Clare's story, Basingstoke - first time mum, break in contractions

"DS number 1

I was 38+5 when I started getting period type pains and waters started leaking. It was my own fault as it was Thursday 12th and I'd said to my mum 'I'm not going anywhere tomorrow just in case'!!! Ha! Well I didn't technically go anywhere, unless you count from antenatal to labour ward! Anyway, I rang maternity and they said to come in as waters were leaking and it was my first baby. They said to stay in, although labour was not established, but waters were broken, they weren't busy and this was my first baby.

I got to hospital at about 10.30pm, had irregular contractions for most of the night, then DS decided it was time for a rest and went to sleep for a few hours and all the contractions stopped! Got going again about lunchtime and they took me to delivery about 1pm as I was dilating well. I had an 8 hour established labour which I was told was good for a first timer. Towards the end the midwife broke my waters as although they had gone the night before, the bag had sort of folded back under my cervix and stopped it from breaking properly. This frightened the life out of DS and he evacuated his meconium inside! Paed was called and present at the birth to check him over... he was fine. No-one knows the exact time he was born though as midwife deferred to the paed, who thought the midwife was doing the timing. They agreed it was about 8.20pm though. Paed rushed off as busy by now and midwife almost had to call her back as my placenta wouldn't come out, but she catheterised me and it came out soon as my bladder was empty!

He was 6lb 7.5oz at 38+6 gestation, 2 shots of pethadine overnight to help me get some sleep and the actual established labour on gas and air."

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Lucy's story, Midlands - quick labour, no pain relief and slow placenta

"Riley Jackson joined us in the world in a hurry on 23rd November at 6:51pm weighing 7lbs.

I’d been having contractions since late morning, but they were irregular anything from 15-25 minutes apart and not overly painful. So I just ignored them while carrying on with my day, throwing my son around and such. Trying not to get my hopes up because with Joshua I had contractions like this that then went away for 24 hours. By 4 – 4:30pm my contractions were every ten minutes apart and a lot more painful, I would have to stop what I was doing, bend over and grip something while breathing through them. Once the contraction was over I was able to carry on with what I was doing so part of me doubted that this could be the real thing. 

We sat down and ate dinner and by 5:15pm when Ant was deciding he had to go to work I was saying, "look you can’t, this is happening". He called work while I rang the hospital about 5:30pm and my contractions were five minutes apart. They advised me to come in so they could check me over. Ant called my parents to come and watch Joshua and twenty minutes later we were on our way to the hospital. The car journey was bloody agony, with my contractions coming every 2 -3 minutes. By the time I waddled across the car park, up a lift and along the worlds bloody longest corridor to the labour ward the contractions were coming thick and fast. I wasn’t having time to recover from them before the next arrived. No one was answering the bell on reception as stupidly they had no one manning the desk, people had been there longer than me waiting and I was getting a bit panicky. 

Ant followed someone through the doors when they opened and told the midwife my contractions were coming fast and would someone come. She dismissed him and sent him back out. Finally after what seemed like a life time but in reality was probably no more then 5-10 minutes someone appeared. Right as my water broke and I yelled ‘I need to push.’

The midwife told me to follow her and I honestly didn’t think I could walk, she got me in a wheel chair and rushed me to a delivery suite and told me to take my trousers off and get on the bed. I swear she wants to bloody try climbing onto a bed while your body is screaming at you to push. Somehow I managed it and by the time I had the head was half the way out, the midwife then preceded to make me stop pushing, I have no idea why but I told her after that was she mean. The head was then out, and again I had to stop pushing. The cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck – she didn’t tell me this till afterwards thankfully or I would have panicked. Before I had pushed his body out he was crying which is the MOST amazing sound. She scooped him up and plonked him onto my tummy and I was so relieved. 

I have no clue of times, neither does the midwife really but there was no more than ten minutes between my waters breaking and Riley being placed in my arms. Little squid didn’t hang around that’s for sure. 

I lay there feeding him thinking, 'wow, that was fast and scary' and I realised I actually panicked and thought I was going to give birth in reception in front of a room full of people. 

Unfortunately the next stage wasn’t so simple, even with the injection to help speed up the delivery of my placenta, it didn’t want to make an appearance. Crazy that I managed to deliver a baby with no pain relief but needed gas and air for the placenta. To be honest I think part of the reason they gave it to me was to calm me down. My entire body was shaking, shock I think. An hour later and lots of poking around by the midwife, (child birth really isn’t glamorous) and my placenta still hadn’t arrived. So in comes a doctor to take a look, and they are talking about trying something to help. 

