Paige Thorne Recounts 17-Hour Labor, Describing a 'Trance-Like' State

Paige Thorne, a participant on the reality television show 'Love Island,' has detailed the extensive 17-hour labor she experienced while giving birth to her son, Fateley. Thorne described the ordeal as leaving her in a "trance" and feeling "unbearable" at times due to her body entering "some sort of shock."

Thorne, 29, shared her birth story on Instagram, chronicling the events leading up to and during her son's arrival last month. She recounted waking with a "gut feeling" that labor was imminent and engaging in various preparatory activities, including pelvic stretches, meditation, colostrum harvesting, and a 10.5km walk. She later experienced "tightenings" and consumed a McDonald's meal before staying home as long as possible, attending to her hair and finalizing her hospital bag.

As contractions intensified, Thorne expressed concerns about reaching the hospital on time. Upon arrival, she shared an image from the birthing pool, noting that after being informed she was in active labor and 4cm dilated, her memory of the subsequent events became fragmented. Thorne likened the experience in the pool to entering an "out of state trance," despite her efforts to remain relaxed. She described a profound physical response, stating, "I couldn't speak even when I wanted to. I couldn't open my eyes. My face was numb & tingling at one point. My hands were clenched and I couldn't open them myself. I was totally unbareable to be around, no one could speak, breath or touch me." She also mentioned refusing pain relief like gas and air due to fears of nausea.

After seven hours of labor, Thorne was examined again and found to be only 7cm dilated. This perceived lack of progress led her to request a transfer to a hospital equipped for C-sections, expressing fear about enduring further pain. She eventually accepted pain-relieving medication, though she still felt disoriented. The medication reportedly caused her to fall asleep, slowing the labor but making her more amenable to interaction.

Thorne eventually reached 9cm dilation, at which point medical professionals broke her waters. Within 30 minutes, she began pushing. She described this pushing stage as feeling "painless" despite her pain medication having worn off. Her son, Fateley, was safely delivered, and Thorne reported that the preceding pain and the lengthy labor were quickly overshadowed by feelings of "intense gratitude and love."

Thorne concluded her account by sharing a photo of herself breastfeeding Fateley, emphasizing the moments of skin-to-skin contact. She had previously announced her son's birth on Instagram, writing, "Fateley Hayes Wedlake, we never knew a love like this existed." Thorne and her boxer boyfriend, Drew Wedlake, made their relationship Instagram official in July of the previous year, and Thorne relocated to Bristol after three months together.