Birth story - Louise and baby girl

*Tigger warning* - Use of contractions not negative to me

I am very lucky to have had 2 truly amazing birthing experiences thanks to the PBC. My first in 2021 a water birth on a midwife led unit. It was fairly quick for a first labour 6 hours from contractions starting to birth. My son was born at 39 + 5.

This time round they had said it was likely to be quick as second babies often come quicker but nothing prepared me for this quick!! I opted for a home birth at my 38 week midwife appointment as I was low risk and wanted to experience a different type of birth. At 39+ 6 my contractions started at 3am. I laboured in bed listening to my MP3 and using my up breathing. It felt very manageable. At 6am my son woke up so I went to get him some milk and walking down the stairs really ramped things up so at 6.10am we called the hospital to let them know it had started, they said they would contact home birth team and send someone out. By 7am I felt like I needed to push so my partner rang them back. They said they were sending someone but she was coming from Chelmsford (45 mins away).

I decided to have a shower, it did help with the pain in my lower back but then I felt like I needed to 💩 Then over the toilet I could feel the head poking out and the sac still in tact. So I pierced the sac with 2 fingers. Then in the next push my mum caught the head. Next push my partner caught the body while on the phone to 999. My daughter was born at 7.33am only 23 minutes after my son had gone and my mum arrived, thankfully 🙏

The ambulance arrived 10 mins after she was born and the paramedics helped clamp the cord and deliver placenta. Midwife arrived 50 mins later. 😮 I had some tears which needed stitching but these were done on my bed while I ate crumpets with marmite. It was a wonderful experience, not what I expected from a home birth but was so lovely to be at home in my bed straight after. My little boy then came back to meet his new sister. 💞We are obsessed and enjoying life as a family of 4. Xx