Birth story - Katy and baby Clara

I bought the digital pack early in pregnancy after what felt like a long and traumatic birth for my son 2 years ago. Although we had done NCT training the labour wasn’t at all what I expected with super long back to back contractions that went on for days and ended with a birth I barely had control of.

The digital pack taught me so much about what had happened last time and it was truly healing to go through. Home birth wasn’t something I had considered before but I knew it would be right and I stopped worrying about the birth. I bought a birth pool and read lots of positive birth stories which were AMAZING.

I knew I would go into labour when at 40+2 my toddler became ill and needed lots of cuddles which gave me an oxytocin boost. I woke at 2am with a bloody show and then had regular surges all through the night. They were incredibly mild and I was so so happy they were 1 minute each after longer surges in my previous labour. The following day I felt in control of my surges and I didn’t really make a big deal out of them. My mum came over to help with my toddler and my husband and his dad carried on working on our extension. I did tell them all I knew this was it and I was having regular surges but I don’t think anyone took me seriously as they said I just seemed so calm and chilled!

After a while I sent my mum home for a bit saying I knew when it was just me, husband and toddler things would get going and although the surges continued they didn’t increase in speed or intensity all day while other people were around. My husband really didn’t get the message and so I had a visit from my mother in law which paused things until she left and eventually tears from me when I told him he absolutely had to sort the toddlers dinner as the surges were getting quite powerful and I really needed his dad to go home!

Surges became a lot more powerful as soon as it was just us and I knew once I was happy our toddler was settled to bed things would speed up. I can honestly say it wasn’t painful!

As soon as our toddler was settled my surges were coming 6 or 7 mins apart and my waters broke. I asked my husband to count the up breathing for me. He put a pizza in the oven and let the maternity unit know we might need the midwives later. Surges suddenly went to 2 or 3 mins apart and husband called for the midwives to come and for my mum to get here quickly. He persuaded me downstairs and I don’t think he had any idea how quickly things were going and although I knew, I couldn’t work out how to communicate this to him! I did manage to get him to put a shower curtain and old duvet on the floor and I think he got the birth pool out of the box before realising he just needed to stay right next to me. My mum arrived and was a bit shocked by how far things were and within 2 minutes I had a transition where I had about five minutes peace and felt very tired. I felt the urge to push and had to yell at my mum to cut my pants off with scissors 😂 I was kneeling over the birth ball, pushing my forehead into the sofa and just couldn’t move. At this point my husband was in the phone to maternity again but next to me. I couldn’t help but go with my body’s urge to push but I let baby go up and down in the birth canal a couple of times.

The midwife arrived and with her words of encouragement and my mum and husband I really pushed and got baby Clara out. She was crying before her body came out and I think that’s when the second midwife arrived! I opted for the injection to help with the placenta as I didn’t want to do more pushing. I felt very cold and uncomfortable while the midwife helped get the placenta out but then snuggled up on the sofa for a first feed with tea and toast and enjoyed being at home! At this point I realised my lovely husband had managed to dim the lights and light a scented candle too ❤️

My waters broke at 7.30 and baby Clara was born at 7.51!

Truly thankful to the Positive Birth Company for empowering me to have such a dream labour and birth xxx