I really believe in the power of positive thinking!

So I have written this plan/story about the birth of my baby and will keep it in my head so I can hopefully get as close to it as possible :-) I didn't have a good birth last time and had prepared myself for the worst birth ever as I had a terrible pregnancy and was being induced early. I visualised everything going wrong and a lot of it did! This time I'm keeping positive! I can look back and compare once I write my actual birth story!

Add yours... What's your ideal birth story?


I will give birth on or around my due date. I spend the week leading up to it keeping active with my toddler, finishing off my last bits of "nesting" and making sure everything is ready for babys arrival. My mother comes out to help me finish off the last of the spring cleaning and make sure all babies clothes are washed and ironed and ready to go. I also get lots of rest and eat well to conserve my energy. I continue to drink my RLT to help my body prepare. I might have some increased tightenings and pain in my lower back and feel that baby is low, engaged and almost ready.

The night before I feel excited, having a feeling that baby will be here soon! I put toddler to bed and finish off the last of the housework and have a nice meal with OH and then we settle down to watch a film. I feel some more tightenings and minor pain and decide to go for a bath and early bed. My bowels are a bit loose and I know my body is still preparing. I sleep okay during the night, waking up a bit uncomfortable to pee, move around and check on my toddler and go back to bed. I wake early in the morning with some mild period type pains with no real pattern.

I get myself and my toddler up for breakfast and kiss OH goodbye to work. I am still feeling the period type pains but not often and not stopping me from getting on with my day. I *know* that this is going to be the real thing though. I go out with my toddler in the morning as we usually do and make sure we have plenty of milk, bread etc. and I pick up a few magazines and snacks. I come home and put toddler down for nap as usual and clean up and then decide to go for a nice nap. When I wake in the late afternoon I have a bit of a bloody show and feel happy and reassured that things are progressing calmly as they should.

I text OH and tell him not much is happening but maybe he can come home at 4pm so we can have a nice dinner and prepare incase anything happens tonight.

I spend the afternoon playing and laughing with my toddler and still feel the period type pains on and off. I may take my toddler to my Mums and settle her to bed but I will more than likely keep her at home.

We eat a nice traditional meal at the table and then me and OH bath and bed the toddler together and tidy up (once again haha). The period type pains are becoming more regular now that I am relaxed and ready.

I ring a friend and ask her if she fancies a nice long walk with the dog. We chat and laugh and walk for an hour and I try not to let it slip that I think labour is near.

At home I notice the tightenings are definately more regular and painful. I go for a shower and make sure my hospital bag is ready and waiting. OH takes the car to make sure there's plenty of petrol. I text Mum to say things might be happening and she should cancel any plans if she has them as I'll need her for LO.

The tightenings are really picking up and are lasting longer and much more frequent. I do whatever my body tells me to do - whether that's resting or napping, walking, showering etc. Over a couple of hours, things really start to get "going" and I feel quite a bit of pain and pressure and have more of a bloody/mucousy show. I text Mum to tell her to come out as things are moving on. Mum comes out and we have a cuppa which is quite uncomfortable for me.

Contractions are now less than 5minutes apart and nearing a whole minute each. I think I have now entered "active" labour. I decide not to time them exactly and just to listen to my body. I ring the midwifes and gather last minute bits and pieces and decide to head for hospital. I breathe some lavender oil in a flannel and take a couple of drops of rescue remedy to calm my nerves. The car ride is quite painful and uncomfortable and I am now really having to focus myself and breathe and relax through contractions. By the time we arrive at hospital contractions are well over a minute long and only a few minutes apart.

It is now late night about 10 or 11pm.

I am examined and am told I am 6 or 7cm and in a short while I will hit transition. I go for a quick shower to calm and refresh myself, OH helps to support me during contractions and helps me out and into my nightie. I may start using gas and air to help focus, distract or calm me!

I hit transition which is really quite intense and painful but at no point do I feel frightened or unable to cope. I listen to my body and rock/moan/ breathe/walk myself through contractions. I am quite vocal now and don't want anyone to touch me or disturb my focus. I retreat into my body and mind. My waters break and suddenly things pick up and I feel an intense amount of pressure. I decline an examination to decide whether I am ready to push and decide to just listen to my instincts.

OH helps me onto the bed and I decide to squat or kneel and rock, opening my pelvis wide and allowing gravity to help with the birth of my baby. I may push if I feel the urge to. I feel intense "burning" as the head crowns and myself and OH feel and see that the end is near. With one final push I deliver my baby onto the bed and he is handed up to my arms.

I turn round and rest him on my chest and I see OH crying and we kiss/hold hands and say we've done it! I have some skin to skin with baby and give him lots of attention and kisses and fuss, keeping him on skin to skin. He may even be ready for a feed now. The cord pulsates forcefully for a few minutes and gradually starts to fade down After 5 or 10minutes I feel some more pains and know that the placenta is coming away soon. I hand baby to Daddy in a towel (maybe he might like some skin to skin too) while I sit upright and may feel the urge to push the placenta out or shift around a bit to help it on it's way.

The placenta is delivered and after a minute or so I feel ready to cut cord. The cord is cut by myself or Daddy. The cord and placenta are taken away and I get off the bed to empty my bladder while my bed is cleaned up and OH is still cuddling baby.

I sneak another cuddle with baby and maybe a feed and set out some clean clothes for both of us. OH then dresses and cleans up baby a little while I have a shower. It's now the early hours of the morning and we are all ready for bed. I put on fresh pyjamas and get into bed and baby has a nice long breastfeed. Daddy says goodbye to us to go home for some sleep. Baby finishes off his feed and then I put a clean nappy on him and swaddle him tight and put him into his little plastic cot. I switch the lights off and we both sleep deeply, waking to feed when needed.

In the morning I dress and change baby and he feeds well again. I have a nice breakfast and enjoy a cuppa and a chat with the cleaners and midwifes. OH comes back with toddler and my Mum and everyone admires our new addition. At visiting time we have family in but I ask for a rest from other friends for now.

Mum and OH take toddler home for her nap.

Baby has his checks and is declared fit and healthy, the MW comes to do her checks on me and is very happy with what she sees and tells me she will go and get our discharge papers and I can leave later in the afternoon.

I pack up mine and babies things.

In the late afternoon OH comes back with toddler and we say goodbye and head home as a new family of four

Well it sounds like it could very well happen. Maybe because you put it out into the universe. It might

Wow that is detailed! Fantastic that you are so positive and I really hope that it all works out how you want it to. Totally agree that a positive frame of mind can make a huge difference.