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Anon's story, UK - overdue, fairly short first labour

"It was my first pregnancy and overall things had gone quite smoothly, I had watched all the birth programmes I could and awaited my fate. Four days overdue I woke up and waddled my way to the kitchen for breakfast. Whilst sitting down eating I started to feel an aching feeling in my back, nothing too bad and I thought I must've slept awkward. A friend phoned to see if there was any movement, I informed her that no, I was still waiting. Thirty mins after that call the aching feeling had moved round to my tummy but didn't feel painful enough for my brain to register what it was. It was a sunny day so I cleaned the house and did some washing. By 11am I noticed that there was a pattern to my achiness, after checking I could see it was happening every 10 minutes. I called DH to say I thought it may be starting. DH told me to call back when they got painful. I carried on cleaning and watering the garden just stopping for contractions. Thankfully one of the women DH worked with told him to go home so at 1pm he came home. He ordered me in the bath while he cooked me beans on toast. I ate my dinner in the bath and him on the toilet :) I called the hospital not long after who said to take some painkillers and head in.

It was about 2pm when we left the house, we waved off the neighbours thinking that we would be back home soon. My contractions had now ramped up a gear and I was struggling not to push in the car. DH was telling me to breath while I moaned that if I was 4cm dilated I would scream. We got to the hospital at 2.40pm. We went straight to delivery unit only for the midwife to say we had to go to labour instead as I wasn't at delivery stage yet. We struggled in the lift to labour where within a minute I was examined and found to be 10cm dilated and swiftly taken straight back to delivery. I laid on the bed and with my trousers still round my ankles told to push whereby my water broke. There was meconium in my waters so I was quickly told not to push until a senior doctor came. After a few pushes DD arrived weighing 7lb 7 oz at 3.23pm, barely 40 mins after getting to the hospital. I tore quite badly so a student midwife stitched me up while I was high on gas and air and laughing hysterically at the fact I could see the reflection of her handy work in her glasses. The whole birth was fantastic and I am grateful that it was quick and stress free."

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Zoe's story, UK - back to back delivery

"My first baby was due on 26th January 2010 but showed no signs of wanting to make his/her move so I was booked in for an induction on 6th February. Since the day I found out I was pregnant my husband maintained that the baby would be born on 6th February, a year to the day since I had an ERPC after losing my last baby.

On the 5th February I checked, double checked and triple checked my bags then had a minor meltdown that family would be coming to visit as soon as we returned home with the baby and so I ran around - well waddled around - cleaning as much as I could before my husband sheparded me to bed.

At 3am I woke to go to the toilet, in itself not remarkable, however when I got back into bed I noticed a small wet patch on my sheet. I sat on the side of the bed, slightly embarrassed, contemplating the wet patch, was it my waters or had I wet myself?? Thankfully at this point I noticed a small tightening. Success, I hadn't wet the bed! I rushed to get some paper and wrote down the time, 3.23am. Seven minutes later I felt another tightening, noted down the time and smugly congratulated myself at how well I was coping with this labour lark, I thought contractions were supposed to be painful?

After half an hour I woke up my husband and rang the labour ward mentioning the wet patch, she told me I clearly wasn't in labour but to come in and be checked over anyway. During the car journey I received a birth announcement message from one of the ladies from our NCT group, baby Isaac was here, BUT THAT'S OUR NAME!!!!

A short trip to Sainsbury's later and we arrived at the hospital by which time I wasn't finding these contractions fun, 4 minutes apart and lasting almost a minute I was convinced I was going to be at least 5 cm dilated.

The midwife who met me at the door showed me my room and left us to get comfortable, there was soon to be a shift change so they didn't bother doing exams etc only for the new midwife to need to do it all again.

Finally the new midwife and her student - the woman who was to bring our child into the world - arrived mid-contraction and said, "Oooh, that's sounds like a gooden!"

Rachel, my student midwife, performed the examination and then asked the midwife to do it again and check for her, my little monkey was lying back to back and wasn't fully descended. His position was causing strong and irregular contractions but I wasn't even in labour. This meant no drugs!!!

