Summer Baby in the MLU

I was due baby no.3, Friday 18th June in the MLU, OLOL Drogheda.

At 5 days over I had a sweep, the next morn I had a bit of a show, a bit more that evening, but that was it!

I had a bad day on Friday at 7 days over, I was induced on my last baby and wanted to avoid being induced again, I was in terrible humour all day and cried quite a few times, but by the end of the day I told myself to just enjoy the next week, do loads of nice things and what will be will be, crying and being miserable wont help things!

Saturday at 8 days over was a lovely day so we went for a nice relaxing walk. While walking I got a few braxton hicks, I hadnt really had many of during the pregnancy. That evening after the kids went to bed myself and dp sat out the back in the evening sun, while sitting there I felt a few more strong bh's and started to have a bloody show but tried not get excited! That night dp put on a funny movie, and I bounced on my ball while getting more strong bh's. I had a shower before going to bed and slept for about 3 hours before waking up at 2am Sunday morn with quite strong pains coming every 7-8 mins. This was that start of me not being able to lie down and I could barely even sit down! The pain was mainly in my lower back and low in my bump.

I was awake most of the night with the pains, I managed to get a bit of sleep leaning over pillows on the bed in between pains while listening to my Gentlebirth CD. Sunday we took it easy most of the morning while deciding what to do, the pains were coming around every 5-6 mins now but still not too bad so we decided to drop the kids to their nana, come home and relax and see how things went.

When we got home I had a nice bath while listening to my cd, the pains were coming every 4-5 mins but still managable, I was in and out of the bath a few times and found it a great relief, it was the only place I could sit or lie down! I got dressed and dp went and bought us a curry, it was yummy but I could only eat it while leaning over the couch in between contractions! Things started to move along then and the only place I was comfortable was leaning over the kitchen counters, pains were every 3-4 mins for around an hour, and I really needed to concentrate on my breathing so we decided to head to hospital at around 9.30pm, (when top-gear was over of course!).

The car journey wasnt the most comfortable but I just relaxed as much as I could, pains still coming every 3-4 mins but as we got closer to the hospital they were coming every 2 mins, I was delighted as I thought once I got in the car they'd slow down but they didnt so I thought it wouldnt be long now!

We got into the hospital and met my midwife who wasnt exactly what I expected. I hadnt met her at all during my pregnancy and I didnt find her the friendliest, she was nice, but just not very imformative and was a bit hard of hearing I think which didnt help at all!! There was a care attendant there also who was lovely so that helped! I was examined and was 3cm but contractions slowed right down.

We were left alone for a while but I couldnt relax and started vomitting with contractions. I knew I needed to just calm down so I leant over a sink in the corner, the only place I felt comfortable, I listened to my CD and blanked out everything else. The contractions wernt long about coming back then and we were back in action! Most of the pains were very manageable but all in my back so the midwife got me a heat pack and put it on my back and it was a great relief, she thought the baby might have been lieing back to back and slowing things down. I got a couple of very strong contractions and could feel baby moving down and around in my pelvis and the pain was all gone from my back which was amazing. I could no longer breath through the contractions and started making noises instead so I had an idea things were close and I felt a lot of pressure so went into the loo but once I sat down I got a really bad pain and couldnt get up so I called dp to help me!

The midwife came in and asked to examine me so I lay down on a mat on the floor, I was 7cm and my waters broke while she was examining me. She then insisted she examine me while I got the next contraction which was pure torture, I was asking her to stop but she didnt so dp had to tell her to stop, I dont think she was too happy with that! I then started to panic a bit and the midwife was telling me to push with each contraction which I didnt want so I had to tell her to stop, I wanted to push when my body was telling me to.

I tried to calm myself down again while getting big hugs off dp. I was repeating all the gentlebirth affirmations in my head while the midwife told me it was a big baby and repeatedly asked me were my other babies big, I dont know how, but I managed to let her know that it wasnt the best time to be asking me questions like that! I had been pushing hard for over 30 mins, or more so my body was pushing hard, and I was exhausted and had just about given up, babies head was halfway out and not budging, I felt like I just couldnt get him out any further. It was agreed that Id need an episiotomy which I didnt mind at that stage and even after getting the episiotomy I had to give a few big pushes to get the head out and again I needed a big push to get the shoulders out.

At last, at 2.40am on Monday 28th June, my baby boy was handed to me screaming his little head off! When I opened my eyes there were 3 other midwives standing there, they had been called in to help, I didnt even notice they were there until then! I asked to leave the cord to pulse which was no problem. About 10 mins later the midwife felt the cord and told me it was ready to be cut but I didnt believe her (I didnt really trust her!) so I asked to wait until the placenta delivered which it did about 5 mins later, then the cord was clamped and daddy cut it. At last, I had a completely drug free birth, with the exception of the local anistetic for the stitches!

My new baby had his first feed soon after and wanted to feed and feed and feed! He was a hungry boy! We weighed him soon after and he weighed 9lb 6.5oz, much bigger than my other two. I got home the next day. Feeding is going great, he's thriving, he's 4 weeks now and weighs 11lb 13oz! His two big sisters are mad about him, and mammy and daddy are really enjoying him, its just a pity they get big so fast!

 

 

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Wonderful Waterford Arrival

Hi Tracy,

Finally our birth story!! Myself and husband attented your workshop in Dublin last October. I started listening to my cd's at 32 weeks and attended the workshop at 35 weeks. I was under the Domino scheme in Waterford regional hospital which I cannot recommend highly enough.

Anyway, was 8 days over on  Sat 5th of Dec, went to bed that night as normal. Woke at 2.20am to go to the loo and thought that maybe my waters were going. Went back to bed and listened to my cd's and felt as though I was getting my period- nothing major though so fell asleep listening to affirmations. Woke at 6.45am with bit of period pain so got up and had some tea and toast. Sat on my ball watching t.v and decided to go back to bed at 8.45am as nothing as happening.

Paul woke me at 11am and wanted me to ring midwife and tell her my waters were leaking. I did, she told me she would call out to me, so had my shower and sat on ball watching t.v.

Nothing was happening other than few tinges like I was getting a period. Mid-wife got delayed and didn't arrive til 3.30pm. When she arrived I said I thought it was all false alarm,  she said she'd examine me anyway. I was 7cm!!!! Couldn't believe it.
She asked me did I want to go to the hospital or labour at home as I had planned for as long as possible. By the time she left 4pm surges were coming hot and heavy. I got in the bath with my clary sage and geranium and listened to my cd's. At about 5.30pm Paul knew it was time to get moving. He managed to get me dressed and into the back of the car. I was just doing what my body was telling me and like you said in your birth story Tracy, felt like I was puking except in the other direction.
Swine flu thing was in full swing so when we arrived to the hospital maternity entrance was closed- all I needed!!!! was on all 4's outside casualty- I'm sure it was a pretty sight.

Arrived into the labour ward at 6.15pm, my midwife was waiting for me, as soon as she examined me she told me I was 10cm and ready to go. I went straight onto the birthing stool. I tried the gas and air but felt I was blowing into the tubes instead of sucking and felt they were in my way so threw them to the side. All I remember is my midwife saying to me at one stage.."your baby wants to be born so when you're ready to push it out it'll be out"

When I heard that I though well if I can end this now I am going to try really hard. Next thing I knew I could feel the sting of the head coming- I was so excited at that point because I knew it was almost over. One more push and our little girl Mamie was in my arms at 7.24pm. It was an amazing experience- drugs, epidurals etc never even crossed my mind. She took to the breast straight away and we were home the following day.

We've had an amazing experience of the gentlebirth programme and we really hope our next birth will be as lovely. Thank you so much for making the experience so positive. We have such a calm and placid little girl and we really believe its as a result of the gentlebirth program.

 

 

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Jack's Beautiful Birth in the Rotunda

I did the gentlebirth course with my husband Michael in April and had been listening to the rehearsal track most days since then. I felt very calm about the birth and was looking forward to meeting my baby.

On Friday morning 30th July I had a small bloody show. I started getting mild period like cramps mainly in my back around lunchtime but felt they were only warmup contractions as they weren't consistent in length or frequency. I put a hot pack on my back and lay on the couch. Michael came home around 7pm and we had a chipper. I told him that I felt things were getting going but it could take some time before labour became established. We were due to go to the cinema at 8pm with some friends to see the A-Team and I felt we should still go. Cramps were coming every 15 mins or so at that stage but were very manageable. We went to the movie and after about 40 mins into the film, the contractions were getting a little hard to sit through and I noticed they were coming every 8-9 mins. I still wasn't convinced I was in labour though and I stayed another 20 minutes. Michael was watching me wriggle in my seat and suggested we leave and come home.

We arrived home 15 mins later and I decided to have a bath as I wanted to check if the contractions would ease off and I also wanted to labour for as long as possible at home. I found it hard to get comfortable in the bath and thought I felt my waters break but wasn't sure. I was listening to the gentlebirth rehearsal track but was finding it hard to concentrate. Contractions were coming every 6-7 mins. I went upstairs to get dressed and my waters broke. At this stage I was sure things had started and Michael was packing up the car so I could go in to the Rotunda and get checked. I put on my tens and when a contraction came I'd lean against the wall and tap my foot and hand in rhythm with the tens.

On the way in in the car the contractions were coming every 3-4 mins. We arrived in the Rotunda at 11:50pm and I was assessed. They confirmed that my waters were gone and I was 2cms dilated. Contractions were less than 2 minutes apart and lasting nearly 1 minute. I was on the foetal monitor for 30minutes lying on my back which was really difficult.

Michael went through my birth preferences with the midwife and as I wanted as little intervention as possible, the midwife said it would be best for me to go to the prenatal ward where I wouldn't be on a clock and expected to progress at a certain rate. I felt this was a good idea. Unfortunately the prelabour ward was very busy and no bed was available so I had to stay in the emergency department for another 2 hours. I found this very difficult as it wasn't very comfortable. Michael turned off the light and got my gym ball from the car but I was finding it very hard to get into a comfortable position. I listened to some music and walked on the corridor stopping to lean against the wall when the contractions came. Eventually a bed became available and we were led to the prelabour ward. I had to stop for every contraction as I was finding it difficult to walk.

I arrived to the prelabour ward and tried to settle in. The ward was full and dark and there were other women trying to sleep. The midwife said she'd be back in a while to admit me. At this stage I really felt like I was losing control. Contractions were every minute and a half and I had barely 20 seconds between each to relax. I asked Michael to get the midwife but she was very busy and said she'd be with us shortly. I was trying every position imaginable but was really struggling. I felt I was tensing with each contraction and kept trying to remind myself to relax. The midwife came and asked me to get on the bed. She listened to the babys heart and started asking questions about my medical history which I found very difficult to answer between contractions.

