AEVERYONE loves birth stories, and midwives are particularly good at telling them! So I'll share a couple of the births I have had the privilege to attend as a midwife. All the names have been changed, to protect confidentiality. Story telling is an important part of pregnancy. How many of us have been told about friends and family's experiences during their births ? Positive stories are important to hear when pregnant. The four stories below illustrate how wonderful birth is.
A Mother's story
This birth was my second. A HBAC, which is quite something for me as I’m a type 1 diabetic. It’s not the normal route, however for our family it was safest.
My eldest, Ella, was born 2.5 years earlier in Switzerland and her birth was everything I had been told I should expect being “high risk”. It was everything I feared most, a failed induction resulting in a c-section.
Being in the UK for this pregnancy offered the possibility of an independent midwife. The stress of my previous pregnancy led me to have very low expectations. I optimistically made an appointment with Janie, but half expected to be told that she couldn’t work with me. Thank goodness I was wrong
Following the most evidence led care I have ever experienced, my pregnancy progressed beautifully. I looked forward to every visit and loved how much Ella was involved in everything. I was relaxed and happy, although a little nervous that I wouldn’t go into labour on my own because of my previous 43 week non starter.
Unlike my first pregnancy where I never felt ready to give birth, I was ready for this pregnancy to be over from about 38 weeks. My hips were sore and my body ached.
At about 2.30 on a Sunday morning in May, I woke up. This was not uncommon. I’d been waking frequently in the night with hip pain for the last few months. As had become my normal routine, I got out of bed to do a few stretches and walk about a bit to ease the aching, whilst pottering about I noticed I was having Braxton Hicks, again nothing out of the ordinary as I’d had regular Braxton Hicks for the last half of my pregnancy. I couldn’t feel them, but I could see my tummy muscles working.
The hip pain disappeared whist I was sitting or standing, but returned every time I lay down. At 4.30 in the morning, whist contemplating how much fun it would be to look after a toddler on minimal sleep, I decided to download an app to time my Braxton hicks. To my surprise, after three contractions the app told me to go to hospital! I saw this as a sign to wake my husband, Mark, and tell him that I may be in labour, but probably not as I wasn’t in any discomfort, however I was now bored of being downstairs on my own with achy hips and could he join me?
30 mins later I started having period style cramps with the contractions and Mark told me to text Janie to tell her that I may or may not be in labour. I wasn’t convinced I was as I was only just over 40 weeks and really not experiencing anything I would even call uncomfortable.
For another hour things remained the same, Ella woke at 5 and refused to go back to sleep. Sometime around 5.30 things began to pick up pace and I started using hypnobirthing through contractions. I told Mark that I thought I might want to go in the pool, so he rushed around trying to fit hoses to taps whist making Ella breakfast. Just as I hopped in the pool, Janie arrived. I announced that I still wasn’t sure if this was “it” and was told not to worry as she was due to come over for an appointment at 10 anyway, so this could just turn into that if things petered off.
I was really concentrating through contractions by now and was trying very hard to stay in my zone. At no point did I feel that the contractions were un manageable. Intense is the word that best describes what I felt. Time went past in blobs from here. My waters broke in the pool, I felt the urge to push, nothing felt like it was happening, so I got out of the pool, walked around a bit, pushed a bit more, lost confidence that this baby was ever coming out, was reassured it was and then got back in the pool. I was still pretty relaxed, pushing contractions were far more spread out so I even fell asleep between a few, then at some time after 9, during a big push the babies head was born! Ella was sat on Marks lap just next to the pool and Janie was near me. The second midwife, Amanda, had just arrived. I waited and waited for another contraction, but it just didn’t seem to come, so Janie told me to push anyway and out he slipped. I reached down and picked him out of the water. Jake was born at 9.30. He was perfect.
Ben & Olivia welcome baby James
I'd looked after Olivia when she had her first baby two years earlier, but hadn't been lucky enough to be at her home birth. I'd done all her antenatal care and then did all the postnatal visits as well, but felt something was missing. This time things were going to be different! After her first baby Andrew was born Olivia spent a long time getting breast feeding established, and when she got pregnant, 2 years later, was still feeding him. She continued to breast feed throughout the pregnancy. Whilst I was an NHS midwife at this birth (and had a student midwife in tow!!) the care that Olivia received was what I consider ideal care - we built up a trusting relationship during her pregnancy.
