Hello. We are Isobel and Hiten. Isobel is a speech and language therapist working with preschool children and Hiten works as a manager in IT. We are proud parents to our little baby Arlo who is 2 months old. We took the Happy Parents Happy Baby antenatal classes in Gerrards Cross.
My pregnancy was quite smooth in terms of symptoms. However after 20 weeks I was classed as high risk as I had low Papp-A as well as a small for gestational age baby (identified at scans). This meant that I felt I needed to be particularly well informed for my labour and birth as I was under consultant-led care.
Labour ward in hospital. I felt very well supported there. I had amazing caring midwives. I had a student and a qualified midwife so felt I had double the care.
I was supposed to be induced. However my waters broke spontaneously at 39 weeks the day before my planned induction! This meant that I ended up having a spontaneous vaginal delivery. I had to be on the labour ward and have continuous monitoring throughout via CTG. I tried to use breathing techniques and things that the HPHB course advised in the early stages of labour (tens machine, birthing comb, counter pressure) I found these things really helped. I ended up having an epidural, but as I knew how important positioning is during labour I got the midwives to help me move into different positions.
Paracetamol 1/5 – didn’t do much.
Breathing techniques 3/5 – were great up until a certain point for me.
Gas and air 2/5 – really helped to focus breathing, but then made me feel drowsy and sick.
Tens machine 4/5 – sooo helpful in early labour.
Epidural 5/5 – really gave relief when i needed it as my labour was long.
In disbelief that I was finally meeting my baby. In awe of what my body had just done.
The first few days were very special and surreal. I felt empowered with knowledge from the course to know what we were doing with baby care which was very reassuring.
Breastfeeding – it was quite a journey to get established but now it is great and I’m so proud.
Baby was back in hospital on day 4 with jaundice… I found it very challenging staying overnight in hospital without my husband. It is quite challenging recovering yourself and looking after a newborn baby alone.
Birthing my beautiful baby and persevering with breastfeeding.
To go into labour a week early with my first baby! To ask for an epidural (it was the one thing I thought I really didn’t want…) but I’m glad I remained open minded and was well informed with all the different options.
I boosted the epidural a couple of hours before pushing and I regret that as I think it reduced the sensation I had in the pushing stage. I think it would have helped to have more feeling to know what you’re doing.
It has been great sharing stories and reassuring each other with advice – especially in the early newborn days!
Lucozade sport and a tens machine!
Getting home and having a shower and putting on fresh pyjamas.
Baby towel that wraps round your neck.
Baby blankets.
Rockit!
Baby carrier.
Baby bath seat.
Go into it well informed but also open minded. Follow your gut instincts on things.
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