I kept saying to her that I didn't think I could keep going like this for any longer. She felt it was too early to examine me to check my cervix and said maybe she could get me some solpadeine. She was called away again to someone else. I stood up and tried to sway to each contraction. I said to Michael that I didn't feel like I could keep going much longer as the pressure I was feeling in my back and around my back passage was so immense. I felt maybe I needed to use the toilet so I went and sat on the toilet down the hallway. I really felt at this time that I needed to push.

While I was in the toilet, the midwife was suggesting to Michael that he should go home for a while as I could be hours more. Michael asked her to re-examine me to check progress and I met her on the corridor and asked to be re-examined also. She agreed and was highly surprised that I was 10cms dilated. She ran for a wheelchair and whisked me off to delivery. It was 3:56am when I arrived in delivery and I started pushing when I felt the urge. I was kneeling against the back of the bed holding Michael's hand. The contractions had spaced out a bit, giving me a chance to rest between pushing.

Jack entered the world at 4:28am and I could hear him crying before his body had delivered. He was handed straight to me for skin to skin contact and I had a few stitches for a small tear. We were left in delivery for a couple of hours, I had a shower and some tea and toast and Jack was checked over and weighed (8lbs). We walked down to the ward just after 6am.

While the labour was very intense, it couldn't have gone much better and I am completely in love with my little man. He has taken to the breast feeding really well now after a few bumpy days. I really feel the gentlebirthing course and preparation led to a very stress free pregnancy and birth for me and for Jack.

 

 

 

 

First time Mum's birth story (easy birth!)

I had always assumed I would go over my due date as this was my first baby. I was mentally preparing myself for going 2 weeks over so you can imagine my surprise when I went into labour 2 weeks early on 18th April. I was on my first day of maternity leave and I had spent the day cleaning the house like a lunatic. That night, before I went to bed, I remember there was a massive full moon and I jokingly said to my husband Mark that it was the type of moon that could send me into labour. Anyway we headed off to bed at about 11.30 that night. At about 4am I got up to go to the toilet and as I got out of bed I felt a small gush. It was nothing major and I thought that I had just had a bit of an accident so off I went to the bathroom. I got back into bed and about 20 minutes later I felt another little gush as I was lying there. Up I got again and into the bathroom and discovered that I had a show. Next thing a dull ache started in the bottom of my bump.

At this stage I was saying to Mark “No I’m not ready for this…why didn’t I rest more…I’m too tired to go into labour etc. etc…” I had a big grin on my face saying this and I was just in total disbelieve that it was happening. Anyway I knew I needed to rest so I got back into bed and Mark went and made us tea. I found it really hard to stay lying down and had to get out of the bed every time I had a surge, which was about every 15 to 20 minutes at that point. By 6am I was out of the bed and sitting on my gym ball with the tens machine on. I coped so well with the surges in this position because whenever one came I could roll my hips while sitting on the ball. I found the tens machine fantastic too.


It didn’t take away the pain but it was a great distraction. I rang the hospital at this stage just to check in with them and because my waters had gone they told me to get myself organised and make my way in but because my waters were clear I decided to stay put for the time being. I stayed on the ball until nearly 11am and the time genuinely flew.


During this time I plucked my eyebrows (so I’d look good for the pics afterwards!) topped up our mobiles online and transferred money online to cover our mortgage repayment! I was feeling really relaxed and good about the whole thing. I found that it was easy to relax because I only had to cope with the surges for a minute to 90 seconds and then I would feel fine again until the next one. I actually doubted that I was in established labour because I thought I was coping too well.

At 11am I decided to get in the shower to help me relax even further. The moment I was in the shower though I felt things step up a notch. The surges seemed to be a lot more frequent too. I was still managing them fine but it was definitely more challenging. After the shower we headed downstairs and I got back on the ball and put on the tens again. We put on a stand-up dvd to pass the time and we decided to start timing the surges. They were coming every four and a half to five minutes and lasting about a minute. Just before 1pm my mum rang me. (I hadn’t told her I was in labour because I didn’t want to feel any pressure.) I answered the phone because I thought she would be suspicious if there was no reply so there I was talking to her in between surges. She wanted to know if I would go to the shop for her and I was telling her I would be down in a while!

When I got off the phone we decided that I better just ring her back and let her know I was in labour. I called her and filled her in. She was in shock and couldn’t believe I was still at home if my waters had started leaking 9 hours earlier. She said I should start making my way to the hospital. I was telling her not to panic, that I was feeling fine and I needed her to stay calm. Mid sentence I started to feel nauseous so I handed the phone to Mark and ran to the bathroom and got sick while simultaneously having quite a big gush of my waters. The surges started coming very close together now. I would say they were only about 90 seconds apart. I knew it was time to get going at this stage. I changed my clothes and Mark loaded up the car and off we set. I had to kneel on the back seat for the 25 minute journey. The surges were getting really close at this stage and I found the journey tough going. I was wondering if I could end up having the baby on the side of the road but I felt completely calm nonetheless.

When we got to the hospital I was taken into admissions. I found this the most challenging part of the whole experience because the hospital doesn’t allow the birth partners into admissions because of lack of space so you have absolutely no support in there. I was put on a trace firstly and after a bit of convincing the midwife allowed me to stand for it because there was no way I could lie down. After the trace the midwife went off to get a doctor to do the internal exam and I was left on my own for about 25 minutes. I was really starting to loose focus at this stage and I was starting to make sounds like a mooing cow! I felt such pressure and I was worried I was going to have the baby there in admissions but things were so intense at this stage that I couldn’t focus enough to call anyone. I’d say I sounded in quite a bit of distress at this stage but no one even popped their head around the curtain to see if I was okay.


This was the only thing that I would fault the hospital for. Anyway, finally the doctor showed up and did the exam and told me I was a good 7 to 8cm dilated. I was thrilled and dying to see Mark to share the good news. I had been away from him for about an hour in admissions. I was put in a wheelchair and wheeled up to the homebirth room and Mark met me in the corridor. It was 2.45pm at this stage. As soon as I got to the homebirth room I stood straight up out of the wheelchair as it was so difficult sitting and I stood by the side of the bed and started rotating my hips again. Mark was really taken aback at this because I didn’t have a stitch of clothes on from the waist down and he knew I would normally be uncomfortable with showing my knees in public not to mind having everything on display! He was telling me that the door was open and the curtains too and did I want to get into my nightdress but none of that mattered to me at that point…instinct had really taken over.

The midwife came in and introduced herself and as soon as she saw me getting the ipod out she said “Are you doing hypnobirthing? So you want as little intervention as possible and to go with your own urges?” It was wonderful hearing that because we had no explaining to do and I knew she was 100% on board. It made such a difference having Mark with me again and he really helped me to focus on my breathing.


At times I was holding my breath and Mark would encourage me to breath through it. Our midwife was wonderful. She kept talking to a minimum and it felt like it was only me and Mark in the room. I had been breathing though the surges for about an hour and I could feel the head was sitting right there ready to come out. The midwife said to me to start to go with my urges to push on the next contraction. She was so lovely…she said she knew it was scary to push because I had never been though this before but to go with it and I would have my baby very soon. She was so encouraging but still left it totally to me when to push. I started to push with the surges and while it felt very intense I found it manageable. The midwife was standing behind me waiting for the head to arrive and Mark told me afterwards that I nearly slapped her in the face with my bum when I suddenly changed the direction that I was rotating my hips in!

After 20 minutes of pushing the head arrived and after another few pushes baby Michael was born weighing 8 pounds 7 ounces. The midwife handed him up to me through my legs and after the cord was cut he went to Daddy for cuddles while I delivered the placenta and had a second degree tear stitched up. I kept saying “ I can’t believe I’ve done it!” I’d never been on such a high.

I found the gentlebirth amazing. It worked so well for me and in the final weeks before Michael arrived I felt so confident and was actually looking forward to the labour. The positive thinking definitely made the labour so manageable…I’d even go as far as to say that it made it easy. The staff in Limerick Maternity were so nice and I couldn’t have gotten a better midwife. It was an incredibly positive experience. I had hoped that I would avoid the epidural but to have given birth without even gas and air really exceeded the expectations I had for myself. Michael is here smiling up at us. Life couldn’t be better.

 

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Daniel’s Birth Story - Wonderful VBAC

March 2010

On the 22th March I visited an acupuncturist in the hope of avoiding a chemical induction in hospital and so reducing my chances of a VBAC.
It was a relaxing session and I enjoyed it immensely despite being nervous to start with. The next day I had a check up and was told though changes were afoot, I would not go into labour today or tomorrow. The doctor, however agreed with my decision not to be induced until at least 14 days over so I was delighted with that and agreed I’d come back to the hospital at 9 days over for a scan and to check both my self and baby were doing well. I relaxed and myself and my husband went to a pub for some grub and I had a glass of wine, before picking up my DD from crèche. It was a lovely sunny day and we enjoyed eating outside.


Interestingly, in my mind movie I had prepared for birth, I had said it was a lovely day and we ate outside before I had contractions!
Anyway, that night we went to bed and My husband gave me some of his own prostaglandin and headed off for a long sleep. I woke at 4am however to the feeling of the first surge. Out comes the mobile to time them, ten mins later – another one, ten mins later another….

I got excited and told My husband who was somewhat disbelieving and put his hand on my tummy. By the time the next one came he was asleep again! By 5.30 I was too excited to sleep so I got up and watched TV and went on the internet to share my expectations with fellow April Mammies.

This continued through the morning and next day and My husband went off to work. I spent the day with My sister and we went for a short walk, played with my DD and I took some short naps listening to my gentlebirth tracks. After My husband came home we called My brother to stay the night and he arrived at 8.30. At this stage I was still getting surges at 10 mins apart but they seemed stronger. By 10.30 I was getting worried about the baby and why I was having surges for so long but nothing was changing.

We agreed to go to the Rotunda to get checked out but if I was less than 3 cm to return home. We packed the car and headed off, stopping once to get over a strong surge.


Thankfully the hospital was a mere 15 minutes drive away so we timed the departure for just after a contraction! When we got to the Rotunda, we were sent into the emergency room and eventually checked.
I was 4 cms and told I was in labour and would be brought to the delivery ward.. Great! I was hooked up to a trace for 20 minutes which I found irritating as it is so much harder to deal with a surge lying down.


