Claire, Sam and Lydia's birth story

Claire and Sam did a full group Hypnobirthing course to prepare for the birth of their first baby. She chose to be induced at Preston hospital due to pre-eclampsia.

birth stories

I had a normal midwife appointment on Thursday. My blood pressure was high and there was protein in my urine so they sent me in for monitoring at about 4pm. I was 38+3 and was actually already feeling some tightenings across my bump.

Whilst being monitored my blood pressure wasn’t dropping, even with medication. I had no other pre-eclampsia symptoms but they said giving birth would solve the issue and so I agreed to being induced.

After a Covid test I had the gel put in at around midnight and was then able to go and see Sam at the doors outside to collect my bag. When I was examined for the gel to be put in my cervix was already completely effaced and I was having strong surges within 2 hours. The midwife read through my birth plan with me, including all the Hypnobirthing elements and after getting about an hour’s sleep, at about 2:30am, I was in the bath with my own music on and candelight. The midwife was encouraging me to relax my shoulders and it was so lovely and calm and I was using my breathing.

I progressed from 3 surges in 10 minutes to 4 surges in 10 minutes pretty quickly and so was taken up to the delivery suite where there was still really relaxed music and lighting. I was about 5-6cm at that point but was 8-9cm within just half an hour! When I got to the delivery room I was on the bed on my back that had paddles to push my feet against. I felt lots of pressure to push and my waters went in a gush, it felt like I’d wet myself! Sam arrived with me at about 4:30am just after my waters had broken.

Her heart rate started dropping and not recovering so I had an episiotomy and the suction cup to help her out. I’d had a canula put in and Sam heard the request for theatre to be put on standby as well as one of the doctors say they couldn’t believe I was still going, but after a few final pushes where it was just total pressure and no pain, she was born at 5:31am. 

Sam was 100% amazing, he was only able to join me when I got transferred to delivery suite so I was labouring by myself for a while but the midwife was amazing, she knew I was doing Hypnobirthing and had my music going and she just brought my focus back any time I started to lose it. I managed the whole thing with just gas and air! I think I only lost it 2 or 3 times and Sam and the midwives got me calmed down quickly. I was in every position I didn’t want to be in but my goal was to do it with gas and air and water and I did it! 

 

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