'When I became pregnant with my third son I knew things could be different. I wanted a positive birth experience and a gentle start to my new baby’s life'.

Jane and baby Alfred

Birth story (Third time lucky)

I attended Rosa’s birth preparation classes in 2008 when I was expecting my third son. The birth of my first son was a very traumatic experience resulting in a lot of stitches, surgery and an unhappy colicky baby. When I went into labour with my second son I was terrified of a repeat of the previous experience. I told the midwife I wasn’t going to have the baby and when she told me to push I refused! Of course nature won and my second son was born. He needed resuscitating at birth and had a few problems feeding at first but soon picked up. Both boys left hospital formula fed and with dummies despite my wish to breastfeed.

When I became pregnant with my third son I knew things could be different. I wanted a positive birth experience and a gentle start to my new baby’s life. I read up a lot on pregnancy and birth and attended Rosa’s classes. I enjoyed the classes and they gave me some insight the difficulties I had with my first son's birth (he was badly positioned and I delivered him lying flat on my back). As my due date approached I felt confident that I would be able to handle birth much better third time round. I wrote a short birth plan stating my wishes and chose my birth partners – my husband and mother.

My due day came and went and baby stayed put. Two days later I had my first sweep. A week after my due date I saw the midwife who performed a second sweep and booked me in for induction in a few days – something I didn’t want. She told me my baby was lying back to back. Later in the day I started experiencing some contractions but wasn’t worried as I had been having Braxton hicks for several weeks. An hour later as they continued I decided to go a do some of the foetal positioning exercises I had learnt in Rosa’s class just in case baby decided arrive that day. My contractions continued and my husband started timing them. When they started to become more uncomfortable we rang the hospital. We found out they only had one space left so decided to go soon just in case we couldn’t get in at our chosen unit.

When we arrived at the hospital we were shown to our birthing suite – with a pool as I wanted a water birth. The midwife went through my notes and did the form filling in as I rocked on a ball in the room. When I was examined the midwife was surprised to find I was 7cm dilated when she examined me as I was still feeling quite relaxed and comfortable. She said that baby was in the perfect position for birth – the positioning exercises worked!

As the contractions increased I decided to get into the pool. I used the breathing exercises I had learnt in class and gas and air for pain relief. I remember at one point being asked if I wanted a drink and not knowing if I did, in fact I didn’t know if I wanted to stay in the pool, get out or anything. However I knew in the back of my mind that this was a normal stage in labour. As things progressed the rest of the world disappeared, I was just there in the pool, alone with my feelings and sensations, the contractions building up and up. Soon I felt the baby’s head and put my hand between my legs. In three contractions he was out and I lifted him out the water and held him to my chest. He let out a little cry then lay against me.

I am told that when I delivered him the midwife had just got a mirror ready to put under me as she thought something would happen soon!  I was helped out the pool and onto the bed where I lay with my perfect little boy Alfred on my chest and nursed him for the first time. I had chosen to decline the injection to assist in delivering the placenta and delivered this naturally about an hour after birth.  Alfred took to breast feeding beautifully and has been the most happy and content of my babies and I put this down to his gentle arrival into the world.

I am now expecting my first daughter and looking forward to the birth – I trust my body. I have recommend Rosa’s classes to friends and only wish I had the opportunity to attend such classes the first time I fell pregnant. Best wishes and thanks for everything!