Here’s another wonderful birth story that Tina – one of our very happy Labour TENS Machine Hire customers shared with us – we love birth stories.
In the lead up to my birth I started to get high blood pressure readings which meant I had to go for extra appointments to have my blood pressure checked and extra blood tests taken. Each time I went for an extra appointment I was offered an induction as I was already full term and there were concerns about the risks of pre-eclampsia.
My baby was 4 days overdue and the doctors were keen to induce me. I wanted to have as natural a birth as possible so I resisted. When my waters finally broke naturally I was in bed, and it was 11:30pm! I woke my husband who called the hospital – they told us to come in to be assessed. It turned out there wasn’t enough fluid for them to think it was my waters – they thought it might be a hind leak and they sent me home. At 4am I had a rush of waters – this time with meconium. We went back to the hospital where they told us I needed to be induced in case the baby was distressed. They put me on the Syntocinon drip and not long after my contractions started in earnest. My partner helped me put the Labour TENS machine on straight away as we’d read it can be more effective the earlier on you use it. It made such a difference to the contractions and having something to hold and to focus on was a welcome distraction!
I laboured for 12 hours on the drip with the Labour TENS machine I was walking around the birthing suite (I had limited mobility due to the drip unfortunately) – listening to music, using breathing and visualisation techniques and hitting that boost button every time a contraction came along! As my contractions got more painful I ended up trying the gas which was great. After 12 hours I had only dilated 2cm. With each contraction my babies heart rate was dropping rapidly and the doctor strongly advised me to have an emergency c section.
Before my labour I had diligently done my research, written a birth plan and had wanted a drug free water birth. I knew how important it was to be flexible though and realised that often birth plans don’t go to plan! In fact, one of my friends had advised me to write my birth plan on a piece of toilet paper and then use it – as plans rarely go to plan! Needless to say I agreed to the c section and about 40 minutes later I got to meet my beautiful baby boy who was perfectly healthy.
We named him Archie and he is now 2 weeks old and we are so in love with him. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my partner and mum, the incredible medical staff (especially the midwives!) and of course the Labour TENS machine and gas! I don’t know what the future holds but if we do have another baby I will know to plan as much as I can but to be flexible and open to my birth journey.
Tina and Archie