Go on, if you had a good birth, why not share some details? I'm sure i'm not the only one who found that almost all the stories you hear are of how things went wrong, so maybe it would be nice for any soon-to-be mums to hear how smoothly things can go and that it really can be OK.

My positive birth experience - birthing pool at the jessop. 9 hours of contractions that felt initially no worse than period cramps, then half an hour (5 contraction, that was all) to push the baby out. Only needed paracetamol and codeine, but nearly cracked and asked for an epidural before trying the birthing pool, but the pool was soooo good I didn't feel like i need one once i'd got in. Nothing actually 'hurt' rather than being uncomfortable until i started pushing, and then the pain was oddly controllable and bearable, even though i got a nasty tear (which i didn't feel).

Turns out the best advice i had been given was - trite as it sounds - to relax your insides and breathe properly. As my boss told me - giving birth? you were built to do it, so dont' worry - it's not that bad!

Good Idea Babychickens - I know it was the thing I was dreading the most so lets hope we can put some minds at rest!!!
On going for a routine check up at jessops, they said I had high BP and protein in my urine and so they decided to induce me which petrified me, but on the bright side I was kinda glad as then I would know when it was happening. As I had group B strep I couldn`t go to the midwife lead end of the ward and couldn`t move due to my drip. They broke my waters (after putting gel on me the night before) at 3pm, I had some morphine for the period like pains and an epidural although I probably didn`t need it I was just scared of the pain becoming bad. My contractions almost stopped and I slept for a few hours. They then gave me a false hormone to start them again, and when she examined me at 8pm should see his head and told me to push. 15 - 20 mins later I had a baby!!!!!!!!!! Very very quick!!! she even wrote that Lucas was 'spontaneously delivered'!! hahaha. So to be honest I took the easy way out with the drugs but I really didn`t feel a thing!! And I would so do it again! For anybody who may be going to be induced, there is no need to worry or be scared as you are in full control. As for labour, you will know at the time what is best for you, maybe next time I will try it without the drugs as I guess it seems like more of an achievement but hey theres no shame in taking the help offered if you need it!

I feel very fortunate to have had three lovely birth experiences but the best was certainly the birth of my youngest. The labour was quicker, less painful and I am a firm believer the reason behind this was because I was very relaxed and comfortable in my own home!!

I would recommend home births to every pregnant woman!!

:D

I had an elective C section with my little girl and it was great, very organised, I was kept informed all the way through. It beat the chaotic farce of the emergency C section I had with my little boy hands down.

My baby girl is due in November and once again I will be having an elective Caesarean.:)

littleboo, can i be nosey and ask why you had an elective c-section?

when i first found out i was pregnant i wanted one but then after talking to various people about the birthing part i decided against it and went for a normal delivery. due to problems last time, next time i have a baby i will have to go for an elective c-section due to medical reasons.

As a first time mum I was worried about the length of the labour (everyone tells you it's normally at least 12 hours) and how I would cope. But I had a very positive experience. Contractions began at 3 min intervals, attached TENS machine, got to the Jessop 6cm dilated, gas and air and birthing pool helped loads. The whole thing took 5 hours and at no stage did I feel it was too much and that I wouldn't be able to cope. It made me realise what inner strength you have and don't know it! I wouldn't have changed a thing and now have a beautiful 5 month old baby boy too who is currently on his 12th hour of sleeping through the night! Bonus! :)

littleboo, can i be nosey and ask why you had an elective c-section?

when i first found out i was pregnant i wanted one but then after talking to various people about the birthing part i decided against it and went for a normal delivery. due to problems last time, next time i have a baby i will have to go for an elective c-section due to medical reasons.

I had an elective section due to the complete and utter chaotic time the first time, When I got to hospital I was 7 1/2 cm dilated, I went into the delivery room straight away at 7.25am, baby had traveled down the birth canal but was stuck and wouldn't come any further, his breathing was slow and he and the cord was around his neck. I was rushed into have a caesarean at 7.35am and baby had to be pulled back up the birth canal (not pleasant) and was born at 7.50am. no one told me what was happening or what to expect. they brought my little boy around to show me then they took him out for my Mum to hold, My Mum held my baby before myself or my partner.
the whole episode was just a farce and I said that I would never go through that again.
when I had my little girl they told me that there was a chance that baby would struggle through the birth canal in the same way, so I chose elective. I t is recommended that I have a elective Caesarean with this baby as there is a chance that the previous section wounds can open with a natural birth (after 2 sections) but to be honest I would have chose the section option regardless.

Hi there, I gave birth four weeks ago to a little boy and it was a great experience! It was a home birth which lasted 5 1/2 hours from waking up with mild contractions to the birth. I used gas and air but by the time it arrived I was already 9 cms so I didn't use it for very long! I was going to use a birthing pool but I was pushing by the time it was ready so I got in it afterwards with the baby which was blissful. I only had a few small tears which the midwife could stitch up while I laid on my own bed. All in all, a very satisfying experience!

I have an 8 yr old and a 5 yr old . The first was an emergency c after 52 hours labour - we went from thinking we would have a home birth to trying to induce to finally giving up and having to have an emergency c as nothing was happening and they were worrying about the effect on the baby. The second birth we made the decision at 34 weeks to have a c as the second baby was bigger than the first and the consultant doubted that it would come out as my inlet was too small to get the head engaged.
This isn't a bad birth story - I have two brilliant healthy and happy children and I have really enjoyed being a parent - The births were scary and for a needle phobic like me not much fun but it is the outcome that counts. I would have loved a "sneeze and the baby came out" type of birth but hey, what the hell!

My sister has just had exactly the birth she wanted. She had her first in 45 minutes at home, alone in the bathroom and found the experience as you can imagine, terrifying. That was six years ago.

She's just had another home birth, this time planned. She had her son in her bedroom, with her husband there, gas and air, she was able to have all her things around her, soft towels and bedding, dimmed lights, music - she said it was a much nicer, very emotional yet very calm, special experience.

i havent had good birth experiences (but there is still time)

1, i had bleeding from 30 weeks induced at 37.5 weeks strapped to bed
2, ok pregnancy, overdue by 2 weeks induced straped to bed
3, my waters broke on there own huray! but two days and still no contractions, induced strapped to bed,

i had to heve the drip as im naturally almost 3 cm dialated (all the time) and they cant do antthing else.

due to have number 4 in 7 weeks and can everyone have there fingers crossed for me to have an active birth please!!!!!!!!!

wow I think I might have to try the birthing pool I did natural last time just walked everywhere this time I am really nervous.

I had a really good birth with my first child despite been strapped to bed! No problems whatsoever all way through pregnancy & birth. Fingers crossed this time around am 14 weeks pregnant at the moment.

I would highly reccommend raspberry leaf tea/tablets available from herbalists, they help with the womb contracting & I was totally pain free, had gas & air & diamorphine. hardly felt any pain whatsoever.

Goodluck to everyone whose approaching they're due date, hope you have a painfree pleasant birth.