So, I’ve been meaning for ages to do some blog posts, and something else keeps getting in the way and taking up my time. I thought a nice quick and easy way to get started would be to share my birth story from when I had Isaac (for those who don’t know, he was baby number 2 for me).

I did pregnancy yoga and birth prep classes during my pregnancy, and there was such a difference in how I felt compared to my first birth (where I had done NCT) and I actually ENJOYED the birth!!

I know lots of people who come along to class like to hear positive birth stories, so hopefully this will help. I’ll share my home birth story next and hopefully share stories from those who’ve been along to classes too.

"I woke up at 7am and realised that the cramps I'd been having the night before were a little more uncomfortable and coming in waves, so I started to time them. They were roughly 5mins apart, so I text my husband who was nightshift and due to finish work at 8am to say I thought I was in labour but should be ok until he got home. I showered, got ready and got my 2 year old ready, working through the contractions with breathing techniques. By the time my husband got home at 8.20am, I knew I was definitely in labour and we called the hospital and his parents.

We arrived at the hospital about 9am, and my contractions were really close together. I was checked over in maternity assessment, which included an internal check, urine and bloods, and the midwife said I was 6cm dilated, and then took me up to the labour ward. In the lift on the way up my contractions changed and all of a sudden I felt like I needed to push!

Midwife checked me over again on the bed and I then managed to get back on my feet, leaning over the bed. Breathing had got me through everything til this point! I was given gas and air, but it makes me feel weird and I struggled to concentrate on breathing with it, so I left it!

The midwife asked if I wanted to get onto the bed on all fours and she'd lift the back up for me for support- sounded great, except my waters then broke in a big gush on the floor and I really needed to push! I wasn't going anywhere!

A quick check and the midwife could see the head! Again, using just breathing techniques, along with some affirmations and visualisations I birthed my baby boy into the world at 9.42am!

I was standing on the floor leaning over the bed, and the midwife caught him along with me, then helped pass him up to me between my legs to cuddle! Little bit of drama for a few seconds as the cord was round his neck, but the midwife was amazing and fixed it without even telling me- my husband told me after.

My placenta was delivered quite quickly after, and I made it onto the bed for some skin to skin, and we even started getting Isaac to latch on to feed.

All in, it was a very quick birth, just like my first. A very positive experience which, as I’ve said at the start, I actually enjoyed!