Finally the big day arrived, well in a funny sort of way. At 0900 Olivia phoned me to say she thought 'things might be happening'. I asked her if she wanted me to go over, but she said she was fine. My midwife antenna was twitching though, so I collected my student, Liz., and headed round to Olivia and Ben's house. Nan & Grandad had just collected Andrew. I crept upstairs, all was quiet and went into the back bedroom. Olivia was on her hands and knees, on a mattress on the floor gently swaying from side to side, eyes closed, concentrating on her contractions. I said nothing, just sat down. She opened one eye, smiled and said 'Thank goodness you're here'. I waited patiently till the contraction had finished then quickly checked Olivia over. The baby was head first, the heart rate strong and healthy. Her blood pressure was quickly checked, pulse documented and then I started to fill in the huge amount of paperwork the NHS insists we complete. One eye on my paperwork and one eye on Olivia, who continued breathing through her contractions I scribbled away furiously. Ben handed a video camera to Liz and asked her to film the birth. I'd already checked with Olivia and Ben that it would be alright to bring my student midwife with me. At this stage Olivia turned and said 'It won't be long now'. With that I rang the second midwife and asked her to attend (as per Trust policy). I put the notes down and turned to Olivia. She turned and smiled and then said the baby's coming.
I listened in to the baby's heart beat again, beautiful and strong and saw the signs that the birth wasn't far off. The signs that for thousands of years other midwives have watched for, but sadly are often missed nowadays due to the lying on the back (stranded turtle) position that many women are forced to adopt for the birth. Slowly baby began to emerge, Olivia had asked if she could catch him.
Women asking permission to do something to their own body is a strange concept, but something we hear all the time in maternity circles. Words such as 'The doctor will let me try and have a normal birth', 'the midwife said I wasn't allowed a home birth'- these are all phrases that make me very uncomfortable.
Luckily we'd talked through what Olivia wanted be to do, so I just kept my hands poised. As the head was born the second midwife arrived, and with a 'shush' and an indication to sit on the floor she joined the hushed room. Slowly baby emerged, blinking into the sunny bedroom. Olivia had her hands down to help him, with me acting as a back-stop. Ben was worried the baby would fall on the floor. Olivia just smiled and caught her new baby as he slitherd into her arms. A boy. Welcome baby James. She held him in her arms and sniffed his hair. I passed her a towel, and she covered herself and James. As she held him close to her heart, he opened his eyes and started to look for the breast. Within 5 minutes of birth he was sucking away happily.
Olivia had requested a physiological 3rd stage of labour, so it was a case of sitting and waiting. 20 minutes later and the placenta arrived. After a quick check, no stitches needed, a bath was run and Mum and baby James bathed together. It was 1011. We'd been at their home for just 45 minutes.
There was then a massive crash downstairs and the sound of small footsteps thundering up the stairs as Andrew arrived home. Nan and Grandad stayed downstairs and put the kettle on. Andrew stripped off and jumped in the bath with Mum and new brother. Liz and I tidied round the bedroom and went downstairs to a welcome cup of coffee and several digestive biscuits.
This is how birth can be, safe at home, surrounded by love and security.
Marnie and Neil welcome baby Ella
It was a warm summer's evening when I received the call off Marnie to say that baby Ella was on her way. This was Marnie and Neil's first baby and after Neil had experienced a prolonged hospital stay they had decided the birth of their first child should be in the warmth and safety of their own home. When I arrived Neil put the kettle on, and I sat on the newly mown grass next to Marnie chatting about the events of the day. She was relaxed and smiled, cradling her full belly and swayed in the sunlight. Their rather energetic collie danced around, repeatedly fetching the ball I threw for him. I listened in to the baby's heartbeat, and watched as Marnie breathed her way through the contractions. Neil took the dog off for a walk, hoping to wear him out - anyone who knows what collies are like will realise this was a futile exercise! The contractions started to come faster, last longer and become stronger. Marnie retreated to the bathroom, for a soak in the tub. I sat next to her on a deckchair in the bathroom. At this time I remember Marnie talking about the upcoming OFSTED inspection to her school, and how glad she was to be missing it. We laughed about the drastic measures people took to get out of examinations and inspections. Quickly Marnie started to focus on her contractions and feel a lot of pressure, she could feel the baby moving down. I called for the second midwife to come; the birth area was prepared. By now Marnie was reporting a lot of pressure and needing to push. I told her to listen to her body. Marnie wanted to give birth in her bedroom, so she got out of the bath and wrapped herself in a big soft towel that had been warming on the radiator. After a quick stop in the toilet (very important to look after your bladder in labour if you want to avoid little accidents in later life) she went into the bedroom and knelt by the bed. At this moment Neil returned home, and came to see what was happening. Lucky he did. At this moment Marnie turned to look at me and told me the head was there! We looked. And there was a full head of hair. 'Stop pushing Marnie' I pleaded as I turned to get my gloves on, 'I'm not pushing' she hissed back at me. Marnie and Neil had already said that they wanted Neil to be involved as much as he could at the birth. So I guided his hands onto his soon to be born newborn child's head and slowly baby inched her way out into his hands. A girl. A beautiful, pink, chubby girl. Marnie turned round from her kneeling position and sat down cradling her daughter in her arms. The 3 of us looked at each other, and burst out laughing. Where had that baby come from? She'd flown out into the world with no shouting, no cheer-leading, no stress at all. Born into love and laughter. At that moment the doorbell rang - my colleague had arrived.
