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22 Mar 2023
Our incredible home birth!
My birth story - baby Millie
22/03/2023 at 8.22am (40+5)
6lb 15oz
Home water birth with two year old brother present
Thanks to Anna and all the hypnobirthing techniques I learnt from the Rock Your Birth course I feel fortunate to say I had an incredibly empowering birth experience and feel so positive about how it went.
The birth:
At around 9pm on 21/03/2023 I was confident the contractions I was having were becoming regular and said to my partner that he should get some sleep as it was going to be 'the night'. I wanted to stay awake and not let them slow down as I had napped on the afternoon and felt too excited to sleep anyway. I knew someone was on call from the home birth team that night (there were gaps in the rota and my midwife had told me when they were at my request). I began setting up my space and relaxed listening to affirmations, using my ball and getting myself into the right headspace.
Once the contractions were around 3 in 10 minutes (about midnight) I called the birth centre to contact the home birth midwife who then called me to check in. The contractions were perfectly manageable at this point and not quite lasting 50 seconds so we agreed it would be best for me to get back in touch once I was further along.
At 2am things took a bit of a turn and the midwife then text to say she had been called in to support the hospital and I now needed to call triage once I felt things had progressed. Everything slowed down at this point and I started to feel my plan slipping away. I asked if I would be encouraged to go in if I was to call triage as I had felt things were definitely progressing. She confirmed yes that would be the case.
This led to difficult conversations between me and my partner who was understandably nervous and caused my labour to slow down but I was somewhat glad as my intention was to hold out at home until 7am when I knew there was a shift change. He prepared the pool and I continued to focus on getting in the zone using my affirmations and breathing techniques.
I decided to call my sister at about 5am when I felt I needed some more moral support whilst my partner was making/receiving various phone calls with the birth centre, triage and then paramedics.
My sister arrived and supported me through the contractions that were becoming more and more intense now but I was breathing through them and using my comb (highly recommend) and managing just fine.
7am hit and my body knew, I had a really intense contraction and my waters broke as I stood up to strip off and get in the pool. I knew I couldn't wait any longer and that there was no going back once I was in there so I just prayed a midwife would be on her way soon. I would have stayed home regardless but I did really want a midwife there at this point.
The water helped so much! My partner was on the phone to the ambulance control room by now as triage had advised they would contact the new midwife on call but hadn't yet confirmed she would be attending. Again - this is where things got tricky because they forcefully told him I was to leave the pool and I refused. I was listening to my body and just instinctively knew this was not a good idea.
My 2 year old son woke up and came downstairs around now. He was so excited and gave me such a sense of calm. I knew I was exactly where I should be.
At around 7.30am the midwife text my partner to say she would be with us at 7.42am. As soon as I knew this I felt a really intense contraction and my body began to bear down. My sister supported me through the next 12 minutes while my partner looked out for the midwife and stayed on the phone to the emergency services.
My sister stroked my hair and was breathing with me through the contractions but between each one we would sing together to the music that was playing in the background.
The midwife arrived (the deputy matron of the team came out to me as there was still no one else available) and I felt my partner's relief which helped me to feel that bit more relaxed too. I followed my body and focused on birthing my baby. A support worker arrived shortly afterwards and they quickly and quietly went about setting up their stations/kit etc.
I had a couple of contractions where I felt the familiar sensation of her crowning (my son did this for a long time but not in water and it was way more intense with him).
I clung to my partner over the edge of the pool and remembered what I had read about bringing my knees together and spreading my ankles apart. I did this and baby's head came on the next contraction, followed by her body straight after.
I had a brief moment where I felt totally out of my body and didn't reach down like I should have but the MSW helped me to lift her out of the water and up onto my chest.
My son watched the whole thing from the other side of the pool and the recording we have shows his face light up like nothing I've ever seen before.
The three of us then huddled together at the pool edge and I cried the happiest tears.
I held her there for a little while but was happy to get out after 5 minutes or so and move to the sofa where she was quite happy to latch straight onto my breast.
I birthed the placenta without the injection which I was proud of myself for declining because I could do easily have said I wanted it and not to have to do any more pushing (I had it last time). We clamped the cord after about 25 minutes when it was completely white and my partner cut it.
I was expecting some tearing as I had a 2nd degree tear with my son as well as a graze and needed a complex suture. So I was chuffed when the midwife had a quick check and said I was intact!
My sister and the midwives had a cup of tea with us and then helped my partner to empty and flat pack the pool. They were packed up and gone by 11am and we spent the rest of the day as a family of four just relaxing and getting to know our new baby girl.
The entire experience was absolutely incredible and makes me want to do it again and again! I'm so excited for anyone who's preparing for birth - it's just the most empowering experience.
Sophie and Nathan - Birmingham