Birth story - Hannah and baby Audrey

My husband and I decided to plan for a home birth at around 20 weeks into my pregnancy. We both felt that we’d be more relaxed and comfortable at home, and would be stressed out by having to decide when to drive to the hospital and possibly be sent home again!

My pregnancy was uncomplicated, and we had a great team of midwives visiting us in the last few weeks. We were focusing on the breathing techniques we’d learnt through the PBC digital course, and both felt calm and excited for the birth! We decided that we would only accept an induction at 42 weeks, and I had no signs of labour as my due date came and went. 2 days later, I started to feel tightenings that were noticeably different to the Braxton hicks I’d felt for most of the third trimester! We went for a walk, had a curry for dinner, and I felt these tightenings getting stronger and more frequent throughout the evening. About an hour after going to bed I got up for the loo, and felt my waters trickling and saw a bloody show. I called the midwife to let them know what was happening, then tried to get some sleep. My husband set up the tens machine, and after about an hour I wasn’t comfortable lying in bed so sat on the sofa and put on our birth playlist. I timed the contractions, and was told by about 3am that I was in established labour.

Our midwife came out to us at about 7am, when I felt I needed some reassurance as the contractions were much stronger and longer. My husband set up the pool and I spent a few hours in the water, which was really relaxing. By around midday I wanted to know how my labour was progressing, so agreed to a VE - I was disappointed to find out I was only just 4cm, and there was still a lot of waters they hadn’t broken. My midwife said that getting past 4cm could take a long time, but then progress is often much faster, so I got back in the pool. At around 4pm I started to feel panicked and overwhelmed by the pain of each contraction. I realised this was probably transition, and managed to keep focusing on my breathing. The sensations changed quickly, and I felt my body beginning to bear down with each contraction. This change was incredibly exciting, but I was exhausted and hadn’t managed to eat since the night before. After almost 2 hours of pushing, I could feel that baby wasn’t moving down, and tried every position we could think of, as well as a catheter to empty my bladder. Our little girl’s heart rate was slowly creeping up, so we made the decision to transfer to hospital for some assistance. By this point I was 10cm dilated and my body was pushing with each contraction, which meant the journey in the ambulance was torture. My husband had to follow behind us in the car, and this separation was difficult for both of us. This was the only point at which I lost control of my breathing, and the fear tension pain spiral really got to me. The paramedics kept offering me gas and air, but I didn’t find it helpful at all.

When we arrived, I was examined and given consent forms to sign. It was decided to try a ventouse first, then forceps if that hadn’t worked, and finally a c-section as the last resort. Our amazing Homebirth midwife left us at this point, which was an emotional moment for me and my husband. I was taken to theatre and given a spinal block, which was the most amazing relief after the agonising contractions. Lying on my back in theatre under bright lights with a room full of people was the opposite of how I had imagined my birth, but I was so relieved to know that my baby would be born safely with the help of this amazing team of people. The ventouse didn’t work, so they gave me an episiotomy and moved on to the forceps. After 3 pushes her head was born, and then after one more push she was placed on my chest, wide eyed and screaming! It wasn’t the peaceful entrance I had hoped for her, but after only 11 minutes in theatre she was born, healthy and safe.

My husband held her while I was stitched up, and we were taken back to a private room. The midwife looking after us helped me to lie on my side, and placed Audrey next to me skin to skin, where she had her first feed. We spent one night on the ward, while my husband went home and cleared away our homebirth space, and by mid afternoon the next day we were all back at home.

I still have some feelings of disappointment about our birth experience, especially as Audrey had a lot of bruising to her head after the ventouse and forceps. I wished she could have entered the world in a calm, comforting environment, and I wished that I could have been in control of the final part of her delivery. The PBC breathing techniques got my through the whole labour with no pain relief, and I felt calm and in control until the ambulance transfer. I know that we made the right decision for our baby, and 4 weeks on Audrey is doing so well and I’m mostly healed. Birth is the most intense, incredible experience, however it happens!