Birth story - Bigid and baby Saibh

my Instagram is mamawifefarmer

We went to the hospital for the standard scan and check when you are 9 days overdue in Ireland. My midwife Mary had already dropped off her home birth kit, we were ready for our second attempt at a home birth, the first having ended in me transferring to hospital. I had had very mild surges over the last two nights that had stopped with the morning each time. We had our scan and they told me my waters were at a 5, blissfully ignorant of what that meant we nodded and hoped to get home to our 2 year old soon.

The doctor came in next and told us we were not going home, not leaving the hospital at all until baby was here and said that I needed an induction. She checked and said things were very favourable and gentle surges were starting again like they had the last 2 nights so she recommended that they break my waters.

I had a cry at this point and felt disappointed that I couldn't have my home birth as planned but then I forced myself to breath calmly and got in the mindset of a positive birth no matter the location. The labour nurses in the induction ward were lovely and they read my birth plan and followed it perfectly. They left us in privacy, delaying breaking my waters since I was getting along well and brought me a ball to bounce on. It was actually such a positive, beautiful, and happy birth. I listened to my hypnobirthing tracks and swayed in my husband's arms and bounced on my ball.

Things started to pick up so they gave me gas and air and broke my waters during which process I laughed because of the gas I think. We then called my homebirth midwife and when she arrived active labour officially kicked off and we moved to a private room. The room lights were dim and there were only essential people in the room and it was as calm and peaceful as I had wished. From then on I moaned, swaying, listening to my tracks and focused on my up breathing.

Three hours later I was ready to push. I switched to down breathing and attempted to push once and wasn't ready so I turned to ask the midwives what I could do to help as I was getting tired after the last couple of long nights. They said I could lift one leg (I was kneeling) and the next big surge our beautiful baby girl was born. I didn't tear at all this time because I listened to my body and the whole experience was everything I had hoped for. Thank you so much for the positive birth company!