Lucy & Oliver

• First time mum (FTM)
• 39+1
• Spontaneous labour
• 2 hours 38 minutes (precipitous labour)
• Paracetamol and TENS Machine

I’d lost some of my plug at the end of January and had a sweep on February 5th due to a few episodes of reduced movements - I was 1cm dilated and had a favourable cervix but no progress was made.

As I was a few weeks away from my due date I wasn’t too worried but I was having random cramps so knew things were starting to get moving. My waters started leaking about mid afternoon on the 10th, but due to a false alarm the previous week I didn’t think too much of it and got on with my day.

At 2:30am the following morning I woke for a wee and after getting back into bed felt a big trickle of water and realised it was my waters for real this time. I called the triage line to let them know and they told me to try and get some sleep and to come in later in the morning. I did manage to get back to sleep but at 3am I woke to a popping noise and sensation with my hind waters going.

My contractions started immediately and I made my way downstairs, took 2 paracetamol, sat on my birth ball and downloaded a contraction timer app. My contractions were coming on strong and fast so I called triage again about 3:30am, they said my contractions needed to be coming strong and frequent for about an hour and to call again once that happened.

Using the app, my contractions were already lasting 40-60 seconds and coming every 1 ½ - 2 minutes but I figured I was using the app wrong as they had only just started, just in case I downloaded a second one 😂.

I got my husband up and he got the TENS machine I had hired out of my hospital bag - I started using the boost button for each contraction whilst he defrosted the car (it was -3C!). Just after 4am I was starting to struggle so called triage again - the contraction apps were still telling my to go to hospital. Luckily the midwife said to come in so I got as dressed as I could manage, in a pair of shorts, t-shirt and jumper, and we started our 20 minute journey to the hospital... after a quick turn around as I didn’t have my glasses🙈.

I didn’t tell my husband at the time but on the way over my body was staring to push with each contraction. We arrived at the labour ward at 4:45am and once I’d made it across the car park, stopping every few seconds with each contraction (my husband really thought baby would arrive outside!), we were taken to a room so I could be examined after which I was very quickly moved to a delivery room!

I wasn’t told how far along I was, and I didn’t ask, but I knew as I was pushing and we weren’t asked to do COVID swabs on arrival, that I was I well on my way to meeting our baby.

My contractions were now very pushy and the midwife was encouraging me to push with each one. I didn’t have time to think about pain relief but I was very in the zone, with the TENS on boost, knelt up leaning over the back of the bed.

28 minutes of pushing later, our surprise little boy was born at 5:28am with the placenta delivered 10 minutes later with active management. I had a 2nd degree internal tear and some grazes due to Oliver coming out with his hands by his face, so needed a few stitches but I hardly felt these and learnt I have a high pain threshold!

I’d hoped to have a water birth but obviously everything happened a bit too quick! I’ve been told by several midwives to have a home birth next time.. and though I dread to think how quick and intense any further births would be, I wouldn’t change a thing about Oliver’s birth and feel I had a really positive birth experience.