Sally’s Birth Story

Birth story Sally and Penny

Hi Lainey.

We welcomed little Penny into the world 8lbs 13 oz.

My waters broke at 3.15am. A few twinges but no significant pains for a while after that. I rested and went back to sleep for a bit. We let our Doula know and around 7am. Then I rang the hospital to them them know around 9am.

I told them I wanted to stay at home for as long as possible to stay in our oxytocin bubble and bring labour on. They were happy for me to do that as long as I kept checking my temp every 4 hours and keep an eye on the colour of the waters and movements, and to go to the hospital by 8/9pm that evening if nothing had happened by then.

So I rested, we had some breakfast, had a shower, washed my hair. Watched some TV and got on the ball but the pains had stopped a bit. We decided to go for a walk in Masseys Wood at 12pm, which is a special place for us, the environment and the walking really helped bring on the surges! Back at home, I noticed standing and walking really triggered them, compared to being on the ball. I stuck on the Tens machine and moved between the ball and doing upright movements leaning over a chair etc. The pains quickly progressed then so we asked our Doula to come over and I went to lie down while we waited for her, as I wasnt sure I would have enough energy to keep upright/standing with the pains coming on so strong. She arrived at 14.30 and the contractions were really regular and close together then, sometimes 2 and 3 together. We decided to go to the hospital at 15.30.

Got there at 16.00, was told by the assessment unit that I was only 2cms dilated which I found really hard to believe!! I felt like I needed to push at that point and was making all of the crazy noises!!! They brought me to the birth pool room and to start off I just got up and leaned over the back of the bed to have some gas and air. Things moved fairly rapidly then, our doula and my husband barely even had time to set up the space like putting out tealights and birth affirmation cards and music! I stayed leaning over the back of the bed for the rest of the labour and Penny was born at 16.39!

My placenta came out straight after with her still attached. This was a great relief as I had had a retained placenta on my last birth so was worried that might happen again.

It was all so quick in the end. But it was a really positive birth and I am so happy with how everything went, even if there wasnt time to use the pool!!!!

I was 40+6 and would have been due to have an appointment in the hospital that day, where I am sure the dreaded induction conversation would have been brought up!!!

So I really just wanted to stay out of the hospital environment for as long as I could as I knew if i went in to get checked after my waters going, that would have interrupted or probably stalled labour.

I loved having a doula this time, I didnt have one on my first birth, but had birth trauma from a lot of things (covid pregnancy, retained placenta, pph, care received while in hospital etc) so having a doula this time really reduced my anxiety preparing for this birth, knowing she had our back. She was great to have as a sounding board and even though we were in hospital for a very short time, a couple of things were suggested by the midwives that werent in my birth plan, but nobody had time to read that as it all happened so quickly. So it was great to have her there so say things like ' are you ok with that happening Sally?' Because in such a vulnerable state you are more likely to just go along with what the policy is or whatever. Even though I had prepped myself so much the last time, its just so hard to voice your wishes in those moments.

When we called her to tell her my waters broke, she was able to tell us what the hospital policy was, that they would want to start me on an antibiotic drip after 18 hours if baby hadnt been born before then, , but she reminded us that we were perfectly within our rights to say that we wanted to stay at home until then provided everything was ok.

Thanks so much for all of your kindness and support in the classes. Yoga was a lovely way to unwind and meet other mums to be toward the end of my pregnancy. Its such a lovely community. 💕

Xx