Happy Birthing Stories

KazDuck918

I'm trying to keep my fears and anxieties in check about the birth so that it can be a relaxed, positive experience. Any STM's want to share their happy, positive, stories on here?

Mazingmommyof6

I have had 5 great positive experiences....there are way more normal happy non eventful births .... They are boring so no one talks a out them. Don't stress

jenniejuniper1

I have a happy birth story! It's certainly unusual though, and I definitely don't have high hopes that I'll have anything close to this easy, but it's nice to hear happy stories, isn't it? Right? lol 

So a friend of mine lived directly across the street from the hospital that she was registered to give birth in. Convenient! So one morning she starts to have contractions and calls her doctor. He says "well, you're about a 2 minute walk away, so no need to rush in - just wait for your husband to get home from work, relax, and come over when they're [x-number] of minutes apart. You could even take a bath if it feels comfortable!" 

So she runs a warm bath, settles in, and rests, thinking about how awesome it is that today could be the day that she meets her baby. Well, 20 minutes go by, and all of a sudden contractions start getting stronger, and uncomfortable. Before she knows it, much to her absolute astonishment, she's pulling her baby out HERSELF. Yes. She said it did hurt (obv), but it wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be, and she thought she had all the time in the world! The husband came home to find his wife in the tub cradling her freshly emerged newborn. 

Apparently they both just stared at eachother with their jaws dropped for like 30 seconds, LOL. He helped her get cleaned up and dry and they cut the cord themselves because they didn't know what else to do. They hobbled across the street to the hospital - mom and baby were fine! 

It was just one of those really random births that take less than an hour to be happen. Incredible!! (I understand that this could also be classified as a scary birth story - baby suddenly showing up while you're by yourself, holy crap - but all's well that ends well with this one) 

sdlaura

My birth with my daughter was pretty close to perfect.  I am a small person and my daughter weighed 8 lb 9 pounds at birth.  We had done a hypnobirthing class and wanted an intervention-free birth.  In my opinion, the more fearful you are, the more likely you are to have complications with labor and birth.  Here's my (long) birth story:

Prior to my due date, when I went into labor, I had zero labor signs - no Braxton Hicks or anything - and had been declining cervix checks before 40 weeks, since they don't really mean anything. The night before my due date, I went to my acupuncturist to try to encourage labor, and woke up the next morning with some light contractions (or at least I was pretty sure that's what they were!). I did my normal long morning walk, which probably also helped with the progression, and then I went to my previously scheduled 40 week OB appointment at 8:30 am. 

My OB was on vacation, so I saw her partner. I told her that I thought I was having contractions and she asked me to tell her when I had the next one, and she felt my stomach and said that they were definitely contractions.  I asked her to do a cervix check, and she said I was 3 cm dilated and if felt like I had a "laboring cervix."  I was planning to go to work after my appointment, but given that the contractions were getting a little more intense and I also had to stop on the side of the road after leaving the doctor's office to throw up my breakfast, I figured I should head home.   I called my husband on my way home from my appointment and told him that while I was in early labor, he didn't need to head home from work yet.  I had assumed that I would have a long labor, given that it was my first baby, and had a lot of plans to pass the time, like taking baths and baking.

Then I got home and things started to move pretty fast. I called DH 45 minutes later, around 10:15 am, and told him to come home.  Even though I had a birth ball, I didn't feel like moving from the couch as I timed my contractions using an iPad app.  DH arrived home around 11 am and he supported me as the contractions became closer together and more intense.  During each one, he would tell me which body parts I should try to relax, and coached me on my breathing.  He also finished packing our hospital bag, put the carseat in the car, and gathered the items we needed to drop our dogs off at a friend's house on the way to the hospital.  I had planned to be able to do all of those things, but really didn't want to move from the couch!  I also tried to snack and drink, but couldn't keep anything down at all.

We were really worried about going to the hospital (which is about 30 minutes away from our home) too early because everyone told us that to have a med- and intervention-free birth, we should get to the hospital as late as possible.  At that point, my contractions were less than 3 minutes apart and then I had one that lasted for four minutes.  Plus, the thought of having to get into the car and ride in it for the 30 minutes to the hospital, then have to get into the hospital, was sounding more and more difficult to me.  So we decided it was time to go around 2 pm.  DH called my doctor's office to say we were headed to the hospital, and he put down a towel and garbage bag in the car in case my water broke on the way.

