sezzolou
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I have already posted abit about Aidens birth but wanted to go into more detail.
I'm a first time mum and spent a lot of time researching and planning my home water birth, fully supported by the community midwives in my area.
I had a lovely pregnancy and baby was head down from early on. Through my pregnancy I did lots of walking, pelvic floor exercises and read hypnobirthing, although I must admit the cd did not really do it off me so I made my own playlist of songs which mean alot to me and oh. I started drinking RLT at 37 weeks and bouncing on my ball for 20 mins a day.
27th june pm:
At 38+5 I saw my midwife who said she wanted me to go for a scan after the weekend as she could no longer feel if baby was engaged, she was concerned he may have switched to breach. That afternoon I went for a swim and had a pedicure
6:45pm: bent down to pick up some chocolate I dropped before the dog ate it and my waters went with a big gush. Contractions started straight away 5 mins apart...big shock! Phoned OH to come home and got out my home birth basket with all my goodies in (sweets, massage oils, tens, and lots of other nice things). OH got home and started to inflate the pool and ran me a bath.
7.30 -I rang delivery suite to let them know I was booked for a home birth and that my waters had broke. They were very insistent I go in to be monitored but I declined, saying I was happy to check my own temp every 4 hours and keep an eye on colour of waters and babies movement. Then took 2 paracetamol and soaked in the bath. Contractions soon changed to every 2-3 mins...I was totally shocked as was expected to have more time lol. Got my mum to come for support as oh was still sorting out the pool/birth room.
9.30pm ish - contractions were 2 mins apart and toe curling. I decided to come downstairs and kneel on some cushions leaning on outer edge of the pool wearing TENS machine (was brilliant). Oh called delivery suite and told them I was ready for a midwife.
10.45pm- lovely midwife arrives and oh gives her the birth plan to read which she loved and asked for a copy of I then had to move to settee for BP, pulse, quick check of baby hb. I had requested no internals at all in my birth plan but midwife was keen to do just one before I got in the pool. I gave in and let her...4cm dilated which I was gutted at as contractions were 2 mins apart and painful. This gave me some doubt about whether I'd be able to do it at home, thinking I had another 6 hrs or so.
11.15pm ish - got in the pool resting on my knees leaning over the side grabbing mums and oh hands for dear life during intense contractions. Also started throwing up pretty much as soon as I got in the pool. Second midwife was called when I said things were starting to feel different, more pressure. Both midwives sat on settee writing notes and not getting involved apart from 15 min monitoring.
12.15am ish - my body started to push by itself and I was doing this crazy involutary grunting with contraction. Oh says midwife held up 10 fingers to the other midwife to say I was probably fully dilated. She told me to breath through contractions and let my body do the work, no need to actively push. This was something I had also written in my birth plan.
12.35 ish - Contraction pains now eased and I could feel baby was on his way. Midwife told me to feel down below...I could feel his head just inside! Amazing!! Carried on grunting and breathing through contractions while my body pushed and was completely pain free and with it between contractions. Head started to come out with next contraction which really hurt and scared me, then the head went back in again lol. Head was born on next contraction and the Midwife asked me to change position into more of a squat so i could catch my baby. Aiden was born during the next contraction at 12.59am on 28th June to Cats in the Cradle by Ugly Kid Joe playing in the background. I lifted him out of the water and oh and I saw we had a baby boy. I struggled to breast feed straight away as the cord was not quite long enough. Then came some blood so midwives wanted me out of the water. I wanted to wait for cord to stop pulsating before cutting it so somehow managed to get out of the pool onto the settee with cord still attached. Sat for a while cuddling Aiden then oh cut the cord and had skin to skin while I delivered placenta naturally and had stitches for a 2nd degree tear - remembered to ask for some gas and air for this bit which was good but I'm glad I didn't have it during labour as I felt totally spaced out. Oh and 2nd midwife went into the other room to weigh and dress Aiden while I was stitched. He weighed 7lb 5oz.
Overall my labour went perfectly, although prehaps all abit fast paced and more intense then I had anticipated. Labour time was 6 hours 10 minutes from start to finish. Midwife believes RLT was big help and my uterus contracted down really quickly after birth with post natal bleeding only lasting 2 weeks. I will try to post some pics too
Sorry for such a long post but I loved reading positive home birth stories when I was pregnant and want to offer reassurance to other home birth hopefuls, especially 1st time mums like myself
I'm a first time mum and spent a lot of time researching and planning my home water birth, fully supported by the community midwives in my area.
