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Fiona Butters’ Story

“Our beautiful daughter Emma Butters arrived just after 9pm on Wednesday 4th April, weighing 7lb 10.5oz.

As you know I had signed up to the One to One midwife service at 30 weeks, but had still intended to give birth in the Women’s. I didnt have a structured birth plan as I intended to go with the flow and I wasnt sure how I would cope with the pain or how tired I would be… Well we have all heard the horror stories, and with having my first baby at 36 years old I thought everything would take a long time.

I woke on Wednesday morning at 4am with stomach ache, so I took a couple of paracetamols and went back to bed. My midwife Belinda had already arranged to see me that morning as I was now over 40 weeks; when she examined me I was 1cm dilated but my cervix was still posterior so I asked if I could go shopping to Liverpool as I had some things I needed to do. Belinda had no problem with this, and as I was only getting mild period pains on and off I felt quite comfortable going into town with my parents.

At 2pm I left Liverpool as I was starting to get a little uncomfortable with the pain, and after 3pm I unpacked the tens machine and put that on.

My husband Stu came home from work at about 4pm after he spoke to me and decided that he needed to be here. On Stu’s recommendation I phoned Belinda at 5pm and asked her to pop in on her way home just to check up on me …
Well she never left the house from when she arrived at 6pm.

At this point I was consistently using the golden thread breath technique and the tens machine.

I felt so comfortable at home I just never asked to go to the Women’s, and Emma arrived in our front lounge in calmness. I never even asked for the gas and air, basically because I was saving myself for the drugs when the pain got too bad for me to cope with; but life is full of surprises and I managed.

Belinda said that she could tell that I had been to yoga and that it had definitely helped me through the birth.

Overall the birth itself was a very positive experience and alot of that can be put down to the breathing techniques I learnt in yoga aswell as the consistent support I had from Belinda, (and maybe a bit of luck as the birth was relatively quick). Stu was very supportive throughout my labour and we both agreed that the birthing partner class helped both of us take control of the situation.

I have only praise for the One to One service and the yoga techniques I have both learnt and enjoyed over the last six months.

Thank you Ann, and I hope all the ladies in the class have a good experience as I did.”

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