I had all along wanted a water birth but my love for all things food put paid to that, fat chicks are not allowed to wallow like hippos in the birthing pool sadly!! A bath was offered as an alternative but I wasn't allowed to lie back as this wouldn't help baby to turn. After 20 minutes or so on all fours in the bath I was freezing, in agony and wanted to get out.

I spent the next undefined amount of time wandering the halls with my husband stopping for contractions, my coping mechanism was leaning on him with my arms around his shoulders bouncing up and down.

Around 1pm I was examined again and then came my favourite moment in life ever... I was given gas and air!

The best way to describe gas and air is that at the peak of a contraction when you think you are about to die gas and air kicks in and saves your life!!

The next few hours passed by in a haze, at some point after drinking my body weight in water but totally unable to remove it at the other end, I was given a catheter although I have no idea when. I also have it on good authority from my husband that they took blood but I have no recollection of this.

Around 5pm I started getting the urge to push but my cervix wasn't evenly dilated and a lip was trapping baby's head. I was told to breath through the urge which is like being told not to sneeze - impossible. I tried my hardest and ended each contraction with a grunt when the urge took over.

In reality this period lasted less than an hour but at the time it felt like a lifetime.

Finally the midwife manually pushed the lip of cervix off baby's head and I was allowed to push.

By this time I had given up on the gas and air and was leaning over the back of the upright bed and burying my face into the mattress, pushing with all my might. I felt like I was getting nowhere and between every contraction I could feel baby slipping back. The midwife was monitoring baby's heart rate and it wasn't recovering enough between contractions, I was told to get the baby out now or they would have to intervene. They hooked me up to a heartbeat monitor and rolled me onto my back.

With every bit of energy I had I pushed a mammoth head out to a shocked, "Oh" from the midwife. She was fully convinced the baby was no longer lying back to back and it was a great shock to find a face staring up at her.

At the NCT classes I had been told that there can sometimes be a gap in contractions after the head is born, with this thought in mind I pushed without a contraction to get the body out, a move I regretted when it came to having stitches! The midwife jumped to catch in time and our baby boy was in the world weighing 8lb 6oz.

There was no sound for over a minute as they cleaned him up and my husband tried to cut the cord with the clamps they provided, a quick equipment change and he was handed to me as he started gasping and making a very odd noise.

The lip on my cervix, his position and my inability to resist pushing had squashed his head, he had a rather unattractive cone on his head and a large red line across his forehead. His face was squashed and he had a flat nose and swollen lips, the result left him looking exactly like my brother!!

We took it in turns to cuddle and marvel at our little miracle and after a short discussion we decided to name him Felix.

As a result of him being born sunny side up, for the first 24 hours he was choking up blood and mucus which resulted in no appetite and no sleep. After a good feed and sleep the next day we were released home to start our new life together as a family.

1 year on and we are getting ready to celebrate the best year of our lives. Every day we are amazed by the miracle that we brought into the world and amazed at how far we have come in an incredibly fast moving year."

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Carrie-Anne's story, London - 4th degree tear and forceps

"In 2007 I had my baby girl. My pregnancy was a very good pregnancy, I got the usual swelling and heartburn but other than that no problems. I like many women had my birth plan and that was a natural birth with no medication in my hospital's birthing suite which included the birthing pool.

I refused to be induced and I had gone 15 days overdue, when I went into labour (after my 3rd sweep). I went into the hospital on Monday evening and by Tuesday morning my labour had slowed to a stop. My midwife broke my waters hoping to bring the labour on and after 12 hours with no progression I was told I needed to be induced, exactly what I didn't want to happen but because my waters had now been broken I had no option but to be induced. I was moved to the labour ward.

My midwife had advised me that if I was having an induction because the pain is artificial and fast and intense I should have an epidural, so I had the epidural. I was really glad I did as for the rest of Tuesday evening, myself, boyfriend and close friend were in the little room laughing joking, catching up on sleep whilst the induction was happening and because of the epidural I couldn't feel any pain.