We dropped the dogs off at our friend's house, and got to the hospital at 2:45 pm.  I tried to walk by myself into the hospital, but my contractions were so intense that I had to stop and brace myself on the wall, so a volunteer saw me and grabbed a wheelchair to bring me up to the labor and delivery floor.  The one thing I managed to say as DH checked us in was that we hoped to have a natural birth.  The nurses showed us to a room and DH gave our sheet of birth preferences to our nurse, who took a long time to really read each item, which we appreciated.  She checked my cervix and said that I was already 8 or 9 centimeters dilated!  I was so excited that I had progressed so far without meds! 

Though my OB  was on vacation, the OB on call at the hospital just happened to be the OB we went to during my first couple of pregnancies that didn't work out. I had switched doctors because we moved and I wanted a fresh start.  So it was nice to have someone we knew.  He also read our birth preferences in detail and was very supportive.

Around 4 pm, just over an hour after we arrived at the hospital, I had an urge to push.  The nurse checked me and said my cervix was 10 cm, then my water broke 2 minutes later, and I delivered DD at 4:35 pm with just one small tear, which really surprised me given her size (8 pounds 9 ounces) and the fast delivery.  The delivery was definitely not free of discomfort, and I will admit that there was some screaming as the baby was emerging, but for the most part I was able to stay relaxed and put into practice the hypnobirthing training, with a lot of help from DH.  

DH helped the doctor receive the baby, announced that she was a girl (we didn't know the baby's sex for sure until then), and put her on my chest.  I was in total disbelief that we had such a beautiful, healthy baby, and she had a very healthy cry!  The doctor helped to deliver the placenta and then after a few minutes, DH cut the cord while the nurse helped me to encourage DD to breastfeed right away.  We delayed the eye ointment for over an hour for bonding purposes.  I felt great after delivery, and didn't even need to take a Tylenol for pain as I was recovering.  I immediately told DH that I would be happy to do it again soon

The nurses wheeled us down after a couple of hours to a recovery room.  It had been less than 12 hours since I woke up with mild contractions.  Because DD's and my blood types are incompatible (I am O negative and she's A positive), she had to be under the blue lights in our room to prevent jaundice, and we needed to stay two nights in the hospital instead of one. 

All in all, it was a really wonderful experience!

KazDuck918

Thank you ladies for sharing! It's great to hear. We're taking hypnobirthing classes as well and it definitely helps me feel more grounded. 

AKAP2010

I won't discuss my labor. Nothing too crazy just really long. But delivering my son was the most amazing experience ever! I only pushed for 12 minutes and had no tearing. If I could deliver every day I would! It sounds weird but it is just such an amazing time. I can't wait to do it again! Just get an epidural and you will enjoy all of it!!!

sweet*18

DD story:

Went in for regular dr appt on a Wednesday morning, Dr. said I was 0% effaced, 0 dilated and that there is no way I would be having the baby anytime soon.. Fast forward to that night at 11:45pm and my water broke, in bed, full on hollywood water gush. Headed to L&D and recieved the epidural at 6cm around 2:30am, took a 3 hr nap and woke up to a lot of pressure. I could feel the pressure of the contractions so I was able to know when to push. DD was born at 5:43am.

 

DS story:

Went in for regular dr appt on a Thursday morning, Dr. said I was 0% effaced, 0 dilated and that there was no way I would be having the baby anytime soon heard that one before. Fast forward to that night and my water broke at 12:30am, once again in bed, full on hollywood water gush. Headed to L&D and received epidural at 5cm, took a short nap. Woke up to pressure and DS was born at 5:43 am.

 

I have  had the same OB for all 3 of my pregnancies now, he promised not to say anything about not going any time soon with this pregnancy. I told him that I would gladly accept him saying that anytime after 39 weeks lol. Both nights it was a full moon as well. I am hoping for another quick/swift labor this time. I had back labor with both too.

tenfour

Great idea for a post. I think overall I consider mine a good experience. I had about 48 hours of labor that I thought was labor but wasn't actually progressing which was hard, but in retrospect not a big deal at all. When I couldn't take it anymore they gave me morphine and I went home and slept and then my body kicked into gear and by the time the morphine wore off (end of the second day) I was in real labor and went to the hospital, got my epi, and laid around gossiping with my mom and husband for the next 8 hours. At some point they checked me and I was 10 cm, the nurse told me to push and then 3 hours later (ok that wasn't THAT fun, but again, nbd) there she was!

