Birth story - Sophie and baby River

*Trigger warning* - Shoulder dystocia.

Pregnancy:

It took me and my husband 18 months to fall pregnant, I didn’t feel ready to try IVF so we decided to try reflexology which I believe helped me conceive in the end as well as me going down to a 4 day week at work and finding more space for myself. I had nausea for the first 12 weeks, not ‘morning sickness’ but 24-hour nausea which was grim. After this, my pregnancy was very straight forward, we went on some nice holidays (which I had scheduled before we got pregnant but amazingly fell at the right time – after the nausea and before I was too big!!) and I survived the 2022 heatwaves without too much discomfort apart from very swollen feet.

Saturday 3rd September:

We went to visit my husband’s family on the Saturday afternoon (1 hours’ drive away), babies head felt very low down and walking was becoming more uncomfortable however, I felt upbeat and energetic. We had an afternoon walk and a nice dinner, throughout the evening I was having lots of Brackston Hicks but as I had experienced these regularly throughout my pregnancy, I did not think much of it! The drive back was dark and rather bumpy (down the Dorset country lanes), I remember complaining a lot about the bumpy ride and babies head bouncing on my bladder. That night, I woke up to what felt like crampy period pains, I went to the loo to discover my mucus plug had started coming. I felt very excited but knew this could still mean I had days before baby arrived.

Sunday 4th September:

When I woke up on the Sunday morning, the crampy period pains had stopped however, I thought it would be good to call ‘labour line’ just to check in. They advised me to take it easy as my baby could come today or within the next few days. I had organised a first aid course for my NCT group that morning so decided I felt well enough to attend. The course was 2 hours long at our local yoga centre, throughout I started feeling the crampy period pains again but did not think much of it. Afterwards we went for a walk around town and a coffee, the pains started to become more intense but again I did not think this was anything to get too excited about. Looking back, I was in complete denial!! Driving home, I realised the crampy period pains were coming more regularly… I mentioned this to my husband and he suggested trying out the Freya app when we get home (20 minutes away). We got home about 2pm, I lit a candle and went upstairs to bed, I began to time the crampy period pains and very soon it said I was in labour! I couldn’t believe it. I called ‘labour line’ and they said they didn’t have a home birth midwife available (as she was at another birth) so to relax at home and call back in 2 hours’ time. At this point, my husband Aaron started to set up downstairs, wrapping tarpaulin over anything that did not move and blowing up the pool. I called my mum, and she made her way over. Once my mum arrived at about 4pm, my mucus plug became blood red and my ‘crampy period pains’ moved into obvious ‘surges’ or waves. ‘Labour line’ recommended to come into hospital to be examined (as the home birth midwife was still at the other birth) so I strapped on the tens machine and off we went. I was examined at 7pm in hospital to discover I was 4cm and ‘stretchy’. Luckily, the home birth midwife had finished at the other birth and was coming back to the hospital to re-stock. I was so happy I could go home to have our baby! Back home we went!

Once home Aaron started filling up the pool whilst I laboured with my mum breathing through the surges using the tens machine to distract me from the building intensity. Our first midwife arrived at 8pm and offered me gas and air which I gratefully accepted! Aaron lit candles, dimmed lights and popped on my birth playlist. My waters broke at 8:45pm whilst standing by the sofa with arms around my mum’s shoulders. Once the pool was ready at 9pm, I practically dived in, the water was an instant relief, and I felt a lot more relaxed. At 10pm I was examined, and I was 9cm.The second midwife arrived at 10:45pm. I feel transition began around 11pm, I remember saying ‘I can’t do this’ and Aaron and my mum giving me the encouragement I needed. The mantra ‘every wave brings me closer to our baby’ was the one that resonated the most.

Monday 5th September (38 weeks + 5 days)

At 1am, I was examined again and was 10cm dilated. At this point I asked for the playlist to be changed. Beyonce and Lizzo saw me through the next hour!! I remember Aaron feeding me skittles and shortbread. At 2am, my first midwife had to end her shift, so another midwife came to take over. I felt really looked after having 3 midwifes at one point whilst the hand over was happening. At this point, the sensation to push was strong and was encouraged to take a breath of gas and air and then push down into my bottom. I was beginning to become tired at this point but knew every surge brought me closer to meeting my baby. We changed the music to Ben Howard at this point. I found some inner strength and kept on pushing, I remember my babies head coming round the ‘u-bend’ and the head crowning. This was a very intense sensation but also really exiting as it felt like I had been pushing for hours and hours.

At 3am my babies head was birthed! However their final entrance was a little eventful – my baby decided to turn their head so I had to get out of the pool due to shoulder dystocia. It’s amazing how quickly you can move with a babies head between your legs when you need to!! The midwifes performed the McRoberts manoeuvre whilst Aaron held my legs back on the sofa. My baby was born at 3:10am with the cord around their neck. After this excitement and my baby was on my chest, Aaron told me her gender which was such a gorgeous moment. I had skin to skin, and she latched straight away.

After this, blood was taken from the cord as I am rhesus negative, and my mum cut the cord. I birthed the placenta naturally on the loo – this took just over an hour, and we then did some placenta printing next to my sleeping dog (who had been fast asleep the entire night!) I was examined and had to go into hospital to check I did not have a third-degree tear. Luckily, it was just a second degree, so I was quickly stitched up and back home by midday.

I am in complete awe of midwives, our incredible bodies and of course my beautiful baby girl River. The PBC was fundamental in making my birth the most incredible, positive, and proudest night of my life. Thank you

“Love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle.’