After a while a midwife came into me and asked me if I had discussed my birthplan with a registrar in the ante natal clinic and I said I had. She said it had a few things in it that would be outside of hospital protocol and she was surprised this hadn’t been raised with me. (it had but I wasn’t going to change my plan! And I had been given varied responses from each professional I had spoken to about it in the clinic anyway!) So a doctor was sent for who eventually came down and highlighted the key problem areas as refusing continuous monitoring and the time limits placed on labour. We discussed why I didn’t want continuous monitoring as I didn’t want m movements restricted in labour and wanted to use a shower if needed but the time limits discussion was the most fraught. She was unhappy with my calling time limits arbitrary and informed me in a not too friendly manner that they deliver x number of babies a year and their research shows that long labour leads to increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.


She asked me if I was willing to be in labour for 24 hours or for my child to be flat lining at birth or to have cerebral palsy? What a thing to say! Of course, I had to say, yes I am. I explained that I am not irresponsible but will not have my labour timed as long as both myself and baby were doing well and there was no indicator of distress. Anyway, eventually she covered her self with detailed patient notes which outlined what I had been informed of and my decision and we both signed it.


So off to the delivery suite, room 1, where the midwives also said that they would prefer for me to be continuously monitored but that they would agree to monitor me every 14 mins or so instead. The head midwife was supportive of my decision and said its only a 1% risk- let’s not think about that. She also explained that I would feel a different pain if the scar was thinning so I ensured throughout the labour that I kept a focus on the scar and if I felt any twinge or tingling there – which thankfully I never did.


At 4 am I was cheeked again and found to be still at 4 cms. I was so disappointed and then they started the talk of rupturing membranes etc and I had a frightening conversation about anaesthesia should I need it as I had been very ill after previous anaesthesia.


In the end it was suggested that if I needed a section, I would have to be given an general anaesthetic. Well you can imagine the shock. We agreed that that was something I would never get over and so my notes were taken out again to write in that I had said I would prefer to have a reaction to the drugs and be sick for days afterwards than be given a general anaesthetic. At this stage I was sent to walk the halls! I was on the verge of tears, seeing my birth messed up again.


After my second walk the midwife told me not to get stressed by this but I told her that was too late, I already was. We walked again and when I came back, the head midwife came into chat to me and said she had decided I wasn’t in established labour and was sending me off to the labour ward instead. This was such a relief and I was so thankful to the midwife for having the sense to see this and send me packing at 6am .


So off I was sent to he labour ward and given a shot of pethadine to help me sleep.


I did manage to sleep and my husband went home to come back in again at 10am That morning I woke somewhat refreshed and relieved to be given some breathing space. When the doctors came on their rounds the consultant decided that we should have a plan and I reluctantly agreed that if nothing happened by 6pm I would have my waters broken and see what happens then. At this stage I thought, I’d agree as hopefully things would be moving by then and if I wasn’t happy with the decision at 6pm, I could have that conversation then.

Less stress was best at this stage. About an hour later however, the registrar whom I’d met in the clinic and found very open to my discussions etc arrived into me and said that she had spoken with another consultant on duty and he had agreed that if I didn’t want any intervention, there was no need to break my waters at 6. We’ll, that was a weight off my shoulders. I thanked her and will always remember her intervention.

So, with this decision taken, it was agreed that I could move into the pre natal ward. I was slowly moving back out of the hospital!
In the pre natal ward the pressure was totally off, I could eat as I liked and wander around freely. No body was there watching me continuously. I took another shot of pethadine at 2pm and myself and my husband slept together on the bed for about 1.5 hrs. Afterwards I had a bath and rang my mum to let her know what was happening.

At 8pm My husband headed off home and when he was gone I decided to take another bath. In the end I stayed there for three hours and was cheeked every so often as I felt that the surges were getting stronger and maybe closer together. I enjoyed these few hours by myself with nobody watching me and for each surge I poured water over my belly and used the word ‘relax’ as a focus for my breathing, breathed in Reeee and out Laaax

My legs were tense and I shook them easily in the bath which helped release the tension. Eventually at 1am I decided to get out of the bath as I felt I needed my TENS machine, I timed my surges and found that they were now about 3-5 minutes apart. I had the machine put on and then asked to be examined. I was 7 cms and being sent back to the delivery ward. The midwife wanted to wheel me over but I was more comfortable walking. I rang my husband to come in. I walked down to the delivery suite and the two midwives from the previous night were there and they gave me a round of applause saying ‘we were wondering when you were going to come back to us!’


So I was settled into room four and I rang my husband again who had fallen back asleep. I think he got a fright when I said I was in the delivery room! Another trace was put on and all was well and I got hooked up to the gas and air – I LOVE that stuff!!!! When My husband arrived I relaxed and we listened to great music they had piped into the room,

I swayed to David Bowie singing ‘Let’s Dance’ and we both danced together and laughed and thought about opening a bar where entonox is piped into it. There was a lovely intimate and somewhat romantic atmosphere. The two midwives came in and out and left us to it until about 5am when they decided to check and see where we were at. The waters still hadn’t broken and I was starting to breathe differently and almost feel like bearing down but not quite. When I was checked the midwife felt a lip of cervix was still there and she thought it would help if she broke my waters. At this stage I was happy for them to be broken as I wanted some of the pressure relieved and a was a little bit anxious as this was the stage where my last labour ended up in a section. Once I felt the warm swoosh of water, everything started to change and the baby’s head started to descend.


Before this however, I had a short while where everything stopped while we waited for something to happen. It was quite relaxing as we all sat there waiting.


Once the second stage started, there was no mistaking it! The midwives encouraged me into upright positions. I started initially in the chair and then to kneeling against the back of the chair. I didn’t like this position though, I found the sensations so powerful and initially I spent more time concentrating on trying to get away from them. It was like I was trying to scramble away from an animal that had suddenly been let loose inside me. This stage was like nothing I could ever have imagined. There was no pain whatsoever but the power was incredible. My husband tells me that he never heard me make the sounds I did during this stage, they were so guttural. It’s interesting because throughout this stage the image of a lion kept popping into my head and between surges I would lie back and say things like Gosh, Goodness Gracious. I found the pushing tiring and I did try at times to pretend I wasn’t having a surge so that I would get a break but they knew what I was up to! Even My husband mentioned it afterwards, he could se that I had been pretending not to have them!


The midwives were great at relaxing me and getting me to focus on relaxing my bottom and focusing on bearing down. I needed their coaching and My husband was great with the affirmations at this stage reminding me to release and relax and that there was a wide open space for which my baby to descend. I did put on my headphones at one stage but soon tore them off, I found them too distracting and I felt like I needed to listen to the midwives. During one particular surge I felt what seemed like a couple of cracks internally, the midwives told me at this time that I was opening well and I knew that this was the sensation of the baby’s head moving though my pelvis.

At each surge My husband and the midwives reassured me and congratulated me when I opened more. I was very hot and My husband kept me cooled down with a cold flannel. My legs were very tense and the midwives massaged then between surges before placing them back on their hips for each surge.

Eventually, I was told they could see the baby’s head, the midwives took my hand so that I could feel his head and knowing he was this close really helped me concentrate and focus on pushing. Eventually, the head emerged and I could see the baby lying sideways. The next push and the body slithered out, what a relief. It was popped up on my chest and I checked to see if it was a boy or a girl. A little boy – our Daniel Evan had arrived.

The third stage was managed and I found it tiring having to think about anymore pushing. The placenta was bigger than the midwives had ever seen, weighing over 1 kg. All during this time I had the baby on my chest, he was never taken from me and he had his first feed for about 20 mins before being taken to be weighed etc. He weighed 9lbs 9oz and was alert immediately.When I focused on the music that was playing I realised it was Leonard Cohen singing Hallelujah. How appropriate! Even though I had my own playlist, the music the hospital had piped into the room all the way through was perfect.


I had a small external tear as he came out with his hand up and this had to be sutured without anaesthesia. (I was thankful I had done my perineal massage for the last six weeks especially as I had pushed instead of breathing down).For the first time in the whole process I felt pain and no amount of sucking on gas and air dulled that pain. I gave the poor doctor such evil looks and my husband tells me my language was quite colourful.

Afterwards, I felt weak and the shower took a lot out of me. It’s incredible how we can be so powerful one minute and wiped out the next. On my return I tucked into my tea and toast before being sent off to the bed which would be mine for the next three days with my son. A beautiful experience and one which so many people played a part in.

 

 

 

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Our baby girl Elizabeth was born on the 19th February.  I had attended Tracy's workshop and had listened to the CDs every day from around week 24 or so.

I started having surges at about 7am on Feb 22nd. Within an hour, they were strong enough to have to breathe through the peak and repeat affirmations to myself ("each sensation passes quickly") and 3 - 5 mins apart lasting 45 - 60 secs . Lasted all day but didn’t seem to be getting hugely stronger. By the evening was just exhausted as I had only had 3 hours sleep the night before - typical as I think it was the only night I hadnt slept really well! Went for a walk to see if it would get things moving at 6pm. Just coming back from the walk, I got 2 much stronger contractions and felt a whoosh of water with each. Decided waters were gone and went to hospital as they baby was high and I was afraid the cord might be compressed.

I was still very calm at this stage. At the hospital, had to wait in the waiting room for over half an hour, kept relaxed and calm using the hypno birth rehearsal on my ipod. Called in and put on trace for 20 mins and checked for dilation. Told I was only 2cm and that waters seemed intact - I had perhaps wet myself. It was well over 12 hrs since start of labour so I got quite distressed as I though how the hell could I make it now - I was exhausted. The midwife wanted to keep me there on a pre labour ward, saying my labour might stop and have to be speeded up with drugs. I got very distressed at this as knew I wouldn’t be able to labour in hospital in the same way as at home. We told the midwife we wanted to return home to allow labour to progress. Doc came down, and did a really detailed scan, said waters were fine and she understood where I was coming from, she had worked in the UK and thought women's wishes on how to labour should be respected. So she said to go home. While she was scanning me, surges were getting a lot stronger and it was incredibly difficult and painful to stay on the couch.

Got home at about 10 and labour had seriously progressed, surges were now maybe 3 to 4 mins apart but lasting well over a minute and a half and really really strong. I had lost my focus after being in the hospital and wasn’t coping. My husband was unable to bring me back. Pains now radiating round to the back of my pelvis which felt like it was going to explode. Found out after that this is normal when the baby is moving down but I couldn’t understand at the time. If I'd known, I might have been able to view it positively as I would have known it meant my baby was well on the way now.   As it was, I was still wondering if the baby would be able to engage fully. I decided I needed the epidural, and felt disappointed in myself but then relieved I had made a decision.

We got back to hospital at 12.30 and I couldn’t sit in waiting room, paced and breathed through the surges which now needed 4 breaths at the peak, and got seen quickly and examined. I felt I couldn’t sit down to be examined even, so my husband asked for immediate pain relief, and I was offered entonox. The relief was wonderful as I could actually sit down for the surges. You still feel whatever you are feeling but are removed in a strange way.

