Birth story - Ellie and baby Edie

** Triggers ** previous unplanned c-section, risk of scar rupture, postpartum haemorrhage

After having a first birth with my daughter where I felt completely out of control, petrified and generally so out of my depth, I knew I both needed and wanted a better experience second time round.

Birth is so very natural and I knew that if I were in the right headspace, I could make this my experience; which of course is where the PBC came in.

The PBC digital pack was incredible. Going into birth knowing and understanding what is happening to my body made the world of difference and I felt in control from pretty much start to end!

04/01/2021

I started having contractions in the evening that went on through the night. Some 20 mins apart, some 5 mins apart. If I walked around they would come on more, but if I lay down they would stop. I knew it was early labour but at 3am decided that rest was more important as it wasn’t really coming to anything.

05/01/2021

I didn’t have many contractions all day, just sporadic ones. Again, knew something was happening but also knew this could go on for a week!

06/01/2021 - THE BIG DAY

From about 07.30 that morning I started having contractions about every 25 minutes but they were much stronger.. strong enough for me to have to turn away from my partner and daughter to concentrate.

By 11am I called my mum at work and asked her to come over to feed my daughter lunch before she had nursery at 12.30 so my partner could start tidying and setting up our space - I knew this was it. By the time Mum left with my daughter at 12 I was having contractions every 7-8 minutes. I stayed in my bedroom with the lights dim, on my birthing ball and listening to my birthing playlist.

Things ramped up pretty quickly from this point! By 12.30 I called the Homebirth team to say contractions were every 5 minutes but quite strong. My midwife (MW) said she would do her next appt and then come to me, to which I agreed.

Well, 15 mins later (as per my phone records) I called her back and asked her to come now as they were 3-4 mins apart and I was definitely finding them intense and wanted some gas & air. By this point I found the UP-breathing stopped working for me personally. I was doing more big breaths in and out, but some surges were so strong I just groaned instead of breathed however, I still felt totally in control and in my zone.

The midwives arrived at about 1.30, checked my dilation and I was “6cm but could stretch to 8” YESSSS

For the next hour I was just on the bed with the gas and air (really helped!) whilst my partner finished setting up the pool (we totally should have started filling sooner but didn’t expect such a quick labour). I was in the pool probably by about 3.30pm. It’s a bit of a blur now.

Not long after getting into the pool I went into transition. I knew this was happening from the amazing PBC course, but then heard my MW whisper it to the trainee MW (her first Homebirth)!

Not long after I felt my body start to push - oh my god this phase is just something I can’t even describe. My body completely took over and birthed my baby! I felt her head coming and then the ring of fire. Each time fully aware of what I was doing and that she was nearly here. Once her head was born (still in the waters) I felt her turn into the next position. At this point I shouted at my MW and told her to stop as it felt weird; at which point she told me it wasn’t her it was the baby. One more push and my baby was here. A little girl, Edie Margaret, at a diddy 5lb7oz. She was perfect and I felt so elated. I wanted delayed cord clamping but the cord was so short I couldn’t put her to my chest so I told them to cut it there and then (it was actually almost white anyway).

The placenta came just two minutes after Edie, unfortunately followed by a big blood loss of 1.5ltrs which meant an ambulance and hospital stay. Honestly, this didn’t take away from anything. I had my baby, I had my dream birth, we were all okay, and I was in great hands! There was no rush, no emergency. We just got ready and headed off in the ambulance whilst Edie had her first feed.

We are in a complete newborn bubble and so in love. Thank you so much PBC. I feel so complete. So proud of myself and just in awe of my body!