#016 Katie - hypertonic pelvic floor, using dilators, incontinence, long labour, exhaustion, doula, episiotomy, PPH, golden 4th trimester, breastfeeding for 16 months

Hey hey,  Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Katie, mum to baby boy Alexander.   In this conversation we chat about  ✔️the different models of care options available as a first time mum, which option Katie went for and how she found it  ✔️disliking being pregnant because of the discomfort, aches and pains but looking forward to the birth of baby ✔️experiencing urinary incontinence in the 2nd trimester ✔️dealing with a hypertonic pelvic floor with the help of a women’s health physiotherapist, working on relaxing muscles and using dilators  ✔️spontaneously going into labour, waters breaking and labour stalling for a few days  ✔️pressured into getting an induction by obstetrician  ✔️trying everything to have the most natural labour and avoid induction with help of her doula  ✔️the power of labouring at home in a comfortable and relaxed environment, feeling safe and loved, helping to bring on contractions  ✔️the intensity of transition on Katie’s body after a very fast dilation from 4 to 7cm in 20 minutes  ✔️feeling so relieved after getting the epidural, felt like she could instantly relax and could get back in her zone and finally get some sleep  ✔️baby not breathing really well at birth, having a room full of doctors and specialists and baby needing to go to NICU for a day ✔️experiencing postpartum haemorrhage  ✔️feeling no sensation in her pelvic floor straight after birth and experiencing urinary incontinence as a result and feeling terrified that this would be her reality now  ✔️loving her breastfeeding journey, once her son’s tongue ties were released and still breastfeeding at 16 months  To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast.  If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA  This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube  Follow me on social media for more content  Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula  Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula  Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode!  Alicia :)