I was told I was now 5cm at least and brought straight to labour ward and delivery room. We had 2 midwives plus a medical student there all night plus a senior midwife in and out as it wasn’t busy. They were wonderful. She looked at my birth plan, said I had time to wait to see if I needed the epidural, and I got hooked up to the entonox. I stuck on the ipod and the hypno track and looped it for the next 3 hours.

I was labouring sitting upright on the couch as I needed to rest. I just kept listening to the track and focusing on keeping breathing slow with the entonox during contractions. After a bit (an hour and a half to 2 hours?) I just had to, had to, had to get up and hands and knees, my entire body was convulsing and it was pushing the baby out. I couldn’t believe it was happening.

I had to release control of the gas tube at this stage so I could stay upright to deliver. I did most of the pushing on all fours. I didn’t really push. My body did the most intense pushing down itself.  I just kept listening to the hypno track and could hear myself groaning with each spasm, maybe 5 or 6 per surge.  The hypno track let me rest between each surge as I didn’t think about the next one.  Eventually I was being told I wasn’t far away and I felt like I should get more upright so I stood up for the last few pushes, they raised the bed and I rested my elbows on it and actually pushed when the midwife told me as I just wanted it to be over.  I was trying to relax the pelvic floor initially and relax all my muscles but it was so difficult without coaching.

She came out at 4am and was passed through my legs and was already completely pink and wide awake and just a gorgeous baby. I was looking at her in complete shock.  I lay down in the bed and she was put skin to skin inside my nightdress.  She went to the breast after half an hour and latched on like a pro.

I couldn’t have made it without the epidural if I hadn’t been doing the hypnobirthing, listening to the track meant I didn’t think about the next surge, just relaxed for the short space between them. But I think to have had the calm gentle birth I wanted, I would have needed to be having a home birth with a midwife I knew who would have stayed with me and coached me from the time things got really intense. I also think I probably wouldn’t have torn as badly if I hadn’t pushed so I probably should have put in my birth plan "no coached pushing". I was trying to just relax my muscles in the area as the baby came out but it is so difficult when your entire body is convulsing with a power you didn’t know it possessed and someone is encouraging you to push with it to get it over with. It probably would have taken a good few more pushes from my body to get her out without my encouragement and I just wanted it over at that stage! I would definitely use hypnobirthing again though and feel I've learned loads about myself and about birth. 

I feel that having been through it once already, it's given me more of an understanding of some of the affirmations and also of the power of the mind on the experience of birth, as I was fine until I went to the hospital too early which was the psychological turning point.  However, while the birth didn't feel calm and gentle to me, the midwives were really impressed and my husband said it appeared quite calm on the outside! And in the end it was so quick, she was born just 3 1/2 hours after arriving back at the hospital!

The midwives delivering baby and on the ward in the hospital were absolutely wonderful. They were unbelievably supportive with breastfeeding and with trying to facilitate recovery. I went home the next day and we are doing really well. 

It is pretty incredible to have been completely present during her birth and I am delighted to have been able to experience it. I would definitely go for a home birth next time, if possible.

Thanks Tracy as I feel I can really look back on the birth as a positive experience and a great outcome for my baby. 

Elaine

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Birth Story of Ryan (16 days over)

Ryan arrived at 2.19am on Saturday January 16th 2010 weighing in at 10lb 10oz. He was a full 16 days late but his arrival was a very positive and joyful experience.

I had figured that he was going to be at least a few days later than the date that the hospital scans suggested as his big sister was 8 days late but I never imagined that we’d have to wait over 2 weeks for his arrival.

My pregnancy went very well though I had to attend the diabetic clinic for a number of weeks as my blood sugars were borderline high. My scans were showing a bigger baby though in all honesty I didn’t believe the scans when they were showing a 10lb baby as Ryan’s big sister was only 7lb 10oz when she arrived 20 months earlier.

I started getting a little nervous when I went 7 days over and I had no signs of early labour. I was booked in for a scan at 40 + 12 but I never thought that I’d actually get that far. Once I reached 40+7, I started looking at natural methods for inducing labour-I’d already had acupuncture and found it very helpful during both pregnancies and while that got me started last time-it didn’t work for me this time L

After my 40+12 scan, I was booked in for an induction 2 days later, I was really upset about this as I didn’t want to start down the road of intervention as my ultimate nightmare was a c-section. After considering my options (scan showed baby fine) I rang the hospital and asked to have the induction postponed by a day. They agreed subject to my coming in again at 40 +14 for another scan, trace and check up.

So I headed back on Thursday (40 + 14) and had everything checked again-at this stage, I was starting to get very mild pains, coming every 10 mins or so. I was delighted as I knew that this meant that things were starting. Everything was good with baby and me so I was allowed head home to return the following morning though the consultant did ask me a number of times to stay to start the induction that afternoon, but I felt that I might go myself in the coming hours so I headed home.

I woke up on Friday morning at 5am and nothing had changed so with a bit of a heavy heart, we headed into Holles St for 8am. I went up to Unit 3 for 9am and was gelled at 11am-then we had to wait 6 hours (I didn’t realise that bit or I would have brought more books/mags in!!) I used the time to relax, listen to my hypnobirthing CD’s and sleep a little.

At 6.45pm, the consultant came around and did an ARM (broke waters).
From about 7.30pm onwards, the pains started increasing in both frequency and time but they were always manageable. Around 11pm, I got the midwife to check my progress as pains were quite intense and frequent. She checked and found I was 2cm and offered to bring me down to the delivery suite-I asked to pop into the showers for a bit as I needed a break before we headed down and I had found that a shower gave me great relief during the labour on the birth of my daughter.

We got down to the delivery suite around midnight and met our midwives-they took the time to go through our birth plan thoroughly and were very supportive of the choices that we had made-I was concerned about constant monitoring, in particular being put on a trace as on my previous labour, this had been insisted upon and I was confined to the bed and found it impossible to manage the surges. . We reached a compromise where they would put an internal trace on baby’s head and then my movement wouldn’t be restricted. We also mentioned that I did not want to deliver in a lying down position, that my preferred position was standing or squatting (I had read that your pelvis can expand by up to 30% more in these positions and therefore would be helpful in delivering a bigger baby)

Once in the delivery suite, our midwife Marie was helpful, unobtrusive and very supportive. Darren got the Gentlebirth Cd and put it on and that so helped the atmosphere in the delivery room-everything felt calm and very relaxed.

I got onto the bed and lay on my side and relaxed and breathed through the surges as they came.
There was a concern about baby as very time a surge came, his heartrate dropped very low. Around 1am, they checked me again (I requested it) and found that I was still only 2 cm. Another midwife came into us and she suggested that I get onto a birthing bal and see if gravity could help bring babys head down. Babys heartrate stabilised once I was off the bed. At this stage, the surges were very strong so I asked for gas and air. Darren sat behind me, supporting me and helping me keep focus on staying relaxed and breathing.

I started to get urges to push and the midwife encouraged me to go with my body as it would help bring babys head down. So over the next while, I breathed through the surges and went with the urges to push-our midwife was excellent, helping us both stay relaxed but also helping getting babys head down.

At 2am, I had to stand up and really needed to push. The midwives asked me to get up on the bed as they had concerns about my delivery position. I got onto the bed at 2.10 and was on my hands and knees and
9 minutes later Ryan arrived into the world after 3 pushes.

The midwives passed him up underneath me and I got to tell Darren that we had a boy.
There were lots of tears and elation. It wasn’t an easy experience but it was almost exactly what we wanted.

In all, we had one tough hour and at that, when Darren prompted me to relax and go limp-it was manageable. It was a completely different experience to the birth of our daughter and it was exactly what we both hoped for.


The paediatrician commented that he was the size of a six week old when she came around to check him - his head was 38cm and he was 56cm long-and all I had was a small second degree tear and 3 stitches!!

I still feel a bit like superwoman!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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Our Positive Cesarean Birth (January 2010)

I was admitted to WRH at 38 weeks with ‘unstable lie’ – not a pure breech position with bum down, but feet dangling down. She remained breech that weekend, head down but very high on the Monday, transverse on the Tuesday morning and yet again breech on the Tuesday evening (I knew she had been the most active baby I had carried but I didn’t really quite HOW active! I was at first very disappointed and scared at the thought of a section after two VBs, but I must say, we managed to make the whole experience very special and memorable. I had practiced the Gentle birth CDs all along and I must say they really really did help, from the time the news of possible section hit me, through the night before, visualising it as a positive experience and it really did turn out that way.

 We shared the evening before talking about our future with the baby we knew we would meeting the next morning and planning everything we wanted after the actual birth. The next day, after a lovely relaxed stroll into theatre, smiling and calmly greeting all the ante-natal midwives, I became momentarily a little overwhelmed on entering the theatre because I had been zoned in a slow, calm place, which operating theatres are not.

 It would have benefitted me to know a little more detail of everything about the procedure immediately on entering the theatre and so, for anyone else facing an unanticipated section for the first time here it is. I was asked many questions to check identity and whether I agreed and understood the need for a section etc, partner is not allowed to be present during preparation which I wish I had known beforehand so it wouldn’t have taken me by surprise. They took of all but nightie, added blood pressure cuff, stick on pads on your chest and back for heart monitoring, ask you to stand on a step to reach bed, added another step to bring knees higher and placed me in bent over position to receive anaesthestic. All of this happens in about 5 mins, with about 10 staff in the theatre. I felt a tiny tiny scratch for the one that numbs the site but nothing whatsoever for the administration of the actual spinal block needle, and within seconds I felt a lovely warm sensation down the back of the legs and into my feet, then they lifted my legs for me onto the bed and put up the screen to stop me seeing anything. (I know that if it wasn’t for Gentle Birth, this would have been the point at which I felt my control being lost and panicked).

However, I used deep breathing, visualised my desert island stroll on the sand and focussed on staying calm. At this point, my partner appeared next to me with more reassurance, and I listened to every word between the staff about the imminent birth of my baby. It seemed like literally seconds before the lovely anaesthetist told me she was being born. All I felt was a lightening of the tummy as the fluid released and then she was lifted out (leg and arm first as she was lying across me). Seconds later I saw her and then as they explained, dad followed her into the recovery area for her checks and drying. Partner then brought her back in to show me as they were closing my wound. It took about 40 mins to complete that, and hearing their conversation that all was well, added to the reassurance, so much so that I was chatting to the staff about all sorts, ecstatic about the birth, knowing that my precious bundle was next door enjoying skin to skin contact with dad snuggled into his chest as mine was not possible, just as I had requested, instead of a heat lamp.

