Emma's birth experiences

Megan 1/12/04

Planned a home with Megan from the start created some whispers by also planning a water birth and planning to use hypnobirthing, which at the time was not well known. My surges (contractions) woke me up at around 3am, got my husband Alan to light the fire and began using my hypnobirthing relaxation techniques. called Cheryl (midwife) at about 7.30am, surges still comfortable. I birthed all day and was in the water by mid afternoon. As megan started to Crown my husband was adjusting the water in the pool using a bucket at a crucial moment he caught the bucket on the pool and burst it!! he then had to support me with on arm and plug the the hole with finger on other hand. Broke a tense moment. Megan was a textbook delivery, no tears or anything other than gas or air. Fantastic!

Madoc 23/12/05
My surges started about 11pm on the previous evening, climbed into the bath to relax. My step daughter was having a sleep over and the girls kept banging on the door- very stressful. called Cheryl about 1am. Slow birth, didn't feel comfortable with second midwife, the fact my step daughter had a room full of friends or my 1 year old was around. Cheryl suggested transfer to hospital around 11am. As ambulance arrived gave birth to Madoc, only had gas and air. Definitely recommend no extra visitors and making plans for other children!



Iestyn 10/09/07
Found out Iestyn was breech at 38 weeks. Had him turned and 39 weeks and then had niggles for a couple of days before surges became regular. Dropped kids off at nursery, went food shopping before going home. Then called husband and told him to hurry home. Immediately called Cheryl. Filled pool and climbed in began using hypnobirthing techniques in the meantime. Iestyn was born within 2 1/2 hours of calling Cheryl, another great birth felt fantastic!


Deri 23/08/09 (hospital)
I ripped my toenail off whilst moving furniture about 2 weeks prior to birth. Didn't both to go to Doctors (big mistake!!). Started to feel unwell 3 days before I had Deri whilst on holiday in Wales, began having regular surges about 1 in 10 minutes. This went on for 2 days with my temperature peaking. Went into hospital overnight where I thought I was going to have antibiotics. released the following day no treatment still having regular surges. That evening fever became worse and a friend who is a midwife suggested I went into hospital for pethidine to stop contractions and give my body a rest. On arrival into hospital the doctor did a sweep and the surges started to get closer together. Doctors refused to let me off monitor and wouldn't let me eat or drink, I therfore went on a drip because of being dehydrated. My waters broke about an hour later. Because of the monitoring and drip I was unable to get off bed it was extremely difficult to get up or change positions because of the way they had set the monitor up. Doctor kept trying to persuade me to have an epidural incase I needed a C-section. About 3 and 1/2 hours in they demanded I have an internal examination to see if my waters had broken, an argument ensued because they knew they had, after arguing with 2 midwives and the doctor I gave up and let them do the internal. I now understand they stretched my cervix because at last exam only about 20 mins before I was 6cm. Immediately after an extremely painful internal the midwife immediately said I would feel like pushing! Deri was born with 4 1/2 hours of arriving at hospital. Wasn't allowed natural 3rd stage, to hold the baby immediately after the birth despite him crying immediately and being fine, or my husband allowed to cut the cord. Felt cheated, angry and disappointed for choices being taken away form me without satisfactory reasons. I am so glad I had 3 good home-birth to compared with this experience. Fight continued to be released from hospital 2 days later before stating we were leaving anyway!!! Definitely back to my old-self. Became ill two days later when blood test revealed I had a strep A infection from my toe!! Moral- go easy on the nesting and definitely put myself first sometimes!!