Just posted an amazing birth story - arriving at the hospital fully dilated (first baby!)

http://www.facebook.com/gentlebirth

Just to note girls, Aviva have changed their policy concerning the gentlebirth programme since Jan 1st 2012.
I'd advise you give them a ring before you claim to make sure you're ok.

Health members with Aviva can avail of a €200 discount off the cost of the Doula package through Doula Ireland. The normal price for non-Aviva Health members is €700, it will cost Aviva Health members with a valid membership card €500. Aviva Health members on certain plans can also claim an additional €120 back towards the cost of Doula if the member has not already availed of the post natal home help benefit of €120. In order to avail of your Post Natal Home Help Benefit the member must contact Aviva Customer Service on 1890 717 717.

this is completely different from what I was previously told, so be careful ladies!

Elphaba I know a few Mums have challenged this issue as the 'fine print' was changed without Aviva notifying their customers. Did they send you anything in writing when you make the initial enquiry?

From what I can remember they officially changed their policy in November. I made an initial enquiry late Sept- they tried to go back on what they initially told me but I made them go back and listen on my original calls so they honoured the old policy. I will say it took me about a month to resolve the issue and was a lot of hassle.

Oh thats good, I renewed in August so I should be covered too. I've emailed them back with their original response and said my policy shouldn't change until my next renewal date, so fingers crossed!

Fabulous birth story from the Rotunda
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just a quick email to say thanks so much for the great birth preparation that your workshop gave us!
i want to share my birth story also with you as I am not sure how to upload it to the site.

Our first baby was due on March 27th in Rotunda hospital. I attended the Rotunda on 29th of March, a couple of days overdue and was scheduled for induction on 5th of April, 1 week later.

I was hoping all through my pregnancy that i would not require induction and wanted as natural a labour as possible. So now facing an induction date, I decided to try everything to help baby come naturally. I tried acupressure, spicy foods, raspberry leaf tea, lots of walking, reflexology and other old reliables and on 2nd of April when 'nothing was stirring', I scheduled an acupuncture session to help induce labour. I finished the acupuncture session at around 2045 and walked around half a mile home. Around half an hour after getting home, I had a birth show and started to get strong period type cramps.
I was delighted! I got the house comfortable, relaxed, put on gentlebirth tracks and settled into bed. At around 0200 I awoke to the sound of a 'pop' and my waters releasing. At this stage the cramps were stronger and coming closer together. I phoned the Rotunda and the midwife said to come in for examination. At this stage I thought, I'd rather not because everything is bearable and I am quite comfortable where I am. So I help off and stayed in bed until 0530, trying to stay relaxed and calm. The surges were getting stronger and my husband who was timing the contractions felt it would be best to get to the hospital and get checked out, so we did.

On arriving at the Rotunda it was nearly 0600 on 3rd April. I was met by a non-national midwife who was very matter of fact and asked me to "remove underwear and sit up on bed". I did so and when she re-entered the room she approached me and performed a quick, rough, internal examination without any communication. I jumped and got a bit startled and annoyed- because as a nurse myself I am only too aware of the importance of appropriate communication during all procedures. She said 'you are 2cm dilated and in early labour- I'll arrange a bed and she left the room' leaving me naked from the waist down and the door open.


When my husband came in I was tearful about what had happened and asked him to help me put on my underwear. I was then brought up to a delivery room because several inductions were scheduled for that morning and the staff were hopeful my labour would progress more quickly.

However this was not to be! My surges had slowed almost to the point of stopping and 4 hours later at 10am I was still only 2cm dilated. The midwife in the delivery unit was so kind and very much in favour of natural labour and hypnobirthing. After she has read through my birth preference list, she suggested that I move to the antenatal ward in order to protect my birth preferences and prevent an induction.


I agreed and went to the antenatal ward and tried to rest and relax but by midday I was feeling increasingly upset and frustrated that I was in hospital in an obvious 'stalled labour state'. A midwife came and told me that I would be induced at 730am the following morning and this was highly likely as my labour was not progressing.
I was so disappointed that after starting labour naturally, I was still facing an induction.

I then decided that I would like to go home. I discussed this with my husband who agreed and then we approached staff. I said that I would come back in at 730am if labour had not restarted again.

