"It was a truly wonderful time"

After a traumatic first birth I was really anxious about having a 2nd baby this month. Throughout this pregnancy I’ve been supported by the amazing MNPI service (especially Alana) and my community midwife Lesley. I felt so much more confident the closer the birth came to be able to advocate for the birth I really wanted. Alana helped me make a birth plan including notes to alert the staff on the ward the issues I had previously. Lesley listened and supported me with all my questions and the continuity of care having the same midwife was so much better than my previous experience in 2022.

I was unexpectedly scheduled for induction due to a family emergency &  also because a growth scan revealed polyhydramnios. This was scheduled on the Monday afternoon for the Tuesday night which made me a bit anxious about being able to access the midwife led unit. The Midwifes in antenatal ward were so helpful and reassuring that they would do everything to try and ensure my birth plan could happen where possible. Midwifes Amy and Kerry were especially reassuring about my plan. I received 2 doses of prostin & upon examination at around 3pm on Wednesday it was found that instead of having a 3rd dose my cervix was open enough to break my waters and my contractions had started to increase in frequency and intensity where I had to stop and breath through the contractions but I was coping well with them - after a bit of a wait to get space for 1-2-1 care in labour I was taken to the high risk MLU room for assessment, CTG and to have my waters broken where they would then consider the water birth I had planned. This was close to midnight Wednesday night.

During this CTG my waters broke naturally and it was agreed that I could have the water birth I was hoping for. My amazing midwife Kirsty with support from Kirsten kept giving me positive affirmations and reassurance that I could do this. Kirsty gave me the entinox gas to use which would end up being the only pain relief I needed even though I had never considered a fully unmedicated birth prior to this. My waters broke just after midnight and I was in the birthing pool 30 minutes later. I went through transition with my own music playlist playing, dimly lit room with peaceful coloured lights and in the warm birthing pool. The midwifes told me to trust my body & were so hands off compared to my first birth which was so healing. My baby was born perfectly healthy. We were discharged around 8 hours later taking our baby boy home to our little girl. 

This birth experience was so healing compared to my previous experience. It was a truly wonderful time thanks to all of the team mentioned above. I can’t sing their praises high enough. Thank you to everyone involved!