Also - and my husband might disagree with my memory, but I kind of felt happy the whole time. Like finally after all this waiting I could finally do something. 

karich

I had a beautiful, med-free and intervention-free birth with #2. It was exactly how I wanted it.
The good thing about labor, is that even if it is not what you had always dreamed of, once you hold your baby....it's all forgotten and everything is perfect in your world

halfthetree

Check out Birth Without Fear.... You will find some beautiful birth stories there:)

C12H22O11

My birth with DS was totally textbook. I had an epi, and aside from not feeling like a very effective pusher, he was out in 45 minutes. I didn't tear or have any complications to speak of. Breast feeding him was also a breeze.

I'm psyching myself up that this one will be just as good.

slwprincess

I will share both of mine.  Fair warning that the first one might be considered "scary" to some so skip it if you only want Puppies and Rainbows.  But because I wasn't tied to a hardcore birth plan, I was able to embrace what happened and find my silver lining.  I want to stress that more than anything else... YOU need to be flexible.  If not, you will inevitably have regrets that things didn't go according to your idea of a perfect birth.  I still consider it a Happy Birth Story even though it was scary.  

#1- I went in for my 37 week appt.  Expected a quick check and I was headed to interview a pediatrician.  Doc put the doppler on my belly and immediately I knew something was wrong.  Heart rate was WAY too slow.  She repositioned and tried again.  Same.  Asked if I'd felt movement... yes, although not as much as I'd like.  She asked if anyone was with me.  No.  She said, ok be right back.  She walked out and then came back in holding her keys/purse and said she would drive me to the hospital herself.  Hello panic!  I don't even remember the drive across the street to the hospital.  Just remember her putting me in a wheelchair and telling the orderly to take me straight to L&D.  They hooked me up to the monitors and found the heartbeat right away... nice and strong like normal.  Whew.  Doc wanted them to monitor me for a couple hours before I went home.  After those hours, she asked again about movement.  He really wasn't moving enough and I knew it.  Since I was full term and she "doesn't take chances" she said it was time to get him out.  Gave me the choice of induction or c/s and I asked point blank do you think I will end up w/ a c/s and she said "yes."  Best decision I ever made.  C/S was super quick (30 min) and DS seemed fine, although I found out later there was meconium in the fluid which had caused the reduced heart rate/fetal movement.  He was definitely in distress in there and an induction would have been BAD.  It wasn't until I tried to BF that the nurse noticed he was grunting and not eating.  She listened to his chest and then asked me if she could take him to the NICU just for them to check his lungs.  I sent DH with them.  Turns out, the meconium had caused him to collapse a lung.  I didn't see him again until late the next day- he was in an oxygen tent.  Somehow, even though I was scared to death, I had complete peace.  I just knew he was in the best hands and everything was going to be ok.  After 2 days he was out of the tent and they let me nurse him.  The next day he was mostly on room air.  They discharged me after 4 days- he stayed 1 more night and we got to "room in" in the NICU (best idea ever!).  

OK so here's the silver lining of having a NICU baby... 1.  You heal so much faster!  My c/s recovery was a breeze b/c I had no choice but to rest in the hospital!  2.  Lots of extra freebies.  We got all the regular free stuff like diapers/wipes in our room but then when he left the NICU, they LOADED US UP.  Diapers, wipes, formula, thermometers, nose suckers, pacis, mittens, hats, swaddlers, extra breast pump parts, etc.  It was crazy how much loot we got there.  3.  More one on one time with the LCs.  They spent an hour or more with us everyday in the NICU and identified that he was tongue tied so we got that resolved early on before it caused latch issues.  4.  The NICU nurses teach you way more about newborns than regular L&D nurses.  They showed us how to do baths, clip nails, burp, etc.  5.  Since I missed my appointment with the pediatrician, we just used the on call pedi and he's AWESOME.  Since he was there at the beginning, he knew DSs whole history which really put my FTM mind at ease.

#2.  Scheduled c/s.  OMG so crazy easy.  Get there at 5 am.  Pre-op.  Spinal.  C/S took a little longer b/c of scar tissue (maybe 40 min?).  Post Op.  LC was waiting in recovery and baby was nursing within 20 min of birth.  Wheel me up to recovery.  I was up walking around 6 hrs later.  Moral of the story here is just b/c you have 1 less than ideal labor/birth does not mean the next one will be the same.  

Codypup

I like these stories. Keep em' coming, STMs!!!

Thanks.

mamacrunch

I went to the hospital, had a c/s, my baby came out breathing perfect, looking perfect, had all his finger and toes, his apgar was 10. 

Happy birth story!