12th November 2019 we get the news we had been long waiting for... we were pregnant with our second child after a long wait! Everybody ecstatic and in January 2020 finding out our little bundle was a girl, the icing on the cake to our little family...one of each, how lucky! My first pregnancy went smoothly up until 38 weeks plus 5 days. Reduced movement resulted in an emergency c-section and having a general anaesthetic, I unfortunately didn’t get to experience any sort of labour this time round, but I was so relieved that my baby arrived safe and well and that was all that mattered! I did ponder on the second pregnancy and which way I would sway and I have to be honest I was very much pro C-Section until I chatted with my friend's mum about a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC). Hearing her story and her asking me why I was so set on another C-Section and literally having no reason other than convenience I sat down that night and thought right let’s give this a go!! At 39 weeks plus 2 days I woke up and thought my baby is quiet today... I wasn’t happy so I rang triage and I was told to go in to be monitored. I arrived and spent an hour on the monitor and then had to be signed off as I was classified as full term. As I was high risk due to my previous experience the consultant came in and said they wanted to either offer me a planned C-Section or induction the following day. I said I would happily do whatever was best for the baby but I was very keen on a VBAC, they examined me to see what it looked like “down there” and lucky for me my cervix was tilted the right way and open, I was 1.5cm and they gave me a sweep and I was sent home ready for the induction the following day. I went for a long walk when I returned home, as I was told movement was key for getting things started, I got rested up and returned the following day for another sweep of which I was told I was 2cm and wouldn’t need a pessary, happy days! I waited around for a bed and one became available at 6pm, I then had my waters broken and a canular inserted just in case I needed to go on a hormone drip!
I’m happy to say my contractions started shortly afterwards, and I got in the zone of pregnancy yoga and what I had learnt from my previous pregnancy. I was examined at 10pm that evening as was told I was 3cm dilated and I had done really well! I thought ok another 7 to go I’ll be here a while! A shift change meant I then got the lovely Helen whom I had met at Becoming Families baby group, I was overjoyed to see her, and her calm words and support through the next two hours of labour is something I’ll never forget. I had paracetamol and codeine and then at midnight with contractions getting more intense I decided I needed some gas and air. All of a sudden at 12.30am I had this sudden urge to push, Helen a little shocked took my underwear off, only to see I had gone from 3cm to fully dilated in 2 hours! Just wow! After three large contractions Millie Elizabeth was born at a lengthy 8lb 0z just like her big brother.
The experience was incredible and something I will never ever forget. I feel healed that I got to experience a natural labour, I am left absolutely amazed at what our bodies can do and I feel honoured to be a proud mummy of another little bundle of joy. Our family is complete and I will take huge pride in reminiscing and talking about my two births for many years to come.