The Birth of Baby I

Our daughter decided to make a dramatic entrance into the world on New Year’s Day at 3.46am! She weighed a healthy 7lb and we’re smitten! She’s just perfect!

My birth story was definitely not as I had planned but it was still positive never the less.

Our baby was 10 days beyond her EDD and I was feeling reduced movements so I decided to be induced. I was worried about having medical intervention but my partner kept me focussed on our ultimate goal which was to have our baby girl safely in our hands. What you taught us both was so valuable even at this point.

I was induced on the morning of 30th December and it brought contractions on later that evening. The hypnobirthing breathing worked a treat and I kept thinking “she’s getting closer to arriving!” It was so exciting!

My waters hadn’t broken and so I had to wait for a slot in the delivery suite at hospital for them to break it for me. This took a while. I was told I could be waiting up to 3 days! My immediate reaction was to be concerned about having contractions for up to 3 days but again, I pulled myself together and just asked for some pain relief to help me manage it, and it did.

Fortunately on NYE around 6pm the delivery suite called for me! I was ecstatic! I had my waters broken and felt the contractions get stronger and stronger. However then rather unforeseen, baby had turned into the back to back position and got her head stuck. This affected her heart rate and caused me to be completely immobile. I couldn’t walk around and taking a bath was very difficult and painful. The pain from her moving position caused was worse than the contractions and it stopped me from progressing any further than 5cm dilation. I was then asked for my consent to an emergency section and taken immediately to theatre.

I feel so very fortunate that our baby was born healthily. Being induced, having a complicated labour and an emergency section certainly was not how I planned my NYE or birth experience but it’s taught me that even with complications, birth can still be extremely positive. I also felt in extremely safe hands at hospital. I know many people fear a hospital birth but I have to say that the process and midwifes were brilliant, both before, during and after. Even in worse case scenarios, the practice of calmness, breathing and ability to think rationally helps massively and that’s down to the work and effort made before labour.

I can’t thank you enough for your help and advice. My partner really benefitted from it too and it gave him so much confidence at a time when he felt helpless.

Thanks so much Abby!