JaneSharon86
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Hi ladies
Just wanted to share the birth of my second daughter via VBAC following a traumatic emergency and un-necessary c-section with her big sister 2 years before.
My C-Section story
https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/b...rms-my-home-water-birth-turned-c-section.html
Finding out it was un-necessary
https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/labour-birth/2181565-had-unnecessary-c-section.html
This birth couldn't have been more different.
My contractions started strong at 4am in the morning, coming approx 4 minutes apart. My husband woke at 4.30am and we both got up and started timing them whilst I sat on my birthing ball and used my tens machine. We then made childcare plans for our daughter.
Over the next few hours the contractions started to become irregular which was really frustrating, but allowed me to help get our daughter ready for nursery and have something to eat. After our daughter was picked up around 8am, I went for a bath and listened to music. My husband called the delivery suite at 9am and they advised me to stay home until they were no longer manageable.
I was so tired at this point as I hadn't gone to sleep until 1am and had been up since 4am, that I tried to get some sleep. The contractions had tailed off to one every 10 minutes but were strong. I was able to nap for exactly 9 minutes, then (I'm sure comically!) jump out of bed and onto the ball to contract for a minute before collapsing back into bed. I couldn't stay lying down for the contractions as they hurt too much.
Around 1pm I was really starting to struggle with the pain even though they were still every 10 minutes. I called delivery who said I could come in as I was high risk due to having a previous c section. We left at 1.30pm and as fate would have it the contractions got stronger and closer together in the car ouch!!
We arrived at the hospital at 2pm. My midwife was lovely and very supportive of a VBAC. The contractions were now two in every 10 minutes and strong. I was hooked up to the monitor as Id been warned I would be, to check on the baby. All was well and I was taken back off it and able to move around (so lovely compared to my first birth experience).
Around 3pm the midwife checked me and I was gutted to be told I was only 2cm. Actually I burst into tears. I genuinely thought oh goodness its all happening again, hours and hours of contractions for nothing, and eventually Ill end up with a repeat c section. The midwife bless her tried to calm me down; she could see how tired I was and suggested some pethidine and gas and air. I could have kissed her. Id been looking forward to the gas and air for what seemed like months lol.
She handed me the gas and air and suddenly all seemed well! Though it does not much at all for the pain, the magical whimsical land it takes you to in between contractions helps to get through them!
At 5.30pm I was given an injection of pethidine (there was a slight delay from the time I consented to it as Id been monitored for a short time again and the babys heart rate had been dropping slightly with contractions, but had now recovered so the doctor was happy for me to have the injection). Oh my goodness do I recommend pethidine! Suddenly I was able to properly fall into a deep sleep in between each contraction, waking only to breathe on the gas and air, then fall right back to sleep and gather energy for what was coming.
This little pethidine land that I was in seemed to last about and hour, but apparently it was 3 hours during which time a midwife handover had happened (I vaguely remember being introduced to Rob, my second midwife) and Id been reattached to the monitor seen as Id told my first midwife that I wanted to lie down.
Towards the end of the 3 hour land I felt the need to poo (so glamorous childbirth...) and kept thinking to myself, when the midwife comes in next Ill tell him that I need help getting to the loo. The problem was that I was so tired that as soon as the contraction was over, instead of trying to tell the midwife anything, I was falling instantly asleep again.
At 8.30pm Rob returned to the room and asked if it was okay to check me as the monitor was showing that the babys heart rate was dropping with contractions again. He got the tip of his finger in (sorry TMI) and exclaimed Woah thats the head! Do you need to push?. Oh yes, for sure I did!! Apparently not poop, but baby.
He asked where I wanted to give birth and I said I needed a birthing stool, which they didnt have, so I jumped up and scrambled to the top of the bed. My husband must have put the back of the bed up for me to lean on. All I remember from this is suddenly snapping out of the haze and thinking clearly that I did not want to give birth on my back.
Rob was telling me to push with each contraction which was a bit confusing because all of the contraction pain had disappeared. I could only feel either the urge to push, or not. I started pushing just after 8.30pm and DD2 was out by 8.55pm.
Pushing felt amazing, and Id describe it as being in two parts. There was the nice calm urge to push that I had control over, then every once in a while these almighty uncontrollable pushes which I guess were the ones that were actually getting the baby out.
I had a tiny tear that didnt need any stitches and was home the next day feeling wonderful.
Breastfeeding has gone without a hitch and DD2 is gaining huge amounts of weight each week (in comparison to the huge breastfeeding battle I had with DD1).
I feel as though all of my trauma from my first birth experience has been erased and Im a real woman again. I was so affected by it all and so uncertain that I could achieve what millions of other women have done, I cant believe I did it. Now its all over Im just euphoric and my beautiful little family is complete.