My baby girl, was facing an odd angle and so she wasn't dropping down. My doctor came in to me at 4:30am on the Wednesday and told us that if she hadn't dropped by the time 6:30am came then I would have to have an emergency c-section! By about 5:30ish I remember my epidural had started to wear off and I started feeling the pain... Pain I can only describe as a severe burning and constant with no let up! I asked for more epidural and the midwife said that I would need to wait for the Doctor to come back and only then would I get the epidural. At about 6:20am I had this real urge to push, the pain was so immense and the urge was like nothing I have ever experienced, the midwife told me I wasn't allowed to push until 6:30am - to this day I don't know why, may be because the Dr was due back then to see if any progress and to have the c-section. In the end I told the midwife that I was pushing no matter what. She said if I wanted to push I was to do it without her agreement. So I started pushing (this was Wednesday)!

I remember saying to my boyfriend to keep me focused as I didn't want to be a screamer! I did really well, whilst pushing her out I was being sick in a paper bowl at the same time. I remember I was like Jekyll and Hyde, when I was pushing (and being sick) I got really angry and didn't want anyone talking to me, I kept sticking my fingers in my boyfriend's face to tell him to shut up with his encouragement! When the feeling died down, I would start crying asking him to give me encouragement and the cycle would continue!

I was pushing for an hour when the Dr was getting anxious about the baby as the heartbeat had disappeared because she was in my birth canal. By this stage I "shouted" that I wanted a c-section but the Dr told me it was too late and I had to concentrate and get the baby out. I remember I lost it a bit and really started screaming. The midwife came up to my face and said, "now listen, that screaming is not going to help anyone, at least not your baby, it is really important you get this baby out, so I advise you to concentrate and stop that screaming". It was the best thing she did as it brought me back and I started concentrating.

By then another Dr had come into my room and I remember her saying that she had to cut me. I felt her cut me and I screamed that "the bitch had ******* cut me"! By then another doctor had come into the room and  the room of just me, my boyfriend, close friend and midwife had now become packed as they said it was getting really urgent to get the baby out. The Dr put a ventouse on the baby's head and tried pulling with my every push. The ventouse popped off twice, the second time the Dr's scrubs had splattered with blood and I remember screaming out about the baby's head and been ripped off. He said that the baby was fine it was the ventouse that had just come off the baby's head. In the end they used forceps to get her out.

At 8:30am, 2 hours since I started pushing, the forceps had helped get my baby girl out. Even as she was coming out of me she was screaming so I knew she was good. She was absolutely healthy at 8lb 8oz.

Whilst one of the doctors was checking over the baby, the two doctors that were left tending me were trying to stop the bleeding and sew me up. The main Dr said that I had needed to have surgery as the tear was more severe than they had hoped/realised.

I had to wait about 30/45 minutes for the top bowel consultant to come in to actually operate on me and I was taken into surgery. I had suffered a 4th degree tear, this is when your perineum tears so your vagina and back passage become one. Whilst I was in surgery my boyfriend was given my little girl (who was still crying!) to look after. The most upsetting thing about the whole experience was the fact that he had no midwife to help him, he was left in a small room outside the theatre with a newborn baby, he knew nothing about newborns and didn't know what to do. I was crying whilst being operated on and I said that I needed a midwife to go in to him to make sure he was OK and to give my baby a bottle. They did after about an hour - do as I ask. I was in surgery for just under 3 hours.

After the operation and once I was settled in to the ward, both the main Dr who helped to deliver my little girl and the Consultant who operated on me after came up to see me. They asked me what shoe size I was and I said that I was a size 3. They said that in hindsight I should have had a c-section as my pelvis was very small to deliver a child that big. I was also informed that if I ever wanted children again I would never be able to give a virginal birth again and they would have to be delivered by c-section!

Most people I talk to say you always forget the pain from your labour. I have to say that it is still fresh in my mind the pain and the mayhem and how scared I was about having to go into surgery, I still get choked up and upset when I talk about what happened that day.

Roll on to 2011, I am still under the hospital for my back passage as I have had some complications (which apparently is pretty normal). The good news is, is I am now 13 weeks pregnant with my second child and if it wasn't for the fact that I am having a c-section then I would never have children again!!"

