"Positive breech birth experience"

I just wanted to write here that my little girl and I had a positive vaginal breech birth in Manchester's St Mary's at 40 weeks +10 days. The midwives on the ward were encouraging and their natural sense of camaraderie from the start gave me confidence through the whole experience. They were accommodating of my wish to have a quiet and relaxed atmosphere, and I used natal hypnotherapy for the whole birth. I requested before the birth that the midwives not mention or offer pain relief, and this request was honoured. I had the freedom to move around the room when we were in labour, and was on hands and knees for most of the 12 hours. My doctor asked if I wanted an episiotomy during the last stage of labour; it had already crossed my mind that this was what we needed as I felt progress had stalled. I picked up my baby from between my legs myself and will never forget how magic that felt. We had immediate skin to skin, the midwives let us have an hour to ourselves before doing the baby checks, and the placenta delivered naturally almost two hours later. She is a healthy and happy little baby, and I'm certain that the experience of her relaxed and calm birth has added to her first experiences of the world. I'm indebted to the midwives at St. Mary's who looked after us, and especially the doctor who supported our breech birth wishes and designed them into the plan of care that made it all possible.