Pregnancy: Labour

I wanted to write about my labour experience for a number of reasons. 

Firstly, because quite frankly it was amazing and I can't quite believe the experience, secondly because I want to squash the idea that you will hate your husband/partner during labour and that he will be utterly useless! 

Thirdly, because whilst I was pregnant (and googling everything) I really struggled to come across positive and easy tales of birth. Every time I googled something about birth I would inevitably be faced with a horrendous ordeal which lasted 20 hours and ended in 50 stitches and an emergency Cesarean! 

Not only that but pretty much everyone who shared their birthing story had some huge horrific event involved and seemed to relish telling these details before saying "I'm sure you will be fine though." (reassuring) and then usually "Just remember, don't panic." (I really wasn't.)

Even all my baby books, magazines and email updates contained depressing statements such as 'as you walk...I mean shuffle/waddle/crawl out of the hospital.' 

I am not sure why the people who had nice positive births stay relatively hidden in the woodwork or why there are not more books with a largely positive view on the whole thing. The only reason I can think of is that it has something to do with society and its need to always prepare for the worst or perhaps it is us women who feel bad about 'boasting' about our positive experiences so as not to make others feel bad or ill prepared about their own labour when really we should be celebrating our achievements. 

Going into a situation fearing the worst might work for some people, however I am a firm believer in trying to look at a situation positively and going in thinking the best and most positive things about the situation (My Dad helped me to remember this throughout the pregnancy) 

My Labour

Despite most people listing off that to bring on labour I should try curry, raspberry leaf tea, and god forbid  if I was mad/desperate enough THAT OTHER THING (sex they meant sex.) I chose to tackle the list backwards as actually eating a curry was the last thing I wanted to do! Sex was a much more preferable option...

 Our baby was due on 8.9.16 on 7.9.16. 

Wednesday: I began to feel some warm up pains.

 Thursday: I had lost my plug and the pains were more uncomfortable but nothing regular or to be interested in and the midwife said nothing was happening and baby was facing the wrong way! She booked me a sweep for Tuesday and I went home and ordered a birthing ball. 

Thursday night: I had a frenzy of cleaning and more pain by this point I could not sit down very well if at all due to the pressure in my hips and bum (I though it was constipation...turns out it was Baby's head!) 

Friday: I continued to practice my yoga and breathing exercise through Friday whilst rotating on my birthing ball and watching emotional rom coms (which for some reason I just HAD to watch.) 

I was up all night Friday unbeknownst to me having contractions (i just thought i was uncomfortable. During this time I had four baths, watched three films and did some ironing. 

Saturday AM: everything stopped for a couple of hours before returning with a vengeance later that afternoon. 

Saturday afternoon: I plugged in my tens machine (really bizarre sensation) and carried on with my day! 

Saturday 6pm: We almost went to the birthing centre for a check up but then decided not to (I was convinced this wasn't it!)  

Saturday 9pm: we rang the birthing centre again and said we were going to come in for a check, they reckoned they would send me home again though so I put it off saying to my Husband that I'm sure I didn't need to go in. he thought otherwise as my contractions grew in intensity and length so he packed the car! 

11:15pm: about 10mins after saying I'm sure I don't need to go in yet my waters broke. Contrary to everything I read that said it wouldn't gush out Hollywood film style..it actually did...

11.30: we arrived at the birthing centre and the midwife began her checks, whilst I continued to leak and according to my husband howl my contractions through the open window...

12.15: the midwife could see a full head of hair already so started to ready the pool room. 

1.30amish: I was in the pool which was more relief than I could ever have imagined! I have to say I was blissfully relaxed the lights were off our music was on, I didn't have to stand up anymore and my husband was feeding me water and bathing my face with a cold flannel.

2.15: gas and air! I cant say I noticed a difference but it was a good focus and something to bite down on.

3am: weirdly I felt my body take over at this point, it just did its thing, it knew what to do and when without me thinking. It was amazing I have to say, if a little weird. 

3.30 am At this point I was convinced I was going to poo...again turns out it was the baby's head bearing down. 

The next couple of hours passed in a bit of a blur until suddenly at 5.30 am a tiny baby literally flew (or that's how it looked) into the pool! I scooped him up and he was calm and beautiful and looked at us with big blue eyes. My husband cried and I was utterly overwhelmed! The sense of joy I felt was incomparable to anything I have ever experienced. 

I came away from this experience sans stitches (thank you perennial massage) and despite 2 and a half nights of missed sleep I felt fantastic! I had given birth to this amazing little person, I didn't swear at my husband or dig my nails into his hand or blame him for everything and he didn't annoy me at all he was the model partner. If I'm 100% honest I actually found the contractions before birth worse pain than the birth itself, I can recommend water birth defiantly as I think a lot of my positive experience was down to that water.

So whilst I appreciate every womans labour is different I wanted to share and celebrate my own experience.