 A few more checks, then onto the post natal ward to reflect on the whole procedure which I can honestly say was the most calm, beautiful experience of my life. Yes, a different way of delivery, but certainly not the huge awful threat as some would portray it, and in my case, there was no question about opting for it rather than possibly endanger the life of my baby. For those mums who find themselves in a section dilemma, I promise you that GB preparation is a huge advantage, and the privilege of preparing for things to be the way you want them to a certain extent is also a bonus. It would never have occurred to me to request skin to skin with dad, but thanks to GB, that was a lovely aspect. The pain relief and relaxation techniques also helped greatly during the recovery. Our gorgeous daughter, is also such a calm, relaxed, excellent feeder and contented baby. Good luck to all those mums who are facing a section – draw your own special memories from doing it as much as you can the way you want to, and yes – enjoy it!

The consultant cautioned me that the recovery is much worse; everyone commiserated with me on hearing it was to be a section and warned of the recovery. Well, yes, the first two days are not the most pleasant, but neither were my previous 2 VBs and the midwives were always on hand to help baby onto breast, lift from cot to me, and anything else you need. Partners can be present for 12 hours a day to help with washing etc if you wish, and by day 3 I found I was quite mobile and independant, stitches out and home on day 4 in no more pain than with a vaginal birth, just in a different area!!

The midwives commented between themselves on the fact I didn’t have pain relief on my last night in hospital and they hoped I would be OK and left me to sleep instead, and neither did I insist on a pain relief prescription to go home with. I am convinced that the power of the positive thinking and calm confidence from my CDs and GentleBirth reading really made for a faster recovery. She is 6 days old today and we are just back from a gentle 20 minute stroll in gorgeous sunshine with our little miracle, and as I will be 42 myself next week, I am soooo grateful for GentleBirth and to be enjoying my second chance at being a mummy!

A big thank you to the staff at WRH for their wonderful care and support.

 

 

December 09

Hey tracy i had my baby girl, last Tuesday. Everything went fantastically well. I got to 10 centimetres with the cds and using the birthing pool. Every contraction i was breathing in a new colour. the midwife was amazed how well I was managing. When i asked to be examined I was 10 centimeters and ready to push. unfortunatly after an hour of pushing my baby's had turned her head and i had to be transferred to the maternity unit. I managed to avoid a section but i was very disappointed to leave the MLU. thanks to your gentle birth programe i had my daughter completely naturally and exactly the way I wanted

December 09

I was due 28th Dec but on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th I kept getting braxton hicks and felt very uncomfortable. We had a family get together planned for Sunday 20th at my parents over an hour from Cork and really didn't think I would be going. Then around 3am it all stopped and felt fine so we decided to go to family get together as older DS was really looking forward to it. Had a lovely day DS was really excited about the bit of snow he saw falling. At around 6.30 we realised that the weather was disimproving and that we would want to head home. Arrived home around 8.20 and brought things in from the car including my bags when I suddenly felt some water give told Dh that think waters have broke when more came. I rang CUMH and DH rang his sister to come for DS as they were designated child minders.

 

Midwife said to come in when ready. DS went off with his Aunt happy out. I then made myself some scrambled egg and toast as felt I might need the food in me for later. After I had it eaten we headed into CUMH arrived around 10.30 and was seen by midwife they agreed it was waters and would admit me. They put me on a trace and I felt surges were coming very mildly about every 10 minutes. I informed the midwife that on my DS #1 my waters had also broke and that nothing seemed to happen so I was induced after about 36 hrs but during induction I realised that I didn't have what people normally describe as contractions so believe that I was in labour before I was induced and as nobody had checked me it wasn't realised. She asked me if I would like her to examine me so that I knew where I was starting from. I was about 1.5 cm dilated. I was then admitted and she took me up to my room which was for 4 people but had only one lady in it at the time. I informed the midwife about my birth plan and found after that everyone read it and I didn't need to mention it.

 

My DH then went back to the car and got my birthing ball. My surges were still ever 10 minutes so I sent him home to get some sleep and went into bed myself and turned on my gentlebirth playlist which I had on my old phone. Using this I snoozed in between surges and used stop watch in phone to time them. Around 4am I was every 7 minutes but when I put on tens machine went back up to 9 minutes. Around 6 I found that after every surge I had to go to the bathroom. I also found at this stage that I needed to sit on my birthing ball for the surges so I put it at the end of the bed and put a cloth hair band over my eyes as couldn't find an eye mask and rested my head on the table tray between surges and snoozed. My DH got in around 8am (Monday 21) and I was now getting surges around every 4 minutes.

 

Then a lady came back to the bed next to me with her partner who was loud and complaining and giving out to everyone that came near them that the older child wouldn't be let into see new baby. My surges went back to every 7 to 8 minutes. A midwife came in and when we told her what happened she suggested we walk around as this can help speed things up. On my second lap of corridor I started to feel surges a lot closer together and on third lap the urge to push (about 15 minutes from when midwife left us). As midwife had said to call anytime if I wanted to be examined my Dh called them and said I wanted to be examined. It took what felt like around 10 minutes before someone came.

 

At this time the urge to push was really strong and when midwife checked me all hell broke loose and she said baby was about to be born and that they had to take me to labour ward in bed and to hang on there. Even with all this panic I felt calm and thought it was funny the way they were panicing.

 

They nearly ran the corridor with bed and me on it. DH grabbed baby bag and forgot my labour bag as I had 2 small bags one for me and one for babs. I got down to labour ward and things had slowed down a little again probably due to panic all around. I got Dh to put back on my ear phones and I relaxed again and after a few pushes Midwife informed me that she felt I needed an episotomy (had stated on birth plan that didn't want one but that if any deviation to my birth was to occur wanted it to be fully explained to both me and DH why) She then fully explained why she felt I needed it and made sure that I was ok with getting it. I then asked for the gas and air. After a few more pushes our DS Cian was born and as per my birth plan she waited for the cord to finish pulsing before clamping and my DH cutting it. (This was 40 minutes after arriving in labour ward.)

 

 She then placed him on my chest until he was ready to feed which he did for 40 minutes and then after he spending more time on my chest she checked and dressed him. During this time I was sewn up and used the gas and air again for the injections to numb the area. We were never rushed at any stage and Cian was given all the time he needed on chest before he was ready to feed. My midwife was brillant and really took all my wishes into consideration. If you read this all thanks for taking the time and hope your experience was or will be as good as mine.

October 09

Baby Aodhan is now 10weeks weighs 12lb10oz and has been successfully breastfed to date. He is a very happy smiley and contented baby. He has slept through since 2 days old and I put this all down to the way he was born.

My pregnancy was far from smooth -  constant sickness, acid reflux, high blood pressure, protein in my urine leading finally to pre eclampsia but I had the best most enjoyable birth and a very intimate and personal experience. I decided I wanted to have my baby alone just the midwife, myself and my baby and that’s what I achieved.

On the Friday 9th of October I set off for the Rotunda for my weekly visit, I was 37weeks pregnant and I was feeling great and had great plans to hit the shops after my visit. However my plans were short lived as the doctor decided to admit me for a 24 hour urine analysis after my urine test showed protein of 4.5. I was shocked and very nervous, on rounds the doctor told me that they were considering a c-section if my levels and blood pressure did not come down. I was disgusted this was not at all what I wanted and I felt that unless my baby was at risk this was unnecessary. 

 

Thank god my doctor was easily persuaded to go along with me. Then Monday morning arrived and he asked could he have a look I agreed and to my surprised I was 3 and a half cm dilated  I had no pain at all. Doctor said he would see me in the labour ward by dinner time. I was so excited I rang my parents and told them that things looked to be moving – I was so excited.

 

But noting happened the next morning rounds came around and to the doctor’s shock I was still there. He did another check and I was 5 and a half cm with absolutely no pain. Definitely today the doctor said ……………….. But the following morning I was still there……. Another check showed I was 7 and a half cm dilated still no pain. I walked every inch of the Rotunda trying to get things moving but nothing happened. That night my blood pressure soared and the protein was up at 5, the midwife informed the doctor on call who was insisting on a section unless things changed quickly. I was hooked up to a trace and baby was perfect. I convinced them to allow me to wait to see how things went over night. Friday morning came and the doctor said he really wanted to get things going and wanted to break my waters I asked could we wait one more day and they said they would review me later on that day. Later they said they would leave me until Sunday unless any problems arose.

 

Sunday came and no one came near me all day until 7.50 pm. I was taken to the annex and they set up everything I popped outside to make a call to my Dad and as I hung up my waters went in the hallway outside the labour ward. Eventually I found a midwife who brought me in and arranged a cleaner. I am convinced it was pure fear which made my waters go themselves. The midwife checked me and I was 10cm with no pain. I said up in bed reading hello magazine listening to my ipod. At 10pm the midwife came in and brought me into my delivery room , I walked in wheeling my bag , got myself settled and into my nightie .I was then introduced to my midwife. I hadn’t written a birth plan because I didn’t want to be disappointed if I didn’t achieve my aims, instead I had notes of what I did and didn’t want if at all possible . I explained that I was using gentlebirth and the midwife said we will just wait and see! I was disgusted and from that point my whole attitude changed -  before I was open but now I was even more determined that this was my birth, my baby and my body. I sat on my birth ball listening to my cds however the midwife became a distraction as she insisted on a constant trace of the baby. At 11pm I told her I wanted the trace off and I wanted to be mobile she was reluctant but I stood up to her and she finally agreed. By this time it was 11pm and I had period like cramp I phoned my mother who told me it would all be over soon. I went back into the room and started to feel like I really needed to go to the loo. The midwife insisted it was just pressure but I wanted to try so I went to the loo and as I wiped myself I felt the baby’s head and his ear .I pressed the call button and the midwife came in and said I was being ridiculous that you labour for at least 12 hours with your first baby and that you must be in pain to be in labour!

 

Well how wrong she was when she checked me my sons head was as I said between my legs. I got a terrible cramp in my leg and that point which I needed to resolve before I began to push. They midwife began to cheerlead me from the end of the bed push ….push………. I didn’t listen to her and politely asked her to shut up!! I was listening to my body and no one else. she then began to prepare the room for the baby, she wheeled over a trolley with every instrument possible on it and then asked me to get up on all fours I refused as I told her I did not want to be cut and I was watching what she was doing and I wanted to be informed of everything that was happening. At 11.57 Baby Aodhans head and torso emerged followed by the rest of his body at 00.00 on the 19th of October weighing a healthy 8lb11oz he took straight to the breast.

