My Induction Story

Jasper’s Birth Story

Jasper is my second baby and as my first, Penelope, was 2 weeks earlier than my due date I really thought he would be early too, but no. My due date came and went. The midwives gave me a date to be induced, 12 days overdue. I didn’t want to be induced as I wanted a natural birth at home and if you take an induction, you then have to stay in hospital. I was a little upset but I was also desperate to have my baby so I thought about the pros and cons and decided to take the induction, it still felt like more choice.

The day before I was due to go into hospital, I had spent the day in the local pub garden having lunch with my mum and daughter and playing. We had just arrived home when the midwife called and said they had four people to induce tomorrow and I was one of them but they didn’t think they would get everyone done in one day. She asked if I wanted to go in tomorrow and run the risk of not being induced, or to go in immediately. So myself and my partner, Andy, decided to go in. We had dinner and my mum took care of my little girl and off we went with the hospital bag.

We arrived at Macclesfield Hospital about 5:30pm. The midwife monitored mine and baby’s heart rate and did a few other checks over the next hour. I felt quite relaxed and enjoyed reading a magazine, while my partner did some revision as he had an exam at 10am the next morning so he was very keen for baby to arrive.

At 6:30 the midwife came in to break my waters. I was a little nervous as I had heard that this can hurt or at least be very uncomfortable, but it was all very quick and not as bad as I expected. I felt a massive relief at this point when my waters went as it really took the pressure out of my tummy.  The midwife told us to go for a walk around the hospital and come back in an hour.

Well I felt fine and nothing was happening so we decided to walk to Sainsbury’s. In West Park, I had a few twinges, and by the time we were in Sainsbury’s I was sure they were contractions. We quickly turned round and walked slowly back to the hospital. By the time we got back to the hospital, about 7:30pm, I was clearly having regular contractions about five minutes apart lasting for about a minute and a half. I used the wall in the corridor to lean against as I breathed thought the surge. We got back to the maternity bed and asked the midwife to check me. I don’t think she really thought I was dilated, as it had only been an hour, but I was 5cm to her surprise.

We moved to the delivery room as one was free with a birthing pool in it and I loved the idea of having baby in the water. The pool took 45 minutes to fill. I felt more relaxed once in the delivery room as it is private and the ward was getting busy. By the time the pool was ready I didn’t want to get in to it. I was happy standing, leaning on the bed and worktop.  At 9pm a different midwife came on duty who quickly got up to speed. She could see that I wanted to push. With each contraction I really wanted to push down. I asked her how dilated I was and she checked and was surprised to see I was fully dilated.

The surges got stronger and lasted longer. I used gas and air and a tens machine with each one which I liked as I was in control of the amount of each I had. My partner was really helpful in giving me water when I needed it as the gas and air made me thirsty. The midwife was happy that I was doing ok as Andy and her spent a lot of time talking about which school her son goes to and where we all live.

I got to a point where I really didn’t want to do it anymore. I was hot and tired and had had enough, but know that only I could get baby out so decided that I would really put all my energy in to five more pushes and then have a rest. As I was standing throughout the whole labour my legs were getting tired, so I lent in to the work top in the delivery room. With each contraction I took a deep breath of gas and air and with the exhale I visualised the breath going downwards, my body just pushed without me actively pushing. I used my pregnancy yoga training to visualise I was opening and my baby was moving downwards. Between contractions I relaxed through my body so I was saving energy.  I didn’t talk, I just rocked and swayed.

Within a few contractions the midwife and Andy could see the top of babies head. I reached down and felt the head and this really encouraged me to keep going and meet my baby. The midwife talked me through each contraction and told me when to bear down or not as she helped to ease the head out. The baby’s head was born and Andy said baby was looking around. It was another few minutes before a contraction came to deliver his body. I was still standing, the midwife crouched down to catch him.

Baby Jasper was given a good rub by the midwife to get him going as he was in a little shock. I moved onto the bed and lay down and he was quickly lay on my chest. He was born at 10:12pm and weighed 9lb 6ozs.

I had always had an idea of having a natural homebirth. As I never liked or felt relaxed in the hospital but as it turned out I did relax and I really don’t think it matters where you are as long as you are relaxed in your mind, achieved by the yoga and birth preparation I had practised while I was pregnant.

We stayed just one night in the hospital, and Andy made it to his exam the next morning.