Calmbirth Refresher and how this prepared us for our second birth

After a week of prodromal labour overnight at 39 weeks pregnant, I was feeling exhausted. I went into my obstetricians office and requested a stretch and sweep. 30 minutes later my waters broke at home in a gush and continued gushing for the next 24 hours.. After being checked at the hospital, we went home and hopefully labour would eventuate. Much like my first birth experience where my waters broke spontaneously prior to labour.. it did not. I spent the evening trying to rest and boost oxytocin, sleeping next to my 2 year old which did briefly increase labour but it then petered out.  We went into the hospital the following morning for an induction. 

I was extremely emotional having an induction after my first experience resulted in some negative associations with birth (failed epidural, episiotomy, forceps, large PPH). Previously with an induction labour began quickly and became overwhelming within an hour, so prior to being hooked up to the Syntocinin drip we set up our room, put on the tens machine and my husband, Matthew, and I, had a conversation to prepare ourselves. We were anticipating a quick and wild ride. 

The drip was connected at 9am.

We waited.. and waited.. and waited. Hours passed with very few contractions that were extremely manageable. To my obstetrician’s surprise, she also thought labour would begin quickly resulting in a baby likely before lunch. 

By 5pm the drip was almost at max dose, which I was told was not common for a second birth. 

At 8pm, the obstetrician came in again. I was very emotional and over waiting, as well as missing my toddler at home. She empowered us to continue and attempted another stretch and sweep to see if that would encourage anything. She also encouraged us to walk around the ward. 

Within 2 minutes I was having contractions 1 minute apart. 

Within 10 minutes we were back in our room with regular and quite spicy contractions. The tens machine was doing the most! 

Matthew would talk me through my breathing, was available for anything I asked for (always ice and cold towels!), and he and our midwife worked as a team to meet my needs quietly in the background as I listed off demands. 

45 minutes later I began to have a crisis of confidence, asking Matt if I needed an epidural. I requested a VE to prepare my expectations, thinking I was in early labour and was told I was already 7cm. The OB and midwife suggested trying the shower. Within 5 minutes I felt an unbearable urge to push. 

I requested to be on the bed on all fours but quickly became hot and dizzy. I opted to be on my back. 

I remember a rush of fear when it came time to push, feeling like I couldn’t do it. My team were incredibly encouraging and despite my negotiations with the OB around how long I agreed to push for (apparently I said “I can do max 30 minutes… how long will it take?”). 

Less than 10 minutes of pushing later, our beautiful girl arrived quickly and dramatically. 

Posey Constance, weighing exactly 4kg. Born on her due date. 

The relief I felt knowing she was here and safe and that I birthed her unmedicated! What a wild and surreal experience. 

After such a fast and furious labour (once it actually started) I was left with a small first degree tear and a minor PPH. I felt amazing and recovery has been so incredibly smooth compared to my first birth. 

Matthew and I agree that the Calm Birth Refresher Course gave us opportunities to debrief our experiences of our first birth, agree on decisions or interventions we did or didn’t want, become clear on strategies that worked for us and refresh our minds on other pain relief strategies we could try. I particularly took education in understanding the stress and pain association, and was determined in this birth to reduce my level of stress as much as I could. 

We cannot thank Cherie enough for welcoming us into her home and imparting her Calm Birth knowledge for a second time, giving us the tools and confidence to go into a new birth experience and have an extremely positive outcome. 

Posey is settling in nicely with her doting big sister, Winifred 💕🌸

Sara & Matthew