Positive Birth Story: Induction for Gestational Diabetes
Positive Induction Birth Story: Induction for Gestational Diabetes
Kayleigh and her partner follow the birth-ed Online Hypnobirthing Course during their pregnancy. Thank you to Kayleigh for sharing her story!
Positive Hypnobirthing Induction
Leeds General Infirmary
Positive induction
Paracetamol and a few puffs of gas and air
Gaia Revely - 8lbs 9oz
40weeks plus 43mins
Birth-ed Online Hypnobirthing Course
I had previously started another course but found it inflexible and negative about induction and hospital births so I looked for an alternative and am so glad I found Megan and Birth-ed!
I have to first say my plan went out of the window and I have to thank hypnobirthing for allowing me to stay calm and focused when this happened.
Having suffered with gestational diabetes I knew the prospect of induction was a real one but spoke with my husband and we used BRAIN to challenge the doctors on the reasons and ultimate decided it was the right option due to potential issues with insulin levels in baby.
On my due date I arrived at the hospital to be induced at 11am. My husband had packed everything we could ever need to make our stay as oxytocin inducing as possible and after some initial checks and being told my cervix was shut tight and far back, I had the propess inserted and was told to expect to have it taken out in 24hours. After a bit of relaxing we went for a walk around the hospital and I started to feel the odd twinge but nothing note worthy. Back in out little bay we put on some Netflix and my husband went out to get me a salad.
After he got back my period pains got stronger and at 5pm I asked for some paracetamol. By 7pm they had not subsided so my husband got the midwife and baby was monitored. Her heart rate was elevated so they wanted to keep me hooked up and take out the propess. I had several examinations and felt comfortable with these. At this time I was told I had gone to 1cm so was happy. My cramp started to spread to my hips, legs and bum and baby still had a high heart rate so I was kept on the machine. Another check at 9pm confirmed I was at 4cm.
At this point I had a wobble - I was told there were no midwives on delivery and with that in mind I asked for diamorphine. My husband checked with me that I was sure as I really had wanted to avoid this but my surges we’re getting stronger and I felt I needed to rest if I was going to have to wait before being moved. Due to baby’s heart rate I needed to be monitored more so it wasn’t until 10.30 that I was told they could maybe get it for me, however at this point my midwife realised my baby had turned back to back and I had progressed to 5cm. She made the call and had a midwife pulled from another ward and I was put in a wheelchair and rushed the 200m to delivery.
My new midwife Nicole was amazing! My husband expressed the fact I wanted diamorphine so she tried to monitor baby and couldn’t because of my movements. My surges were 5 in 10mins at this point and very intense. She decided to clip babies head for monitoring and on doing so found I had reached 10cm in 30mins! No time for morphine baby was coming!
Surgeons were called to the room and my husband heard them discuss forceps or c-section but Nicole was confident in what I could do and sent them away and called a buddy. I was put on my back, legs in stirrups and Nicole started to coach me in pushing. I must say at this point I wanted a pool birth so this was the polar opposite but it felt right at the time and I trusted in my midwife and my husband who was holding the gas and air nozzle for me (this just made me feel sick so was pushed away!). Due to baby coming out forehead first Nicole told me she needed to perform an episiotomy which I agreed to - I felt a sting and with 1push our daughter was out and on my chest screaming at the top of her lungs!
I lost 700ml of blood but was given fluids for this and didn’t feel ill from it at all. An amazing doctor came in to do my stitches which I didn’t feel apart from the numbing injection. Due to being rhesus negative I didn’t get to have delayed cord clamping but don’t feel like she suffered from this at all.
BRAIN was the tool I used the most from hypnobirthing in both the lead up to and during the labour. My partner did the course with me and this massively helped as I was able to discuss preferences before and he advocated for me the whole way through. From the outside someone might say my birth was not positive but I don’t feel that way - I was able to remain calm and know what was going on with the process and my body.
Online Hypnobirthing Course
If you would like to prepare for a positive birth too, why not sign up for the birth-ed online hypnobirthing course like Kayleigh did!