Home birth stories

Lovely, ladies. Thanks for sharing :)


Friday night, 8th March 2002.

I could feel half hourly contractions sitting in my mils house. I didn't plan on getting too excited though, as i'd been having contractions off and on all week that had come to nothing. I felt relaxed and happy, and knew i was close to seeing my new baby, Dh's older sister announced that night that she was expecting a baby, and so the atmosphere was wonderful. One baby almost here and another starting its journey.

At home we settled down to watch 'save the last dance', and as the contractions became closer together I realised that things were starting to move along. I began to rock my hips, watching the last of the film on my knees, I told Gary that i thought that i was in very early labour and that i had the feeling that it was going to be a back labour. I was feeling the contractions more in my back.

We tidied up the house a little in preparation and tried to get some sleep. We snuggled up together but i couldn't doze off, so Gary ran me a bath with some lavender oil to relax me, and made me a cup of camomile tea. I wanted to release as much tension as possible. After the bath, i had a walk around the house, trying to keep active and when the contractions were around 5 minutes apart and more intense we phoned the midwives to let them know how things were progressing. Around half an hour later, between 3 and 4am, our two lovely midwives arrived and my contractions eased off a little while i adjusted to the new presence in the house. We chatted and i got to know them a little better and gradually my contractions strengthened again. I was feeling strongly that baby was posterior, and the midwives began to suspect this also when they saw the positions that i was naturally drawn to. Like all fours, hips rotating, and that i was also feeling the contractions intensly in my back.

The pattern of the contractions was one strong followed by one mild and things were progressing slowly. I was amazed at the space between contractions where i could catch my breath, as it was so different from the sharp contractions that crashed into one another, which i experianced when i was induced with my elder daughter Kayleigh.

We sent dh to bed, he was pale and tired and i needed him fully awake. We'd been awake since 6am on Friday morning, and i was tiring a little. I chatted and breathed through the contractions as they became stronger and when Gary woke up i was having my back rubbed with some clary sage and lavender oil. This was bliss.

He made a little toast, and i decided that it would help me if i had a nap to revive me. I went to bed and managed to doze, moaning and breathing through each contraction, i felt relief after this short rest and knelt up in bed, though the contractions were very strong and intense. They still seemed to be trying to turn the baby, it was like climbing, without ever getting any higher. I began to turn to Gary, and the midwives left us alone, i hugged his legs and he rubbed my sacrum gently with each new contraction. Easing off at the peak, then i walked, squatted, kneeled, tried all fours to help me cope with the contractions. The strongest ones seemed to come when i went to pee, which was frequently. and with each visit there was more and more bloody show.

Anxious to speed things up, the midwives offered to break my bag of waters, but i was hesitant to say the least especially as baby was still trying to turn. At around 3.30pm on Saturday, my waters broke naturally, baby was still posterior, and the m/ws were hoping to see the baby before they had to change shifts. The contractions were so intense, i found myself praying while blowing and breathing. I felt only semi conscious of what was happening around me. I was sitting backwards on a chair on a disposable mat,waters leaking furiously, , leaning forward and cocentrating on getting through the peak of the contractions when my mum, mil and young sil arrived.

Gary sent them to make tea, & have a glass of wine, as i only wanted gary with me at that point. The midwives changed over at about 4.30pm, they made the changeover as smoothly as possible and i was glad that they were fresh and energetic as it breathed some life into me. We decided on a bath to help ease contractions which by this time were so intense that i was grasping Garys hand but couldn't bear for him to touch me.

The bath was a godsend , i tried to fill it more..turning in the water to find comfort. As i did i felt a tremendous uncontrollable urge to bear down. I heard a loud grunt and realised it was me, you could visibly see my uterus pushing down to Garys amazement. I returned to my room, and got onto the bed, the urge to bear down taking over me, there was an anterior lip due to the position of baby and so i knelt up and blew through the urges until i could no longer resist, grasping poor Gary around the neck and burying my head in his chest. I let myself push as my body dictated, changing to a deep squat, lifting my head to scream out loud at the hardest parts (the most wonderful feeling of release as i did). I felt the head crowning, burning and i reached down to touch babys head. Two more pushes, and the most intense burning sensation, I birthed my babys head.

I blew through the next one while my midwife made sure the cord wasn't around babys neck, then pushed my 9lb 3oz baby into the world. She was born facing out to the world at 7.24 pm , I reached down to grasp her the m/w helped pass her through my legs as i was still on my knees and had been leaning forward. I was filled with elation as i looked at my new daughter, held her to my breast and she nuzzled close. After a little while when it had stopped pulsating Gary cut her cord, the placenta came away easily and naturally and i was able to relax and enjoy my elation with Gary holding me as i nursed our new daughter. I didn't have so much as a graze to fix. The hard work was over and i had my reward.