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

*MIDWIFE* Elle's story, UK - rewarding career

"Where do I start! My name is Elle, I'm 26 and I chose to be a midwife in my first year of university studying maths after my flatmate went into labour in our halls - she didn't tell anyone about the pregnancy and I was gob smacked! I stayed with her and went with her to hospital and held her hand and that day changed my life completely. She was so scared and frightened and even ashamed but as soon as that baby came out the smile on her face overcame all those fears - I could tell. While we were there the midwife delivering Elle (she named her daughter after me - another reason!!!) was horrible - so impatient and inconsiderate and I just remember thinking how much that made a difference - Claire would have been a lot more relaxed with a midwife who was more supportive. Needless to say that day changed my life, I wanted to do it again! See the happiness, see more babies! Help women like Claire who need that support a mum to be needs! The following year I enrolled to do midwifery!

I've been qualified for 2 years now and not one day has been the same! Their are a few similarities with most mums to be, no matter how many babies a mum has - they are always as nervous and excited as the first. I remember my first forceps delivery - a first time mum had been a labour for 18 hours, she was so so tired and I think I was as scared as she was! Forceps are used if baby gets a bit stuck coming down the birth canal or a bit lazy! They are designed to aid the delivery by applying traction to the babies head - they have 4 main components should I say that help it, the blades - which grasp the baby, each blade has like a curve that fits around baby's head which are attached to shanks which give the length - they are attached to the handles which lock to give support - sounds like something of a sc-fi film and aren't very attractive and can be uncomfortable for both mum and baby but they are there to help deliver baby as safely as possible. Constant reassurance will always be given to support mum.

Inductions are quite commonly used these days for many reasons from being overdue - to baby being too big or too small - baby is breech - diabetes, pre-eclampsia, from time to time personal reasons; we recently induced a lady because her partner was heading to Afghanistan - it's not general practice but we want what is best for mum and baby. There are many different ways of inducing a baby - sometimes a sweep of the cervix will start mum of - some inductions end up in c-section because nothing works! All mums to be are different and that's why I love my job!

An induction can start with a membrane sweep, Prostaglandin - its a hormone like substance which kicks off uterine contractions, a midwife or doctor will insert a tablet, pessary or gel containing Prostaglandin into your vagina to ripen your cervix. Sometimes women need a second dose of the tablet or gel after six hours, if labour hasn't started which usually frustrates them! Pessaries release the Prostaglandin more slowly over 24 hours, so only one dose is needed. Its long and tiring and I think mums get mentally drained! If the cervix opens up then we can break the waters, which quite often works just fine! Inductions are more likely to end up in a c-section than a natural birth but done let that worry you!

At the end of the day ladies, giving birth is the most natural thing we can do! Yes its bloody hard, and don't forget painful but I can almost guarantee that as soon as your baby is in your arms it's the best pain relief ever! The most rewarding job you mums to be have and the most rewarding job in the world us midwives have! Good luck to all you mums to be and enjoy every minute!"

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Angie's story, UK - very fast V-BAC delivery

"Second Births Can Be Natural Deliveries After C-sections

Angie Mum of Two

My first labour lasted 13hrs and after being fully dilated, was told baby was stuck and had a c-section. Which resulted in a beautiful baby girl 7lb 6oz.

After always feeling like a was cheated out of the full birth experience, second time around 4 and a half years later, I was determined to have a 'normal birth'. I had a much more active life style, whether that helped or not I don't know. But two days before my due date I woke up about 7.30am feeling a bit sore!! By about 11am I decided something was definitely happening and called my husband back from work and my my sister to come get the older one. I was in what I would call proper labour had phoned the hospital, who said take some painkillers and come in later when things move along a bit. I agreed with them as I was still mooching around making lunch for my daughter and niece and nephew and getting things sorted.

