My perfect second birth

My first birth was not a nice story so I did it all again just so I could write something nice on the subject of giving birth. 

This pregnancy was very much planned, after two early miscarriages I had a rocky start but this little egg was a sticky one and I am now in possession of a positive birth story - so positive, I am broody again just so I could give birth and relive the amazing experience I had!

This time I decided to have a home birth this was not until I had carried out a lot of personal research and decided that for me and my baby, birthing at home was going to be safer than birthing in hospital (I will cover this topic in full in another blog but for now, I want to tell you about my fluffy home birth story without the science bits). 

My EDD was Christmas Day, Friday 23rd my contractions started but it was stop-start-stop-start. The longest break I got was about half hour.

Labour didn't progress much over the weekend but Christmas Day Eve I started leaking fluid. On boxing Day Eve I informed labour ward as the contractions were also stronger. A lovely midwife came out and examined me (my choice as I had been contracting for so long I needed to know if anything had happened) I was 2-3cm but stretchy and between 50-75% effaced. Nothing much happened the rest of the night and I went to bed.

On 27th another midwife was on call and she was awful, she wanted me to go in for a Pitocin induction (this is a synthetic hormone given intravenously to stimulate the Uterus into contracting and forcing the body to go into labour) and continuous monitoring due to Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM - waters breaking before labour is 'established') as she felt there was a risk of infection but I refused and said I would keep checking my temperature and monitor the colour and smell of the fluid then alert them should any signs of infection be apparent, she stalked me the whole day, ringing constantly, told me not to use birth pool as it increases risk of infection (this is untrue or at least unproven) & even questioned my plans to tandem feed!! She had me in tears and I felt so undermined by her, I had done my research and just wanted her to respect my informed choice. In the end my labour came to a halt, I knew she would arrive if things kicked off and I did not feel safe to birth my baby. She was still on duty on the Wednesday and I had had a big bloody show but I got my husband to screen phone calls and make excuses for me. She told him all the 'risks' and asked him what our plans were to which he replied:

'to stay at home and have a baby'. 

We went out for a drive and came back to 5 missed calls from her and she had even turned up when we were out. We nick named her 'stalker madwife'. In the afternoon of the 28th another midwife took over, she was amazing, came out to see me, trusted in me. She was happy with me & baby and told me to forget about having a baby, watch a film, order a takeaway & have an orgasm ;) She was the best thing that happened as I really relaxed.

Thursday 29th I woke up to a big contraction but went back to sleep. 10am I had another and went to the loo to have a gush of fluid - waters had definitely gone this time - yay!! I realised the leaking must have been a hind water leak (which meant even less chance of infection)

Throughout the day contractions got stronger but whenever midwife (the lovely one from boxing day who I really liked) arrived it all slowed down - think I had white coat syndrome! By 8pm I was in pain and asked her to examine me - I was 3-4cm and no more effaced than Monday! Could not believe it! I sent midwife and my Doula home and we ordered Pizza, I was having painful contractions but I wasn't sure if this was it as nothing seemed to be happening!!

I called everyone back at 11 as I was in pain. we talked and labour seemed to carry on progressing so I wanted to get in the pool. Midwife advised best not to quite yet as it may slow labour down so I asked her to examine me at midnight to see where we were. I was still only 3-4 cm but cervix was more central. The Midwife suggested I take some paracetamol and try to sleep, I was devastated and told her I was convinced baby was going to be born within a few hours so could not understand why I was not dilating.

Bed was a bad idea, could not sleep, I asked my husband to rub my back and he fell asleep mid contraction - I flew out of bed and ran downstairs! I had had enough! I told my Doula I needed more pain relief and she gave me some homoeopathy to help back labour, I was upset as baby was no back to back yet the contractions were so intense I could feel them EVERYWHERE. She phoned the midwife who said to let me get in the pool & she would be over about 4am. At 230am the pool was ready. Climbing in was a massive relief, the water seemed to absorb my contractions and finally I felt I could cope!

Then at 305 I needed to push, Dana (my doula) and my other half heard the noise and immediately called my midwife then 999 - with the first contraction I put my hand down and could feel her head, I was told by Dana to get out of the pool (she was talking to emergency services) but I refused, I felt it was safer for me to stay there. Dana jumped in the pool on the phone to emergency services and followed their instruction. Second contraction and the head was born - 3rd contraction and Freya Holly was born at 315am.

I sat back in the pool and fed her, she was awake and alert. 5 minutes later paramedics and my midwife arrived, my midwife asked to cut the cord as she wanted to check baby over, I let her as I wanted the reassurance she was ok. My midwife sent paramedics away and I got out of the pool - placenta arrived at 340 naturally and we cracked open the champagne at 345!

I was checked over and had no tears just a couple of internal grazes. I felt on top of the world! Later we had Freya weighed and she was a petite 6lb 15oz.

It was the most intense, amazing experience of my life and had restored my faith in birth, such a healing experience after a traumatic first birth.

The only things I would have changed were the vaginal exams, they set me back emotionally which is why I did not recognise transition. I also would not have informed the hospital about the waters leaking and I would have refused to let the cord be cut so early - in fact the only things I would have changed were things involving the medical profession ;)