Birth story - Taylor and baby Sorrel

I woke up in the morning needing to pee and was totally surprised by my water breaking when I got off the toilet. I was quite shocked and terrified as I was still a month early. I got my husband up we headed to the hospital.

The nurses checked and confirmed that yes, my water had broken. The doctor came and presented me with some options. Because my GBS test results had not come back yet, they wanted to treat me as if I was GBS positive - meaning antibiotics every 4 hours for the duration of the birth. The doctor also told me that I had 12 hours to be in full fledge labour or they were going to have to induce me (something I was very against) as I’d had no surges or any other signs of labour besides my water breaking.

I knew that in order for labour to progress I was going to have to relax, and it had always been part of my birth plan to do most of my labouring at home (I have a bit of an aversion to hospitals). I got the catheter in my arm, took the first dose of antibiotics, and headed home against the doctors wishes.

I had called my doula first thing in the morning only to find that she was on holidays about a 15 hours drive away (we had not been expecting the baby so early) so she started driving. Our next appointment was scheduled for the following week, so she texted me a bunch of info and a hospital packing list.

When we got back home, I packed a hospital bag and my husband and I drove around in our side by side and fed our mares and foals (we live on a ranch and this seemed like the perfect way to relax). I started having mild surges. I drove myself back to the hospital for a second round of antibiotics, then back home again. This time at home I tried to nap and just relax. The surges seemed to start getting closer and a bit stronger, so after four more hours we headed back to the hospital and decided to stay there.

The maternity ward was super busy so we waited in triage and weren’t really bothered by any nurses or doctors, I just continued to relax and started listening to the hypnobirthing meditations and readings on the Positive Birth Company app. By around 8pm the surges had started to ramp up, and I had a nurse check me for the first time - she was surprised that I was already 5cm dilated and got me sent to a labour room.

It was around 8:30 by the time we got to our own room, and the surges were getting pretty serious. My husband put on Morgan Wallen and did hip squeezes during surges. I kept up breathing and it was certainly starting to feel harder but I just kept trying to relax. I tried gas and air but only took about one breath of it as I couldn’t stand the mask over my face.

The doctor checked me again around 9:30 and said I was 8cm. At 10ish I started to feel like I wanted to push and was clearly transitioning but the doctor kept telling me I wasn’t dilated enough and not to push or I would injure by cervix. I tried not to but my body was just kind of doing it so I decided to just start down breathing. I started off on all fours, and after a few minutes - I have no idea how long it actually was - the doctor suggested I get on my back in an inclined position with my feet up on the bars. I pushed like that for only a few surges and the baby was born! The doctor plopped him on my chest and we did skin to skin for several hours. My doula arrived about 10 minutes after the baby was born lol!

In Canada, it is basically a lottery to get a midwife, you have to put your name on a list and you might get one but you probably won’t, as there is a huge shortage of midwives. I did not get one and I was devastated that I would have to give birth in a hospital as I had heard so many horror stories about doctors not listening to you and pressuring you into things you didn’t want to do (iductions, c-sections, etc) That, plus I have a bit of an aversion to hospitals and the health care system in general.

That being said, I had a totally positive birth. The doctors and nurses were great. No one pushed me to do anything I didn’t want to do. Everyone respected that I wanted a natural birth and followed my wishes despite the fact that the baby came so early I never had time to type and print a birth plan lol.