Sam's Birth Stories...

I've had three wonderful births...

I feel very lucky as I have had three wonderful births – all of which have been very different, but which without water would have been quite different.  My daughter Ella was born in May 1999 and I knew nothing about birth but the use of water appealed to me after having done a bit of reading.  I hired a pool and waited for her to come.  She was nearly 2 weeks late and after labouring for about 15 hours with a TENS machine and using yoga as pain relief I finally got into the pool.  I stayed in the pool for 7 hours without getting out, except for during transition when I genuinely believed I wasn’t in labour anymore and that everyone could go home!  The following 2^nd  stage lasted around 3 hours and had I been in hospital I’m quite sure it would have been an assisted birth with either ventouse or forceps.  However, Ella was simply taking her time and as she progressed down the birth canal she gently made her way into the world without causing any tears, which the water greatly helped with. 

My second birth in February 2002 was incredibly quick.   I had bought the birthing pool franchise but due to limited space decided against setting a pool up beforehand, seeing as my last labour was 24 hours long.  Little did I know!  As Ella had been so late I refused to believe I was in labour for quite a while until my friend insisted in calling the midwife.  We proceeded to fill a pool but Theo was born an hour later after a two hour labour with a pool still filling downstairs.  I found the use of a birthing ball invaluable and the presence of my friend very calming, but missed the use of water.  After the birth I used the pool to establish breastfeeding as the warm water and the buoyancy it provides is ideal for both mum and baby during this special time.

Last October, with the due date of number 3 coming quickly I set up a pool with the heater and filter and had my own  hot tub – in which I spent my evenings reading or watching television. During a film in the tub one evening I realised that the pre-labour pains I’d been having for a week or so hurt a bit more.  I got out of the pool and decided to try to get some sleep – which I immediately realised would be impossible as the contractions were strong enough for a bit of moaning.  I spent the following night pacing and waiting for the quick labour I was expecting to come.  It didn’t and after 5 hours of really irregular contractions I called my friend who was to be my midwife.  We decided to wait until the contractions to become more regular until she would come but they never did and so about 4 hours later she came to see me.  I discovered that I was 5cms dilated but that the little one had decided to spin round into an OP position – with the head facing the wrong way and flexed back.  I knew that this would mean a more painful labour and that I would need to dilate more to be able to deliver. I decided to get into the pool and what bliss!  I waited in vain for my waters to break so that the contractions would come more often but they never did.  Owen was born after a ten hour labour still in his waters – which broke as he came out – completely the wrong way round.  However, he was tiny so it didn’t matter and for the third time no tearing!  This time I had quite a painful 3^rd stage and the pool was invaluable during this time.  After this I had a quick bath and soup with my midwives thinking that a fourth labour wouldn’t be too bad! 

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