 

However after Aodhan was born I was very disappointed with the treatment I received I had requested that I did not want any drugs at all. I achieved this in my birth but I was told it was hospital policy to administrate drugs to speed up the delivery of the after birth. I argued that I wanted a naturally delivery but the midwife refused insisting it was hospital policy. Secondly I was made get up out of bed within ten minutes of delivery and brought to the shower where I was left alone. While in the shower I began to lose a lot of large blood clots, my stomach was very tender. I dried myself off dressed and as I began to walk back to the suite blood began dripping down my leg. When I went into the room the bed had been changed all my belongings but on a trolley, my baby ready to go. The midwife checked me and said my tummy was not contracting quickly enough so she needed to contract it my kneading my stomach…. This was very painful but was the only pain I had through out my delivery. She then inserted a drip into my arm to help with to contract my tummy. I then had the famous tea and toast and it’s true it is the best you will ever have!!

 

The birth of Aodhan was exactly what I had wanted and what I feel every woman deserves and should experience. My pregnancy was not smooth and I was under enormous stress. My partner and I split up , we were fighting over a house , I moved, I was working full time , emotionally I was all over the place until I began using the gentle birth cds. When I began using them I fell asleep and slept really well all night I began using them at 14 weeks and I listened to them every night while I was in bed. They really did work for me. I believe that you need to be open to new ideas and you need to be positive

 

 

My tips to any Mums to be attending the Rotunda is to stand your ground and ask questions, I surprised a lot of staff who were all of the mind I would end up with a section.

 

October 09

So I thought that nearly 17 weeks later it's time to get my birth story down, before I forget any of it. Our son Daniel was born on the 5th June at 12.25am, it was a totally natural birth which I really, really wanted (even though everyone told me to be flexible I was determined not to take drugs or have an epidural). I was aided by my fantastic gentlebirthing CD and my also fantastic TENS machine. I had a really positive experience and I can honestly say that I didn't really feel any pain once I put the cd and TENS machine on, only pressure and the will to push like the bejasus.

So the day before Daniel arrived I'd been swimming in the sea and washing the windows in about 27 degree heat! It was SO hot that week and I just wanted him out. My friend called round to check on me and gave out that I hadn't packed my bag for the hospital, choosing to wash windows instead...There was a part of me that knew things were happening when I was standing on the chair with the cloth in my hand! 'Eh this is a bit mad' I thought. On our way him from the swim James and I stopped for chips and I wolfed them down but I was feeling a bit restless and couldn't get comfortable in the car.

The next day I had a check up with the doctor who assured me that though Daniel was in position he probably wasn't ready to arrive yet, sure he was due in a weeks and as I was a first timer I was more than likely to go over. After that I went and met my friend and off we went to the spa where I visited the steam room, hammam room, cold showers, hot showers, warm recliners and the indoor and outdoor pool. Looking back on it, what chance did the poor child have! No wonder he came early! Then off we took ourselves to the pub for lunch. After I'd polished off a pretty gross cheesecake (didn't stop me eating it all) we were getting ready to go and I stood up to go to the toilet. Halfway across the room I felt that my trousers were all wet, 'Ah sure that'll be all the water I was in this morning' I thought to myself foolishly. I went to the toilet and the water was still coming, quite alot of water too! At this point I kind of wanted to go home but my friend wouldn't let me drive, so we had to pick her daughter up, bring her partners mum into town and then bring me up to my husbands work. I was really nervous and excited so I put on my cd but wasn't really able to concentrate so I took it off and tried to relax and enjoy the view from the car, sitting on her raincoat so as not to ruin the upholstry! Eventually we got to my husbands work and then we had to drive back into town to pick our car up! Waaahhh! Never had I been so happy that we'd moved to Cork from Dublin before, it's so much smaller and easier to get around.

At this point fluid was still coming out but not very quickly and it did have a slight red tinge but I wasn't worried about that. I rang tracy and she hold us to go into the hospital, get checked out and then I could come home to labour. Ho Ho Ho. We came home and pottered around for a bit (packing my bag!) and then I felt it was time to go. I started feeling surges in the car on the way but I wanted to stop on the way to pick up a pyjamas...we went around New Look and then Penneys, I found a cool pair of white pj's with big pink stars on but then I had to find a matching top. All the while my surges were about 3 minutes apart. While we were in the queue to pay I started to really feel that I needed to get to the hospital and I think I pay have sort of shouted at the cashier who was really slowly putting my stuff into the bag that 'I had to go to hospital NOW!'

Off we headed across the road to the hospital where I had to wait for AGES before they admitted me. I walked up and down while I was waiting, my husband finished off his last essay for college in the waiting room! There were three kids in the waiting room running round and screaming and it was doing my head in so we moved to the main reception. At this point I hadn't put on my TENS or my cd and I started to feel a bit out of control, the sensations were starting to get stronger and I was kind of bent over. I felt like I couldn't do it and I started crying. My husband at this point was great, he made me put on my cd and the TENS and within 5 minutes I was walking around chatting again.

Then a midwife came out to examine me and I kept saying I wanted to go home, I wanted to go home to labour. She did an internal which after she told me would make the surges stronger (thanks for telling me beforehand!) and then about 10 mins after that things really started to kick in. A doctor came out to give me the all clear to go home, she took one look at me and said 'you're not going anywhere, you're in labour and you'd only have to come back in once you got home'. First I was saying that I wanted to go home but then really quickly I figured she was right and I was in the best place.

After this they wanted to put a trace on me and there was NO WAY I was letting that happen. I just couldn't have laid down no matter what. It's such a shame that most women think thatthey have to have the trace put on cos I reckon it really makes things harder. I said that I wanted the doppler used and that if they really wanted to know when my contractions were happening then I'd tell them. So they eventually agreed but I had to sign a waiver form (imagine!). I was very happy and confident to do this. Then after awhile we went up to the ward where I tried to walk around a bit but just couldn't the pressure was too much, the poor girl I was sharing a room with, I was being pretty vocal about the whole thing, but not out of control. I just felt I needed to make some noise so I did.

I kept listening to the colour part of the cd, which brought me to the field that I walked round alot with the dog when I was pregnant. It was amazing how relaxed it made me feel, I thought about the dog alot too, weirdly!

We then got ready to go down to the labour ward, the nurse tried to get me to sit on the wheelchair, of which there was no chance. Then she said I'd have to walk so, I tried a step or two and that wasn't going to work either. In the end I kneeled up on the chair facing backwards, she wasn't happy about that at all and I had to promise I wouldn't fall off. I then started feeling like pushing, it was such an unusual feeling, it just came on me, I didn't have to know that I was 10cms dilated, I could've told them I was. So I started to push. And push and push and push! After about 10 mins of being in the labour ward the nurse said 'get a baby gro and nappy, the baby will be here very soon'. That kind of put the fear of God in me and I felt a bit shakey for a bit but then refocused on the cd and kept on with the TENS. James gave the midwife our birth plan and we'd had the lights dimmed. They were very receptive to our wishes and I felt very relaxed. At one point the midwife said did I want to feel his head so she took my hand and I touched it as it crowned! So off I was pushing and pushing and pushing. And pushing. And pushing. About an hour later the midwife said that she knew we didn't want assisted pushing but she really felt that the baby needed to come out as his heartbeat was slowing down a little bit, we had a go at that but nothing happened. Eventually the doctor came in and said she was concerned and wanted baby out pretty much now, she gave me the chance to push through 2 more contractions and then we all agreed an episiotomy was for the best.

Two pushes later and the little fella was out, all 8.10lbs of him. A grand big lusty fella. I was so expecting a girl that after I was actually able to look down my first words were 'Oh my god, look at the size of his balls!' I think they were a bit taken aback by that reaction! Then he was put up on my tummy and we waited for the cord to stop pulstating. I wanted to wait and deliver the placenta but by then I was cold and tired and just wanted to get it over with so they gave me the injection. The midwife also offered me gas and air for the stitches! Jaysus I just gave birth to a baby without it, I think I can handle a few stitches! I got a local anaesthetic for that but it was a bit sore anyway. I breastfed him just after he was born and declined the vitiman K injection (so we have to give it to him orally every month now till I stop breastfeeding.

It was an amazing, challanging and sometimes unnerving experience but like I said I felt totally in control and didn't feel much pain, just pressure. It's taken awhile to get used to our new life but I'm reallly starting to enjoy him now, we still manage to go out for dinner most weeks and have a few glasses of wine now and then so that's good enough for me! I have to say I think the hypnobirthing not only helped me in the labour but has also helped me become a more confident, positive person all round, I still practice affirmations and listen to the parenting cd. Daniel is also a very happy, smiley, relaxed baby and I'd put some of that down to all the work I did with the hpnobirthing when I was pregnant.

Good Luck to all you expectant Mams!

August 2009

I am finally getting around to sharing Charlotte's birth story, 10 weeks on! Charlotte Maeve was born on the 29th of August in CUMH. My partner Jeff and I attended Tracy's GentleBirth antenatal course in July at about 33 weeks. She is my first child, although Jeff has two from a previous marriage and therefore brought some experience to the birth. Despite being a first-timer, I was very relaxed and looking forward to giving birth even before taking Tracy's course; however, the course and the cd's just reinforced my ideas that fear around birth can often only make it more challenging.

I have to be honest and say that I was a pretty poor student! I found the hypnosis track hard to listen to at first. I loved the birth affirmation track and listened to that often, especially while out walking with the dog. As my due date approached, I began to listen to
the hypnosis track more but still, I'd have to give myself a C!

While Jeff was a bit concerned that I wasn't listening to them enough, I was still extremely confident in giving birth and was really looking forward to it. (I was also constantly listening to a cd of classical music that my father put together for me to help me stay calm and relaxed, and of course for Charlotte's listening pleasure!) We had a very simple but clear birth plan that both of us felt very confident about. I wanted a natural birth and felt very strongly about not having an epidural.

Three days after my due date, I was given a membrane sweep. I had done a bit of research and decided that I would go ahead with it, although, to be honest, on the day of my appointment I felt I didn't really have a choice (I am a bit of a pushover though). The following day around 5 pm I felt my first surge. They were initially about 15 min apart. Since the house was packed with people, Jeff and I walked down to the beach for some fresh air at about 6pm. By the time we got back at 7pm the surges were about 3 minutes apart so we decided to go to the hospital (we live about 40 minutes away). As soon as I got into the car, I put the headphones on. (Let me tell you, it helped with the bumpy ride to the hospital.) I still felt pretty calm and in control.

