Birth story - Barbra and baby Lorelai

My little smidgen is 3 weeks old, already! Her birth feels like only yesterday! I feel so lucky to have enjoyed an amazing birth experience, exactly as I had hoped and planned for.

I was 8 days over my due date when I had my first twinge at 10pm on Friday. Using the Freya app I started timing my surges, and I was in the birth center by 9am on Saturday morning. I found I was already 6cm so went straight into the birthing pool. Little Lorelai was born under water just after midday, 8lbs 5oz.

It was completely natural, no medication (I did have gas and air post birth to birth the placenta quickly). I felt and enjoyed every single surge, could literally feel her moving down, and back up the birth canal with the last few surges, it was absolutely magical . the Positive Birth Company and hypnobirthing certainly made it all possible, I felt so prepared and excited for the big day, the breathing techniques and affirmations kept me feeling in control and very relaxed. The midwives at Queen Charlottes and Chealsea were beyond brilliant. They looked after me and baby for a couple of days after the birth, helped us get breastfeeding established and gave us a wealth of knowledge in a really relaxed postnatal room. And, of course my husband, whose arm I nearly bit off on the very last two surges, his support, encouragement and love was everything. I loved my birth so much, one of my proudest moments and now we’re still in a baby bubble, we can’t stop staring at her, cuddling and kissing her.