I really softened and surrendered to the pregnancy,
We completed the She Births Full online course again, as it gave us such a healing, incredible experience with our second daughter in 2020. My husband and I watched the modules together and created a very explicit birth plan.
I knew with a history of cholestasis that an INDUCTION could be on the cards, but I was extremely firm about being able to move around at all times and to move as slowly as possible through all the augmentation options if needed. We discussed this with our obstetrician early, stressing that I would absolutely not be on my back, have vaginal examinations, labour in bright light or be put straight on a syntocin drip.
I really softened and surrendered to the pregnancy, and did the NEW VIDEOS Optimal Positioning yoga sequence frequently – even when I was on the hospital room floor!
I had a bath every night with a candle and my birth music, just connecting to the baby and practising relaxing to those songs. I went to sleep to Nadine’s VISUALISATIONS every night and did perineal massage.
I made a big cheat sheet for my husband with how I wanted to be supported during birth, focusing on the transition period. All the positive BIRTH STORIES fascinated me until there was no podcast I hadn’t heard or a book I hadn’t read. The Rhea Dempsey episode of the She Births podcast really resonated in those final weeks; it really stuck. I was SO excited for birth! My daughters and I loved watching birth videos and discussing what would happen.
My bile acids started rising at 37 weeks due to cholestasis, but my OB was happy to check my levels, and we pushed until 39 weeks in the end. While disappointed, I consented to an induction at this point, knowing the risks of cholestasis.
My husband tested positive for COVID two days before I went in, so my beautiful mum got the partner CHEAT SHEET. I was devastated, but it was such a beautiful experience with her.
Cervedil was applied at 7 am on Monday, and with lots of walks up and down the fire escape, She Births YOGA and visualisations, which developed into early labour that afternoon and night. An hour after contractions were noticeable enough to apply the TENS machine, I had a small haemorrhage and the baby was monitored, Cervedil removed, and contractions stopped.
My waters were broken the next morning to no effect. The care team left it entirely up to me if I wanted to start the drip and there was no pressure to do anything but relax and labour.
I was exhausted by the Tuesday afternoon and elected for the drip on a very low dose, on the condition that I would not lay down for the benefit of the ctg and would be moving around. The drip kicked off big productive contractions with total rests in between.
I used MOVEMENT and loved leaning over a chair on all fours during contractions with hip counter pressure from my mum. The TENS was fantastic but was outpaced by the power of these contractions fairly quickly!
We called my birth photographer and the beautiful midwife held the ctg to me by hand intermittently so that I didn’t need to worry about it sliding off. Close to transition the midwife suggested I try the shower and that was incredible. I kept leaning forward onto the shower chair during the huge contractions with the water on my back, and could just “melt” and relax in the water during breaks.
The bathroom was dark except for electric candles and after not long on the SHOWER floor contractions felt as big as mountains. I vividly felt my daughter go around the back near my bum, at which point I started VOCALISING very loudly and asking for the epidural!
There was a big pause and then an ENORMOUS contraction where I climbed up onto the chair and hung from the shower rail with one leg up on the chair. My daughter was born one push later and passed straight onto my chest while I was upright!
Everyone was laughing and ecstatic. There was no pressure to deliver the placenta. I sat on the toilet and breastfed my beautiful baby for an hour before I requested that they help me get it out. My ob did this gently and respectfully before stitching me up. I cut my own cord and kept cuddling my daughter.
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