Baby Number 1
Went in to labour at home the night I was due, laboured at home and was quite comfortable
Did you use any drugs in your birth? Yes Gas only for a short time in first stage, nothing during second stage
Did you have complications during your birth? Yes, DS was semi posterior and had his hand and arm above his head so head arm and shoulder were coming all at once, I had an episiotomy and ventouse delivery, then had to secondary PPH and a haemotoma (sp) and needed to be rushed to theatre and afterwards i had 2 blood transfusions.
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? yes I thought all the complications were my fault as towards the end before all the interventions I told the doctor that something wasn't right and they wouldn't listen to me and I got quite upset and then coudn't relax and I felt because I couldn't relax thats why the other complications occured. Once the doctor agreed something wasn't right I felt things were out of my control and things were being done to me rather than for me, but perhaps it was just that particular doctor. I could go on and on about how traumatic DS birth was but you get the general idea

Baby number 2
Went in to labour 6 days past due date I had had 2 sessions of acupuncture and had been attending a Hypno birthing course to prepare for labour by the time I got to hospital I was already 8cm dialated
Did you use any drugs in your birth? None
Did you have complications during your birth? Actual birth was fine, my thrid stage was heavily managed due to my past history of PPH I ended up having a primary PPH but didn't need to go to theatre or be transfused and I had a seconde degree tear which needed stitches
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? This was the birth experience I really wanted, I was a little disappointed that I had another PPH but it was no where near as bad as my previous birth. i felt totally in control and empowered the whole way through I only had midwives present and even then they were really only observing and checking on me until DD was ready to arrive



Hope this helps