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Our Second Home Birth: A calm, cosy, early morning arrival.
- Mama Kat
- Apr 30
- 4 min read
Our Second Home Birth: A calm, cosy, early morning arrival
(Written in the run-up to our youngest daughter’s first birthday, as I reflect on the beautiful way she came into the world)
With my first baby, we had a home birth and had planned to use a pool, but everything ramped up so quickly that we never even filled it. At the time, we didn’t realise we would have had time. So second time around, I knew exactly what I wanted: to actually use the pool, to have a doula supporting both me and my partner, and to create a warm, cozy space to welcome our baby.
I’d had tightening's and twinges for a couple of weeks as my body was warming up for labour. In the very early hours of 1st May (40+2), my eldest had woken up and got into bed with me, and around 12:30am I woke up with a tightening's, and although I wasn’t completely sure at first if this was it, given the last couple of weeks, it definitely felt different - it was stronger and more regular. Just a few hours before, I’d had a bath with some clary sage oil and then my partner had massaged the rest of it into me, so that might have helped kickstart things.
I woke my partner and let him know something might be starting. Our daughter was already awake, so while I called our doula, Kat, my partner and our four-year-old began getting the birth pool set up in the living room. They also set up the fairy lights and my affirmation board, which had a photo of my eldest as a baby, and just seeing it helped me tap into my strength and why I was doing this. It was really special having our daughter involved in those early moments; we had been reading a few stories most nights about water births at home.
Now being convinced labour had started, I called my parents to come and collect our daughter, and then I rang the hospital to let them know we’d need a midwife soon. At first, they said there were no midwives available to come out, which I’d known might happen, so I was prepared for this and I knew that staying and giving birth at home was the right choice for us. I said I wouldn’t be coming in, so the midwife on the phone said she would speak to the co-ordinator to see if there was anyone who could come out.
While the pool was being filled, I was in the kitchen, bouncing on my birth ball and breathing through each wave. I stayed on the phone with Kat, and having her talk me through each surge was so reassuring, especially while my partner was busy. It helped keep me calm. The hypnobirthing techniques, and movement and breathing from pregnancy yoga also really helped.
I then had a call back from the hospital at around 3.30am, it was a midwife from the labour ward saying that she would be able to come out. I still felt like I had some time, so I didn’t ask them to come immediately. But by around 4 or 4:15am, things began to shift. The surges became more intense, so I asked my partner to call the hospital and ask the midwives to come. Kat called her buddy doula, Mel, to come out, as she sadly wasn’t able to be there in person for medical reasons.
As soon as the pool was ready, I climbed in, and the sense of relief was immediate. The warm water felt incredible - supportive and soothing. I liked leaning onto the side of the pool and have the water take some of the weight.
At around 4.45am both the midwives and Mel arrived, and I instantly felt a wave of calm that all the support I needed was there. Mel made sure the midwives had my birth plan and my partner was holding my hands supporting me through each surge, which were a lot more intense now.
The midwives checked baby’s heartbeat after one of my surges. Suddenly I felt like I couldn’t do it, and said so (apparently a classic sign of transition) and asked for gas and air, but really it was a bit late for that so I didn’t end up having any. A couple of minutes later I felt a lot of pressure and had the urge to push, my partner was leaning on the side of the pool and I was pulling down on him while pushing. Within 10 or so minutes or baby girl was born at 5.12am, in the pool - I remember hearing the birds starting to tweet outside. I picked her up and put her on my chest. She was so quiet and still that I was worried at first. The senior midwife encouraged me to gently blow on her face, and then she let out a cry - such relief! She was finally here.
We stayed in the water, and when the cord was white I cut it. The placenta came not long after, and before I knew it, we were tucked up in bed, having gorgeous skin to skin time, the sky starting to lighten outside.
My partner had been wonderful - holding my hands through contractions, breathing with me, letting me anchor myself on him. The midwives were fantastic, and both Kat and Mel gave us exactly the support I needed - steady, kind, and intuitive. The whole experience was everything I hoped for: peaceful, powerful, and magical.
Thank you for sharing this magical home birth story, Its the first birth I've ever missed in person, but so glad I was able to be on the phone and have the backup doula support for you.
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