Birth Story - Beth and baby Alfred

I wanted to share my positive 2nd birth story:

I had a very positive first birth in an MLU a couple of years ago so having done the digital pack I used my BRAIN and decided that a home birth would be a good option for this baby.
On Friday 8th June we were all prepared to go and at 39 +3 things started to get going. I started with mild surges at 1am. I was quite excited that things were starting but I just managed these with up breathing and my positive affirmations. They stayed at 2-3 mins apart for about an hour and I tried to just rest on my side as I knew it could be a long night ahead. At this point I woke my husband up and told him things were starting! We called the MLU to alert the community homebirth team but it was at this point I was told that they were already at another home birth so I would have to go in to the MLU. I can’t say I was that disappointed I was really calm about it. I think in some weird way the decision was out of my hands so I completely accepted it!

The midwife said I could go straight in or wait it out at home a bit longer. So I decided to stay at home a bit longer as I knew the surges were still fairly mild even though they were coming quite fast. I tried to get some more rest but the intensity cranked up so I was well into the up breathing and lots of rocking on all 4’s. After another hour we decided to go in. We were led to the most lovely room, as soon as I saw the birthing pool I was instantly put at ease! (At my last birth they ran out of rooms at the MLU so I was told I would have to stay on the labour ward, fortunately they had one pool in there which I just managed to get)

The surges were pretty intense now and after some quick checks from the midwife my waters went. She was going to check how dilated I was as I was keen to find out, but after my waters went she just said she would get the pool filled as she could tell it wasn’t going to be long.

The relief from the pool was amazing, I got in at 5am and the atmosphere immediately calmed we got our music on and I felt like I was getting in my zone!

It wasn’t long before I felt that transition and I started with my down breathing my husband kept giving my jelly babies and sips of water inbetween surges which was great for that energy boost.

I could feel babies head coming and after a major wobble I managed to breathe his head out! I took a bit of calming at that point. But both the midwife and my husband were brilliant at reminding me of my breathing. I think it was the shock of him crowning quite quickly! At this point my surges totally eased off and his head was out for a few minutes. The midwife was getting a bit anxious for baby and I could feel him wriggling inside, so as soon as I started with another surge I was really coached to push because they were worried about the timing! I didn’t seem to have anything left to push and I struggled so the midwife had to pull him out.

At this point things went from calm to a bit of a panic! We had had a boy but he was a bit distressed. He pooed as he was coming out and he was very unresponsive. They clamped his cord and got him out of the water straight away, a number of other midwifes came in and they started to rub him down. After a couple of heart in mouth minutes we heard that gasp and cry! It was such a relief!

I got out of the pool and we immediately had some skin to skin! It was bliss after everything that had just happened.

I did want a physiological 3rd stage but after trying and nothing happening I decided to have the injection and the midwife pulled out the placenta. At this point I just wanted to be with my baby.

So it all ended well and we had a healthy boy called Alfred Samuel weighing 7lb 13.

Despite the change in venue and the little scare we had at the end it was a really positive calm birth and I can only thank Siobhan for making the course so accessible. I will definitely be recommending the course to other pregnant ladies. Thank you so much.