Birth story - Jennifer and baby Raffi

After a long weekend of surges and cramps, I went to the birth centre at midday on Monday, was examined and told I was 1cm dilated.

After, I was sent home and surges intensified. I could only get comfortable on the toilet, when suddenly I had the sensation to push.

We timed contractions with the Freya app, with contractions were every 4-5 minutes. We excitedly packed up and went to the birth centre around 4pm. I was examined, and told I was 2-3cm dilated. The midwife told me to consider going to the labour ward for pethadine or an epidural. I used my BRAIN and declined, deciding to go home to progress. I felt embarrassed and that I’d misread my body’s signs, how could I want to push, yet not be dilated enough to be admitted. After we got home, I had a bath and listened to the positive affirmations. We slow danced to Marvin Gaye in between contractions to get my oxytocin flowing.

My surges quickly intensified to every 2-3 minutes and I began to feel a bearing down sensation. I felt determined to progress before going back to the birth centre and breathed through each surge listening to Siobhan’s voice.

As I was pushing “down” during a surge, my husband looked up and told me that the baby’s head was coming out. I instinctively stood up, and leant against the bath. My husband phoned the emergency services who talked him through what to do, as he prepared towels. I was advised to hold the baby’s head, and when told it was safe to push, did so with the baby arriving in 2 pushes.

Our baby arrived en caul, and could see her face and body through the sac of water. Still attached by the umbilical cord, we used our nails to open the sac, and with water gushing we removed her from it and heard her first cry.

Shortly after the midwives and ambulance crew arrived, I delivered the placenta on our bed and got taken to hospital for a second degree tear and a check up.

The first question every midwife asked me that night was “did you practice Hypnobirthing?” as I stayed so calm and in control, which I can’t believe looking back! I recommend the digital pack and Freya app to everybody, as even though a home birth wasn’t the “plan”, I’m amazed at how my body took over and knew what to do and it really was the most empowering moment of my life.