Being listened to
I have had two very different but very positive births. My first my daughter was overdue, I was listened to that I didn't want to be induced and it was agreed that if it came to it I would be monitored over being induced. This however was not needed as she decided to come 41+2. I had planned to use hypnobirthing and successfully did so.
I laboured for the majority of my time at home, I would have gone for a homebirth if we had the space to allow for a pool, given we didn't I opted for a midwife led unit and to use the pool there. When I arrived at the unit I was left to my own devices, I had a midwife with me all the time, she didn't leave my side but she didn't interfere. Me and my husband were left to it, which is exactly what we wanted. I had my natural, water birth and birthed my placenta naturally and managed to have it encapsulated.
My second birth was a very different experience. My daughter was found to have IUGR, so my planned home birth was very soon off the table, as I was advised to have a my labour induced, my consultant however did take the time to listen to me and I could have had a home birth still but my husband and I decided for the safety of our daughter we would be in hospital. Even though my labour was induced I was still listened to. I was able to be mobile in my labour, I was able to do it all naturally as the midwives took time to read my birth preferences and discuss them with me. I had a quick 20mins active stage of labour and gave birth to a healthy, albeit small little girl. I would say the overriding thing from both labours, that I was listened to. I felt like superwoman after both labours, I felt like I was the only woman on the ward giving birth, the midwives were absolutely amazing and took the time to get to know me and my husband and to fully understand our wishes.
