Birth story - Frances and baby Hugo

*Trigger Warning* - use of 'contractions', bleeding after delivery.

My first born was a text book home water birth. No complications in pregnancy and a positive quick birth experience - around 6 hours from first sign of trickling waters to baby arriving. (I posted my first birth story here if people wanted to read it). Therefore, when planning my home birth this time around, all my friends and family, and all the midwives or doctors I'd spoken to throughout my pregnancy, had convinced me that the likelihood would be that this birth would be just as straightforward, and if anything, quicker!

Fast forward to the morning Hugo was born. 2am and as I got up to use the loo I felt a slight pop and a dampness in my knickers. This was exactly how my first birth started, so I wasted no time and immediately woke up my partner, Ben, and rang the midwives. They told me that there were no midwives on call until 8am, so if labour progressed quickly I wouldn't be able to have my home birth. But they'd like me to come in to check if it was my waters anyway. We got Ben's sister to come over to stay in the house while our eldest was still asleep in bed, and we drove into hospital. There, they confirmed it was my waters, and that I was 3cm and very soft and thin. It all looked really promising. They told me to go home, and cross my fingers that baby would take its time so that we could have our home birth.

8am came and went. Lots of braxton hicks type contractions, never quite amounting to anything. At one point we did get the home birth pool blown up, just in case, as we were convinced when things started it would be quick. We spent a lovely day with Ben's sister and our eldest, going for a walk, playing together, and generally keeping all those happy hormones going. In the afternoon, I thought I'd get myself a bath to see if that would help, and while I was in the tub I got a call apologising that the on call midwives had gone to a lady in active labour, and so I would now have to come into hospital. They wanted me to come in at 5.30pm anyway if I hadn't started labouring, because with my waters having gone, they would want to induce me before reaching 24 hours. I had a little teary wobble here, because this just wasn't how I'd imagined things going at all. But a few deep breaths and I was ready to have my baby in whichever way was safest.

As we arrived in hospital at 5.30, they gave me the option of going in the MLU now and having my waters ruptured, which might give me the chance of a water birth and more natural labour. Or, I could wait to see how things go naturally, but if they didn't progress before reaching the 24 hour cut off, I would have to go to the labour ward and be induced. I cried quite a bit at this point, as I think I was starting to get scared that things were getting out of my control. I opted for having my waters broken, and when they did this they also checked how far I'd progressed throughout the day. I was so disappointed when they said I was still 3cm, but the midwife reassured me that I was so thin and stretchy she was sure it wouldn't be long.

Before I'd even managed to stand up, I'd had a whopping great contraction while lying on my back. I then got to standing and the midwife said she'd go and fetch a birthing ball and that I should try and keep active and upright for the next couple of hours to see if we could get things going. She left the room, and a few minutes later, Ben was pressing the emergency button because my contractions had hit the roof! I was breathing through them OK, but knew I needed some gas and air to help me as they were so strong. The midwife immediately started running the water in the pool, and as soon as it was ready I got straight in. The relief was incredible - I felt wonderful and happy in that moment.

Then came my first contraction in the pool, and even with all my confidence through hypnobirthing, I have to admit I completely lost control. I'd only been told 30 minutes ago I was 3cm, so when my body told me to push I resisted it and this was a definite mistake. I couldn't catch my breath and there was nothing I could do to get it back. Once this contraction was over though, I got myself in the zone and even said out loud to Ben, "I've got this." I felt like I needed to reassure him as he looked a little panicked after that last contraction! But I knew in that moment baby was coming. The next contraction I pushed out the head, and the next I pushed out the body, and caught him myself and lifted him to my chest to hear an almighty wonderful cry! I have never felt so empowered in my life. After feeling so many moments of losing control up to this point, I'd taken back control at the crucial moment and I was so proud. I had a look between his legs and discovered we'd got another perfect little boy!

After the delivery I had more bleeding than expected, so I had to have some care before I could have proper cuddles, and I was very teary overnight, because I found this part a bit traumatic. I was also very tired, and very hormonal - and I definitely wish I could have appreciated the impact of these things in hindsight and been a little kinder to myself.

By the time morning came around and I got moved onto the ward into a much comfier bed and with a nicer more positive environment filled with new mums and their babies, the fog began to slowly clear. I felt looked after, and I began to enjoy my time with my new bundle (at this point still unnamed!) He was perfect, and I couldn't wait to get him home to meet his big brother.

We were discharged that evening, and I cried as I walked through our front door with pure joy that this was where we were supposed to be. Ben and I decided on his name that evening, and that helped solidify the bond between us and Hugo, and the next morning, my parents brought our eldest son, Otis, round to meet him. Our family was complete, and we couldn't have been happier.