Today on the show Chloe shares both of her births. The first was an induction that ended in an emergency caesarean at Liverpool Women's. The second was a planned NHS home birth after caesarean that ended with her daughter being born in the back of an ambulance.
Chloe was 23 and hadn't done any birth prep when she booked her induction. A pessary and a sweep she wasn't told about got things started, and after two nights on a busy induction ward she moved to the labour ward at 3cm. Then came pethidine, the hormone drip and contractions with no break in between. Her epidural took several attempts because her back was so muscly. After three days with barely any sleep she went from 6cm back to 4cm, and she chose a caesarean. The spinal wouldn't go in, and rather than be put to sleep she told the team she couldn't feel anything on her right side. She could.
Second time round Chloe spent ten months researching. She stayed with the Liverpool Women's home birth team, said no to an induction and a repeat caesarean, and laboured at her mum's house with her mum, her sister and her doula. Her waters broke over the birth ball with meconium in them. The midwife on call was stuck at another birth, so paramedics came instead. After two hours of her body pushing on its own in the pool, she was helped into an ambulance and her daughter was born round the corner in one go. A fetal ejection reflex, a 3C tear, and a baby who needed her airways clearing, which Chloe did herself.
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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