I woke up on Thursday at 6am with what I thought were my waters breaking. I'd had no surges and only been feeling period cramps for a few days previous. We called the hospital and they wanted me to come in, so we slowly got stuff together and got to the hospital around 8.30am (I thought they'd send me home so didn't take everything!)
When we got to the hospital I don't think they believed I was in labour as I wasn't "in pain" so they took me to a room and hooked me up to the CTG. After 20 minutes they could see strong regular surges every 4-5 minutes but I still couldn't feel them. Dr Yamini came and checked me and I was 3cm and fully thinned.
They were all very shocked, as I still wasn't feeling anything
But it turns out my hind waters had gone and baby was still in the amniotic sac. They admitted me (they said once you are fully thinned labour can progress very fast so didn't want me at home!) and then I just waited. By 2pm I was 4cm and started having mild surge sensations, I then asked to get in the pool.
At 6pm I came out of the pool because Dr Yamini was back and I was 7cm. I went back into the pool and the surges got stronger, it didn't feel like long and I wanted to push. The midwives left me in as long as possible and then they came to get me out to "meet my baby";
I was so excited as I knew the time had finally come.
I'm not sure how long the surges were pushing baby out (it kind of all blurs into a distorted time warp), I certainly didn't push, my body just did it and I went with it. It's so clever!! Baby was coming down the birth path and then going back, I knew she was doing this to open up the tissues to let herself out, it seemed to take a while but because I wasn't forcing her out everything opened perfectly and I didn't tear or need stitches which I would imagine you would if you'd worked against nature. At 21.55pm Pippa was born, very calmly and peacefully, since then she hasn't left my side. She was a healthy 7lb 8oz and 49cm long - absolutely perfect!! Very alert and feeding well :)
Ladies - your bodies are amazing and you will know what to do when it happens - nature just takes over and as long as you are calm and relaxed your body and baby will do all the work.
Hypnobirthing has taught me so much, and I'm so pleased that I spent the time relaxing each day and thinking positively, it has really changed my mind-set. This is something that I will continue, I'm still using it now to stay calm and relaxed for my baby and I'm sure I will continue throughout parenthood.
Thank you Jasmine for helping me on this journey.
You have been amazing.
Clare x
_pn.png){kind=small}