Birth story - Sophie and baby Serena

Despite this being my first pregnancy, we made the decision to have a home birth. Fortunately, I was low risk and only 10 minutes from the hospital, so we knew I could be whisked away to the hospital quickly if needed.

To prepare ourselves for the big day (actually several days!) we did NCT, a hypnobirthing course, and read numerous books (including ‘Make your Birth Better’ by Siobhan Miller).

Things got started when I lost my mucus plug on the Wednesday after a long country walk. Contractions started the following afternoon during a walk with my friend when I was 38+5. Not wanting to disturb my partner who was working from home, I snuck into the bath for a few hours to wait for him to finish work before giving him the big update. He did later say he thought it was odd that I had spent the entire afternoon in the bath!

Regular contractions continued throughout Thursday night (I didn't sleep at all), and into Friday. My partner took Friday off work to help out (and also because we were convinced our baby girl was coming that day). Spoiler, she didn't!

A midwife came out early Friday morning and I was a bit surprised I was only 1cm dilated after 16 hours of contractions! I was reassured that this was all normal for a first baby. Little did I know at the time, that I still had almost two full days to go.

Friday was a long day of contractions. The pain was manageable with paracetamol and with the breathing techniques I learned through my hypnobirthing class. I used the Freya contraction timer app to give me something to do. I tried to relax to get the oxytocin flowing by snuggling on the sofa watching some Christmas films. I briefly tried TENS, although lots of ladies like TENS, I just found it prickly and itchy.

I spent Friday night in the bath from 11pm to 7 am. It was a long night and I came out looking like a prune! The warm water helped the pain and slowed the contractions to one in every 10 mins, and amazingly I managed to nod off between contractions. I used a hypnobirthing guided meditation track on repeat called Rainbow Relaxation (that I'm sure I can now recite) and scented bath oils to help me relax. My partner nervously poked his head through the door throughout the night to make sure that I hadn't slipped under the water!

When I got out of the bath the contractions ramped up so we called the midwives back for an assessment. A midwife came at around 7 am and I was 5 cms so they stayed. Fortunately, the midwife was the lovely community midwife who I was seeing for my antenatal appointments.

We had rented a birth pool and in it in the early afternoon. It was lovely. A soft bouncy floor and the water took the weight off my bump so I could move more freely. My contractions slowed somewhat so I got out of the pool and walked around the house to get things moving along. I was in the utility room when my waters broke. This was when the contractions dramatically increased - I thought the baby would be born in the utility room!!

I found the gas and air really beneficial, it made me zone out a bit so the contractions weren't quite so intense.

Once back in the pool, it was time for another examination, but I didn't want to get out of the pool! I popped my legs on the side and got into the crab position (thank goodness for antenatal yoga classes!). I was dilating well – 9 cm. Soon enough the pushing feeling came. It was an intense feeling, not pain, just very intense. I thought the baby was going to come out of my bottom! I said this to the midwives and they didn't bat an eyelid. That's how it's supposed to feel they said.

Soon after, something came over my body. It's hard to explain but the sensation felt powerful, and I felt powerful. We live in a terraced house and were worried our student neighbours would be knocking to complain about the noise as we had done for a house party of theirs a few weeks prior!

I felt a strong stretching down below and not long after the baby's head was out (she opened her eyes underwater and looked around - quite a remarkable sight according to my partner!). Then her body slid out easily. Next thing I knew she was in my arms, a beautiful baby girl, weighing 7 pounds 5 oz.

A slight drama arouse during the pushing stage when the midwives noticed the cord clip was missing from the delivery pack!!! I sent my partner to the kitchen to get a freezer bag clip and we all decided it was a good enough option. It was on the changing table, cleaned with hand-sanitizer and ready to use, but thankfully a cord clip showed up in a new delivery pack!!

I got out of the pool for the placenta delivery. I didn't make a decision about the placenta injection until the moment came, but as it was 10 mins v.s. an hour to deliver the placenta with and without the injection, I decided to have the injection as I'd already been in labour for 52 hours.

I must have forgotten to go for a wee when I was in the pool as I needed an in-out catheter which filled up the midwives bowl completely and my partner had to sprint to the kitchen to get a big mixing bowl. Remember to drink and wee ladies!

I was examined with gas and air. I had a small graze and didn't need any stitches.

When the midwives had left we had our golden time with our precious baby, not quite a 'Golden Hour' more like a few golden minutes as I quickly got some much-needed sleep.

The biggest lesson that I felt I hadn't really realised from my preparation is that latent labour really is a long slog and patience (and long baths) is key. Have confidence in your body that you can give birth. And make sure your birthing partner can stay steady-minded if you have a wobble!

Despite being born in the water and me spending some 20 hours of labour in the water, our little girl really doesn't like having a bath!