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Amanda Meyerhoff’s Birth Story

Hi Ann I’m so sorry this is so late!
So I had baby Amelia Sue Meyerhoff at 7:15am on 26 July.
As you know I was due to be induced on Tuesday 25 July so I’d been trying everything to help her come before then. After my 2nd session of acupuncture on the Monday I started having contractions Monday evening. They were a good distance apart so we went to bed as normal and they were still the same when I woke up. The midwife and hospital said to still go in for my induction. So after all the monitoring they needed to do first this started around 4pm on the Tuesday. The contractions were about 5/6 mins apart at this stage and a bit stronger so I was using the breathing techniques you taught us to ride through them. After about 6 hours thing stepped up a gear and they took the propess out as I was progressing quickly! At this stage I’d had 2 paracetamol and was using a tens machine along with focused breathing.
I wasn’t quite ready to go and have my waters broken at this stage so they kept me on the maternity ward. Soon after I started throwing up with each contraction and the contractions themselves were getting more and more painful. The only pain relief they could offer me was cocodamol but as I was being sick I couldn’t take this. So this is where the straw breathing came in… I was in A LOT of pain and really starting to lose it but Adam was amazing and kept putting the straw in my mouth at each contraction and counting me through my breathing! It really was amazing at focusing my mind and my breathing… I don’t know what I’d have done without Adam and that straw!! The midwives all thought it was great too as they could see how much it calmed me down.
At this stage I was completely unaware that the reason I was still on the maternity ward was because there was literally no room for me on the labour ward and they had to wait for a room and midwife to become free!
We finally got down there early hours of Wednesday morning and I finally got some diamorphine and the gas and air!l (after demanding an epidural or c-section)
The breathing still came in useful when I was using the gas and air as it’s very similar to the straw breathing (just with added pain relief )
Amelia made her grand entrance at 7:15am at an impressive 8lb 5oz (not so small after all)
Unfortunately I suffered 3rd degree tearing and had to have an epidural anyway. But never mind!
So I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the last 20 plus weeks. Yoga was a lovely way to relax when I was going through such a stressful pregnancy and stressful time with my job! And all the tips you gave with the birthing ball were fab and really helped with all my back and rib pain throughout.
Lots of love to you and all the best to your husband as well xx
P.s. See you next time ha ha!!

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