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1. Llamarama (@Llamarama82) says:

   January 10, 2012 at 10:20 pm

   #Oneborneveryminute
   When I was pregnant with my son, I already had 6 nieces and nephews; and the scary birth stories from my sisters. One of them had had intervention after struggling to push her second baby out, who then had to be resuscitated at birth. I decided I would prefer not to have an epidural, as I felt I would have more chance of a natural delivery without it. My mum’s description of how pethidine had made her feel scared me off that option so I thought I would just get by on gas and air if possible. I knew I had to keep an open mind though…

   During my pregnancy I attended special yoga classes where I improved my flexibility, practised good visualisation and breathing techniques and made some life-long friends. I would highly recommend this to an expectant mother. I certainly used what I had learnt in my classes while I was in labour.

   My first pains started around 8pm. I sat on my birthing ball and tried to prepare myself for much worse as my mum kept reminding me this increasing pain was “just the start”. I took some paracetamol and went to bed, but the pain and fear of what was to come stopped me from falling asleep. At about 1am I called the hospital and they asked me if my waters had broken. I wasn’t sure and with polyhydramnios in my notes, I was told to go straight to hospital, just in case. I went to wake my mum up, my birthing partner and driver, only to find that she had just taken sleeping pills! A shower and a lot of coffee later, we made the journey to the hospital, two suitcases in tow.

   I waited to be examined, trying to block out the sounds of screaming women and to breathe through the increasingly frequent contractions. The midwife told me that she couldn’t tell how dilated I was, but that either I had a high pain threshold or that this pain was “nothing yet”. So I was sent home just as the sun was rising and my drugged up mum went straight to bed to get some sleep for when I would need her later.

   I tried to get comfortable between my birthing ball and the sofa but I could barely move for the pain. I texted my sisters who told me to wake my mum, but I knew how much I would need her later. I dragged myself to the toilet at around 10am when my waters definitely broke: it came gushing out, despite being told that was only a myth! A midwife came to the house and on examining me found I was 8cm dilated! I was asked if I would mind a home-birth as we might not make it to the hospital in time…

   I laboured on my bed for what must have been an hour. I remember seeing the gas and air on the floor and asked “should I have some of that?” only to be told I was doing fine without it…The midwife finally read my notes and said I was not allowed a home-birth due to being high risk! An ambulance came and I remember being more concerned about the paramedics treading dirt through my house than my condition! That’s not to say I wasn’t in pain. It was agony and that bumpy 20 minute ride was the most painful journey of my life. I felt like I was desperately trying to hold the baby in against the feeling of wanting to push. Those last two centimetres took hours though and I wasn’t fully dilated until 4pm. Just before that time I remember feeling like I’d had enough. I asked my mum if I could get my coat and leave. I just wanted the pain to go, to be able to go home and have a glass of wine!

   All the time I was in pain I kept telling myself, every contraction is bringing my baby closer. Between them I tried to rest and recover my strength. During, I used the visualisation techniques my lovely yoga teacher had taught me to help me breathe through the excruciating pain. My mum was amazing, talking me through the images, helping to keep me calm, lovingly stroking my hair and giving me space when I needed it.

   When the time finally came to push I was kneeling on the bed holding onto the headrest. “What do I do?” I panicked, having no clue how to push. I gradually got the hang of it and put all my strength into it. Finally the contractions had a purpose. Two hours of pushing later, whilst standing and leaning against the bed, I gave birth to my 8lb14 son.

   I did not opt out of pain relief to be a martyr; I was actually too scared to use it! I felt I would have less control of the birth and be powerless with it. I associated it with horror stories and intervention. I didn’t ever make the final decision to not use it; I just took each contraction at a time and tried to turn all my fear into the energy that is needed to give birth. I hope to have more children and will try to consider each birth as unique and make the decision that is right for me at the time. Every woman should do that. No woman should feel pressured into giving birth in a way that is not right for her when the time comes.

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2. hollanda1 says:

   January 15, 2012 at 9:55 pm

   I had gas and air after 4 hours. I wish I hadn’t now, looking back…it made me very woolly-headed. My little son was born emergency C Section…:( I so wanted a natural birth! Oh well, maybe for number 2…! You did great, hun! xxx

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3. Noorun-Nisaa says:

   May 14, 2012 at 2:07 pm

   Good day mommies!!!I am not a mommy yet but I’m soon headed that way(God willingly).I’ve been told by many that giving birth is a painful procedure especially if it is natural birth.What has your experiences been like?I’d Love to hear from you!:-)

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