The house was filling with people, but we stayed in our room to enjoy our little one, bathed her gently and cleaned me up. After an hour, i took her through to the living room where our families were all sitting. Mum had brought me some homemade soup to eat, which was wonderful and very welcome, and everyone congratulated us, toasted the baby and then made their way home leaving us to revel in our new family member. After a camomile tea, dh, Carly and i went to bed together tired and happy. We woke next morning, still grinning and kissing and deliriously happy, and introduced Kayleigh (who'd stayed over with dhs aunt and young cousin)to her new sister. Carly is beautiful. I later found out from my mum that the m/w had been reporting back to the hospital and was only happy to wait another 1/2 hr to an hr for baby to be born before recommending transfer to hospital. If i'd been scanned they also said that they would have tried to talk me out the homebirth, because baby was Posterior and 9lb3oz, so i'm VERY glad that scan didn't go ahead. I am so glad that we were blessed with this wonderful event.
 
Which country do you live in Halas? I presume not the UK. I've been taking the NHS for granted! Not fair that everyone can't have this choice for free! x x x

i live in australia where apparently our goverment is trying to wipe out home births which infuriates me
 
Here's mine :D

Sidney's Journey Earthside - An April Fools Day Happy Home Birth
 
Date: 23rd April 2010
Time: 1.47am
Pain Relief: NONE!
Duration: 3 hours and 29 minutes (according to my notes)

My baby girl Remi weighing 8lb 2oz and born 2 days before her due date.

My home birth story!


Thursday started off as any other day. Had been losing my plug over the last few days little by little. I made some cakes in the daytime and had a few Braxton Hicks but nothing painful. At around 10pm I had some more Braxton Hicks which seemed to be quite strong so I started timing them and they were every 10 minutes! Called the midwife to let her know and she said to call her if anything got worse. I then texted Mervs Mum to let her know things were starting!

At this point I felt like I needed to poo. Went to the loo and nothing so came back into the living room and me and OH were laughing and saying we hoped that this was it. The pains then started getting much stronger and so I told OH to fill up the pool, as it could take a while to fill it up and I wanted it ready in case I needed it. I then called the midwife again and she said was already at another hombirth hich had luckily finished and she would be along when she was done.

I sat down on the sofa and then suddenly needed to poo again. I went into the loo and sat on the toilet. OH couldnt fill up the pool from the kitchen so he was filling up a bucket in the bathroom and filling the pool that way (our flat is weirdly shaped and the hose wouldnt fit from the kitchen).

Anyway, I sat on the loo and the watery poo came!! I was utterly embarrassed as my OH was in there (I dont even fart in front off my OH) and it really stank and so I got the complete giggles and could not stop laughing hysterically and so me and OH were having a laugh about that! After I had finished, for some reason I felt comfortable in the bathroom so stayed in there and got naked! I was swaying my hips and smiling because I knew I was finally in labour. My boobs were leaking constantly and I was just deep breathing through each contraction. I gave myself a pep talk to myself in the bathroom, telling myself that I had done this before and soon, baby would be here and the pain would be gone.

I came into the sitting room, we dimmed the lights and my OH lit some candles and put on some reggae music. I was going to get in the pool but then decided against it as i was coping with the contractions by walking and swaying my hips so thought I would leave the pool for when the pains were becoming unbearable.

Most of this time I leant against the wall and sawyed my hips and breathed and counted my way through all the contractions like this .......breath in....1...breathe out......breathe in....2.....breathe out and so on. At this point, they were lasting up to 10 and were at their worst about number 5/6.

The midwife then arrived and suddenly the pains were lasting to 16 of my counting breaths and so I explained all this to the midwife. I dont know how frequent the contractions were but I did have some time in between to joke and talk with the midwife. She said i was very good at explaining exactly what i was feeling. I am not a fan of internals and so she did not examine me, she just said to go with my body and I seemed to be listening to it and coping well so she did not feel the need to. She checked the baby with the sonic aid a few times and the baby sounded fine the whole time.

About 1am the pains got much more painful and I tried different positions to get comfortable. I was in transition at this point and told my midwife this (!) as during the contractions I felt as though I could not cope with them, although I was ok in between the contractions and so i knew i was nearing the end. I layed on the floor for a bit on my side, sat in between my OH's legs, stood up and leant on my OH and couldnt get comfortable. I did not feel any desire to get in the pool, although I did lean over the side of it and put my hands in the water which was really nice and my OH wet my face and hair with the water to cool me down. The second midwife arrived and we were chatting and they were eating the cakes i made earlier during the gap in between the contractions.

I started to really feel I couldnt cope now and was moaning to my OH and the midwife that I couldnt do this, the pain was too bad etc. I kept asking why was the labour going on for so long and why hadnt my waters broken yet. I felt I needed to wee with each contraction and my midwife said my waters were bulging thats why.

