Birth story - Tatiana and baby Maxime

*Trigger warning* - Use of the word ‘contractions’, not negative to me.

Pregnancy

I was very lucky to have a very straightforward pregnancy with no common ailments.

Prep for birth

Both my husband and I did the digital hypnobirthing course, he did the first half about the science and techniques and selected videos on how the birth partner can help. And I did the full course, read the book and put up positive affirmation cards on the wall next to my work desk. At week 37 I started drinking raspberry leaf tea to tone my uterus for quicker labour and eat dates for stretchiness. I was not very consistent with perineal massage, as I didn’t quite like the experience. So did it like every 3 days or so. Got Anibal too, used it twice, didn’t like it either.

Run up to labour

My due date came and I didn’t feel any different. So we ordered a hot curry for dinner, the curry didn’t seem hot enough for me so I added some Tabasco and chili flakes.

On 40+1 I spent most of my day bouncing on my exercise ball which didn’t make me feel any different either.

In the morning of 40+2 I was YouTubing ‘exercises to induce labour naturally’ and came across a video with a sequence of light touch exercises like hip swings and inversion stand, which I diligently did. My husband and I then went for a 7 km walk in the afternoon. We had dinner and I was in bed by 10.30 pm. At 11.30 my husband joined me and I woke up with a start saying ‘my waters just broke!’, I was shaking from the suddenness of it all and the realization that we would meet our baby within the next 24 hours. I called the birth centre and they asked to see us within 2 hours of waters breaking to look at the waters and do the strep B test. I fixed a maternity pad in my knickers and off we went.

Labour

On the way to the birth centre I started feeling mild contractions which felt like period cramps, and they were coming on every 4 min for about 15 sec. By the time we arrived I had had 6 of them. The midwife looked at the waters on my pad, they were clear, a bit pinkish. As she did the strep B test she felt my belly through a contraction and said it was about 15 sec. She would want them to be longer and stronger. She advised to go back home, take paracetamol and relax. We went back home.

As we got back home around 2 am contractions seemed to have intensified so we stayed in bed, I was breathing through them, my husband was counting, which really helped me keep my breath nice and steady. In about half an hour he brought Lucozade and Haribos and even though I said I didn’t need any as it was way too early he insisted I have some so made me drink and eat despite my protests

Contractions intensified around 3.30 am and I asked for the tens machine. My husband fixed the pads on my back and showed which button to push for a boost during contractions. This worked wonders and contractions became very manageable again. Throughout the next few hours I was pushing the boost button, and squeezing my husband’s hand, he did a great job arm wrestling me, it felt like exactly what I needed! The Freya app said I was in established labour around 3.30 am. We called the birth centre at 4 am saying that I have been having regular 45 sec contractions every 3 min, they said to stay at home for another 1.5-2h so that I we know it’s established. After that my contractions pattern changed. I started having a light contraction followed closely by a strong one. Both my husband and I thought I was slowing down. By 5.30 am I was making animalistic sounds as strong contractions peaked and we called the birth centre again, all I could say was ‘we are coming’. We left at 6 am, I was holding on to the tens machine and the Freya app and my husband put everything we needed in the car. It’s about 25 min to the birth center and as luck would have it the bridge we needed was closed so we had to make a 20 min detour to the next bridge. Light contractions were gone now that we were in the car and only the strong ones remained, but they were more spaced out and were coming on every 6 min. We both once again thought my labour was slowing down. With every strong contraction I was roaring like a mama bear and later my husband said I was mooing as well.

We arrived at the birth centre at 7 am, they tried to examine me, but contractions started coming on closer to each other again and every time they tried to put me in my back I rolled down to the floor on all fours. After the second roll down I cried ‘I’m gonna poop!’. I thought I would poop all over the floor, and then I realized that it must be the second stage! That’s when the midwife said that the baby was coming in a few minutes! No need for examinations haha. The push was strong and the pressure felt like a lot and I was sure the baby would not fit, all I could say was ‘help me!’, I remember saying it a few times. I asked to go into the pool, they said to do it quickly as I might not have time after the next contraction.

I started getting into the pool and felt that the water was too hot! Turned out they misread the temperature readings because the lights were dimmed in the room. They asked me not to immerse fully while they were getting some cold water in and hot water out. I got in water fully with the next push and it felt much more manageable than on dry land but still intense! They gave me gas and air as well and that made it so much better! I was feeling a bit light headed and the intensity of contractions was much more manageable yet again. I kept forgetting to put the mouthpiece in when I was breathing in and my husband was so helpful there, it was like he was thinking for me in the moment when I could only do the physical part and not the thinking part. He kept reminding me to put it in for every breath in. He was sitting next to me on the floor next to the side of the birth pool the whole time And kept telling me that I was doing amazing.

I was convinced the baby would not fit and started asking ‘will the baby fit?’ That’s when the midwife said ‘he’s got so much hair!’ I was shocked she could already see the head. And the fact that she could see the head gave me all the reassurance I needed. In my head the fact she could see the head made me feel like the biggest part of my son was already out and he fit! With the next push the head was out, they asked me to slow down the push a bit which I guess I somehow did, then to push a little to get the chin out. With the next push the rest of the body was out and the midwife passed my baby boy to me between my legs. We were all in shock how quickly it happened and that I was holding our baby boy in my arms It was 7.18 am. 18 min after we arrived at the birth centre.

We had delayed cord clamping, the midwife cut the cord after 4 min, then passed the baby to his daddy and gave me an injection for the third stage. I got out of the pool and onto the couch. Placenta came out quickly, the midwife examined me and said I had two small internal tears grade 1 or 2 and recommended to have them stitched. I agreed, she gave me a small injection to numb the area while she was stitching me up.

We stayed at the birth centre overnight and were discharged the next day. The midwifes were extremely helpful with helping me start out breastfeeding journey and figure out positioning and latching.

And that’s my story! I feel I had a very very positive birth experience, thanks to the PBC both my husband and I felt prepared and knew what we were doing. The only tricky part was timing - it was hard to understand when to go to the birth centre.

I wish all the lovely ladies in this group to have a positive birth experience.