Buzz’s Positive Home Birth story
We decided to try for a home birth for our second birth after a really positive birth in the midwife led unit at Stoke with our first. We booked a Hypnobirthing refresher with Leanne and I attended her Pregnancy Relaxation classes to increase my practice too.
We had been waiting and waiting for our baby. My due date had passed and there were talks of induction. I’d had 2 sweeps, one at 41+1 and 41+4. Our midwife was very supportive and agreed to just give us more time.
I went to bed, but hadn’t got the best night’s sleep. About 5am my surges began – just cramps really, nothing too uncomfortable.
All moved quite slowly initially. I had breakfast as normal and watched a film. I tried resting in different positions to keep moving, but also stay comfortable.
Mid to late afternoon things startled to ramp up. My surges were getting stronger and coming closer together. I had forgotten how intense the back pain could get. I was feeling nauseous and hadn’t really wanted to eat anything since lunch.
Midwives arrive…
As my surges moved closer together we called the midwife. She arrived about 6pm and assessed me. I was only 3cm dilated. Things had moved on a lot since my sweep the day before so they were happy to hang around. They waited to see if things picked up, which thankfully they did. I think this was because I remained active. I kept myself moving, despite feeling tired, by going up and down the stairs (very slowly!).
There was some discussion about whether the midwives should stay or not. Technically, I wasn’t in active labour.
My husband didn’t feel comfortable with them both going so he stuck to his guns. About an hour later I was 4cm and in established labour. Our midwives could ‘officially’ stay.
Active Labour…
I continued with my Hypnobirthing techniques, breathing through my surges. The midwives mostly left me to it, except to take baby’s and my heart rate as required.
I spent a lot of time lying on the sofa! I also tried to keep upright and active, going up the stairs when I could and straddled backwards on a kitchen chair, hunched over. My waters still hadn’t broken so they didn’t want me in the birth pool just yet.
At around 10pm I was getting a stronger urge to push and feeling like I wanted to poo. Things were definitely getting more intense. I got in the pool about 10.30pm, despite my waters not breaking.
It felt so lovely to be submerged in the warm water. I got comfortable, kneeling down with my arms hanging over the edge. I mostly stayed in this position and they were still able to monitor me and the baby.
Eventually my waters broke about 11.40pm. The midwives were struggling to find a heartbeat because baby was so low down. Once the head was out I gave a big final push. Only 9 minutes after my waters releasing, our baby was born! I was so relieved! I scooped our baby into my arms with some disbelief. It was a boy!
He was a bit full of mucus so the midwives gave him a good rub. Once he was ok, I clambered out of the pool, placenta etc still attached and lay on the sofa to feed. When the cord stopped pulsing my husband cut it. Our midwives were gone within two hours. They tidied everything up apart from the pool. We were left to get to know our baby boy.
Our Postnatal Golden Hour
We would really recommend a home birth. I felt comfortable with the concept because I had a straight forward birth with my first and my pregnancy had been normal and complication free.
It was great relaxing at home all day. I liked not needing to second guess when to leave for the hospital or whether that would slow things down. We had the music, mood lighting and candles we wanted – creating the perfect atmosphere. Plus I could eat what I wanted!
After the birth, it was just so great to be home with all those comforts – decent cup of tea and my husband’s killer scrambled eggs! We didn’t have to wait to be discharged.
A few hours after Buzz’s birth we headed upstairs to our own bed for a few hours sleep.
I was also really lucky to have my midwife on call. I’d seen her throughout my pregnancy, got on well with her and she was super supportive.
A month or so later, we went to visit Leanne at one of her postnatal coffee mornings and Buzz met her properly for the first time.
Read about other incredible home births…