Injecting whatever is in the injection into the cord. I think all that talk scared my placenta and an hour and ten minutes later it made an appearance. 

Finally it’s time to focus on Riley again, who’s been wrapped in blankets and placed in his cot. They weigh him and get him dressed, but he’s really cold. He’s given a warming mattress once I’m taken to the ward and this is left on all night. Meaning even if it was possible to sleep on a ward with crying babies and a woman moaning she was in pain there was no way I was going to be able to anyway as I was so worried he’d not warm up enough, or he’d get too warm with the mattress that I had to keep checking he was okay.

Thankfully when they took his temperature again in the morning it was fine, so they turned off the mattress and checked again an hour later and he was fine. So we were discharged at lunch time. 

Things have been going brilliantly at home, breastfeeding is going well and doesn’t seem as hard this time around. The first few days were, but once my milk came in baby became more enthusiastic and is now feeding about every two hours. 

Midwife came out today to weigh him and he’s 6lb 15oz, so he’s barely lost anything... makes me a very happy Mummy."

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Beth's story, Manchester - gas and air and the luxury of a birthing suite

"Well with Callum being on time, I expected Charley to be as well! However at 11 days late I felt ready to pop! Due to be induced at 9am on the 17th Nov and I woke about 5am with my first contraction! I decided to sleep and see when the next ones came and they were coming at every 9 minutes so I had a shower and got up and ready and woke DP and said we were going ealier to the hospital as in the shower they were becoming more frequent! Arrived at the hospital at 8am and was put on a monitor and when I was assessed about 10am I was shocked to be told I was already 3cm! It took 24 hours with Callum and a drip to get to 3cm! I had a TENS machine which really took the edge off all the way! I was all set for an epidural as I had one with Callum but he was a 34 hour labour but as I knew one of the midwives she mentioned I could go to the birthing suite and 2 other midwives recommended it! Not wanting to seem like a wimp I said I would consider it! They did my bloods to check my iron and I was secretly hoping I was high risk (i.e. low iron) so that I could head down for an epidural however I came back low risk and I knew I wanted it to be as pleasant as possible for DP as he wanted to go home for a sleep half way through labour with Callum! Went to the birthing suite, it was lovely as it was your own room with a bath and bed and you could use the kitchen for tea and coffee....I was nervous as hell!

Had a bath about 3pm as I wasn't progressing much then the lovely midwife came in and said if I wasn't progressing much in the next hour I could go down for an epidural!

"Yes" I thought, however I said " Could I not stay here?" (for the sake of DP as it was more comfortable! Hoping she said " no"). She then said yes... ooopssss! She said she would break my waters about 5pm and see what happened as the bath had stopped my contractions! 5pm came and I lay on the bed after another big show and she broke my waters, they gushed out like there was no tomorrow and I became scared again (you wouldn't have thought I have given birth before!).

Contractions started thick and fast, every 2 mins so I paced the room for an hour with my TENS machine on before the midwife came in and said I could then get in the birthing pool! (I was then 5cm!) God why didn't I have an epidural, wimp woman I was thinking!

Got in the pool at 6pm and I thought you could have Pethedine (but not in the pool) so in the pool I just had gas and air and the contractions were so bad I thought I was dying and towards the end I was crying (wimp woman again). The midwife said "I want you to have this baby by 9.30pm as I finish the shift". At 7pm I was like, "I want this baby now, not in another hour and a half!". She checked me, I was only 8cm! God I thought I was dying again! (Girls you will be so proud of yourselves for anyone just doing gas and air!) Midwife told me when I feel like I need a poo that's when I'm ready and to push, and to be honest I never got that feeling, the contractions got unbearable about 8pm so I pushed TWICE and he popped out! I stood up and unfortunately there was blood gushing out of me and the birth pool was red (I had ripped) so went to be stitched up after (that was actually worse than childbirth) but god, me!!!! I did it without an epidural I felt amazing afterwards!!!!"

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Nat's story, East Sussex - use the pain!

"I had made a bet that I would have my baby on the 16th November as I thought I was going to a comedy show on the 15th and it would kick things off (it was actually on the 10th! My head was so not in the game in those last few months!) My due date was 25th which was bang on with my dates.

