10 Inspiring Positive Birth Stories (Natural & C-Section)
Likely, you are expecting your beautiful baby and hoping to read some positive birth stories to get you in the right mindset before delivering your baby.
If that is the case, you, my friend, are in luck! Because today you will be reading beautiful and inspiring positive birth stories that will have you imagining your big day.
But wait…
Aren’t all birth stories positive?
Well, yes and no.
As many moms can tell you, bringing a child into this world will most often be a positive occurrence. However, the birth process or “birth story” accompanying it isn’t always as pleasant.
The birthing process can be very complex, and the experiences that result from it can vary widely from woman to woman.
Today, however, we will be talking all about positive birth stories. For this purpose, I’ve enlisted the help of fellow mom bloggers to help share their positive birth stories with us.
They will be sharing the following:
- A little bit of their positive birth experience.
- And what they attribute their positive birth experience to.
As you read these birth stories, I hope you keep an open mind and a positive outlook to help you prepare for your big day.
Next are 10 Positive Birth Stories…
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1. My Positive Birth Story (Second Time Around)
Although I could name positive moments that transpired during my births, my second labor was hands downs the most positive one.
It was December 9th, 2016, and after 2 days of irregular contractions, a baby girl was still holding down the fort. My guess is she, of course, wanted her birthday!
Why? Because December 9th wasn’t only her due date but my son’s 3rd birthday.
Sure enough, contractions started more regularly the following day (December 10th). At 6:55 p.m., we arrived at the hospital, where the triage nurse immediately admitted us.
Once in the labor and delivery room, as I changed into my hospital gown, my water broke!! Shortly after, my contractions got a little bit stronger, and I chose to get the epidural. Sadly, however, the epidural didn’t do much of its job, but thankfully everything transgressed pretty quickly after that.
At 10:42 p.m. that same day—only 4 hours after admission and only 3 pushes—my beautiful girl was born! She was able to rest in my chest as the doctor finished her routine birthing procedure (something I couldn’t do with my firstborn), and I was in blissful awe that I was now a mom of TWO!
Oh, and she got her birthday, of course!
I attributed my positive birth experience to many things, but mainly:
- I felt more prepared for the task, possibly from previous experience and birthing knowledge.
- Active labor was much faster.
- This time around, my husband and I had more help. My mom stayed with our son while my in-laws were with us at the hospital. My mother-in-law also graciously stayed with us a few weeks after our daughter was born, which was a great help.
Knowing our son was in good hands while I gave birth to his sister was a big relief.
2. Positive Hospital Birth Story
My 2nd was born in May 2021, just after the world had shut down and everything had become such a panic.
The thing is, despite everything being so unknown and scary, my hospital team did an amazing job ensuring I had the best birth experience possible.
This was a relief since my first birth was a bit scary, ending with my baby in the NICU. I was admitted after confirming my water had been leaking for at least 1 day at home (that I was aware of).
Given my history of having chorioamnionitis in the past, they decided to admit me and let me labor under their monitoring for 12 hours. If I didn’t progress, they’d begin induction.
Upon admission, my contractions were pretty minimal but very strong. Since they never came consistently enough, they ended up inducing me. First, giving me medication to thin and ripen my cervix, then Pitocin came to get those contractions going.
Let me tell you, I’m not sure if it’s 2nd birth thing or what, but my body reacted FAST to the induction. Within 5 hours and 10 minutes of active pushing, he was here! It went so fast (unlike my first) I feel like I never had time to worry.
Plus, I took Mommy Labor Nurse’s Birth Course (Birth It Up) this time and felt ready for anything. The other part that helped was knowing I wanted an epidural and wanted to labor as long as possible without medication.
Being upfront with my hospital team this time around really helped them understand my goals, and they were all so supportive—helping me change positions and get up if needed. I couldn’t have asked for a better hospital birth experience, and I feel so blessed by it every day.
3. Positive Pain Medication Birth Story
When I look back at the day I delivered my little brat, I thought that was it. By the end of the day, I had achieved something big!
I hardly got time to breathe due to my work hours since I went through what you may call the busiest pregnancy. Honestly! But everything happened in a day for me.
A day before, I was in the office juggling between tasks, gulping my meals in between, and the next day I was in the hospital tackling labor.
It was my mom’s birthday, and I had come home from the office to only more work at home. While I was wrapping my home office work (around 4 a.m.), I felt slight pain. I couldn’t sleep, so I started walking.
The pain started increasing, so I asked my husband to take me to the hospital. I packed my bag with clothes for me and the baby and headed to the hospital.
We reached the hospital around 7 in the morning. Straight away, I went to the labor room, and that was it. Every hour the cramping increased, so I walked for a while. The first half was bearable, but the second half became more intense as the cramping increased.
I requested some pain medication, and around 5:00 p.m. I had my little one in my arms.
The best part about that day was that my son was born the same day my mom was born. I am sure she showered her blessing on me from heaven.
*Story Credit: Pooja from Colossal Umbrella
4. Miracle Baby After 40 Positive Birth Story
Just days before Easter in 2008, at the age of 43, I entered our local hospital, ready to have a baby.
