Katina and Aaron attended Birthtalk in preparation for their first child’s arrival. They employed
a Student Doula to attend the birth with them, at home and then in the hospital.
Laboured at home
I was in labour for two days in total. I laboured in the comfort of my own home with the help of my doula until the contractions became strong enough that I felt I wanted to go to hospital, plus I was bleeding a lot and we felt it best.
Unreasonable Birth Plan?
The doctors at the hospital had crossed out my birth plan saying that my desire to birth as naturally as possible was unreasonable. The head midwife didn't think so and appointed me one of her best midwives, who came in from home to be with me. I was 4 cm dilated on arrival at the hospital and my son Joshua was born 12hrs later on 30th October 2007 (9 days "overdue").
Eyes closed and focussed
I requested gas immediately on arrival and found it helped tremendously. I spent most of the time in the dimly lit ensuite in the shower on a birth ball with my eyes closed focusing through prayer on the Lord's strength. After a while we decided on a change of scenery and on coming out of the ensuite I breathed in the lavender oil that was present in the room, it was so wonderfully intoxicating and I was so relaxed at this point that I felt ready to have my baby.
Into the hot tub
However I requested a VE, despite not originally wanting any. And I was told that my dilation had not changed and the baby's head was lying to one side. So we decided to attempt to get him to move on his own by getting into a hot tub. Only I wasn't allowed to take the gas with me as the tub was in the ward.
Negotiating under pressure
The effect of the gas wore off and I was no longer relaxed enough to handle the pressure being placed on me by the doctor to make a decision as to whether to rupture my membranes.
After a lot of confusion, and trying to negotiate in between increasing contractions I decided to give in as long as I could be given pethidine to make up for any increase in pain that may occur.
I birthed on all fours
I gave birth to Joshua on all fours on the bed not long after my membranes were ruptured. Transition was scary and I begged for an epidural not realising Joshua was so close - so I didn't receive one, and I'm pleased I didn't as I had clearly written in my birth plan that I did not want one on any terms! I had few interventions (no vacuum or forceps), no episiotomy, no tears (just a "graze"), and I went home the next day (despite being very light headed and having fainted after giving birth). Oh and my baby was in the very best of health, content, alert & feeding well!
Birthtalk was reassuring
I found the information Birthtalk provided not only supplemented the hospital prenatal classes, but provided much more practical and reassuring information and was invaluable preparation for both myself and my husband. Birthtalk has been described as being empowering, however I prefer to think that Birthalk teaches that whilst you need to surrender to the birthing process, you don't need to surrender to the doctors, who in their best intentions can often take the control away from the mother and thus inhibit her ability to surrender to her body's own natural ability.
A time of great joy
Giving birth can be a vulnerable, scary time in a woman's life. But Birthtalk showed me that it doesn't have to be, and that it can actually be a time of great joy and bonding with your baby. Whilst giving birth is such a humbling experience, it is also one that can give you such great confidence. Confidence in yourself and confidence in the creator who made us. Whilst Birthalk does not touch on this spiritual element I found their support useful in discovering the secret women's business that shouldn't be so secret!
Recommending Birthtalk
I recommend Birthtalk to anyone who is pregnant, and partners too. My husband really enjoyed coming along too! They are an excellent source of knowledge even if you have given birth several times before. I will definitely be visiting again with pregnancy number two!
©Katina and Birthtalk 2008
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