My pregnancy with Eloise was very easy. As it was my first pregnancy I didn’t know what to expect and how my body would cope, although being a Midwife beforehand gave me a very good idea of what I had to look forward to. There was one downside i remember… This was having extreme nausea and severe heartburn. Heartburn so bad I used to go to bed with a liquid Gaviscon bottle! Nonetheless, i was so amazed seeing my body transforming for my ‘Precious Delivery’. 

By my 37th week I had started drinking raspberry leaf tea (as at this point i was ready for my pregnancy to be over. The lack of being able to sleep comfortably at night and the constant urge to pee- was enough to encourage me to do whatever it took to get baby out. I really wasn’t keen on potentially having to remain pregnant for another 4-5 weeks and then having an induction of labour. 

On the 16th July, I got out of bed and stood up- a gush! A load of water filled the floor around me. So I knew instantly my waters had gone. As I was already a Midwife, I knew that the plan would be to wait 24 hours to see if labour started on its own. I called another Midwife and was advised to go in just so they could check baby’s heartbeat and make sure everything was ok. After going to the hospital and getting the all clear I spent the day anxiously waiting for my contractions to start. Unfortunately I did not get any contractions.

A picture of my bump on 16.07.2012

17th July- I went to hospital to have my scheduled induction (that I had been trying so hard to avoid). When I was examined by the consultant i was already 2cms dilated so they put me on the hormone drip (syntocinon). I opted to have an Epidural prior to commencing syntocinon as I had seen many people struggle to cope with the contractions once Syntocinon had started so i thought it would be best that I was comfortable right from the beginning.

Fast forward 4 hours of Syntocinon (4pm) and an examination was due. I was 4cms. Very excited as I knew I was now officially in labour. I sent my mum and my partner home as I knew from experience that this could take at least another 12 hours. So I told them to go and get some rest. My friend went on break for an hour. When she got back I mentioned that I was feeling something weird ‘down below’. I can only describe it as  being scratched internally (it wasn’t painful-perhaps due to the epidural but was just uncomfortable every time that sensation occurred). She gave me another top up to see if that would stop that sensation.

At 6pm I asked my friend to examine me as that weird sensation was getting more and more noticeable. An examination wasn’t due but we agreed that due to me being uncomfortable we would see if I had dilated anymore. FULLY DILATED she said! I actually began crying because I was in shock that it had happened so quickly. Then I went into blind panic that I’d sent my birthing partners home and now they wouldn’t get back in time. Luckily they were on the way back when I called!

So as I was a first time mum I had an hour passive second stage (time to let the baby’s head come down). I used this time to get some sleep. At 7pm I started pushing but did not feel that I was getting anywhere. At 7:45pm I got tired but also baby was getting tired and started to have decelerations (dips in heartbeat) so the doctors did a Kiwi delivery (suction cap on baby’s head).

Eloise was born at 19:58. I had an active third stage of labour as i wanted the whole process to be over as quick as possible.

All in all i was very happy with my labour experience. Initially i did have a birthing plan that was very in detail but ultimately i decided to go with the flow. I think by doing this it allowed for me to still feel in control of my own labour. I feel lucky to have laboured for only 4 hours as a first time mum. It just goes to show how incredible our bodies are!

I will post my second labour experience soon (it was a completely different experience).

If you’d like to share your birth story please email us a photo and your experience and we will post it- It’s always lovely to share labour stories!

Eloise a few minutes old.

(the white you see on her is Vernix. This will be explained in another blog post. Keep tuned…)

Moral of the story: Although we plan for labour sometimes not everything goes to plan so perhaps consider being flexible with creating your own birthing plans. 

Want to share your birth story?

 If you’d like to share your birth story please email us a photo and your experience and we will post it- It’s always lovely to share labour stories!