A positive birth story from Bristol: “That was oddly easy!”

Becky and Joey’s Birth Story

Birth stories are so important.

Humans learn through story. They help us imagine what it might be like for us, to know what’s possible, to visualise an experience, to work out what’s right for us… and so much more.

All birth stories are valid and all births are different. But I feel like we are living in a world that’s slowly (fast?) forgetting women were built for this and perhaps we need to hear natural and positive birth stories more than ever right now.

As a doula in Bristol, I get to see birth work beautifully and women enjoying their birth experience. Things you might not even know are possible right now!

I hope this beautiful positive birth story from Bristol helps you remember you are made for this! It’s told entirely in Becky’s own words…

“The birth was just really…good!”

So the birth was just really… good! I’d been feeling kind of period aches in the day and wondered if something might be happening soon (we’d also got up at 4am to go and see the morning flight at the balloon fiesta that morning, so I thought it’d be classic if I went into labour the evening after such an early start… 😅 turns out so did Joey!)

In the evening I’d been feeling them even more and was just kind of, watching them, aware but not sure. Then as I was going to bed, they’d ramped up a bit, then got to the point when they woke me up… but I felt very calm the whole time and almost like, is this really it? And almost feeling like a didn’t want to make a fuss and wake Ben or call my mum just yet… until I realised it was really it.

I think I called my mum around 00:30, she arrived by 1:30am. By that point my contractions were regular and I was in my breathing rhythms, hugging a birthing ball and calm / watching nice telly in between. My waters broke around 2am and then the contractions really picked up – but still felt steady through the breathing. We were in the hospital by 2:30am.

Arriving at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol

When we got into our room, we got our music on and I got my birthing comb out, but didn’t even really have time to set up the Tens machine or mood lighting or anything as we were kind of down to business. The midwives at St Miachael’s were so lovely, really listened to how I wanted to do things / what position. She was really patient in taking her time / following my lead for when I was ready for her to check how dilated I was – giving enough time around contractions, letting me go to the loo first and such… before she did the check I’d started on gas and air.

When she did the check, I was already 9cm dilated! Which made sense when I heard that as I had started feeling urges to push but thought surely not already. Ben and I had been gearing up for another 16–20-hour stint like the last one 🫣

Using Hypnobirthing tools

But really, we were then straight into being able to push when my body felt like it. I really really used my breath and feel like that helped so much – especially for slowing down between the head coming out and then her body. I had really minimal tearing, just a ‘graze’ as they put it. Also, what kept coming into my mind were two of the phrases from the Hypnobirthing affirmation cards – I can do anything for 60 seconds, and floppy face floppy fanny which genuinely help me relax my muscles 🙃 And so by 5.04am she was born! Also, only lost 60ml of blood compared to 900ml in my first birth.

It was just a really great experience and kind of surprising. Both me and Ben were a bit taken aback by how smooth it had been… and kind of like ‘what just happened’ / ‘that was oddly easy’.

Anyway, sorry, that became long!! I do love a birth story too though. Thanks so much again for all of your support and can’t wait for postnatal yoga. Xx

Becky’s Birth Preparation in Bristol

Becky joined my Pregnancy Yoga classes in Brislington through most of her pregnancy, where she had a dedicated time and space each week to move, breathe and relax so that she could connect with her body and her baby. She and her partner also invested in a one-to-one Hypnobirthing session with me giving them the opportunity to prepare together and explore practical tools for labour and birth. She went on to have her baby at St Michael’s Hopsital in Bristol supported by her partner and the maternity team there.

Thank you to Becky for sharing her beautiful birth story with me and all of you. Grateful for having a small part to play in the journey to get there!

Stories like Becky’s are one of the reasons I love the work I do as a doula in Bristol: seeing your confidence grow and watching you develep trust in your body and your baby are just so rewarding!