My first labour was eighteen hours long, I was 10 days overdue but labour started on its own. Baby was posterior and not turning,so progress was slow and cx were in back and front. I coped at home for the first 12 hrs in and out of the shower, rocking and having back rubbed. At midnight we arrived at the hospital. I was checked and was 5cm dilated. Midwife tried getting me in positions to encourage turning but it didnt work. Baby stayed put. Toward the end I was getting frightened,exhausted and losing faith really quickly. I had had enough so I started using gas for some relief. I cant say it helped much, probably made me breathe better though! After that the midwife gave me pethidine. My memory from there on is pretty fuzzy,so what went on around me is pretty much unknown except for what I'm told. What was going on inside me was quite vivid though! I was terrified of this terrible pain and helplessness I was feeling, I couldnt see an end to it. Eventually my water broke and obviously I was fully dilated because I was being told to push. I didnt feel the urge to push but I tried anyway. Nothing seemed to happen , so they told me to push harder. I still felt nothing happening. I stood up,I got on all fours, I sat..you name it and I tried it. Still nothing happened. Eventually the Dr came and started talking forceps, to help turn the baby because he didnt think I could do it alone. There had been meconium in the waters so they didnt want to stress the baby to much more. I was given one final attempt to do it on my own. The midwife made me get up and walk down a hallway.then she had me sit on the loo and told me to push when I felt a cx. I pushed and something felt different, the pressure was overwhelming. I started saying I couldnt do this, and the midwife said she'd be rich if she had a dollar for eveytime a woman said that. Then I felt the need to stand up. An unbelievable sensation took over my body and I had no control over this immense feeling of pressure and pain as the baby's head made its way down and out in one big push (and a loud scream from me!) Finally she was here, 8lbs 6oz and beautiful.

My second was a waterbirth. It was brilliant. My son was born after five hours of labour, which I was at home for most of it. The cx were only in the front,much easier to cope with I found. I was determined to feel in control this time and not use any drugs or interventions. I chose to deliver at Flinders Birth Center in Adelaide. My waters broke early into it and the cx were a regular 3 minutes from go. I used the shower, I relaxed my body through cx and didnt fight them. I used breathing, rocking and self-talk to maintain calmness and stay relaxed. I kept repeating to myself during cx 'breathe it out,let it go'. It worked so well I nearly had a home birth! Suddenly I felt like pushing. I couldnt believe it because I was still waiting for the big bad cx I remembered from my first labour. My DH drove us to the BC (luckily it was 4:45 am,so traffic was light!) as soon as I got there the midwife said 'ok you better get in this tub if you want a waterbirth.' I did and it felt so lovely. It calmed me again after the rush and anxiety of trying to get to the BC before the baby came first! I pushed and it hurt,so I held back a bit. The midwife was great and talked me out of my fears. I pushed again and he crowned. I stopped pushing to let him just sit there so I wouldnt tear. It was painful not being able to go ahead and push him straight out. I gently pushed his head out and felt fantastic relief. His shoulders needed to be helped out though. At 9lbs 6oz my DS made a peaceful and speedy entrance into the world. I was truly a natural birth convert!! Unfortunately my DS has to spend the next 3 days in the special care unit with suspected pnuemonia.It turned out he didnt have it and they couldnt find a reason for his respiratory distress. He got better though and was out of the oxygen cot after 24 hrs. It was a mystery,but thankfully it was all ok.


Baby #3 came even quicker. I went to the hospital as soon as my waters broke because straight away the cx came quick and strong. Unfortunately I no longer lived in Adelaide so I had to deliver in the local hospital without a tub, but it was still a lovely birth. I used all the same techniques from my last delivery only this time I stayed at the hospital instead of home. It was fine there and the midwives are very open to your wishes and support natural deliveries. I stayed in the shower until I felt like pushing. Then I got on all fours, while the midwife stroked my back and told me to go with what my body was telling me. She was so soothing and lovely. I pushed 3 times and my baby was born ,again a little help was needed with the shoulders. He arrived weighing 9lbs 10oz after 3 hrs 45min of labour.