Birth story - Amy and baby Runa

I had my first in 2022 and despite it being a very different experience to what I wanted with the PBC it was still a really positive birth. When I fell pregnant again I knew I wanted to try for a homebirth and am so happy that everything worked out in the end.

The pregnancy was very similar to my first, no morning sickness just a bit of fatigue early on. I had to have a lot of scans as my first has a genetic condition so we were monitored closely. There was a very small chance of it happening again so I wasn't too worried and it wouldn't have made a difference anyway so I refused the amniocentesis. The scans all showed baby was well but slightly on the small side. As time went on I had siatica and the normal aches and pains but was generally well. At 34 weeks I switched to the home birth team and started to get everything together!

By 40 weeks I was fed up and tired and was doing everything I could to get this baby out! Was bouncing on my ball, diffusing clary sage, eating dates and drink raspberry leaf tea. I was getting lots of braxton hicks so was hoping it would be soon. At 41 weeks I refused a sweep and just accepted she would come when ready. At 41+5 I woke up in the night with a few light contractions. I think I dozed for a little while but the intensity was increasing quickly so I woke my husband up and went downstairs to prepare. At around 5am I called the homebirth team to be told they were not running and I would have to go to the hospital. I was devastated and felt really nervous about leaving my daughter. My husband snapped me out of it and we rang my dad to come and sit with my daughter.

We went to the hospital and I was examined to be told I was only 3cm so could walk around there or go home. I decided to go home and have a bath and see how things went. I felt so much better at home and in the bath my husband would pour hot water on my bump during a contraction which helped so much. At 9am we got a call saying the homebirth team were back working and to ring when I was having 4 contractions in 10 minutes. I was so happy things were back on track but was struggling with the intensity of the surges. I then got in the zone and felt best tucked up in bed and managing to doze in between. My surges were strange with 1 being a minute long and light then a 4 minute break and then a 2 minute long really intense one. Even though I wasn't hitting the 4 in 10 I knew I needed extra support and asked my husband to ring the midwife who turned up an hour after. She was lovely and really made me feel at ease. She checked me and said I was 7cm and could get in the pool.

Things really ramped up quickly and my husband and dad were running around trying to fill the pool and get it warm enough whilst I had some gas and air. There was then a very quite moment surge wise and I felt really relaxed. This didn't last to long and I said I need to get in the pool now. The minute I hit the water it all changed and I had no control. I began to shout as I could feel her coming down but wasn't pushing at all. All of a sudden her head was out and I tried to get my breathing back on track. With the next contraction she was out and I lifted her out the water!

She cried immediately and everything seemed fine except there was some meconium in the water. We had delayed cord clamping and skin to skin in the pool for about 25 minutes. I then birthed the placenta and got out. I did have a second degree tear so my husband took her whilst I was stitched up. After the midwifes checks they left and I couldn't believe I had done it and it was already over. It really couldn't have gone much better!