Zoe's Story

A 15 hour HypnoBirthing®, Hospital Birth

This is a post that Zoe put on Baby Centre about her labour and birth

This is our Birth story for Jack, who arrived on 31 May 2010 at 22.11 after a 15 hour labour! He weighed in at 7llbs 12 oz.

I had a long latent phase which I believe was triggered by some reflexology which I had on Friday lunch time. I started having contractions on Saturday, but they didn’t really bother me, I went to see a friend and didn’t even mention to her that I was having these sensations, and she didn’t even notice! We spent the evening with a take away watching Avatar!

By 2 or 3am, things were hotting up somewhat and I was having frequent contractions whcih required my full concentration to breathe through, in for 8, out for 8 really helped them. We went to the birthing centre for assessment and I was found to be at 1-2cm, effacing nicely. They thought that I might have an UTI, so said that we should get in touch with the emergency GP in the morning.

Back at home, Anthony got some shut eye, and I shut my eyes... without actually sleeping! I struggled to relax through the contractions and walked around a lot which was great as long as I had something to sway from during a contraction and had a bath, but it didn’t really help much as the feelings were radiating round from my coccyx to my hips.

At 9 am we went back to the birthing centre to be informed yes, in Labour, 4cms. Here’s your room, with a massive lovely bath in, and so we chilled out in there, I rocked around on the ball, mats, chair, Anthony, and breathed through the contractions.

At 12am I started with a bit of gas and air. Not on every contraction, and sometimes only 1 puff just to see me through the first bit. The contractions were a bit surreal really, really intense, especially to start with, and then ebbing away. They started to feel like great whoppas every now and again, so I couldn’t really stand up properly with them, and kept hopping from leg to leg! I got in he bath which was lovely, big and warm and nice, and things slowed down a little, so I got out and dry for my 1.30 check to find that I was only 2cm further on – a stretchy 6 and 7 when contracting.

Contractions started to come on stronger, and I was being fed water, and sugary snacks to keep my energy levels up. Not that I felt particularly tired, but the MW was concerned that I hadn’t had sleep. At one point Anthony was trying to give me some water and ended up pushing the cup up too far so it spilt everywhere and all over my face! Doh! Not working as a team there!

By 4.30 we had another check, but we had only progressed another 1cm, and whilst I was on my back the contractions slowed right down. We decided to break my waters, with Tina the MW explaining that they could be meconium stained and that if they are it would mean a transfer, but if we don’t break them and they go naturally soon and are stained, it would mean a transfer anyway, but that if I don’t progress in the next hour, then it will mean a transfer, and breaking my waters would def produce progress! So we decided that the best thing to do is progress, and Tina wrestled with my waters for ages. They finally went after ages, a tough old bag apparently, but were full of meconium, so it was the ambulance for me. I was quite disheartened as I had really wanted a water birth, but Anthony said to keep heart, and that I could still have these, and that I should stay focused and positive. We had another comical moment when Anthony was helping me to get dressed and a contraction came on, so I shouted no no no, and he then tried to pull my trousers back down before he realized why I was yelling!!

The journey was a struggle, lots of hills, lying on my back and loads of contractions. Urgh!

Unfortunately when we arrived at the hospital, they confirmed that I would have to be monitored, and therefore was not allowed in the pool. I was gutted. Strapped to the bed, on my back and the new MW was catheterizing me. I didn’t want this at all, it certainly wasn’t in the plan. Contractions felt like they were coming thick and fast and at this point I did loose it a bit thinking I was out of control. As it was she used a temporary catheter, I had LOADS of pee, and things were a bit better after that. Later on I opted for a perm catheter. I had really struggled to go to the loo in labour, my contractions were all in my back and hips and sitting down made everything want to spasm and set off more. Every time I went for a wee it caused another contraction, difficult! So the catheter was a god send in the end. Once this was in and exams over I was free ish to move about on the bed as I pleased, but not to roam around, although in hindsight I dont think I would have been able!

By 6.30 she checked me again and said that I was 99% there. There were a few bits of cervix which weren’t quite back but mostly we were ready. She told me to go with my body. I didn’t find her very informative and I am the kind of person that needs info. I didn’t know if I should be pushing, my contractions were starting to change, and certainly feeling very pushy at the end, like the end of a vomit!

At 8pm we were officially in pushing stage. I used lots of different positions, but settled on my side as that was where baby was making the most progress. We had a whole team effort. 2 MW’s and Anthony helping out with me curling round him to try to gain enough pressure to bear the baby down.

I did try to use the hypno birthing nudges but the contractions were too strong to be used alongside words like nudge! They felt powerful and like I needed to push into them. I tried to work with my body, but I was tired, but the MW was encouraging, she showed me where baby was, how he was moving, that he was wriggling to help when I pushed. After a good hour and a half we had made good progress. There was talk of an episiostomy, so we did lots of nipple twiddling to bring the contractions on stronger, and soon enough, his head was nearly there. At one point, it popped back, and I was gutted, but with the next push he was nearly out, stinging, owwwwch! Probably the worst bit of the whole labour! I turned my head to clench my teeth on Anthony’s jumper, and nicked his belly! Oops, sorry baby! I really didn’t mean to! So baby’s head was out and with the next contraction out slipped the rest of him. He was covered in green gunk, and after a short while was very vocal about being born, crying for a full half hour it seemed! I got the rest of my kit off so I could try to get him to latch on, and was just completely bemused by what just happened – a baby, came out of my where? It took how long? OMG!!

Anthony had a ring side seat, which I didn’t expect! He was at the head end the whole time, but I don’t think that makes much difference! He was also massively supportive, giving me food, drink and encouragement.

The next bit was pretty bad – they checked me over to see if I needed any stitches. Owwww! With all the endorphins from the contractions gone and the labour over, this really hurt! However, I didn’t need a single stitch. I had a tiny tear inside into the muscle which they said didn’t need fixing and a graze near my uthrea, which I could feel and felt go. The MW put a lot of gel onto baby’s head and worked hard to stretch out my perineum before he crowned, and I think that really helped.

All in all, it was a totally amazing experience. Had I known what it was like I wouldn’t have thought I could get through it, but knowing what was happening in my body, being able to visualize what was happening to me and baby and the relaxing from hypno really made a massive difference. I do believe that not exploring hynpbirthing would have meant that I would have had a totally different birthing experience, probably the one that I had dreaded rather than the positive birth that I did have.

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After I asked if it was okay to put her story on my site she made the following comment:

“Sure thing Dany, it wouldn't be that story without your help!”

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Zoe - My Birth Story