By 1pm, 2hrs in, everything got very strong! After ringing the hospital again and my husband having to take the phone call because the contractions were coming thick and fast, we were advised to come down as soon as possible. I was now trying to push while in the car, then again in the car park we managed to get to the security door where my poor husband was holding on to me and my bag while trying to press the button to release the door!! There was a very lovely midwife that was doing her paperwork in a near by office that heard me bearing down, came out and said, "your'e having your baby now aren't you?" I managed to whimper yes, she shouted WHEELCHAIR!!!! I was whisked away, and by 2.33pm I was holding my beautiful baby girl no.2 8lb 4oz

3hrs 33 minute start to finish !!!

I was delighted that I managed to have a natural birth second time around all be it a bit fast !!"

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.

Jennie's story, Wolverhampton - positive natural labour

"My baby was due on 23rd August, which came and passed completely uneventfully (apart from hearing that 2 of my friends had their babies on my due date... just what I needed to hear in my complete uncomfortable state!). I had 2 unsuccessful cervical sweeps - yowza - where I was informed that my cervix was too far back for the midwives to reach and given an induction date of Saturday 4th September, if nothing had happened before then.

On Thursday 2nd September, at around 7am, I had my first contraction. My OH had just left for work, and as he drives a Vespa Scooter, he wouldn't hear his phone ringing, but I called him anyway. I thought that when he saw missed calls from me, he may ring back to find out what I wanted. Ha! No such luck. The switchboard at his work doesn't open until 8.30am so I knew calling him via that would be pointless. The only other option I had was to email him!!

With OH finally contacted and making his way home, I began timing my contractions which were now strong and regular and about 8 minutes apart. We waited until they were five minutes apart before making our way to the hospital, grabbing a lift from my good friend as OH doesn't drive.

Upon arrival at the hospital, I was examined by a MW who advised that no dilation was happening and sent us home... This occured a further 6 times before...

2am, Saturday morning, my waters broke. I was asleep in the rocking chair in the nursery as my contractions were still going strong every 5 minutes, keeping me uncomfortable and the OH awake. I went to the toilet, saw they were green and rang the hospital. They advised us to come straight up, so I woke up my husband and phoned my dad who picked us up and drove us the short journey to the hospital.

I was examined by another MW who advised us that yes, my back-waters had broken and confirmed that they were green which could indicate the baby was in distress. They monitored me on the ward, attaching me to the Syntocinon drip before my fore-waters broke and confirmed that my meconium was present.

The next part of my labour remains a blur of being moved to the labour ward, contractions, gas and air, being monitored, speeding up the drip and slowing down the drip as I was contracting continually and in huge amounts of pain. I remember being dressed in a hospital gown as they warned me that I may end up in theatre having the baby via cesarean and being really scared. I really didn't want a c-section.

The MW was amazing, and advised me that to get the most out of the gas and air I needed to start sucking on it as soon as the contraction began building and stop as soon as the contraction began easing. As I was being monitored, the screen showed the start of the contraction before I could feel it, so my OH would nod frantically at me to tell me to start sucking! When the contraction was dying down I was off with the fairies, so the OH would rub my arm to tell me to ease off the gas and air... This code saw us through most of the day!

By 5pm, I was exhausted and only dilated to 4cms. I was offered an epidural, but had already decided that I didn't want one (partly due to my fear of needles, and partly due to the fact I wanted to 'feel' my labour.) I had a shot of Pethedine which really helped and then dozed between contractions until 9pm when I was due to be examined again.

The MW informed us that if I had not dilated to 5cm by 9pm, then I would need to go to theatre, as the labour wasn't progressing quickly enough. I hoped and prayed this wouldn't be the case, and someone must've been listening as by 9pm I was 9cm dilated and almost ready to push. I had another Pethedine shot after the MW examined me.

Dylan Christopher was born at 9.43pm. I gave birth to him naturally, lying on my side with my foot on the MW's shoulder! My OH was amazing. The man who can't watch 'Casualty' without feeling queasy cut the umbilical cord and watched our gorgeous son come into the world. I am an incredibly proud mummy, who, although I didn't get the water birth I had originally wanted, is incredibly relieved my boy was born naturally, without the need for an epidural!"

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.