Birth story - Kirsty and baby boy

I was 41+2 weeks pregnant and feeling increasingly anxious as each day closer to induction loomed. I didn't want to be admitted to a hospital as with lockdown looming, I knew that meant I was highly likely to give birth alone (we live 40 miles away from our nearest DGH). I wanted to labour at my local standalone birth centre.

The day before, I had spent researching 'spinning babies' and cleaning the kitchen floor on all fours, as the baby was back to back and I wanted to get them in a better position to kick start labour.

It was about 4am on 22nd March (Mothering Sunday) that I first noticed some surges. I'd had an episode of false labour a few nights before so didn't think much of it. I went to lay on the sofa so as not to wake my husband and other children and dozed on and off until they all woke at 8am (I didn’t get my Mothering Sunday breakfast in bed!). I didn't tell my husband I was in labour for fear of 'scaring' the contractions away haha.

At about 10am he asked why I was leaning over my birthing ball with my eyes closed...I told him then I was in labour but not to get too excited in case it faded off again. He told me to go and rest on the bed for a few hours, which I did and up-breathed my way through the next couple of hours quite easily. At about 12pm, I decided to open up the Freya app to see if the contractions were regular as up until now they had felt quite sporadic. To my surprise, it now told me I was in established labour. I called my parents to come and take our eldest 2, and by the time my mum arrived 15 minutes later I was on all fours on the stairs swaying my hips. I'd arranged to meet the midwife at the birth centre at 12.30pm, luckily we live less than half a mile from there so it was a 30 second car journey! When we arrived we did some paperwork in between contractions, and the midwife said she would like to just have a feel of my tummy to ascertain whether baby was still OP, she also asked for consent to do an internal examination which I agreed to, she told me I was 7cm dilated and she could feel babies head.

I asked if could get in the pool and have some gas and air which she happily obliged to. The relief of getting in the pool was amazing, it allowed me to stay UFO without the pressure on my knees. I happily breathed my way through the surges with my eyes closed, in the zone. I heard the midwife tell my husband she was going to call the second midwife in from home because 'we would be meeting this baby soon'. This was very reassuring as I was getting to the point where I felt like I couldn't do it, having birthed 2 babies before I knew this was transition.

The second midwife came in to introduce herself but I couldn't look up or talk to her, so I just waved. I recognised the transition into the 'down' stage but felt my up breathing was more helpful at keeping me calm so stuck with that. I distinctly remember in both my previous births, the instinct to tense up when I felt the baby making it's way down the birth canal and the head begins crowning. So, as painful as it was I made the conscious effort to relax and let my body birth my baby. The head was born, and with this I felt a huge sense of relief, thinking at least the hard bit was over. However, the body didn't follow in one fell swoop/contraction.

Baby's shoulders were born bit by bit, in 2-3 contractions. I heard the midwives quietly discussing 'the shoulders taking a bit longer than they would like' and with that I gave one single, conscious push and out he came. He weighed a healthy 4.09kg (9lb!)! at 2.45pm, just 2hrs 45mins after I first thought my surges were 'the real deal'. This was by far my most positive birth experience, I had no stitches just a small graze and I believe that's because I allowed my baby to birth himself. We were home and tucked up in bed within 2 hours feeling so proud of what I had just achieved.

The post natal period has been somewhat difficult emotionally; with lack of postnatal visits from the midwives and not being able to introduce our brand new addition to anybody, but I feel thankful that our baby is healthy and loved which in the grand scheme of life, is all that really matters. My midwife was impressed with the Freya app and particularly liked it allowed us to play our own music which was quieter during the counting, she said she will recommend it to all her Mum's from now on!