Birth story - Nina and baby girl

*Trigger warning* - 2nd degree tear.

I did it! I had the dream birth following a traumatic first birth with my daughter 16 months ago.

My first was a 5 day hospital stay 2 failed inductions, consultant led because of small baby and ended in transfer to theatre for forceps delivery.

Second pregnancy growth scans all the way through, I didn’t attend half the consultant appointments and I was much more aware of my rights. All was measuring great so at 36 weeks I decided I was going to go for my dream home birth I’ve always wanted, specially as this is most likely my last pregnancy.

I hired a local doula which for me was an invaluable investment. Cannot put into words how incredible the support was and beyond.

I’d been very comfortable this pregnancy so didn’t think baby was coming for a little while and I was happy and willing to wait as long as I needed to…

Started getting mild infrequent cramps 11/03/23 from about 1pm. By 7:30pm they were every 5 mins so I still thought we had a little while. Put my little one to bed and went to lay down in my bed to catch some sleep in case things progressed. 30 mins later a pop and my waters broke whilst I was lying down. Called my husband who was on a night out 🫣 he came home 30mins later. My doula advised we get the room ready! So my husband got straight to work setting up the living room. My little girl upstairs asleep blissfully unaware and my doggy providing the cuddles through my surges. These now started to be every 3 mins and stronger but still manageable through up breathing and use of the comb. I also loved relaxing to the affirmations on the Freya app between surges.

I told my Doula at 10pm to come round for 11pm as I think things were progressing. I wanted to wait a bit longer to call the midwives as I thought I’d have a lot longer to go and didn’t want them hanging around for days.

11pm my doula arrived and gave me some lovely massage and lower back pressure during my surges and a nice cold flannel for my head. So I could focus on up breathing through the surges.

The pool was ready and at 11:30pm I felt I needed more support during the surges so I decided to get into the water to continue labouring there and wow it felt amazing just what I needed.

I had planned for the midwives to be present but as I was so focused on my labour It wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. I was completely zoned into my labour. I also thought I would be labouring for quite a while longer as my first labour was soooo long. 11:30pm my husband called the home birth team and they said someone would be round in just under an hour.

In the water finding my comfortable position was leaning over the edge and my doula advised me to keep my knees closer together and feet further out if that felt comfortable for me. It did and as soon as I moved into that position I started to feel a change.

It was at 00:05 I muttered the words ‘No I can’t do this anymore’ and then the transition WOW. I felt like an animal, I made a big groan and thought I needed a massive poo. I started bearing down into my body, felt the ring of fire hit and baby crowned. I started to panic as I was not ready for the transition to be so quick and I thought the midwives would be there at this point to help me deliver baby! My doula kept me calm and made me listen to my body. Next surge head came out and I could feel her hair, touch her nose I couldn’t believe it, my baby was here.

My doula asked if I wanted to turn around and the next surge my baby came out - I caught baby and brought her straight to my chest leaning back into the pool and just cried with happiness and joy. I couldn’t believe it, my husband behind me holding my shoulders crying with pride. 00:15 our surprise baby girl was born.

I couldn’t believe how much my body knew what to do without me actively doing anything. No pushing, no force, just 3 strong surges and down breathing and my baby joined the world 💕

The most incredible moment of our lives. 💕

The midwife arrived 10 mins after baby was born. I got out of the pool & birthed the placenta naturally about 20mins later and sat for 2 hours cuddled with our baby girl cord and placenta still attached. My Doula had made me a lovely placenta smoothie and homemade brownies. Husband turned the room around back to normal in record timing. Midwife checked me over, I had a 2nd degree tear which was fine and stitched up at home. The midwife said the bleeding was quite still quite heavy on the top, so advised I go to hospital to have a doctor look at it and stitch it up if needed. I was hesitant about going but asked if they transferred me would I go get stitched up and come straight home. They agreed to this and I was in and out of hospital in an hour (luckily the hospital is just a 10min drive).

Home in time for some snuggles, my first born woke up an hour later to start the day and we enjoyed our first morning as a family of 4 and loved introducing our 16 month old to her new baby sister.

Still on cloud 9, I’ll never forget this moment 💕

Thank you PBC for empowering me by using BRAIN, the Freya app which supported me in the lead up and during my whole pregnancy/labour. For teaching me that the power of breath work is magic 💕