It was a week past my due date, and my blood pressure was rising. This was considered “normal” for me, as it had happened with each of my other pregnancies. I winced as, out of the corner of my eye, I spied the letters “AMA’ (advanced maternal age) stamped in a large font across the top of my chart.
I smiled and cheerfully handed the nurse a written copy of our birth plan, which included the following: “I want to avoid Pitocin. I will need to be watched for excessive bleeding after the birth. I will be having an epidural.”
I was about to discover the truth of the old saying, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go astray.”
Shortly thereafter, the doctor arrived. He looked into my eyes and said, “Hope, I know you don’t want Pitocin, but your blood pressure is getting really high, and this is one way to get the ball rolling.”
I slowly and reluctantly nodded my consent. Shortly after, a nurse entered the room and asked if I was ready for my injection. Pitocin! I hated it with my whole heart. I felt the drug coursing through my veins and knew that incredibly strong, unstoppable contractions would soon follow.
In just a few minutes, I was persistently asking (some might say whining) for pain relief. I had three children waiting for me at home, and two of them had been born naturally, with no drugs.
However, this time it had been decided ahead of time that I would have an epidural. Not only would this help keep me calm, but it would also lower my blood pressure and decrease the possibility of post-birth bleeding.
Although it seemed like forever, my husband assured me that I had taken less than an hour for the anesthesiologist, whom I dubbed “my new best friend,” to stick a needle in my back and press a small, round button, magically allowing my labor pains to subside.
I was surprised when after just sixty minutes, the doctor announced that it was time to PUSH. Gee, whiz! Who knew my almost menopausal body would still remember how to dilate?
My beautiful fourth son entered the world in just three pushes… bright-eyed and absolutely perfect.
The room erupted in cheers. Three days later, I brought my last-born son home on Easter Sunday. That has always seemed appropriate to me. Philip was a beautiful burst of new life and joy for our family. He was (and is) a very special, amazing gift of God and the miracle child of my older age. It’s been 13 years, and I would say that my last birth experience was a positive one.
First, I chose to harness my years of experience and turn them to my advantage. As the mother of three other children, I had a good idea of what I wanted (and didn’t want) in a hospital birth.
Secondly, long before contractions began, I discussed my concerns with my doctor. Together, we formulated a plan which gave us the best chance for a healthy mom-healthy baby outcome.
Thirdly, I was not afraid to listen to the advice of a trusted doctor—even when that meant that parts of my ideal birth plan had to be set aside. And I wasn’t afraid to express my desires to the hospital staff, telling them exactly what I needed.
Lastly, my positive birth story can also be attributed to the fact that I should not have even been pregnant. I will never forget seeing those two lines on the pregnancy test.
I was 43 years old, and my husband was 50. I was convinced the test was wrong and that it was just menopause. My husband knew better. He went out and bought a crib. I realized that the chances of pregnancy plummeted sharply by the time a woman reached 40 years of age.
Yet, in His wisdom, God decided to bless us again. Philip is my treasured, late-in-life miracle. He is now 13, full of life, and the most outgoing of our sons. He keeps us young (and laughing).
*Story Credit: Hope from Under the Median
5. Positive Unexpected c-Section Birth Story
My water broke when I was at home with my partner on a Saturday night.
Due to a health issue, I was to go straight to the hospital instead of laboring at home.
I finished packing my hospital bag with all the bits and pieces I had prepared to get me through a natural birth—I was terrified of the idea of an epidural or caesarian.
When we arrived at the hospital, one of the routine tests showed an unusual result. The doctor did a quick scan, revealing that the baby was in a breech position. It was a huge shock, and I knew it was going to mean either a caesarian or a very difficult birth.
With all the risks of a breech birth explained, I opted for the dreaded caesarian. And it turned out not to be so bad. I was so scared of the procedure, but I imagined it to be worse than it actually was.
Hearing my daughter when she came out was magical. I could still hold her as soon as she’d been checked. The anesthetist was amazing. He chatted with my partner and me the whole time to take our minds off the procedure, and then he took lots of photos of us with our new baby while I was being stitched up.
While it was an awful shock to find out the baby was breech at the last minute, I am thankful for it.
The breach position may not have been noticed, and I could have labored in vain. I didn’t have to suffer through any labor; I never had a single contraction!
However, I still got to experience the excitement of my waters breaking. And, of course, I ended up with a beautiful, healthy baby.
*Story Credit: Carly from My Green Toddler
6. Positive Epidural Birth Story
I was 39 weeks pregnant with my second baby when I started having contractions around 11 p.m.
I monitored them to ensure they were the real deal and then told my husband we would have a baby!
We decided to stay home and labor for a little while, and around 2 a.m., we headed to the hospital.
I was in a lot of pain, but it felt tolerable because I knew we would meet our baby soon. We were placed in a triage room and had to wait for an open bed before we could be moved to a delivery room.
At around 5 a.m., we were moved to a room, and at this point, I was very ready to get the epidural.
I remember the room was dimly lit, and I felt calm. I got the epidural and took a short nap before the nurse came in to check me again. At that point, I was 6cm dilated and happy with how quickly things progressed.