At 2pm we went home and we went to bed as we had been up for most of the previous night. At 4pm surges began again so I started moving around, ate, burned lavender and clary sage, listened to gentlebirth tracks, showered, and went from bed to birthball to chair to keep comfortable. The surges got increasingly strong but we didnt time them because we were both really tired and I didnt want to focus on contractions like we had done the previous night, but rather focus on the contraction free times and rest as much as I possibly could.


At 8pm we both went to bed and I found myself dozing off between surges and in a really groggy, relaxed state. During surges I pictured myself going uphill on a bike with calves burning and then as it eased breezing down the hill feeling great relief in my calves! I also tried to visualise a flower opening up its' petals and I focused on the beautiful baby that I could see at the centre of the flower.


At 10pm the surges grew really strong and I found myself becoming very vocal, shouting and moaning- because this was the only thing that was giving me any relief- that and sitting on the toilet. Between these 'vocal' contractions I rested on the bed and dozed in and out of full consciousness.

The next clear surge that I can recall was at 1115pm when I sat up on the edge of the bed and felt an overwhelming urge to push. I also felt like going to the toilet so I did and again really felt like pushing. I couldnt stop it or prevent it. I called my husband, told him I really needed to push and said that I didnt think I would be able to make it to the hospital in the car so maybe we should call an ambulance. Then the nurse in me said 'quit being dramatic and get your ass to the car- If you get there by ambulance and you are 5-6cm dilated it will have been a total waste of services!'
So i got myself together and at 1125pm got to the car and admit that I encouraged my husband to break lights on route! It was a 15 minute drive into the hospital and I pushed through contractions on route in the car.

We arrived into the Rotunda at 1140pm and I sent my husband to the desk to register while I went directly into A & E. It was so busy!! A midwife told me to take a seat in the waiting room but I replied that I really needed to push and go to the toilet. She quickly asked a lady with hyperemesis to leave a cubicle and go to the waiting room, and asked me to get up on the trolley to be examined. She said 'you are fully dilated and your baby will be here very shortly'. She then called out for my husband to come in. I said 'I'm not having the baby in here am I?' and she said 'You are indeed, we don't have much time- your baby is on route'. I asked if I could get up on all fours but she said it wasnt possible because of the trolley width so she advised me how I could give birth in a lying position. I didnt mind really as I knew we had to make the best of the situation and it was pointless getting upset or anxious about it. She was firm but very kind and kept me totally grounded which I really needed in my half surprised, half delighted state.

During pushes she told me to bear down as hard as I could and not use any energy shouting. At one stage she said that she may have to do an episiotomy if the baby got distressed, but that if I pushed the way she requested it may be avoidable. I said I would push any way she wanted as long as she wouldn't perform one. I pusher deeper and when she told me the head was starting to crown I asked her to let it crown as slowly as she could as I didnt want to tear! Ina May's book came into my head and the section on how smiling relaxes the perineal muscles, so I don't know how- but I smiled... My husband said I looked totally insane but I didnt tear so the look of insanity was worth it!

With a few hard, deep pushes through contractions our beautiful baby boy come into the world at 1220am on 4th April 2012.

The natural high of full awareness, full control of your body and the feeling of empowerment is amazing. He latched on and fed from both breasts an hour and half later and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
I feel so thankful that I looked at midwifery models of birthing and embraced them and had such a wonderful birthing experience. Yes it was painful at times, but focusing on the pain-free times which outweigh the times with pain help you through it!
My birthing experience has shown me that our minds are so powerful and our bodies really are designed to do this!

I really think the gentlebirth programme and Tracy's antenatal course fully informed my husband and I, and gave me the confidence to take control of my labour both when it was going too slowly but also going too quickly!
Would I do anything differently in future? Yes- not go to hospital quite as early or quite as late, or consider a homebirth!


So thanks so much Tracy! Share this story with whoever and wherever you like - just to add birthweight was 7lbs 10oz!

Hi everyone,

I've a new GentleBirth Facebook group set up (as well as the yahoo group). If you search for 'GentleBirth Mums' you'll find it. It's a great way to connect with other GentleBirth Mums - share tips, support etc.

