“Birth story
I was induced with my first baby for going “overdue” (41+6) and had a great easy birth so didn’t feel like another induction would be the end of the world, but wasn’t keen on all the extra monitoring so was hoping labour would start naturally with my second baby.

However I had agreed to go in to hospital in the evening when I was 41+5 weeks and discuss our options from there.

I finished work the day before so spent the day relaxing and trying to prepare. Started to get encouraging “niggles” through the day & by late evening it had ramped up to approximately every 5 minutes; so by the time I turned up at hospital for my “induction” I was 3cm and they were happy to leave me to it.

So I managed to get the hands off birth I’d hoped for ?

….Baby was born with only 1 examination on admission to check dilation (3cm at 9.45pm) and he arrived before 1am. Midwife was great & kept out of the way til we

Breathing through contractions & repeating positive mantras in my head worked wonderfully for the majority of early labour & I resorted to gas & air around midnight once things started to get properly intense.

I managed to pull myself together & focused enough near the end to be able to reach down and feel his head which was pretty amazing & I also cut the cord myself ?

Baby was 9lb 6oz; and it was mentally & physically a much more intense experience than my first who was 8lb5oz. Faster doesn’t always mean easier! But we did it & with no stitches needed!

I know it sounds a bit nuts to say you loved giving birth, but for me both times, it really is the absolute best feeling ever. It doesn’t have to be scary.”