Either due to my inexperience or lack of research, I was a bit thrown when we checked in. It was 8 pm on Friday night so the security guard was on. He told us to go to the waiting room to be called. This actually broke my groove and I started to get a little wound up. I was
imagining being checked into a labour ward room or something similar!
Still needing to walk around, I basically just started to pace the hallway. Then I threw up in the bin (and apologized profusely to the cleaning staff!). I was doing okay even at this point until another woman came in screaming pretty loudly, also pacing the hallways. I went into the disabled bathroom and tried to stay in there although the smell was getting to me. Although the cd was helping I was desperate to find the right space. Finally, a very kind midwife walked by and saw us and brought us in to be evaluated. Charlotte's heartbeat was monitored--but FYI the mp3 player interfered halfway through so I had to stay there twice as long. At this point, I was 3 cm, still throwing up, still listening to the hypnosis track, still
hearing other women scream and still needed to find the right space.
All in all, I was still, believe it or not, pretty much in control.

Just a little disturbed that there were no beds available. So back to the hallways!

Then a small miracle happened. The midwife showed us to a small emergency triage room just outside reception (very handy to know about if there are no beds/rooms available). We went in there, shut off the lights, shut the door and Jeff just made sure that the headphones stayed in my ears. The next two hours went by pretty fast. And the hypnosis track was my lifesaver, I am sure. Even though I still felt the surges, between each one I was able to relax back down to "zero,"
so to speak. Some were stronger than others but Jeff told me later it was unbelievable. I was completely still between surges. And all I remember hearing is " you are calm, confident and in control" over and over and over.

About 2 hours later around 11pm I felt an incredible need to push.
Jeff went to get the midwife and I was 7 cm. At this point I was wheeled down to the labor room. Our midwife hooked me up straight away to the heart monitor and basically told me I had to keep it on the whole time. We had requested to have intermittent monitoring so I could walk around but I was more comfortable on the bed anyway so it was fine. Interestingly enough, Jeff was highly skeptical of this because of his experience with his first child (they were constantly looking at the monitor rather than the mother and baby). It actually helped me to relax, oddly enough. When her heart rate would dip, I would see it and it would make me relax enough to get her's stable again. I felt so connected to Charlotte, and definitely felt like we were in this thing together --something I absolutely gained from both the course and the cd tracks.

Again feeling an incredible sense to push, my waters popped about 15 min later--with quite a gush! And not more than 20 minutes later, I was 10 cm. At this stage I had to take the cd off. The surges to push came in waves of three and I only pushed when my body told me to.
50 minutes later, at 1:37am, she was placed on my chest. What an amazing moment! We asked her to wait until the cord stopped pulsating, which she did willingly. She stayed on my chest and breastfed for 50 minutes. It turns out the midwife never read our birth plan but nevertheless listened to what we wanted (communicated by Jeff not me!). She came out flying so I had a 2nd degree tear, which was sore for about 3 weeks but not unbearable. In fact it was a great reason to do nothing but just sit with Charlotte!

All in all it was perfect. We are co-sleeping, which is working out brilliantly for us (I can't remember the last time I needed a nap during the day), both of us are breastfeeding without any problems, and Charlotte is cooing and smiling all of the time! As one new mom just told me, "how come no one told me about this before!" I am just loving it. For those women who don't get as much time to listen to the cds, don't despair! Next time around I would try to at least be a B student but it still worked a charm. No drugs, just some gas and air while the doctor was stitching me up. I would highly recommend the course to all expecting parents!

Congratulations to you all and I wish you all the best for a positive birth!

 

 

August 2009

Hi all,

I wanted to share my birth story with you all. My baby Adam was born on the 10th Aug in Holles St hospital in what I would describe "a home birth in hospital" and it was a truly beautiful experience.

On Sat I had a slight show which got myself and Mark a bit excited. I was due on the 20th so it seemed quite early. That night at 3.30 I woke up and found that my waters broke, I was completely taken by surprise by it. I woke Mark up, who was really sleepy and suggested that we sleep on (!!!). We got the bags ready and made our way to the hospital. Over there they put me on the monitor to check baby's heart beat and kept it on for about 1h. All was fine so the doctor discharged me in the morning. If labour wouldn't start earlier they said they wanted me back in the hospital the next morning to induce labour, so I was truly hoping that things would start sooner than that.

Mark had tickets for the Kilkenny match that day but it was obvious he wouldn't be going anywhere so we met up with his dad and gave him the tickets. We went home, had a big fry for breakfast, then had a bit of sleep. Very slight surges started at about 11 o'clock but they were really mild and occured every half an hour. During the day they were about 20-25 min apart. We went for a walk, had a bit of dinner and then went to the video store to get a DVD for the evening. During the day I was also writing in my pregancy diary that I've been keeping during the last 9 months.

The surges were about 15 min apart and getting more and more intense, however not really painful. In the evening we put the DVD on and I sat on the fit ball. Mark was timing my surges, they were now less than 10 min apart and more intense, now they were more uncomfortable so Mark was massaging my back. I can't say I rememeber much of the movie, it wasn't a good one anyway. At about 9-10 o'clock the surges were 5 min apart and really intense so I started thinking about going to the hospital,but Mark convinced me to stay at home until they are 4 min apart, not to go too early. So we stayed until 11pm and made our way then. The surges were really strong and closer now.

We got to Holles St at 11.30 and were introduced to our midwife, Sandra (who was wonderful, btw). My surges must have been 3 min apart at this stage. She suggested connecting me to the monitor but I asked to use the Doppler instead and she agreed. She checked my dilation and I was 3 cm. I was disappointed by it and thought: at 3 cm most women ask for epidural, I still have 7 cm to go! But then I remembered that for a lot of women things progress very quickly towards the end, so I thought I would see how I get on. I kneeled by the bed with my head on the pillow on the bed, moved my hips and Mark was massaging me during surges. They were almost on top of each other now, very intense, I was forgetting to breathe through them. I had a weak moment when I thought of epidural, but didn't really want it so instead I asked for gas & air. Little did I know that Mark asked the midwife not to give it to me yet, wait until I ask for it again as he thought it would distract me and I was in my zone. By the way, it was the right decision and I soon forgot that I asked for it...Mark put the CDs on for me and I kept it on until pretty much the end.

I took each surge as it came, not thinking about the last one or the next one. I remember Sandra checking on the baby every so often, looking in my  face with a very nice, genuine smile saying I'm doing very well. Soon after that I felt like I needed to poo and push, which I said to Sandra and she said that's allright and that she's not going to tell me when to push.

At times i felt like giving it a push and at times it was just bearing down, like Tracy said, your body really is doing it for you, you have to switch of the brain and switch on to your body, follow its lead as it is doing it whether you want it or not, so I gave in to my body. My voice changed and I started groaning, Mark said the noise sounded almost sexual. I went on the floor on all fours, moved around and could really feel the head pushing against my perineum and I was thinking: it's good the head is pushing and withdrawing as it will nicely stretch the area. I was also imagining myself opening nicely, like was suggested in Ina May Gaskin's book. Every time I felt the head closer and closer, I knew my progress well. Then the head crowned and I felt stinging but it was OK, only for a moment. And then I felt the head popping out and soon after the rest of the body. After that a great calm came and I felt absolutley no pain and lovely relief. My little baby boy was lying underneath me. I lied down fully on the floor and cuddled him. Sandra gave us time before cutting the cord and then I delivered the placenta, naturally as well. He was born at 1.30, 2h after arriving in the hospital.

I thanked her for letting me do it on my own, naturally, with no interventions and she said not to thank her, that she really enjoyed the birth and that's the way it should be and what she studied for and she hasn't experienced such birth in 3 years. I know she really meant it. I was elevated, so happy with my experience and with my little baby in my arms. Mark was completely speechless, astounded. Later on he told me he watched the baby crowning and being born and I think he appreciated the expierinece even though beforehand he would have said he doesn't want to see it. Sandra checked me and said I had no tear and needed no stitches - great!

To cut the long story short, I was on cloud nine for the next few days and thinking about my birth warmed my heart and made me feel exteremely happy and proud of myself. I had such a wonderful birth, exactly like I dreamt it - 100% natural, quick, calm, no pain relief and no cut!. It felt primal and animalish, I felt every bit of it and felt empowered by it. What really helped me was the positive state of mind and conviction that my body can do it as well as understanding throughout what my body is doing at each stage. I think it is importnant to follow your body's lead and ignore your brain telling you that something is uncomfortable for you. Also, throughout the labour I had my Gentle birth CD on and never took it off - it helped me to stay calm and relaxed and stay in my zone, cut out everythning else.

Post natal care in the hospital was great as well, they showed me the ropes and helped with breastfeeding, which is going well for us (though not easy). Baby Adam is a joy, but also hard work, and tiredness kicks in. My memories of my labour I will cherish and enjoy, though it was hard work, not a walk in the park.

I will get Mark to post his version of the birth. I wish everyone such positive experience - believe in yourselves and your bodies, girls, and keep up your practice, it will all help you on the day. You can do it!

Best of luck to all.

Gosia

 

 

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June 2009

Hi Tracy,

This is our birth story.

My husband and I were expecting our first baby later on this summer. I was 36 weeks. When I went to the toilet I saw what I thought it might be a bit of show... a jelly like mucous with a blood thread running through it.... but it was so small that I did not pass any remark.

Later on that evening I went to work (I’m a fitness instructor) and taught my usual step and aerobics classes.... I’m a strong believer in exercising in pregnancy and i believe the outcome of my experience has a lot to do with how fit I was. On Tuesday morning, I had the same sort of show, followed by very gentle period-like cramps.

My husband insisted I went to my gp to get it checked, so just to keep him happy I went. GP checked me, and decided to send me to the MLU in Drogheda (where I was suppose to have my baby) for more check ups.... as i was only 36 weeks +1 the MLU could not see me (you have to be 37 weeks, in other words, full term), so I was referred to the main clinic in the Lourdes.

I got strapped to the monitor, which more or less said my contractions or tightenings had started but I could not feel any of that, so I told myself the monitor wasn’t working properly!! A doctor did an internal and confirmed that my cervix was ready, so i could go into labour any minute, but it could as well be a false alarm. I was advised not to exercise that evening... and for the first time in my life i missed my classes (I’m a bit of a workaholic! )
I spent that evening at home, not doing much, apart from planning my classes for the following day!

On Tuesday night at 11:30 i decided to load the washing machine... i went downstairs, squatted down put all the clothes in... and went I stood up.... SURPRISE... my waters broke! I called my husband down who very calmly said: ok, the little one is coming... he doesn’t do waiting around, just like his daddy!!... and how right was he!!.. we rang the hospital and they told us to come in straight away... even though my waters were clear, the fact that i was pre term by only 5 days it meant going in and staying in.

We left the house with nothing, not as much as a change of clothes, or my mp3 with the cd's ...nothing. On arrival they examined me and I was 2 cm dilated. My husband then went home and packed my hospital bag to the best of his knowledge and brought my mp3.

Contractions got more and more intense, so i used the TENS machine which i found great. I listened to my affirmations cd and I was able to sleep in between surges. At 8 am wed morning i had another internal and at that stage I was 8 cm, so it was almost time to start pushing.

