My friend Kate has kindly taken the time to write her positive long labour and birth experience for you. I think it is important to keep it real and talk about all births. Kate’s labour was long. But, she was incredible. She stayed strong and continually reinforced the positive with the support from her husband, Ben. Together they stayed calm and focused. Kate I couldn’t be prouder, you can certainly look back on your birth with a big smile saying ‘I DID IT!’
Enjoy!
‘My positive birth experience.
My labour started off with gentle period type cramps and gradually ramped up to full force over several hours, my husband decided it was time for us to go to the midwife led birth suite and get checked out as I had set up the Tens machine with his help and was finding it harder just to breathe through the tightenings. I remembered the breathing techniques that Emily shared on her introduction to hypnobirthing and worked hard to concentrate on my breathing and relax.
This worked well for a number of hours but when we got to the hospital I was in the early latent phase and everything seemed to slow down almost to a stop and we returned home to await events. A few hours later it all picked up again and I spent the next 12 hours at home with the Tens on and bouncing on my birthing ball in between the occasional warm bath. I looked through some of my birth affirmation cards with my husband to try and keep a positive mind and continued my breathing and relaxing techniques.
Later that evening I felt I was struggling to cope at home any longer so we returned to the hospital only to find I was still in latent labour at 1cm. The lovely midwife gave me some options and I chose to have some pethidine. This unfortunately slowed the contractions down again but did at least give me a little time to catch my breath in between. 4 hours later I returned home again as active labour was still being elusive! A few more hours in the bath and kneeling over my birthing ball at home and finally my waters broke. This spurred me on to feel more positive that my body was finally ready to birth my baby and back to the hospital we went.
I was finally in active labour and went on to use the gas and air and then into the birthing pool. My husband dimmed the lights and put out my little battery operated flickering candles and I totally relaxed into the warm water. It was bliss! Although exhausted from nights and days in early labour I found that I suddenly got a second wind and I said to my husband ” I’ve totally got this I can birth my baby in this lovely water pool” I coped well Breathing with the entonox and felt totally in control but unfortunately my baby had other ideas and started to show signs of distress. I was quickly helped out of the water, popped onto the monitor to check her heart rate and transferred round to central delivery suite. There the doctor reviewed the situation and I was quickly consented and prepped for an emergency c-section. My husband was able to get changed to be with me. After a quickly administered epidural my baby was safely delivered into this world fit and healthy by caesarean.
I honestly don’t think I would have stayed so positive through such a long labour if it hadn’t have been for Emily’s birth preparation antenatal classes and introduction to hypnobirthing so a HUGE thank you for helping me get through a mammoth task and I now have my beautiful baby to show off as my trophy!
Lots of love from Kate Ben and baby Marlee xx’