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The story of my home birth.
For the birth of my second child I really wanted to have a home birth after attempting one with my first daughter and having to eventually transfer into hospital due to meconium.
I was overdue by 5 days & getting impatient when I went into labour that evening having my first contraction at 10:20pm. I went up to bed as normal with my husband and lay in bed using the winner flow breathing device my friend gave me. The winner flow helped me slow my breathing, increasing my oxytocin and gave me a good focus.
At midnight I woke my husband as the contractions were increasing. We came downstairs to set up the birth pool and I called the hospital triage and explained I had a home birth planned.
We were informed there were no midwives on call for home birth. This could have been very distressing but it was hugely deescalated when I called my incredible doula Mama Magic Kat who gave me really helpful informed advice on all of my options and made me feel super calm and empowered. So I held my ground. I wanted this home birth. “I am not coming into hospital.” The hospital staff then told me they had found two midwives to facilitate my birth. While waiting for them I used a tens machine and the winner flow during contractions. The tens machine had a boost option during contractions which was helpful but after a while I started to need more relief as I progressed. The two midwives arrived at 2am. just as I was starting to lose my focus with the increased contractions. They gave me gas and air which relaxed me and I got in the birth pool at 3am.
Shortly after I vomited over the side of the pool. Around 4:45am I was advised it might be best to get out the pool and move around as my contractions were irregular and my waters hadn’t broken. I insisted on pethidene being administered if I was to leave the pool as the water was my pain relief. When I got out the midwife injected the pethidine and I walked upstairs and got on my bed on all fours. Shortly after my waters broke. I then really began transitioning close to giving birth. However the pethidine hadn’t kicked in yet (it didn’t do anything for me in the end!). I began missing the comfort of the birth pool and questioned why I was advised I couldn’t be in the pool after the pethidine injection. The midwives advised it can make me sleepy but I felt this risk was minimal as I wasn’t feeling sleepy at all - far from it. I was in the animalistic state of pushing and felt the excruciating power of my surges so I decided to get back in the pool regardless, against the advice. I am glad I did as about 40minutes later my baby was born in the water.
I got the water birth I always wanted and my baby was relaxed coming into the world. Having the home birth meant I felt more relaxed and it was wonderful not having to go anywhere or even have to get dressed!
Thanks for sharing this empowering home birth journey with me. I recall how Helen let me know when her baby was here and how happy and relaxed she felt. By just being able to get in her own bed after her birth stay skin to skin feeding her new little boy. Helen said the difference between her 2 recovery's was huge and she put that down to her birth environment's. Helen has also left a lovely review for my doula services (thank you!) here is some of her words- "I have thought to myself on more than one occasion “Kat was born to be a doula”. You really couldn’t get someone with better attributes for the role. Absolutely I would hire Kat again in a heartbeat. Kat is very competitively priced and more affordable than you might think. I would really recommend her services to all mums" the joy I feel when someone gets the birth they want is such a wonderful feeling for me, I have to say again I love my role in the birth world supporting parents and finding such wonderful clients (who end up like friends) and people like Sarah Clover @breathingspaceyoga who runs the birth skills workshop with me.
If you want to find out more about home birth why not drop along to Northwich home birth support group on the last Thursday of the month at Abda's In Northwich 6-7pm.
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