I was brought to the delivery room, and met the new midwives (shift change). They were excellent, young, caring, and a good laugh. It also helped that they had trained in the MLU, so they expected me not being happy about the transfer, but to be honest I didn’t mind, as long as I had a say in making decisions. I told them about letting the cord pulsating, and having the placenta delivered naturally... and they agreed they would do their best to respect my choices. And so they did.

I started pushing at 9 am... and at 10:14 baby Colm was born, healthy, with a head full of hair and weighting 6.10lb , which is a very healthy weight considering he was 4 weeks early!! cord was left to pulsate, placenta was delivered naturally, and baby and me were in good health.

We were allowed home 2 days later. Colm is now 5 days old and I already cannot remember how my life was before him... He is the happiest, most calm baby ever... doesn’t cry, only eats, smiles and sings!!.

If I was to wish for anything to have gone differently I would be lying... it was the perfect birth.


I hope everyone in this group can have such a positive experience.

regards,

Lorraine

 

 

 

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Feb - 2009

Hi Tracy

Hope all is well with you.

Just wanted to let you know that we had a 2nd baby in February - a little boy called Iwan (like Ewan, but the Welsh spelling). All is going well.

I listened to my CD as much as I could beforehand (not so easy with a toddler around the place), and we tried to prepare ourselves by reminders from the book - but definitely didn't do as much preparation as 1st time around. However, as my first experience had been really positive and Tara had literally popped out within minutes of arriving at the hospital, I was quite relaxed anyway, and looking forward to another quick and not-too-painful birth.

And things went well again this time thankfully. We were already in the hospital as my waters had broken, so when the contractions started to get tougher, I asked them to check my dilation. I was only 2cm - and very disheartened to hear it - but within an hour I had reached 10cm just breathing through the contractions, and then baby literally propelled himself out. I don't actually remember doing any pushing at all, he just pushed himself out if that makes sense, it was as if I couldn't control it even if I had wanted to.

So everything went well and we are getting on fine with Iwan, and he is settling in well. So, again, it was another good birth for us. And we are busy now with the two of them, but enjoying it all the same.

Take care.

Grainne & Rob

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February 2009

Tracy,

I'm emailing here with one hand.I just wanted to thank you again for the enormous role you played in the natual birth of my son. Im going to put my story up on rollercoaster and on yahoo groups. I can whole heartily say that if it wasnt for Gentlebirth I would definetly have had ended with a section. i was lucky to have had a supportive mid wife who stuck her neck on the line for me because after one and a half hours pushing her superior kept checking her watch and insisting the doctor be called to intervene. The labour lasted 30 hours during which time i had to turn the baby from a posterior position. i was continuelly told not to be a martyr. I was very lucky that Marguerite turned up when she did because after 14 hours remaining at 3 centimetres it was difficult to hold my resolve.

Eoghan is very alert and has gained more than his birth weight in under a week. I met another hypno birth mother who is due in two weeks and i assured her of how it really does work. By the end of my stay in hospital so many midwives had come to congratulate me on the natural birth with the majority of them saying ' you're that girl.....'

Love
Sharon

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January 2009

Hi Tracy,

 

I hope this finds you well.  Jestin and I have exciting news to share.  We welcomed our second baby girl into the world on November 25th.  Elizabeth was 9 lbs 1 oz, 22 inches long and I am happy to report was born at home.  Although it has been 9 weeks, I couldn't wait to sit down and finally fill you in on our own positive birth story. 

 

After taking your GentleBirth course in Cork in September I really put all of your advice and guidance into practice.  I began listening to the birth affirmations and relaxation CD on a daily basis, I filled the house with printed copies of the affirmations, I read and reread the GentleBirth book and I began to picture my positive homebirth as much as possible.  I really set about relaxing to ensure I didn't become too anxious before the baby's arrival, something I know affected my last labour.  On Monday morning, November 24th, at 10 days overdue, I went into CUMH for an ultrasound and tracing of the baby's heartbeat and thankfully all was well.  I agreed to a sweep, as my consultant suggested, to hopefully bring on a natural labour and avoid a hospital induction on the following Friday.  I was delighted to find out I was already 2 cm dilated and seemed to be somewhat on my way.  It was fairly inevasive and I went home with the thought that I would hopefully not be back in the following day for another ultrasound and trace.  When I got home I decided to take a brisk walk and stopped into our local church on the way home to pray for a safe and positive labour and delivery.  At this point I was feeling some cramping, which I had been feeling on and off for a few weeks, but I knew it felt somewhat more productive.  At dinnertime, I felt my first surge, but then nothing for the rest of the evening.  I was very relaxed and comfortable. 

 

I decided to take a bath with lavendar and clary sage to help to relax even more and listened to the relaxation track and affirmations while in the bath.  It wasn't until I got into bed at around 10pm that I knew my labour was beginning.  My surges started pretty much as soon as I laid down and at around midnight I knew I could not continue to lay down while breathing through each surge.  When I got up I had a birth show in the bathroom and really did smile to myself, thinking the baby was really on its way. I decided to move into our spare bedroom and I put on my MP3 player and sit in our glider chair.  Although the surges were pretty regular, I was comfortable and did not feel the need to call the midwife just yet.  I ended up sitting in the chair listening to the birth affirmations, the rainbow relaxation and the birth music for about 5 hours and I really did not mind being the only one up in the house.  I remember thinking that at least by Wednesday I would have my baby in my arms and that was a comforting feeling.  My surges were strong, but I was so relaxed I could imagine them working up my stomach and then back down again, almost in a rolling motion.  At about 5am, I asked Jestin to pour a bath and we lit candles and I continued to listen to the CDs.  Surprisingly, I remained in the bath until around 7.30am with Jestin only once coming in to add hot water to the bath.  I really felt very comfortable.  Once I got out of the bath, I was in contact with my midwife several times and she decided she would come around 9.30am to see how I was doing.  I decided to remain upstairs with the curtains drawn and alternated between sitting on my birthing ball or standing rocking my hips while holding on to my daughter's cot.   I also put on the TENs machine at this point, and kept it on until after the baby was born.

 

At 9.50am, my midwife arrived and did an internal and without telling me how far I was dilated just said I was well on the way and she would be sticking around.  That was extremely comforting as I knew that if she was staying I must be fairly far along.  She set up all her gear around me and then left me alone to continue breathing and focusing.  I found it very comfortable on my own and didn't feel any of the pressure "to perform" as I did during my last labour.  Still feeling good, I put on my earphones again and went on all fours on the bed leaning against a couple of rolled up duvets.  I remained in this position resting until around 12.30pm and although the surges were fairly regular, I still felt like I had a ways to go.  My midwife checked in on me and suggested I put in some work in order to ensure the baby arrived in the near future, rather than go into the night and miss another night's sleep.  I told her I definitely felt that the surges were stronger while I was standing and rocking, so we both decided it would be a good idea to get me up and in that position.  I asked my mom to bring my 16 month old daughter up to me, so I could nurse her to sleep for her nap and as soon as she latched on I had the first of 3 very strong surges that were fairly hard to breath through.  As soon as she was asleep, I stood up and began rocking my hips while leaning on Jestin or the bed for support.  I began to talk to the baby and let he/she know that it was safe to arrive.  Fairly soon after, my surges became very regular and were almost on top of one another. 

 

I still remained calm and was able to focus on my breathing.   At around 1.50pm my little girl woke unexpectedly from her nap and my husband took her downstairs and my mom decided to take her for a short walk.  At the same time, I felt a shift in the baby's position, almost as if it had dropped down and the pressure was incredible.  I called out to my midwife and she came and sat by my side through the next few surges and at the same time rang her backup midwife to come.  She said she would check my dilation if possible, but said if I felt like bearing down to just do what felt right for me.  I couldn't believe how quickly things went from me thinking the birth of the baby would take all day to feeling like it could happen any moment.  I really had to focus on my breathing and I started almost breathing while clenching my teeth.  Just as the second midwife arrived my midwife scrapped the idea of doing an internal and instead laid out large plastic bags and absorbant sheets on the bedroom floor.  My midwife explained that as soon as my waters went, the baby would probably arrive straight away.  At about 2.25pm I thought I would really like to sit on the toilet as the pressure was getting so strong and my husband moved into the ensuite with me and I just had the urge to bear down and I gave one loud grunt and I heard a pop and my waters released.  My midwife quickly came in and said to move off the toilet as soon as I was able and when I got back to the bedroom she asked where I wanted to be and I asked to sit down and she quickly placed a birthing stool under me.  With the next surge I started to really yell (surprised even myself as I had been so quiet) and I felt the baby's head emerge.  While just it's head was out I heard this tiny cry, which I didn't expect, and thought maybe the baby was out already and both midwifes said just one more push to deliver the shoulders and sure enough with one more long push the baby was fully delivered onto the bedroom floor at 2.37pm.  It was absolutely incredible.  They moved the birthing stool away and I went onto my knees and the baby was slid under me.  The cord was very short, so I couldn't actually hold her, but was able to discover her sex myself.  How exciting it was to have a second little girl.  Just at that moment, my mom returned from the walk with my first daughter and my mom was able to run up the stairs to meet her 6th grandchild with the umbilical cord still attached.   After the cord stopped pulsating, Jestin made the cut and wrapped the baby in a heated towel, while I went on my knees again to deliver the placenta.  Soon after I was up on my own bed and nursing my little girl.  It was so magical.  I kept saying over and over again how wonderful it was to be at home and to have the baby in my arms in such a short amount of time.  Once I was cleaned up and the baby was clothed, my husband brought my first daughter upstairs and a big wrapped present along with her new sister were waiting in the cosleeper by the bed.  Everything happened just as I had hoped and even better than I could have imagined.

I have been so happy about sharing my birth story with anyone I meet.  No longer do I have to talk about my first labour of 51 hours as now I can talk about how preparing yourself for a calm and positive birth and visualising your labour and delivery really can make all the difference.  I wouldn't say my labour was painfree, but completely manageable and much quicker.  The painful part only last a few hours and I was able to relax and allow the birth to happen and every step was so positive and my recovery has been so quick.  It was all just so natural; no timing surges or unnecessary internals, we just relaxed and let nature run its course.

I am still nursing both of my little girls and so far my eldest gives loads of kisses and cuddles and doesn't take too much notice of the new addition to our family.  I really credit your course and the homebirth scheme in Ireland for helping me achieve a birth I am so extremely proud of.  I have been on cloud 9 since. 

Thanks again Tracy for all your wonderful advice and for the great course we attended.  Jestin and I have so much to be thankful for. 

God Bless,
Erin

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