This was my second pregnancy. As with the first, I was low risk and receiving care from a MGP (midwifery group practice) midwife. I woke up to moderate cramping and tightening sensations at 1.45am the morning I turned 40+2 weeks. I tried to ignore the feeling and go back to sleep, though after 30 minutes it was clear the sensations were consistent and I wasn’t able to lie down comfortably any longer. The surges were 5 minutes apart from the start, just like in my first labour. I got up and had a shower to freshen up, then had some breakfast. I mobilised, did exercises on my birth ball, listened to affirmations, and took some final bump photos to pass the time.

My partner woke to get ready for work around 5am and much to his delight, found me bouncing on my ball and listening to my labour playlist. He asked how I was going and I reassured him I was fine, so he called work and went back to bed for a few more hours. I continued pottering around the house while labour progressed. My husband and son woke around 8am. By this point the surges had increased in intensity and I had my husband apply the TENS (Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulator) machine to my back. They had breakfast and we got my son ready to go to his nanna’s for the day. I said goodbye to my boy for the last time before he became a big brother, and became very emotional as they pulled out of the driveway. That rush of emotions must have helped things along because as soon as they left my surges intensified again and became closer.

Violet’s Birth Story

My husband returned from dropping our son off just after 9am. By this time I was well and truly in the swing of things. I continued to mobilise and used exercises to help my baby move into an optimal position. I began feeling nauseous as the surges increased. I had a light bloody show at 10.30 which was great reassurance I was progressing well. I decided to call my midwife around 11.30am to let her know how I was going, she told me she was at the antenatal clinic within the hospital and just had one more appointment left. I told her I was still okay at home for now and would ring back when I was ready to come in. My body must have relaxed a bit more knowing my midwife was already at the hospital, so within the next 30 minutes my surges had ramped up. We called my midwife back to let her know we were going to make our way to the birth centre.

Like with my first labour, the car ride was one of the most difficult parts. We reached the carpark at 12.30 and my surges were on top of each other, I could barely walk a few steps between them. We made it through the long hospital corridor to the admin desk where I began to feel heavy pressure with surges. I hung my arms from my husbands shoulders and loosened my hips to relax through the surges. The birth suite team leader came out to collect me and we made our way slowly into the birth centre. Inside my MGP midwife was filling the pool and getting everything ready.

After a quick set of baseline observations, I slid into the warmth of the birth pool. As with my first labour, I was sad to part with my TENS machine, but this time I was prepared with my birth comb to use in the water. Squeezing the birth comb in my palm was amazing, it worked to give me another focus for my brain rather than that of the surges. I continued to use my hypnobirthing breathwork which I found the most helpful through both labours. My membranes released around 1pm and I immediately felt my baby’s head drop and the urge to push began. I tried my best to control my breathing to help my baby birth slowly. Within a few minutes she was here. The beautiful girl I had been dreaming about the whole pregnancy. We had skin to skin, breastfed, and bonded with our little Violet.