Birth story - Rae and baby Orla

* Trigger warning* - placenta didn't deliver and baby girl made grunting noises/had low oxygen levels

Here is my positive birth story. I thought I'd start off by saying I'm a very anxious person, and I am so proud that I opted and went through with a home birth and how the hypnobirthing course helped so much. I never imagined I'd *actually* have a home birth! At my booking appointment my midwife asked where I would be having baby, will it be hospital again, I said "yes or I wondered about a home birth." She was instantly very pro home birth and gave me so much guidance and reassurance. Throughout my entire pregnancy I'd tell people "I'm hopefully having a home birth but I'm open to hospital too, we will see what happens."

I really wanted two of my friends to be there, so that encouraged the idea of a home birth. I've been grieving the loss of my closest, lifelong friend who died in a car accident in October 2020. Jen was one of two of my lifelong friends since primary school, they were twins (Cath and Jen). My midwife was keen for Cath and I to have a positive, happy experience together since all the heartache. And that's what happened. 💕

I completed the Positive Birth Company Hypnobirthing course and believe that helped my mindset to ensure I did have a home birth, concentrating on the fact that a home birth is actually safer for a woman with no complications who have had previous births without any complications.

On the night of the 20th January, Cath and I went on a nice walk, I came home, watched a film and actually had 3 surges 15 mins apart around 10pm - 11pm but didn't realise they were contractions at the time.

I got to sleep, woke a couple of times in the night for the toilet and felt the same tightening pain low down but got back to sleep. Around 3:30am I woke again, felt the pain, but couldn't get back to sleep this time as they were every 5 minutes. I got up at 4am, not waking my partner or children and bounced on the ball, eventually I called triage to get their opinion and they said they'd send a home birth midwife out to assess me. I said not to just yet, I didn't want to waste anyone's time so early on! I walked about and focused on my up breathing listening to the Freya app then around 6am decided I'd call again to say a midwife can come to assess/see what they think. I also had text my community midwife and when she woke she said she'd come. So both lovely midwives arrived at 6:30am.

My mum was there and my two friends arrived around 7am and looked after me ensuring I was hydrated, helped with my 2 boys etc. but for most of the labour I was just in my own bubble, concentrating on my breathing and silently progressing through. (My partner was also in the room, but as with my previous two labours he prefers not to be involved, hence wanting my mum and friends too!)

Around 11am the surges were far more intense. I could feel a lot of pressure but I wasn't fully ready to push. (In my previous 2 labours although I'd fully dilated my cervix had a posterior lip that hadn't fully disappeared.) My midwife had chosen not to assess me at any point during this labour, she just wanted to let me get on with it because she knew in my previous 2 labours, after the assessment I'd climbed out of the pool and never got back in. She was determined for me to finally get a water birth. So we assumed I didn't feel fully ready to push for a while as my body was waiting for the cervix lip to disappear.

Eventually I felt ready to push and, after a fairly long pushing stage, at 12:30pm, Orla Jennifer (named after my friend) arrived into the water and was placed into my arms. The sun was shining through into the room and it was beautiful.

I'm so so pleased I had a home birth. The labour was so much more relaxed than my previous two hospital births, and I love that Orla can say she was born at home!

The next part is optional to read, but could be useful for a perspective on understanding what happens if a hospital is needed.

Throughout my pregnancy I had plenty of people tell me "I'm brave" to have a home birth as we live in a rural location 25 minutes from hospital. But actually all was absolutely fine. The birth was perfect!

I was open to have vitamin K but my midwife said let's try and do it completely naturally. But the placenta didn't come. Both midwives tried lots of techniques and did give vitamin K in the end but it just would not deliver. So I needed a trip to hospital which I was absolutely fine with. I was taken by ambulance and Orla followed with my partner and friend in the car. When we arrived at hospital they prepared me for surgery but as I was still having contractions the surgeon wanted to try one more time and sure enough it came! Perhaps the bumpy ambulance ride helped! (The surgeon said it was probably the biggest placenta she'd ever seen 🙈) While we were in hospital Orla started to make a dreamy/sighing/grunting noise which they didn't like, and found out her oxygen was low (around 85%). They said they'd have to take her to SCBU. They put her on oxygen but the levels didn't go up. Eventually she was ventilated so she didn't have to work on breathing, then a few hours later, she was transferred to another hospital. She soon got better and each day progressed needing less help. She took the ventilator out herself - all the nurses including those that transferred her commented on how strong she was and how the kicks in the womb must have really been felt - they were certainly strong! The intensive care team then decided she didn't need the ventilator anymore! The next day Orla removed her oxygen, and after some monitoring they decided she was now ok without that too! She also removed her cannula 3 times and they eventually said she doesn't need that either. And finally on day 5 we were allowed home!

The reason I chose to include this is because, when asked how was the birth I respond with "it was amazing, I loved it!" And when asked "would I have another home birth?" I reply "definitely." Yes, intervention was needed but it wasn't scary at all! Even for me, as an anxious person! And yes, we ended up having a hospital stay, but the consultant assured me that it was not because of being at home, or in the water or anything I did in pregnancy. It was just one of those things. In fact - she said, it could have been worse if I gave birth in hospital as labour might not have progressed as well as it did.

I'm very grateful for my wonderful birth experience, surrounded by people I love so much! One of the midwives commented on how lovely it is for Orla to be born into such a maternal, loving environment, my mum, two friends and two midwives, all mothers themselves. Six mothers (including me) in the room, all helping her to be brought into the world 🌎💕 - so thank you to The Positive Birth Company for giving me the strength and confidence to experience a home birth!