Tracy

Congratulations AmandaMc - can't wait to hear all the details! Baby wasn't wasting anytime!!

Tracy

A very positive induction - even when things didn't go to plan. (Mum was off buying knickers in Penny's - after an induction!)


I had planned a home birth but went post dates and due to waters leaking but no contractions, was induced at term + 17. I was booked in for 8am on Saturday May 12th. It was a beautiful sunny day. As second timers are expected to progress quickly, I was brought straight to a delivery room on admission. I was put on a trace while we waited for the obstetrician, and myself and my midwife chatted. Immediately, I could tell that she understood what sort of birth I wanted. There was no issue with any of the birth preferences we discussed. The doctor came at 8.50 am and examined me, then released the rest of the waters. By 9.20 am, I had had my first surge.

We decided to go out to the shops to pass the time and said we were going for a walk. Surges were coming close together and were surprisingly strong. All of a sudden, I had a massive surge and realised I had better get back to the delivery room!

We arrived back at 10am and within a very short time, surges were coming every two minutes and lasting around 90 seconds. They were strong and the thought of the epidural crossed my mind but I dismissed it. Over the next hour or so I used some affirmations - "I can do this!" - and some active birth techniques before deciding on the entonox, which made all well with the world. After about 20 minutes, I felt the baby move down and told the midwife who had to take off my pyjamas. It had happened so quickly that I was still fully dressed! Half an hour later, baby began to crown. With some great coaching from the midwife, my 8lb 14oz little boy was born slowly and gently, with no tearing. It was only 2 hours after we had arrived back at the hospital and 2 1/2 since the first surge.

The cord was clamped and cut after about 15 minutes and I put my baby on to my chest, where he stayed for the day. After two hours, we transferred to the postnatal ward which was thankfully very peaceful. We left the hospital that evening and went home to introduce my daughter to her baby brother.

GentleBirth definitely helped me both during the birth and in the days before the induction, as I was miraculously able to sleep every night, despite having the worry of not getting my home birth and then of being induced. I also used GentleBirth on my first baby, and listened to it for the last three hours of my labour - it really helped me to zone out between surges. It was a very intense labour, and I needed all the tools in the box to cope, so am glad I had them! Thanks, Tracy, for all of your support during my pregnancy.

GentleBirth Mums join us in the closed 'GentleBirth Mums' Facebook page to talk to the Mums behind these amazing birth stories.

May arrival



Hi Tracy

I just wanted to send you a quick mail to let you know I had my little baby!

Baby Liam(8 Llbs 8) arrived on his due date on May 19. I really wanted to thank you as the Gentlebirth really helpled me through the whole experience. Surges started at around 4 in the afternoon at 3 mins apart and lasting 1 min 30 sec. Because they started so close together I was sure they were braxton hicks and really didn’t think think this was it! As they went on though i got into the bath and spent most of my time at home in the bath listening to the gently births cd's. I was able to stay very calm and zone out any panic or adrenaline.

I finally went into the hospital a 9.30 in the evening. When they checked me I was only 2 cm..... and I have to admit I was so disappointed. I couldn’t understand how I was only 2 cm when the surges were so close for so long. Anyways I continued listening to my cd's the whole time and kept myself calm and just went with it. My midwife was great and stayed out of my way! I had brought a sock with rice, thank god cause i really needed it as my waters didn’t break until just before the birth, so the pain was in my lower back. I didn’t want anyone checking me or going near me till midnight and at this point I was fully dilated!

Liam was born at 12.41, and it was as natural as I wanted it. Just used the gas (its amazing) and heat packs (a life saver) and the rest went with my birth plan, no interventions, natural 3rd stage. I needed stitches alright, but I’ll live with that!

Again though I just wanted to thank you. I had been listening to my tapes since week 14 and I really think they gave me a calm positive outlook on the whole pregnancy. I really had the ideal pregnancy with no issues, and many people commented that I was the poster girl for pregnant women, I was out swimming and walking all the time, in fact I was in the pool swimming 3 hrs before the surges started. I was also so positive the whole way and I really put this down to listening to the cd's .I think without them I would have been calling for an epidural when they told me I was 2 cm when I was admitted.

Thanks again for your support

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