home to rest. Of course this is when things changed!

After having the third gel and being monitored for an hour I tried to get some rest. I went to the toilet and felt a pop so went back to bed and called the midwife to say I thought it was my waters. At this point I had a couple of strong surges. The midwife went to get me some paracetamol and run me a bath. I called my partner and told him to come back to the hospital. About 5 mins later my waters went again and the surges intensified further, I started to panic at this point as I knew things were progressing very quickly. I tried to focus on my breathing but after about 3 really strong surges I felt the transition and my body just wanted to push. Cue the midwives rushing in and rushing me to delivery suite. I had a massive wobble at this point as the urge to push intensified. I had gas and air which really helped me focus on my breathing and also visualisation, for some reason I could see a kaleidoscope and every surge I was pushing/changing the pattern! It took about 3 pushes for my little boy to be here. My partner missed it all! I cut the cord and was given the injection because of the bleeding I’d had and the quickness of it all. From first stage to placenta delivery was recorded as 36 minutes! Ellis arrived at 00.59am on 7th June at 37+4, weighing 7lb 7.5oz. My partner arrived about 20 mins later!

Although my story might not sound all that positive, and wasn’t exactly the second labour I’d dreamed of I’m pretty sure everything I learnt from the course helped me to deal with and make it as positive as I could. It helped me to focus through the induction process and the up breathing definitely made those early tightenings/ surges extremely manageable. Even at the very late stage when they were asking me to move from the bed and lay on the bed on delivery suite I used Brain and told them I absolutely did not want to lay on the bed and so delivered while squatting over the back of it! And beyond this I feel like I am still using the breathing techniques learnt to deal with other things!

Thank you Siobhan for such a fantastic course, I feel its empowered me and given me confidence. Good luck to those yet to give birth, I look forward to reading your birth stories.