A Mother's story
This birth was my second. A HBAC, which is quite something for me as I’m a type 1 diabetic. It’s not the normal route, however for our family it was safest.
My eldest, Ella, was born 2.5 years earlier in Switzerland and her birth was everything I had been told I should expect being “high risk”. It was everything I feared most, a failed induction resulting in a c-section.
Being in the UK for this pregnancy offered the possibility of an independent midwife. The stress of my previous pregnancy led me to have very low expectations. I optimistically made an appointment with Janie, but half expected to be told that she couldn’t work with me. Thank goodness I was wrong
Following the most evidence led care I have ever experienced, my pregnancy progressed beautifully. I looked forward to every visit and loved how much Ella was involved in everything. I was relaxed and happy, although a little nervous that I wouldn’t go into labour on my own because of my previous 43 week non starter.
Unlike my first pregnancy where I never felt ready to give birth, I was ready for this pregnancy to be over from about 38 weeks. My hips were sore and my body ached.
At about 2.30 on a Sunday morning in May, I woke up. This was not uncommon. I’d been waking frequently in the night with hip pain for the last few months. As had become my normal routine, I got out of bed to do a few stretches and walk about a bit to ease the aching, whilst pottering about I noticed I was having Braxton Hicks, again nothing out of the ordinary as I’d had regular Braxton Hicks for the last half of my pregnancy. I couldn’t feel them, but I could see my tummy muscles working.
The hip pain disappeared whist I was sitting or standing, but returned every time I lay down. At 4.30 in the morning, whist contemplating how much fun it would be to look after a toddler on minimal sleep, I decided to download an app to time my Braxton hicks. To my surprise, after three contractions the app told me to go to hospital! I saw this as a sign to wake my husband, Mark, and tell him that I may be in labour, but probably not as I wasn’t in any discomfort, however I was now bored of being downstairs on my own with achy hips and could he join me?
30 mins later I started having period style cramps with the contractions and Mark told me to text Janie to tell her that I may or may not be in labour. I wasn’t convinced I was as I was only just over 40 weeks and really not experiencing anything I would even call uncomfortable.
For another hour things remained the same, Ella woke at 5 and refused to go back to sleep. Sometime around 5.30 things began to pick up pace and I started using hypnobirthing through contractions. I told Mark that I thought I might want to go in the pool, so he rushed around trying to fit hoses to taps whist making Ella breakfast. Just as I hopped in the pool, Janie arrived. I announced that I still wasn’t sure if this was “it” and was told not to worry as she was due to come over for an appointment at 10 anyway, so this could just turn into that if things petered off.
I was really concentrating through contractions by now and was trying very hard to stay in my zone. At no point did I feel that the contractions were un manageable. Intense is the word that best describes what I felt. Time went past in blobs from here. My waters broke in the pool, I felt the urge to push, nothing felt like it was happening, so I got out of the pool, walked around a bit, pushed a bit more, lost confidence that this baby was ever coming out, was reassured it was and then got back in the pool. I was still pretty relaxed, pushing contractions were far more spread out so I even fell asleep between a few, then at some time after 9, during a big push the babies head was born! Ella was sat on Marks lap just next to the pool and Janie was near me. The second midwife, Amanda, had just arrived. I waited and waited for another contraction, but it just didn’t seem to come, so Janie told me to push anyway and out he slipped. I reached down and picked him out of the water. Jake was born at 9.30. He was perfect.
Ben & Olivia welcome baby James
I'd looked after Olivia when she had her first baby two years earlier, but hadn't been lucky enough to be at her home birth. I'd done all her antenatal care and then did all the postnatal visits as well, but felt something was missing. This time things were going to be different! After her first baby Andrew was born Olivia spent a long time getting breast feeding established, and when she got pregnant, 2 years later, was still feeding him. She continued to breast feed throughout the pregnancy. Whilst I was an NHS midwife at this birth (and had a student midwife in tow!!) the care that Olivia received was what I consider ideal care - we built up a trusting relationship during her pregnancy.
Finally the big day arrived, well in a funny sort of way. At 0900 Olivia phoned me to say she thought 'things might be happening'. I asked her if she wanted me to go over, but she said she was fine. My midwife antenna was twitching though, so I collected my student, Liz., and headed round to Olivia and Ben's house. Nan & Grandad had just collected Andrew. I crept upstairs, all was quiet and went into the back bedroom. Olivia was on her hands and knees, on a mattress on the floor gently swaying from side to side, eyes closed, concentrating on her contractions. I said nothing, just sat down. She opened one eye, smiled and said 'Thank goodness you're here'. I waited patiently till the contraction had finished then quickly checked Olivia over. The baby was head first, the heart rate strong and healthy. Her blood pressure was quickly checked, pulse documented and then I started to fill in the huge amount of paperwork the NHS insists we complete. One eye on my paperwork and one eye on Olivia, who continued breathing through her contractions I scribbled away furiously. Ben handed a video camera to Liz and asked her to film the birth. I'd already checked with Olivia and Ben that it would be alright to bring my student midwife with me. At this stage Olivia turned and said 'It won't be long now'. With that I rang the second midwife and asked her to attend (as per Trust policy). I put the notes down and turned to Olivia. She turned and smiled and then said the baby's coming.
