Positive Induction
Second Time Mum.
9lb 11oz (Petite mother!!)
41+4
No stiches or intervention J.
My first experience of childbirth involved induction and intervention. An experience I was keen to avoid the 2ndtime round.
I chose to do the hypnobirthing course to adjust my mindset and have a more positive experience. I hoped this time round I would have the natural labour and water birth that I dreamed of last time.
My estimated due date came and went, so I was glad that I was aware that the due date myth is estimated and not totally accurate. The midwife offered me an induction appointment at 40 + 3 and I confidently turned it down. During the walk home I wondered if I had done the right thing. As the next week passed, I did my research, asked questions and came to the decision that I wanted to be induced again, even though I was worried that history would repeat itself.
At 41+4 we started our journey to the hospital to find that the main road was shut. The detour round country lanes took us an hour. Thank goodness I was not in labour then as I was in charge of map reading and was uncomfortable enough without being in labour.
I started with the prostaglandin gel and 6 hours later an ‘old school midwife’ broke my waters. She said that they would check on me at 10pm and then start the drip. I told her that I wouldn’t need the drip as I had done a hypnobirthing course and was going to quietly sneak off and have baby in the toilet. She dismissed my remark with a look that said “I’ve done this a million times it doesn’t work like that”.
After half an hour of monitoring and not much action I took a walk to the car and back with my partner. By the time we got back to the room 15 mins later the contractions were coming every two minutes and lasting a minute. My body cleared itself out (careful what you eat before labour!!) I started breathing and put on the tens machine (which quickly got forgotten about). A new midwife and student came in and I could barely say hello for concentration on breathing through contractions. They were great and had read the birth plan. The lights were dimmed, hypnosis track was playing in background and gas and air were placed at hand. I was left to it. They offered the birth pool at this point, but I didn’t want to change rooms or disrupt the flow.
After a couple of hours, I needed a rest so lay down. I felt that labour was well on the way and in the up stage, lying down would not matter (I don’t know if this is correct) for ten minutes rest. I say ten minutes I had no idea of time. I then felt my body start to push. The midwife said something about ‘Upright, forward and open, if you kneel on the bed’ which prompted me to get into that position. I heard in the background the midwife telling the student “no need for examination as I think she is close”. This was reassuring and motivating for me. The only words I spoke through the whole event were ‘water and jelly baby’ plus the thumbs up sign when hubby asked if I was ok. I don’t know how to describe this but the next thing I knew I was visualising the head appearing, followed by the midwife saying, ‘it’s a boy!’. It’s the weirdest feeling having a baby slip out from between your legs.
This birth was one hundred percent a positive experience. I had no pain at all during the supposed ring of fire. Did I mention his hand was by his face and his head circumference was off the scale big? I did have to concentrate on the breathing the whole way through as if I got distracted discomfort ramped up. The gas and air did take the edge of. I just needed a few breaths as I felt the contractions approaching.
I had the option to go home that night but couldn’t face putting my new baby in the car seat at 1am in the morning. I also knew that there was only one other lady on the postnatal ward. I was up and about and feeling ready to take care of a new born the next day. He is a calm, relaxed and delightful baby.
Thanks to Hypno-birthing I felt far more in control this time.