I was 11 days overdue and went for my second sweep. Unlike the first one I had at 41 weeks it did not hurt, cause cramping or bleeding. I felt for sure it would do nothing and I would be induced in 2 days time.
Had the sweep at 9am and midwife said baby had turned slightly to my back which is why I hadn't gone in to labour. She advised me to go home and lean over my birthing ball and sway to get baby in a better position. So I did that, and spent the afternoon running around in the park with my toddler, feeling fine.
Went to bed that night and woke at midnight to a contraction. I lay in bed for half an hour and timed them at every 6-7 minutes, lasting a minute. I had to breathe through them right from the start, they were painful. After half an hour I was convinced they were real, so I got up and phoned my mum to come over. By the time she arrived I had to phone the hospital, contractions were one after the other. They advised to stay at home for a while. 20 minutes later we were phoning again as I couldn't cope at home any more. So off we went.
We arrived at 2.45 and sat in the waiting room for 25 minutes whilst they got a room ready, they were really busy and clearly believed I must only be in early labour. Contractions were coming thick and fast and I was using the tens machine on boost the whole time, it really helped. Finally got in to a delivery room via wheelchair as I couldn't have walked, and the midwife started filling the pool. By the time she examined me I was fully dilated, no time to use the pool and was feeling the urge to push. Only felt like around 3 times my body pushed, waters broke at the last second and our little girl was born at 3.51, me lying on my side on the bed. She was born face up and I was lucky to get away with no stitches! So under four hours from first contraction to birth. Intense but brilliant to be so straightforward. Got some gas and air about 20 minutes from the end but that was it, apart from tens machine and a couple of paracetamol!
Good luck to everyone waiting. I was anxious about giving birth again even though my first labour was manageable, but second time was 'easier' if that's a word you can use in relation to labour, and I found the hypnobirthing breathing a great help.
Had the sweep at 9am and midwife said baby had turned slightly to my back which is why I hadn't gone in to labour. She advised me to go home and lean over my birthing ball and sway to get baby in a better position. So I did that, and spent the afternoon running around in the park with my toddler, feeling fine.
Went to bed that night and woke at midnight to a contraction. I lay in bed for half an hour and timed them at every 6-7 minutes, lasting a minute. I had to breathe through them right from the start, they were painful. After half an hour I was convinced they were real, so I got up and phoned my mum to come over. By the time she arrived I had to phone the hospital, contractions were one after the other. They advised to stay at home for a while. 20 minutes later we were phoning again as I couldn't cope at home any more. So off we went.
We arrived at 2.45 and sat in the waiting room for 25 minutes whilst they got a room ready, they were really busy and clearly believed I must only be in early labour. Contractions were coming thick and fast and I was using the tens machine on boost the whole time, it really helped. Finally got in to a delivery room via wheelchair as I couldn't have walked, and the midwife started filling the pool. By the time she examined me I was fully dilated, no time to use the pool and was feeling the urge to push. Only felt like around 3 times my body pushed, waters broke at the last second and our little girl was born at 3.51, me lying on my side on the bed. She was born face up and I was lucky to get away with no stitches! So under four hours from first contraction to birth. Intense but brilliant to be so straightforward. Got some gas and air about 20 minutes from the end but that was it, apart from tens machine and a couple of paracetamol!
Good luck to everyone waiting. I was anxious about giving birth again even though my first labour was manageable, but second time was 'easier' if that's a word you can use in relation to labour, and I found the hypnobirthing breathing a great help.
Sounds like a great experience! 
