Birth Stories

Cath’s VBAC story

Hi Patricia,

Hope you’re well! Just wanted to let you know that little Beatrix arrived on Mother’s Day in the evening, a completely intervention free birth - it was really a great experience, the polar opposite of my first birth - all thanks to the birth prep I’d done with you!

Jeremy was amazing also, talking me through each contraction, reminding me to breathe and vocalise and really safeguarding me from all the drugs (that kept being offered, despite the fact that my birthplan specifically said not to…) as I was so adamant that it was the epidural etc that had caused so many problems with my previous birth, I really didn’t want anything at all. A tough job when I’m all for an epidural mid-contraction, but am so glad Jeremy was there to talk me out of it!

So I started having contractions on the Saturday evening, and went into hospital at about 2am on Sunday as they were so regular - every 3 minutes, like clockwork - and I was anxious about being too late into hospital. Turns out I was far too early, my cervix hadn’t even started dilating - but they gave us a room as I didn’t much fancy spending the whole night driving to and from Exeter, and by midday I was 5cm dilated and went onto labour ward, and Beatrix was born at 9.53pm weighing an excellent 8lb 3oz.

There was a set back halfway along, as the midwife looking after us had told me at about 5pm that I was fully dilated after an internal examination, but then at 7pm she did another internal and decided I was only 5cm, which was really strange - I’m not sure how she mixed that up so badly, and I pretty much lost faith in her after that. But luckily right after there was a change of shift and a new midwife joined us who was really great - very relaxed, which then made me more relaxed and everything happened pretty quickly after that.

The vocalising was the most helpful thing to do without a doubt - it got me through pretty much the whole thing - apart from a little gas and air close to the end. The most frustrating thing was the cannula - as you’d said they wanted to put it in my hand, and I said to them to put it somewhere else but she insisted it wouldn’t be in the way - anyway it was, SO painful and turns out she hadn’t put it in properly anyway - so then a doctor came to put another in my arm which was so much better, and not painful. So all in all it was great - and I think only made possible by the confidence that I gained through doing your classes - so thank you!! It was everything I hoped it would be.

The recovery is almost immediate whereas last time I felt I could hardly move for weeks. Thanks again, Cath