I listened in to the baby's heart beat again, beautiful and strong and saw the signs that the birth wasn't far off. The signs that for thousands of years other midwives have watched for, but sadly are often missed nowadays due to the lying on the back (stranded turtle) position that many women are forced to adopt for the birth. Slowly baby began to emerge, Olivia had asked if she could catch him.
Women asking permission to do something to their own body is a strange concept, but something we hear all the time in maternity circles. Words such as 'The doctor will let me try and have a normal birth', 'the midwife said I wasn't allowed a home birth'- these are all phrases that make me very uncomfortable.
Luckily we'd talked through what Olivia wanted be to do, so I just kept my hands poised. As the head was born the second midwife arrived, and with a 'shush' and an indication to sit on the floor she joined the hushed room. Slowly baby emerged, blinking into the sunny bedroom. Olivia had her hands down to help him, with me acting as a back-stop. Ben was worried the baby would fall on the floor. Olivia just smiled and caught her new baby as he slitherd into her arms. A boy. Welcome baby James. She held him in her arms and sniffed his hair. I passed her a towel, and she covered herself and James. As she held him close to her heart, he opened his eyes and started to look for the breast. Within 5 minutes of birth he was sucking away happily.
Olivia had requested a physiological 3rd stage of labour, so it was a case of sitting and waiting. 20 minutes later and the placenta arrived. After a quick check, no stitches needed, a bath was run and Mum and baby James bathed together. It was 1011. We'd been at their home for just 45 minutes.
There was then a massive crash downstairs and the sound of small footsteps thundering up the stairs as Andrew arrived home. Nan and Grandad stayed downstairs and put the kettle on. Andrew stripped off and jumped in the bath with Mum and new brother. Liz and I tidied round the bedroom and went downstairs to a welcome cup of coffee and several digestive biscuits.
This is how birth can be, safe at home, surrounded by love and security.
Marnie and Neil welcome baby Ella
It was a warm summer's evening when I received the call off Marnie to say that baby Ella was on her way. This was Marnie and Neil's first baby and after Neil had experienced a prolonged hospital stay they had decided the birth of their first child should be in the warmth and safety of their own home. When I arrived Neil put the kettle on, and I sat on the newly mown grass next to Marnie chatting about the events of the day. She was relaxed and smiled, cradling her full belly and swayed in the sunlight. Their rather energetic collie danced around, repeatedly fetching the ball I threw for him. I listened in to the baby's heartbeat, and watched as Marnie breathed her way through the contractions. Neil took the dog off for a walk, hoping to wear him out - anyone who knows what collies are like will realise this was a futile exercise! The contractions started to come faster, last longer and become stronger. Marnie retreated to the bathroom, for a soak in the tub. I sat next to her on a deckchair in the bathroom. At this time I remember Marnie talking about the upcoming OFSTED inspection to her school, and how glad she was to be missing it. We laughed about the drastic measures people took to get out of examinations and inspections. Quickly Marnie started to focus on her contractions and feel a lot of pressure, she could feel the baby moving down. I called for the second midwife to come; the birth area was prepared. By now Marnie was reporting a lot of pressure and needing to push. I told her to listen to her body. Marnie wanted to give birth in her bedroom, so she got out of the bath and wrapped herself in a big soft towel that had been warming on the radiator. After a quick stop in the toilet (very important to look after your bladder in labour if you want to avoid little accidents in later life) she went into the bedroom and knelt by the bed. At this moment Neil returned home, and came to see what was happening. Lucky he did. At this moment Marnie turned to look at me and told me the head was there! We looked. And there was a full head of hair. 'Stop pushing Marnie' I pleaded as I turned to get my gloves on, 'I'm not pushing' she hissed back at me. Marnie and Neil had already said that they wanted Neil to be involved as much as he could at the birth. So I guided his hands onto his soon to be born newborn child's head and slowly baby inched her way out into his hands. A girl. A beautiful, pink, chubby girl. Marnie turned round from her kneeling position and sat down cradling her daughter in her arms. The 3 of us looked at each other, and burst out laughing. Where had that baby come from? She'd flown out into the world with no shouting, no cheer-leading, no stress at all. Born into love and laughter. At that moment the doorbell rang - my colleague had arrived.