Hey ladies I had my baby girl in the early hours of May 30th so just about made it in the May 2019 baby club. She was a day early and weighed 8lb and I’m in LOVE.

So firstly background bout this birth was it’s my second child, first pregnancy ended in emergency C section with son whisked away to ICU and I was hospitalised for 5 days. My goal for this pregnancy was VBAC. I had a sweep at 38 weeks and then another at 39 - neither did anything really except for losing my mucus plug.

On the day of 39 +4 I was growing impatient and so I tried a YouTube video called labour inducing exercises. It’s only 7 minutes long and includes doing deep squats and holding them. Just to note I was 9 days over with my first pregnancy so for me 39+4 felt like I would be waiting a while. Anyway did the video which had a lot of positive comments saying it worked for other women... nothing much happened until around 10 o clock that night I started getting Braxton Hicks that turned into painful quite regular contractions. I didn’t sleep at all contractions would be noticeable if I lay down. Went to hospital for a scheduled check Wednesday morning told them bout my contractions they examined me and told me I was 3cm dilated and gave me a quick sweep. I got home contractions came in thick and fast so a few hours later I went to maternity triage. They examined me and said they only thoight I was 2cm. That they wouldn’t send me home because im contracting but I wasn’t in labour. They sat me in what I can only describe as a waiting ward. I tried a birthing pool and bounced on the birth ball relentlessly trying to encourage my contractions. Spent a few hours like this... checked again. Still only 2cm I was distraught and felt like I was enduring all this pain for nothing and not even been classed as being in labour they wouldn’t even give me gas and air. After several more hours the nurse could see my contractions were substantial she checked me again and said I was 3cm she’s get me gas and air and move me to delivery suite.

Cut to an hour later I am begging for an epidural but by the time I get one it is much too late and doesnt work. My contractions were 4 contractions in 10 minutes relentlessly and despite my best effort to embrace positive birth and hypnobirthing I ended up screaming HELPP into the ether as I used gas and air tontry and endure it.

The midwife checked me and I was at 7cm but having the overwhelming urge to push. A few contractions later I just began pushing and somehow managed to get on all 4s and just push and push and push. This was the only part of the labour I enjoyed and felt so magical... somehow my body had decided that enough was enough and to just get the baby out no matter the dilation. Felt the baby leave my body and turned round to see this beautiful ball of new life. She had her first breast feed with placenta still attached. I only had a few stitches for the tear. Was allowed out of hospital yesterday afternoon. She’s feeding really well and likes a nice sleep. Anyway I’m going to get some rest. Hope anyone wanting a VBAC can see it is totally possible and with minimum intervention.