Second Baby Birth Centre Birth
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your content, I gave birth to my second daughter 10 days ago. I have followed you since the birth of my first daughter three years ago. With that pregnancy, I did an online antenatal and hypnobirthing course and had a really positive birth. I didn’t think I’d need to do anything new this time around, and would revisit my old hypnobirthing course.
The pregnancy retreat I did with you back in July, encouraged me to give time to think about this birth, unpick my worries and revisit tools and techniques. I listened to your podcasts and then decided to complete your hypnobirthing course. I felt like this gave me the space to consider how I wanted to feel in birth, what I needed from my husband and gave me the information needed to advocate for myself. Forever a people pleaser, competing the course allowed me to feel confident to say exactly what I wanted- or say it through my partner. It also helped calm me when I felt niggling panic both in anticipation of and during the birth. Reading others’ birth stories also really supported me in visualising my birth. It also gave me the confidence to make a complaint around my 36 week scan, which the hospital took seriously, receiving a call from the Head Sonographer. So a huge thank you- your information is so accessible and non judgemental- I’ve been recommending and will continue to recommend your course to anyone having a baby!
I also hope my birth story does justice to the midwives who cared for me. The birth centre at my local hospital is currently frequently shut due to staffing issues and I think this is such a shame as it’s such an amazing place- it really creates a home from home environment- so I really want to champion birth centres and the care they offer!
At 3 days overdue I was trying to hold my nerve. I knew that she would come when she was ready, but I was battling an array of pregnancy symptoms- restless legs, swollen ankles and heartburn and could not get comfortable. I also became obsessive about how my elder daughter would be looked after when I was in labour and whether my husband would be able to get back from work quick enough! We had decided to make a plan for a home birth, incase the baby came quickly- as the final part of my first labour was quick- but kept our options open and we were told we could go to the midwife led birth unit at anytime.
At 40+3, my parents and sister (who would look after my daughter when I was in labour) came over for some lunch. We went to the park with my daughter and my husband then took my daughter swimming. As they came back, I got her into the bath and as I stood up to get her out, I felt a pop and gush of water- I was pretty sure my waters had broken! I hadn’t experienced it like this with my daughter, and it was a bit of a surprise. My sister swiftly took over bathtime and my husband and I had a quick chat about what we’d do next (whilst I was on the loo!). I said I’d call the birth centre and that we’d look to go in. It would be best for us that our daughter was looked after at her home, and that I’d be able to relax more at the birth centre (rather than being in the next room to her)
I rang the birth centre who agreed it sounded like my waters had broken, and asked me to come in. We packed up our things, hastily made some food (I was hungry and knew I wouldn’t want to eat later so wanted to take food in). As we were getting ready, I could feel period type cramps starting. We were at the birth centre about 45 minutes after my waters broke, taking a photo of us and soaking in the moment before we went in! We were welcomed straight in by the midwife who I spoke to, she told me she had had the pool ready for me as she knew my last labour was fast! I went to the triage room, and after doing a urine sample and having my vitals checked, the midwife then asked whether she could put her hand on my stomach when I thought I had a contraction. She reiterated that I could be in any position I liked for and to do whatever was comfortable. They were very mild at this point, so I was just sitting. She agreed that there were some tightening but it was still fairly early on. We went through some options- we could come into the birth centre and be left alone as I didn’t seem to be in established labour, we could go out and about around the hospital and come back or we could go home. I felt that I wanted to go into the birth centre so I was comfortable in the place where I’d give birth, and I felt that things would ramp up quickly.
The midwife told us she’d already prepped a room for us and had put us in the same room that I’d had my daughter in, which I loved, and we were left to it (with only intermittent monitoring). This was exactly what I wanted, I knew they were on hand if needed but I also just wanted it to just be me and my husband for as long as possible! I kept thinking of Megan’s mantra of safe, relaxed and unobserved!
Once in the birth centre room, we unpacked and set up things we’d brought- I then ate pizza whilst sat on a birthing ball watching Taskmaster- all things I found were perfect for oxytocin! As contractions ramped up, I started to want to stand and stretch or lean against the bath. I used the toilet (frequently) and then had a shower, I found the hot water really soothing on my lower stomach. This felt really different to my first birth, where I felt it all in my back! I then decided that I wanted to be in the shower for every contraction, and would just say ‘shower’ to my husband and he would get it ready to put it on my bump. The midwife and her student would come in to check on us every so often, but they were clear that they’d wait for contractions to finish before monitoring and that could be however I wanted. They also waited outside the bathroom until absolutely needed, ‘contractions don’t always like being watched’ said the midwife and appreciated being undisturbed.
During the contractions, I remembered my breathing techniques and also my visualisations- holding my baby in my arms! I had moments of panic, wondering whether I could do this but knew that remaining calm, and physically relaxed would support me! I kept focused on my husband and my playlist that was now playing.
At some point there was a midwife changeover, and the new midwife came to introduce herself. She offered me an examination (my first one) and told me not to worry about the dilation. I said that I felt like I wanted to get in the pool (I hadn’t been in yet as I wanted to save it and felt like I wanted to be quite mobile in the earlier parts of labour). I cant even remember how dilated I was, hardly paid attention to that as I knew I had to trust my body and I didn’t think she’d long!
I then got in the pool and the relief felt immediate! My memory of this is a little hazy, but as soon as I got in I started to push. My daughter was born 20 minutes later- in the pool, just as I wanted. 4.5 hours after my waters had broken! I scooped her up and held her. I felt a mixture of amazement and relief that I had done it! After some skin to skin, my husband cut the chord and I got out of the pool. My husband then gave her skin to skin whilst I delivered the placenta (I opted for the injection) and I had stitches for a second degree tear. I was initially a bit upset about the tear, as I’d this with my first daughter and my recovery was tough with an infection and need for antibiotics at 4 weeks. However, 10 days in I have had far less pain and recovering well!
After the stitches (where I used gas and air for pain relief), and baby checks we were then left on our own for some more skin to skin and to enjoy some special NHS tea and toast! As my daughter was born at 930pm we would stay in for the night and go home in the morning. The birth centre rooms have double beds and my husband could stay the whole time with us. However, at 4:30am the midwife came in to say that the birth centre was going to have to close as she was needed on the labour ward as they were short staffed. We were faced with going home (at 430am and we didn’t have the car or car seat with us) or going up to the postnatal labour ward- although there weren’t any available beds at that time. Neither was an option I wanted at that time of night, so in the end the midwife said she would discharge us but that we could ‘take our time to go’- and there would be a support worker left in the birth centre with us (we were the only ones there at that time). We were really thankful for this! At 8am the next midwife came on shift and the birth centre reopened, and we were able to complete the newborn checks before we went home! Introducing my new baby to my eldest was a very special moment and something I had read up on (I can recommend the Second Baby book by Sarah Ockwell Smith and podcasts by Dr Martha) and in continuation of my birth prep, I prepared for my post partum period in the same way. Some of this was logistical- but this was governed by how I wanted to feel. This included having easy and comforting snacks and food ready, an array of soft pyjamas, a watchlist ready on Netflix, some easy games that I could play with my daughter on the couch whilst breastfeeding and planning which visitors we’d have over in the first few weeks. We’re only 10 days in, and whilst there have been hard parts, readjusting my thoughts on what I should be doing during this period and slowing down has really helped me and I have embraced the newborn cuddles- knowing they don’t last forever- I write this now with my tiny baby asleep on my chest!