Anyway DS woke me up at 7.20am on the 16th (9 days early) and I realised that I was having very mild contractions, bit like period pains every 10 minutes or so. DH had already gone to work and Mum and Dad were coming over to help me get the house sorted out so got up and took DS to nursery, contractions getting a bit stronger but nothing worth worrying about. M&D arrive and we start moving boxes and sorting, about 10.30 I had a semi painful contraction which made me stop and Mum gives me a look so I confess that I have been contracting. Hadn’t said anything as didn’t want to worry anyone or have anyone fussing. I told Mum that it would probably take a while so we carry on sorting and then go get DS at 12 from Nursery. I had to keep stopping to breath through the contractions but nothing I couldn’t handle on my own, although I did get a few funny looks from some of the other mums at the Nursery. At about 1pm I call DH to tell him I think its happening but not to worry about coming home early as it could take ages (took two days with DS!). His first reaction was 'you are joking right?' the reason for this is he had just had three weeks off for a bad back and it was his first day back at work ops.... Got a call about 10 mins later saying he was on his way home as he works and hour and a half away and didn’t want to risk missing anything. Was quite relieved to be honest. Also called the birthing centre so they knew I could be coming in that day.

So we carried on packing boxes until about 2pm when I had to stop as the contractions were getting too strong to concentrate, DH got home about 3pm and M&D went home taking DS with them. Things ticked along and about 5pm we went to the birthing centre to be checked over just so I could get an idea of what was happening if anything! Got there and the contractions pretty much stopped! Typical. They checked me over and said nothing was really happening; it could be false labour or go on for a few days or kick of anytime, that helped! So went back home (only live 3mins by car from the birthing centre). Well contractions kicked off again and slowly got stronger and stronger but was managing OK with the tens machine. To be honest I was totally gutted as had hoped to have a quicker time than with DS but after being told not much was happening I could just see me heading for another two day labour. Sat on the sofa when I got home in a total grump. Even when the contractions got stronger I still didn’t think it was going to happen any time soon.

At 10.30pm DH was outside having a cigarette and I had an almighty painful contraction and felt something pop, luckily DH saw this through the window so came rushing in, he managed to get me to the loo and I had another contraction with a massive show and some waters. For some reason, and I still have no idea why or how, even now, I was in just my pants and a vest top. What had possessed me to strip off when I was in labour I have no idea, so DH had to get me dressed (that would have been very funny to watch I am sure!), called the birthing centre and we headed straight there. Getting to the car was fun, two steps, stop breath, stifle a scream so I didn’t disturb the neighbours and repeat. Same when we got to the birthing centre took me five minutes to get from the car in the door!

When we arrived they already had a birth going on so we went into the second birthing room (good job we called ahead as they only have two rooms so they had kept it for me!) went straight into the birthing pool which helped. Its funny but I really had no preference when it came to being in the water but when I arrived the MW said it would help with the pain and it really did. Very quickly the pain became truly awful and I was sucking on the gas and air like my life depended on it! The MW was brilliant, really supportive and friendly. The contractions were coming on top of each other almost as soon as I was in the pool and I was so encased in the pain that I really wasn’t listening to anyone but at one point the MW said “use the pain to push with”. It was like a revelation and suddenly the pain became useful. Still hurt like hell but I felt back in control again. I started with the pushing whilst still in the pool but was on my back so not the best position, managed to change positions and kept pushing but not much was happening. The MW said I needed to move as the baby was not coming out so could be stuck due to position, managed to get from the pool to the bed (how I still have no idea!) and onto my knees gripping the back of the bed and two pushed later baby River arrived weighing 5lbs 12oz. DH told me we had a girl and after I had managed to get the right way round I had my first cuddle. Wonderful!!

Had a 2nd degree tear but didn’t care was just so glad it was over and my little lady was here safe and sound! When the MW did the time of birth I had missed the 16th by 2 mins! Still can’t believe I managed just on the gas and air, or that it was only just over an hour and a half from that pop to giving birth! Seemed much, MUCH longer! I can honestly say it wasn’t a pleasant experience but was so much better than DS birth. That said never doing it again! (But pretty sure I said that after DS...)."

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Kate and Ruben's story, Wiltshire - almost on the floor!

"The Birth of Ruben – Friday 13th November 2009

Ruben’s birth and labour couldn’t have been any more different to Freddie’s...

DH went to work at 7am Thursday morning and literally as he turned the key in the lock I had the first ‘Braxton Hick’ of the day (although soon proved to be proper contractions!). They came every hour until about 10am then started coming every 30 minutes. They weren’t painful at this point but were definitely noticeable although I just kept telling myself not to get excited. So I patiently observed them without actually getting my hopes up that this was it.

At midday I had the first mildly painful contraction and they carried on like this, every half hour right up until about 5pm. Sat watching Christmas DVDs with DS to pass the time, still not thinking anything would come of it – I knew I was in labour with Freddie as I was woken up by really painful contractions so had no idea what early labour felt like.

