Positive HBAC Birth – Fran Anne
This is the birth story of my second child, a positive HBAC story for all mamas looking to prepare for the same.
But first, a bit of context with our first child. We had wanted a home birth, and while we laboured at home until 9cm everything stalled and we went to hospital for an unplanned c-section. Although it wasn’t what we intended I still felt that this this to be a positive experience. I was offered choices at every stage and truly felt I’d done my best. I also learnt so much from this birth. We experienced a classic posterior labour and his head was deflexed too, I’d had days (or nights I should say) of contractions that fizzled out come daytime. I was so tired already and so ready for the real deal. I also learnt that I vomit from early laour – not as a sign on transition – I just can’t keep anything down once consistent contractions establish even early on. This meant I was massively dehydrated by the time I was 9cm 24 hours later. I had also learnt at about 38 weeks that posterior positioning was ‘bad’ and this didn’t help me trust my body and baby.
In my second pregnancy, I processed every step of my first labour to try and understand what happened to make everything stall. Ultimately, I’ll never know, but it helped me to understand how I could prepare for my second birth. I read countless positive birth stories, particularly home-birth and HBAC, but also second time mums, anything I could find. My midwife prescribed me anti-nausea medication to have on hand so that I could use if needed. And I research as much about posterior positioning as I could, so that I was more informed.
It was the week leading up to my due date, and I had finally finished work and had my son’s birthday. I’d had mild cramps after a walk on 39+4. Now everything was done and we placed bets on when the baby would arrive. Baby had been hanging out on the right and was ROA-ROL, and I had been talking to him and visualizing that he take the short rotation to OA instead of going the long way round (through posterior positioning and labour as I had learnt).
On 39+6 I felt the first mild surges while I was sitting, picnicking by a river (roughly 2pm). We had just had the most magical walk through the forest and I feel the natural oxytocin kick from this helped initiate labour. I was experiencing mild surges on the walk back and on the car ride home. They were coming every 20mins or so. I didn’t say anything to my partner until because I knew it could fade away. But they continued the while cooking dinner and eating dinner. After dinner, I said to my partner that there was something happening and suggested that we put up the fairy lights in the birth room (the final preparations).
I had been practicing my breathing a little in the lead up to birth, but focusing on my breath during these early stages really helped me feel the rhythm and be ready for what was to come. As I lay next to my son at bedtime I felt very aware that this could be the last time I put him to sleep as my only child.
At 8pm I messaged my midwife to say that I’d been experiencing mild surges and would go to bed to see what happened. I also messaged my sister to suggest she keep her phone off silent that night. We went to bed early. I didn’t really sleep, but rested between surges, needing to focus on my breathing more and more as each hour went by. By 10pm I was too uncomfortable in bed but I wanted to let my partner sleep as long as possible. Between 10pm and 11pm I was up and down trying to decide what I needed and vomited for the first time. I kept sipping water and decided that if I vomited again I’d try the medication my midwife had prescribed. By 11pm I knew I needed my partner, I needed the tens machine and his help to get this on (should have tried it out earlier). I was laboring leaning over the bed with my knees on a bolster. I was expecting my son to come into our bed at any moment and he did about 11.30pm.
At this stage I moved to the bathroom which was good timing because it wasn’t long before I needed to vomit (cue anti-nausea medication) and a poo. I had my candle glowing and was leaning over the toilet. Around midnight I lost my mucus plug, luckily had a disposable mat underneath me in the bathroom! During this time my partner was putting the liner on the pool and settled our son back to bed too. Then he brought me the swiss ball to sit on, came to join me and we settled into the bathroom. I had the tens machine figured out, he sat behind me pressing my lower back and I was moaning through each surge. He also took me out to see the stars.
We labored like this until about 1pm. I was starting to feel like I couldn’t cope, the tens machine just was not cutting it. I called my midwife and sister because I felt like I needed the pool soon and for that, I wanted them here. My partner started to fill the pool, my sister arrived to help not long after. At 1.45pm my midwife arrived and offered to check how far along I was. Initially I had thought I wouldn’t want to be checked, but I was too curious. I was 2-3cm dilated with everything looking very thin. Less far along than my midwife expected based on the strength of my surges (or how loud I was!). I also called my mum and other sister at this point. Not long after the pool was ready and I hopped in. I was hoping it would provide blissful relief, I remember begrudgingly thinking it helped a little but not as much as I wanted! I was working so hard now, everything was increasing in intensity and pressure.
My mum and second sister arrived at about 3pm, perfect timing to look after my son when he woke a little later. I labored in the water lying on my back against my partner. We’d given thought to the positioning of the pool because I remember feeling self-conscious last time so I was facing away from the door and couch. We were mostly left to ourselves except for hot water, support from mum from time to time and my midwife listening in every so often. My partner was in the pool with me (another thing I forgot first time round) and he was amazing. He held me, pressed on my back, whispered support to me. I just remember how intense it was, the surges kept increasing in intensity and I had to keep working harder to work with them. I remember telling mum that I couldn’t cope and it was hard, part of me hoped this meant that things were progressing well!! It was around now that my son woke up and came in to say hi. He was a little interested, but also excited to hold court with all the visitors and midnight snacks. He came and went and I knew he was well cared for with my family and in his own home.
I felt like I had been in the pool for hours and I felt like I was struggling. I asked my midwife how far to go and she said that probably my waters would break, then baby would move down and we’d be able to see the head. That information provided me the clarity I needed, and I changed position. I recalled the advice to use gravity so I moved on to my hands and knees and leaned on my partner’s upper chest to elevate my body. I truly believe this helped enormously.
Not long after I felt a pop and knew my waters had broken. Surges had two peaks at this point, they were long but not especially close together. I was loud. I roared. It was primal. Finally baby moved down. It was such a relief when I felt his head. I’d never got this far in my first birth. I’m so proud of myself to listening to my body and moving on to my hands and knees. The position felt very private and safe, it was just me and my partner in a little cocoon. I also had my mum there and sister and midwife who were out of eyeline but I could hear their support. I also loved that my midwife left me to it, apart from listening in and replying to my comments she totally trusted me and that I knew what was happening to my body best.
After 32 minutes of pushing my baby was born. Yes, I felt the stinging, but it was the enormous pressure I felt the most. It felt amazing once his head was out and then his body slid out with the next surge. I just wept with relief and disbelief. My midwife drifted him through my legs and I picked him up in my arms. It still feels surreal. I could feel the cord pulling so I was sitting awkwardly in the pool.
After just a few moments I could feel more surges and the midwife said to just push and out came the placenta. I huge one according to the midwife and also a short cord. My son came to have a look and we got our first family photo of four.
I had three very minor first degree tears that didn’t require any further care and healed so easily.
It’s hard to say when active labor ‘started’ but this one felt fast to me. Baby must’ve taken the short rotation after all. Almost the opposite to my first experience. I was in shock for the first week and only realized how perfect everything flowed after a little while. I look back now on two positive albeit very different births. The most incredible experiences of my life.
Fran Anne