The nurse helped me roll over to my other side when I felt immense pressure and a slight urge to push. The nurse checked me again and said, “Yep! It’s go-time.”
She left the room to get my doctor, and my husband asked how I felt. I told him that I felt so calm and ready. It wasn’t what I had expected and a far cry from how I had felt with my first birth.
I just had this overwhelming feeling of strength and ability. I knew I could do it, which was an empowering feeling.
Nineteen minutes later, our son was born and quickly placed on my chest (something I could not experience with my first birth). Knowing he was safe and in my arms was the most amazing feeling.
I could not have asked for a better birth experience, and owe most of that to confidence. I was a second-time mom, had complete faith in my doctor, and had done much more childbirth education and research the second time.
You never truly know what to expect, but educating yourself about birthing is a priceless gift!
7. Positive Natural Birth Story (Third Time around)
With my second and third child, I had wonderful experiences.
They were so wonderful that I didn’t want to tell other people because there seemed to be a stigma around them.
My second labor and birth started in the middle of the night and went quickly. I had the lovely nurses and doctors and felt safe.
I got the epidural and didn’t experience much pain. My husband and I joked until the doctor said it was time to push.
I pushed my son out in less than 5 minutes with no tears. It truly was amazing.
My third labor and birth were fast and furious. I entered labor at 2 p.m. and had my daughter around 6 p.m.
There was no time for an epidural, but I had a super funny nurse who got me through. She kept saying that it was “the perfect birth.” Natural, no tearing, and relatively quick.
Scary without the epidural, but also very empowering!
*Birth Story Credit: Jeniffer from The Motherhood Club
8. Rainbow Baby Positive Birth Story
Three years ago, I gave birth via c-section to my rainbow baby.
Before marriage and planning for a family, I had this grand idea for a natural, unmedicated birth. However, my body had other plans for me.
C-Section it was, and I was totally ok with this. Nothing mattered more to me than a healthy/happy mom and baby.
Joakim’s birthday couldn’t have been more perfect! From my OB provider to my labor nurse, to the mother/baby nurse, to our photographer who documented it all for us, not having to rush to the hospital, and my husband making it home safely from deployment for the birth of our son.
I could do skin-to-skin immediately, and Joakim found his way to the breast and latched right on while I was still on the OR table.
It was magic! A c-section didn’t start as a part of my plan, but it became my plan, and now I have a scar that tells a story.
9. Mother-in-Law Positive Birth Story
My first birth was filled with lots of love and support. I remember arriving at the hospital with my mom and boyfriend. It was slightly past midnight.
The nurse checked me and said I was about 3 cm dilated at that point. Since my contractions weren’t too bad and we couldn’t just go to sleep, my boyfriend stayed up with me and put in our first date movie. Early in the morning, my mother-in-law arrived.
A couple of hours passed, and my contractions were getting pretty intense. My mom and mother-in-law were right there next to me, supporting me, rubbing my low back, massaging my feet, and talking me through it.
When it was time to push, my boyfriend, mom, mother-in-law, and the nurse were beside me, offering encouragement and saying how good I was doing. I felt fully supported. When our little girl finally arrived, all 4 of us were shedding tears.
You could feel the love in the room. Having my mom and mother-in-law, there is something I am so grateful for. It would have been a completely different experience if I hadn’t had these women there.
*Story Credit: Makenna from Mamakenna
10. Positive Birth Story (Labor & Delivery RN)
I think my birthing experience is a little bit biased. Because I’m an RN, I got to deliver my singleton and twins where I worked.
For some people, this might seem weird because “hello”… who wants to see you at such a vulnerable place?
However, for me, honestly, it was the best experience ever. To have the nurses, support staff, and my OBGYN be the people I worked with daily to care for me and my babies was priceless.
I know their work ethics and how amazing they are at taking care of every mama and their needs, and I felt at peace knowing that they had my back and best interest.
If I could do it over again—which I won’t because I’m done—I would return to the same place. Even now that I no longer work there, I would do it again in a heartbeat.
*Birth Story Credit: Bridgette from Twins Made Easy
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- The Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist (for Baby, Mom, Dad)
- How to Prepare for Labor (Full Guide)
- The Ultimate Postpartum Care Kit (Natural and Non-Toxic)
In Summary
As you were able to read, some of the birthing stories shared here today were not perfect.
Some moms were surprised, some “birth plans” didn’t go according to plan, and some went exactly as hoped. However, despite the turn of events, there is one thing all of these birth stories have in common—these women were able to find positive moments, which helped make the overall experience a “positive birth story.”
Some of the things these moms accredited their positive birthing experiences to were:
- Doctors, nurses, and staff.
- Presence of family and friends.
- Childbirth education.
- Researching delivery tips.
- Previous childbirth experience.
As you prepare to embark on your birthing journey, I encourage you to keep an open mind and a positive outlook. Learn all you can, prepare as much as you can, but most of all, trust the process, listen to your body, and keep your eyes on the prize… as beautiful baby/babies await you!
Wishing you a happy, healthy, and positive birth story, my friend!
Do you have a positive birth story you would like to share? Please tell us in the comments below…