At 1.25am (i remember the time cos i asked what the time was)....I felt I was nearing the end and needed to get somfortable to give birth so we put loads of covers and padding on my recliner chair and reclined it so that the leg part was out. I opened my legs which was lovely. The pains were really bad now and I was scared that I was going to give birth with the waters intact. I was trying to cry at this point and my OH came and sat on the chair and i was holding on to him and crying (wel trying to) and saying Im sorry i cant do this. After a short while I felt the urge to push....the pushing was incredibly painful and after two contractions and gently pushing, some water came out and the midwife told me that my waters had gone. I then had a third contraction and told the midwife "she is coming out of my bum!".....I felt her head move under and she started to crown. I panicked at this point (dont know why - i did the same with Maley) and held my breath. My OH was whispering in my ear to keep breathing and gently push, which I did and her head was born. Felt like an eternity waiting for the next contraction and then it came and one push and she was delivered along with loads of water, screaming on to my chest.

We had lots of skin to skin and then daddy had a cuddle whilst I was looked at. I had wanted a physchological third stage but the midwives were slightly concerned about how much blood I had down there so I was given the injection. Placenta was fine and I was fine. I had a tear which my midwife described as a 'nick'. I have since had baths with my trusty Dettol and have not experienced any stinging or when I go wee so it must be tiny!

By 4am, I had had a bath, something to eat and was in my own bed and it was absolute bliss.

It was a truly amazing experience having my baby at home and fully recommend it! I will definately have a home birth with any future children if I have any more.
 
Which country do you live in Halas? I presume not the UK. I've been taking the NHS for granted! Not fair that everyone can't have this choice for free! x x x

i live in australia where apparently our goverment is trying to wipe out home births which infuriates me

I heard this!!!! Incredible!!!!
 
Does anyone know if Gas and Air (i googled - call etonox) is available in the US during homebirth? I though during home birth (maybe just US) you are not allowed any pain relief unless you go to hospital.
 
I dont think many places in the US use G&A like we do over here. I know one of the HB group members who is from the UK but in the US looked into it for her HB and it was a no go. I dont think its really used in hospital in the US TBH.
 
What a fantastic thread!

My last birth story is a long one too, so I'll post the link - which includes pictures - https://www.ginaroberts.com/birthofember

It was wonderful. I say at the end of that story that I'd love to do it again and now I'm going to get to which is really exciting. Another home lotus birth is in the planning for us. :)

Gina. x
 
Gina! I loved your birth story! :cloud9: there were parts that really took me back to Sidney's birth.....thank you x
 
I dont have time to read all the threads right now but i will certainly be looking at it later. I am planning a home birth with my next babe although its going to take some convincing before my DH agrees.
 
So am I :blush: however, I had my first anxiety dream about having a hospital birth last night! Eesh I hope I don't ever re-run that one!
 
thanks for sharing ladies - I just love reading homebirth stories!
 
Wow, have read all of these completely glued to the screen - amazing and so interesting! I'm actually excited about when it comes to giving birth (it is my first though!!)
 
Mine ended up being a hospital birth, but I think it shows that planning a home birth informs you very well and ensures that you're likely to have a good birth, where ever it ends up taking place. Here.
 
Here's mine!

https://www.babyandbump.com/birth-a...-alexander-david-james-12-january-2010-a.html

xx
 
My homebirth didn't go to plan as I ended up transferring to hospital but thought I would share a short version anyway as the home part was a really positive experience...

I went into labour naturally at 40+2 with the contractions starting at around 4pm. I practised my hypnobirthing techniques and at around 2am I decided to give the midwife a ring as they were becoming stronger and more regular. She arrived and examined me and I was 4cms so in established labour :) Hubby was instructed to start filling the pool and the minute I got in I knew it was a great idea to get a pool! So there I stayed for hours, kneeling over the side and rocking my hips from side to side and losing all sense of time altogether. I had a little moment where I lost the plot slightly and started wailing that I couldn't do it but then my midwife introduced me to that lovely thing called gas and air! I was 6-7cms by this time and with the gas and air by my side I was feeling pretty good. Fast forward to 11am and I was fully dilated and ready to push, this was where the hard worked started for me! I pushed for 2hrs and I was completely knackered, I just had no energy left whatsoever (I hadn't slept for over 24hrs at this point) and I had no idea how I was going to get this baby out. The midwives obviously realised I was in a bit of a state and despite their best encouragement and the fact that Ollie's head was clearly visible I just couldn't do it so they made the decision to call an ambulance :( Unfortunately this was my worst nightmare and I started to panic which just made everything worse. Its definitely true what the hypnobirthers say about fear=pain, the panic I felt about going to hospital had a huge effect on the pain I felt. My memory is pretty hazy about what happened when we got there but basically I was taken straight to the delivery room where Ollie was delivered by ventouse at 13.30pm.

I was gutted we didn't have our homebirth but I would plan another one with our next baby without a doubt. My labour at home was fantastic, I was so relaxed and in control and would even go so far as to say I actually enjoyed it! I would recommend it to anyone! Roll on the next one and hopefully we will get the full homebirth experience next time :)
 

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