Just wanted to share the birth of my second daughter via VBAC following a traumatic emergency and un-necessary c-section with her big sister 2 years before.
My C-Section story
https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/b...rms-my-home-water-birth-turned-c-section.html
Finding out it was un-necessary
https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/labour-birth/2181565-had-unnecessary-c-section.html
This birth couldn't have been more different.
My contractions started strong at 4am in the morning, coming approx 4 minutes apart. My husband woke at 4.30am and we both got up and started timing them whilst I sat on my birthing ball and used my tens machine. We then made childcare plans for our daughter.
Over the next few hours the contractions started to become irregular which was really frustrating, but allowed me to help get our daughter ready for nursery and have something to eat. After our daughter was picked up around 8am, I went for a bath and listened to music. My husband called the delivery suite at 9am and they advised me to stay home until they were no longer manageable.
I was so tired at this point as I hadn't gone to sleep until 1am and had been up since 4am, that I tried to get some sleep. The contractions had tailed off to one every 10 minutes but were strong. I was able to nap for exactly 9 minutes, then (I'm sure comically!) jump out of bed and onto the ball to contract for a minute before collapsing back into bed. I couldn't stay lying down for the contractions as they hurt too much.
Around 1pm I was really starting to struggle with the pain even though they were still every 10 minutes. I called delivery who said I could come in as I was high risk due to having a previous c section. We left at 1.30pm and as fate would have it the contractions got stronger and closer together in the car ouch!!
We arrived at the hospital at 2pm. My midwife was lovely and very supportive of a VBAC. The contractions were now two in every 10 minutes and strong. I was hooked up to the monitor as Id been warned I would be, to check on the baby. All was well and I was taken back off it and able to move around (so lovely compared to my first birth experience).
Around 3pm the midwife checked me and I was gutted to be told I was only 2cm. Actually I burst into tears. I genuinely thought oh goodness its all happening again, hours and hours of contractions for nothing, and eventually Ill end up with a repeat c section. The midwife bless her tried to calm me down; she could see how tired I was and suggested some pethidine and gas and air. I could have kissed her. Id been looking forward to the gas and air for what seemed like months lol.
She handed me the gas and air and suddenly all seemed well! Though it does not much at all for the pain, the magical whimsical land it takes you to in between contractions helps to get through them!
At 5.30pm I was given an injection of pethidine (there was a slight delay from the time I consented to it as Id been monitored for a short time again and the babys heart rate had been dropping slightly with contractions, but had now recovered so the doctor was happy for me to have the injection). Oh my goodness do I recommend pethidine! Suddenly I was able to properly fall into a deep sleep in between each contraction, waking only to breathe on the gas and air, then fall right back to sleep and gather energy for what was coming.
This little pethidine land that I was in seemed to last about and hour, but apparently it was 3 hours during which time a midwife handover had happened (I vaguely remember being introduced to Rob, my second midwife) and Id been reattached to the monitor seen as Id told my first midwife that I wanted to lie down.
Towards the end of the 3 hour land I felt the need to poo (so glamorous childbirth...) and kept thinking to myself, when the midwife comes in next Ill tell him that I need help getting to the loo. The problem was that I was so tired that as soon as the contraction was over, instead of trying to tell the midwife anything, I was falling instantly asleep again.
At 8.30pm Rob returned to the room and asked if it was okay to check me as the monitor was showing that the babys heart rate was dropping with contractions again. He got the tip of his finger in (sorry TMI) and exclaimed Woah thats the head! Do you need to push?. Oh yes, for sure I did!! Apparently not poop, but baby.
He asked where I wanted to give birth and I said I needed a birthing stool, which they didnt have, so I jumped up and scrambled to the top of the bed. My husband must have put the back of the bed up for me to lean on. All I remember from this is suddenly snapping out of the haze and thinking clearly that I did not want to give birth on my back.
Rob was telling me to push with each contraction which was a bit confusing because all of the contraction pain had disappeared. I could only feel either the urge to push, or not. I started pushing just after 8.30pm and DD2 was out by 8.55pm.
Pushing felt amazing, and Id describe it as being in two parts. There was the nice calm urge to push that I had control over, then every once in a while these almighty uncontrollable pushes which I guess were the ones that were actually getting the baby out.
I had a tiny tear that didnt need any stitches and was home the next day feeling wonderful.
Breastfeeding has gone without a hitch and DD2 is gaining huge amounts of weight each week (in comparison to the huge breastfeeding battle I had with DD1).
I feel as though all of my trauma from my first birth experience has been erased and Im a real woman again. I was so affected by it all and so uncertain that I could achieve what millions of other women have done, I cant believe I did it. Now its all over Im just euphoric and my beautiful little family is complete.