I had a lovely pregnancy and baby was head down from early on. Through my pregnancy I did lots of walking, pelvic floor exercises and read hypnobirthing, although I must admit the cd did not really do it off me so I made my own playlist of songs which mean alot to me and oh. I started drinking RLT at 37 weeks and bouncing on my ball for 20 mins a day.
27th june pm:
At 38+5 I saw my midwife who said she wanted me to go for a scan after the weekend as she could no longer feel if baby was engaged, she was concerned he may have switched to breach. That afternoon I went for a swim and had a pedicure
6:45pm: bent down to pick up some chocolate I dropped before the dog ate it and my waters went with a big gush. Contractions started straight away 5 mins apart...big shock! Phoned OH to come home and got out my home birth basket with all my goodies in (sweets, massage oils, tens, and lots of other nice things). OH got home and started to inflate the pool and ran me a bath.
7.30 -I rang delivery suite to let them know I was booked for a home birth and that my waters had broke. They were very insistent I go in to be monitored but I declined, saying I was happy to check my own temp every 4 hours and keep an eye on colour of waters and babies movement. Then took 2 paracetamol and soaked in the bath. Contractions soon changed to every 2-3 mins...I was totally shocked as was expected to have more time lol. Got my mum to come for support as oh was still sorting out the pool/birth room.
9.30pm ish - contractions were 2 mins apart and toe curling. I decided to come downstairs and kneel on some cushions leaning on outer edge of the pool wearing TENS machine (was brilliant). Oh called delivery suite and told them I was ready for a midwife.
10.45pm- lovely midwife arrives and oh gives her the birth plan to read which she loved and asked for a copy of
I then had to move to settee for BP, pulse, quick check of baby hb. I had requested no internals at all in my birth plan but midwife was keen to do just one before I got in the pool. I gave in and let her...4cm dilated which I was gutted at as contractions were 2 mins apart and painful. This gave me some doubt about whether I'd be able to do it at home, thinking I had another 6 hrs or so. 11.15pm ish - got in the pool resting on my knees leaning over the side grabbing mums and oh hands for dear life during intense contractions. Also started throwing up pretty much as soon as I got in the pool. Second midwife was called when I said things were starting to feel different, more pressure. Both midwives sat on settee writing notes and not getting involved apart from 15 min monitoring.
12.15am ish - my body started to push by itself and I was doing this crazy involutary grunting with contraction. Oh says midwife held up 10 fingers to the other midwife to say I was probably fully dilated. She told me to breath through contractions and let my body do the work, no need to actively push. This was something I had also written in my birth plan.
12.35 ish - Contraction pains now eased and I could feel baby was on his way. Midwife told me to feel down below...I could feel his head just inside! Amazing!! Carried on grunting and breathing through contractions while my body pushed and was completely pain free and with it between contractions. Head started to come out with next contraction which really hurt and scared me, then the head went back in again lol. Head was born on next contraction and the Midwife asked me to change position into more of a squat so i could catch my baby. Aiden was born during the next contraction at 12.59am on 28th June to Cats in the Cradle by Ugly Kid Joe playing in the background. I lifted him out of the water and oh and I saw we had a baby boy. I struggled to breast feed straight away as the cord was not quite long enough. Then came some blood so midwives wanted me out of the water. I wanted to wait for cord to stop pulsating before cutting it so somehow managed to get out of the pool onto the settee with cord still attached. Sat for a while cuddling Aiden then oh cut the cord and had skin to skin while I delivered placenta naturally and had stitches for a 2nd degree tear - remembered to ask for some gas and air for this bit which was good but I'm glad I didn't have it during labour as I felt totally spaced out. Oh and 2nd midwife went into the other room to weigh and dress Aiden while I was stitched. He weighed 7lb 5oz.
Overall my labour went perfectly, although prehaps all abit fast paced and more intense then I had anticipated. Labour time was 6 hours 10 minutes from start to finish. Midwife believes RLT was big help and my uterus contracted down really quickly after birth with post natal bleeding only lasting 2 weeks. I will try to post some pics too
Sorry for such a long post but I loved reading positive home birth stories when I was pregnant and want to offer reassurance to other home birth hopefuls, especially 1st time mums like myself
