Lisa and Isobel
Thank you to MoorMum Lisa from Menston for sharing her story.
In my case it is true what they say about forgetting the pain of labour as soon as you see your new baby. I have a very positive birth story and although my husband has a much clearer memory of the pain I went through, even he admits that we had a pretty ‘easy’ time compared to some!
My labour started at 5am on Saturday 29th November 2008, exactly 1 week before my due date and without any prior warning – we were supposed to be going Christmas shopping in Leeds!!! I woke up feeling very uncomfortable with lower back ache, a bit like period pain. After wriggling around in bed for a while I got up and made a cuppa and took myself into the spare room to try and get comfortable in a bed all to myself. Comfort didn’t come but minor contractions did – very erratically at first. After 2 restless hours in bed, I got up and had a bath. This eased my backache, woke my husband (Doug) and was the start of a very exciting day for us .
At about 8am we called the hospital, still unsure whether this really was labour. They asked to speak to me and then told my husband that because I was able to talk to them I wasn’t in enough pain to warrant hospital and was told to stay at home to see how things progressed! Things progressed and I moved from the bath to the TENS machine and, slumped over my birthing ball, we started timing the contractions.
Doug started running around the house: feeding the cats, getting a shower, sorting breakfast for both of us and goodness knows what else!
When the contractions started getting more regular we called the hospital again and this time I didn’t speak! They told us to come in “if we wanted to” and about half an hour later we set off on a very uncomfortable drive to Harrogate hospital, and an excruciating walk to labour ward – fully expecting to be sent back home!!!
Once there they asked us what sort of pain relief we wanted, and determined to have a ‘natural’ birth I immediately said “none”. Luckily Doug’s brain was still in gear and he requested the birthing pool. With that sorted I was examined and told I was 3cm dilated and wasn’t going home, not without our beautiful baby Isobel anyway!!!
I carried on using the TENS machine, birthing ball and breathing techniques and postures learnt at Pregnancy Yoga and I quickly progressed to full dilation within a few hours. At about 2:30pm I was offered gas & air – and loved it, so much so that I wouldn’t let go of the pipe for the rest of my delivery! At about 3:30pm I got into the birthing pool. The water really helped to relax me and I could get into new positions very easily with the water taking my weight.
Contractions continued for another couple of hours, but time flew, then without any warning, or the pause you often read about, my contractions suddenly changed and I had an overwhelming urge to start pushing – this is when I think the real work started, and was when the gas & air was taken away – what!!! I wanted to push but was frightened of the pain, and being told that it will feel like a Chinese Burn didn’t really help!!!! my midwife gave me constant and much needed encouragement and Doug was there as both my emotional and physical support.
After half an hour, or so, of pushing my waters still hadn’t broken and my baby wasn’t able to push her head through the membrane so the midwife asked if she could brake my waters for me: this was the only ‘intervention’ I had, and soon after our baby’s head appeared in the water WOW. After delivering her head the rest soon followed and at 6:28pm our beautiful baby was born and quickly placed on my chest for some skin to skin contact – truly amazing!
Our midwife left the umbilical chord attached for several minutes, as requested, to allow the blood to continue to flow naturally and when we did decide to cut the chord Doug did it.
The midwife took Isobel to be cleaned and weighed and then gave us the shocking news that she wasn’t happy with her breathing and wanted a paediatrician to examine her. We were told that Isobel had some breathing difficulties and was taken to SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit). To be honest I still wasn’t really with it at this point and didn’t fully realise what we were being told but Doug followed Isobel to SCBU to see that she was ok.
I was examined again before being stitched – ouch! Once I was all sewn up all I wanted to do was go and see our baby but I was told that I should get a bath and some food before leaving the delivery suite – probably sound advise with hindsight but it felt very unreasonable to me at the time!
Doug washed my hair then fed me tea and toast and finally we headed to SCBU to go and see our beautiful baby. All she needed was a saline drip but as soon as I saw her with a needle in her tiny hand and machines beeping all around her I burst into tears. Isobel was fortunately discharged from SCBU that night and by 10:30pm I was giving our baby daughter her first breastfeed.
I stayed in hospital 2 nights. I didn’t really enjoy it but I wanted to be able to get Isobel latched on properly on my own before coming home. Being at home was very scary at first but the post hospital care of the community midwives and health visitors was very good and we soon got into the swing of things! 5 months on I am absolutely loving being a mother and don’t want my maternity leave to end.
Tips for other expectant mothers (or next time!!!):
- Practice the perineal massage, properly, before labour as it might not stop you from tearing but it will prepare you for the ‘Chinese burn’ sensation!
- Practice using your TENS machine or take the instructions with you.
- Take a very SOFT and FLUFFY dark coloured towel.
- Only take PJs or comfy clothes.
- If you’re planning a water birth check that your hospital lets you give birth in the pool (Harrogate does).
- Have your birthing plan, and reasons for your decisions, in your head as the paper it’s written on probably won’t come out of your bag. Make sure your birthing partner is familiar with your birth plan too.
If you would like to contact Lisa to discuss her story or ask any questions, please contact us.
