
Hi everyone! Kyle and Liv here. So happy to share the birth of our daughter, Phoebe Laine Taylor, born 25/10/23 at 3.21pm, weighing 3.6kg. Can I firstly just say how much I appreciate everything we learnt at Calmbirth, from understanding what’s happening in my body to the stages of labour, and most importantly the focus of breathing and making the conscious effort to try relax my body through contractions rather than seizing up like a cramp, as what I learnt was probably the only thing that got me through and a positive birth story I am so proud of.
Bub kept us waiting till the last minute, with my second post-date assessment on Tuesday at 41+3 where doctors were wanting an induction plan so we booked the balloon for Friday and then Saturday induction at 42 weeks. Little did we know that Phoebe had her own plans, I had acupuncture and an osteo session on Tuesday after my assessment as a last ditch effort to get things rolling on their own and at 8.30 that night my waters broke. Luckily I’d started having contractions as I was GBS positive so needed to go in either way and very thankful that my body had started doing the work. After being assessed the doctor recommended an induction, I asked for some time to see what my body can do and thankfully they agreed, so at 2am I was around 2cm dilated, then at 8am I was nearly 4 so only needed the lowest dosage of oxytocin to get things moving.
Assuming I’d be in it for the long haul I really held off on using any of my tools or pain relief besides breathing – I’d used a birth comb briefly and then put the tens machine on around 10am but barely turned it up as I was scared I’d have nowhere else to go. Bub was also prosterior until the last second so most of the pain was in my back. As I was on MGP my midwife was going to be called in when I was getting close as she’d been in the birth unit the night prior with another mum. At 1pm when I heard the midwife on duty say they were telling mine to come in at 5pm my heart sank, I wanted it to end then and there. I thought there’s no way I was going to get through minimum 4 more hours – in hindsight I was actually in transition.
Not too long later I thought I needed to go to the toilet through contractions and pushed with it because it was a good focal point of the pressure and the midwife realised I’d started involuntarily pushing, after a check of my cervix I was 9/10cm and ready to go. Upset I hadn’t had the chance to use the bath yet I asked Kyle to fill it up and get ready so I can deliver in the water (assuming I was still a little off delivering), only once the bath was full I turned around to get in, took off the tens and instead dropped to the floor on all fours and pushed Phoebe out
As painful as it was, it was also the most incredible experience of my life. Still in awe of our bodies and what we can do from growing this little person to pushing them out. Thank you Karen, I will be recommending Calmbirth to everyone I know!
