You can listen to Elizabeth’s first birth experience in episode 427

After a positive first birth experience with the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) program, Elizabeth was excited but naturally apprehensive about doing it all again. She conceived quickly and experienced a smoother first trimester than her first pregnancy, possibly due to having more flexibility in her schedule as a stay-at-home mum.

Elizabeth was delighted to reconnect with her previous midwife, Melinda, who had encouraged her to reach out for her next pregnancy. This continuity of care proved especially meaningful as Margaret could attend appointments, creating a beautiful connection between past and present. Through the MGP program, Elizabeth also found unexpected support in meeting other second-time mums:

“It was so nice to have like two other people that were going through a second pregnancy experience compared to that first time experience. Cause it’s just different… we would hang out just after our appointments and let the girls like have a little play together and just talk about how hard it was being pregnant with toddlers.”

At 40 weeks and 4 days, Elizabeth had a stretch and sweep at home, which quickly led to labour. The labour progressed rapidly, with contractions becoming intense within hours. A particularly challenging aspect was managing the logistics of childcare while in labour:

“My concern was like organizing my toddler and knowing when I was going into labour, I found that really hard… my mum, cause like that is motherhood is just like knowing, like, obviously you need to know what’s happening with your toddler.”

The actual birth proved to be incredibly quick. After arriving at the hospital, Elizabeth recalls: “I just started like power walking into the foyer… I was running again, four o’clock in the afternoon… That was like, people were leaving. It was very busy in the hospital. And I was like, and that look in my eyes of like, get out of my way, like sprinting through the hospital foyer.”

Despite not having her regular midwife present, Elizabeth was supported by Michelle, an MGP midwife who provided excellent care. The birth itself was intense but manageable, with Elizabeth remaining clear-minded throughout due to the short duration of her labour. Wesley was born weighing 4.58 kilos (over 10 pounds), which led to some interesting discussions about hospital policy regarding blood sugar monitoring.

Elizabeth made the informed decision to decline staying in hospital for 24-hour blood sugar monitoring: “I felt confident feeding. I’m having the midwife come tomorrow… I don’t want to stay in the hospital… I felt confident in my decision and it was the right decision.”

The postpartum experience was notably different the second time around: “Much smoother, I would say… the breastfeeding was easier and like not very painful… the emotion was more level as well. Like I didn’t have that huge, I remember like day three with my first very big drop and like a lot of crying.”

Elizabeth’s story beautifully illustrates how second births can be different yet equally positive, despite the added complexity of managing a toddler and having less time for preparation. Her experience highlights the importance of trusting your instincts and making informed decisions about your care, even when they go against standard hospital protocols.

At four months postpartum, Elizabeth reflects on the adjustment to two children: “The workload is like much more, but looking after a baby is just so joyful this time… You can just let everything be and like go with the flow… Much more just knowing that things are going to end or change or whatever. So yeah, it’s been a dream this time, to be honest.”