DH got home around 6pm and we had tea. Contractions still weren’t very painful so we all went to bed. Thankfully Freddie dropped off to sleep without too much hassle, DH and I passed the time watching TV until about 11pm when I was getting restless after having irregular, quite painful contractions (anywhere between 1 minute and 40 minutes apart!). We went downstairs to have a cup of tea and the contractions started causing quite a bit of pain and I had to breathe through them. They were 15 minutes apart, then went to 10 minutes, then eventually got to every 4-6 minutes at about 2am. Had a bath but stayed in for about 5 minutes maximum as I couldn’t sit due to pain on my cervix from the contractions – by now I was getting the bearing down feeling too.

Rang the hospital at about 2:15am and explained the contractions were irregular but I was starting to need some pain relief and they said I could go in to be checked but to be aware I would be sent home if I wasn’t in established labour – they were thinking that as the contractions were so irregular, I wasn’t in proper labour. How wrong could you be!

DH went and got the car and loaded the bags and car seat. I had a massive contraction while just getting in the car and I’m sure the neighbours must have thought something bad was happening out in the street – I was sounding like a distressed cow! The journey takes half an hour and I had strong painful contractions every 4 minutes all the way there but with no pain relief, I just mooed through them. Had another in the car park in front of a car of teenagers (!) and another in the corridor of the maternity ward. Got to the ward at 3am and thankfully the midwives now took me seriously – they thought I was about to give birth any second and wanted me in a delivery suite immediately. Had to give a wee sample first and the midwife asked me if I’d had any further contractions since coming in – yes, but only a mild one while on the loo. So she now wanted me in the side ward to be examined first. (Make up your mind!)

Got ushered into the ward, with all the other ladies breathing and moaning through contractions and was shown to the same bed I had when in labour with Freddie. Midwife came after a very short wait and examined me – 7cm dilated! DH and I couldn’t believe it. Got moved immediately to a delivery suite at 3:45am and got stuck into the gas and air... heaven!

Contractions started getting really strong at about 4:30am and by 5:30am I was breaking poor DH’s hand! The midwife was feeling my stomach as I was contracting and getting DH to do the same to feel the strength of them – it was lovely as she really involved DH in the labour and the birth whereas last time he was pretty much ignored through the whole thing. Midwife kept asking if I wanted any more pain relief and I kept declining – biting on the gas and air mouthpiece was giving me something to focus on through the pain!

I agreed to be examined again at 5:55am but I was still only 7cm although the head had come right down. I had my waters broken at 6:05am to move things along but the head was so far down, hardly anything came out. Contractions got stronger though and midwife wanted me to try and go for a wee and keep upright. DH left to get a ticket for the car parking (which thankfully was only 30 seconds from the ward) and then midwife left the room. I managed to get off the bed, intending on going to the loo as requested but a powerful contraction took over and all I could do was hang onto the bed for dear life – my body pushed, taking me by surprise, and my bladder and bowels opened for themselves while I dropped the gas and air and fell backwards to the floor. It was dark as I had the lights low, midwife and DH had just left and I was on my own with baby coming and no stomach muscles to be able to scream for help – to say I was petrified is an understatement. After three attempts to call for help I managed somehow to literally scream ‘help me, help me’ and midwife and DH came rushing back in with another midwife to help with the delivery. I was pulled onto the bed and within about 4 more pushes at 6:19am Ruben’s head was out. DH was watching, telling me he could see his head while midwife was telling me to push to get the rest of him out. Well, what a great time for my contractions to seem to disappear! Felt like forever (but was actually only 1 minute) before I got a hint of one and forced his body out on it, along with the rest of the waters. Ruben pooed just as he came out and his head and face was all swollen and grazed from my pubic bone and his super fast dive through my birth canal!

7cm to 10cm dilated in 15 minutes.

The placenta was delivered three minutes later and I ended up with a 1st degree tear which only needed stitches as I had torn into a blood vessel which wouldn’t stop bleeding. Only lost 400ml of blood this time as opposed to 800ml with Freddie, so felt much better after the delivery and could breathe.

So all in all, I couldn’t have wished for a better labour and birth.

1st stage: 2 hrs 45 mins

2nd stage: 5 mins

3rd stage: 3 mins

Total labour: 2 hrs 53 mins

Onset of established labour (since admission): 03:30

Fully dilated: 06:15

Pushing commenced: 06:15

Head delivered: 06:19

Baby delivered: 06:20

End of third stage: 06:23

Ruben was born weighing 7lb 12 oz, 55cm long and head circumference 33cm. Apgar scores of 8, 9 and then 9."