I had Erin back on the pod to share the birth of her daughter, her second baby and her VBAC. Erin lives in Glasgow with her husband, their two little ones and their dogs. Her son was born by emergency C section after a 71 hour induction. This time she wanted to see what her body could do if labour started on its own.
She asked to move to the NHS home birth team at her eight week booking appointment, then chose the hospital's midwife led unit when a home birth stopped feeling right. Along the way there were two episodes of reduced fetal movements, a sonographer who explained why an anterior placenta doesn't account for reduced movements, consultant appointments about continuous monitoring, and a breech scan at 30 weeks that hit her much harder than she expected. By 32 weeks her daughter had turned head down.
Labour crept in over New Year. Three days of cramps, then back pain through the night after the bells, then contractions she only ever felt in her back. She got to triage at 5cm and laboured in the pool with a wireless CTG monitor. At 8cm, in transition, she was asking for a C section. While she waited for an epidural on Labour Ward, her body started pushing on its own and her daughter was born on the next contraction. Erin lifted her straight onto her chest, exactly the moment she'd pictured all pregnancy.
In this episode we talk about:
The stories shared on British Birthing Stories are real, personal experiences from real women. I am not a medical professional and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice. Every pregnancy and birth is different, and I always encourage you to speak to your midwife or doctor about your own individual care.
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