Hellobee

My two childbirth stories could not be more different.

When I was pregnant with my Charlie, I loved reading other people’s birth stories so I could prepare myself for what to expect. I also read books and took a childbirth preparation class. Despite thinking that I was prepared for the birth I wanted (epidural please!), I ended up with a c-section for not making enough progress after 3 hours of pushing; that was something that I had never considered happening at all! I think it should have been a topic in my childbirth class because several of my friends also ended up with unplanned c-sections.

With Olive, I had a scheduled c-section so I thought I knew exactly what to expect this time around. I ended up going into labor 5 weeks early, and because she was small, I ended up with a VBAC! So much for the scheduled c-section! It really was a little shocking on the day of both my labors when things didn’t go like I anticipated. But even though neither of my births went according to plan, overall I had a positive experience with both and don’t have any regrets.

I think the only thing you can count on when it comes to childbirth is that it usually doesn’t turn out how you expect! The best thing you can do is to read real labor stories so that you have an idea of what could happen.

We’ve featured many birth stories on Hellobee over the years, and I’ve rounded them all up here, from unmedicated births to home births, water births, epidurals, c-sections, VBACS, preemies, adoption, to surrogate births. Also check out this Swarm thread where our bloggers chime in on what they would change about their labor/birth!

Unmedicated Birth Stories

Emma’s Birth Story by Mrs. Marbles
Sam’s Birth Story by Guest Blogger Laura
Baby H’s Birth Story by Mrs. Hopscotch
How Baby HH Came to Be & Baby Boy Heels Birth Story by Mrs. High Heels
Baby J’s Birth Story by Mrs. Pen
Baby Confetti’s Birth Story & Asher’s Birth Story by Mrs. Confetti
Giving Birth Again & Chocolate Baby’s Birth Story by Mrs. Chocolate
Baby Bun Bun’s Birth Story by Mrs. Rabbit
Baby Brother Stroller’s Birth Story (second birth) by Mrs. Stroller
On Becoming a Pink Tiger: William’s Birth Story by Mrs. Milk
The First Day of Summer: a Birth Story by Mrs. Palette
Welcome Winter by Mrs. Chipmunk
7 Things Not to Say to Your Wife When She’s in Labor: A Birth Story by Mrs. Owl
Sam’s Birth Story by Laura
Our Little Deer: The Birth & Baby Deer’s Birth Story by Mrs. Deer

Unmedicated Water Births & Home Births

Wonder Baby’s Birth Story & Toddler Girl’s Birth Story by Mrs. Superhero
My Birth Story: A Baby at Home by Mrs. Scooter
Kristin’s Home Water Birth
My Home Birth Story by Ms. Fairy Wings
The Accidental Home Birth (second birth) by Laura

Medicated Birth Stories

My Birth Story & My New Year’s Baby by Mrs. Tea
Bunny Tales: Julia’s Birth Story by Mrs. Rabbit
The Trikester’s Birth Story & A Tale of Two Births: Comparing First and Second Labors by Mrs. Tricycle
Hopscotch Twins Birth Story by Mrs. Hopscotch
Baby Checkers Birth Story & Baby Boy Checkers: My Birth Story by Mrs. Checkers
Happy Birthday Little Oats by Mrs. Oatmeal
Baby Pencil’s Birth Story by Mrs. Pencil
Scribble’s Birth Story by Mrs. Sketchbook
RJ’s Birth Story: Epidural Failure & Lil Miss Wagon’s Birth Story by Mrs. Wagon
Rubies’ Birth Story
Baby Stroller’s Birth Story by Mrs. Stroller
The Birth and Noah’s Birth by Mrs. Hide and Seek
Birth Story by Mrs. Yoyo

C-section Births

A Complicated Pregnancy: Our Journey to Meet Little Lion and Baby Lion’s Birth Story by Mrs. Lion
Welcome to the World: Meet the Babies Blue & Introducing Our Cheeky Little Man by Mrs. Blue
Chloe’s Birth Story & Charlotte Mae’s Birth Story & 11 Things No One Tells You About a Scheduled C-Section by Mrs. Jump Rope
Becoming a Mother of 3: My Twin Birth Story & A Scheduled C-Section and a Tubal Ligation by Mrs. Train
My Beautiful C-Section Birth Story by Mrs. Markers
Liam’s Birth Story by Mrs. Tic Tac Toe
Not Natural: My CBAC (Cesarean Birth After Cesarean) by Mrs. Twine
What to Expect When You’re Expecting a C-Section & A Positive C-Section Story by Mrs. Bee

VBAC Births

Susie’s Birth Stories (an unplanned c-section and an unplanned, unmedicated VBAC)
Grace is Here: a VBAC Birth Story by Mrs. Tic Tac Toe

Preemies

Baby Iris’s Birth Story: A Placental Abruption at 30 Weeks by Mrs. Pom Pom
Premature Labor and an Emergency C-section by Mrs. Tiger

Surrogate Births

Aidan’s Birth Story by Mrs. Sea Otter

Adoption Births

I Was a Visitor at My Son’s Birth by Mrs. Train
The Birth Story Adoption Style by Mrs. Jacks