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My Positive Birth Experience | Ireland | First Time Mother | Home Water Birth | Hypnobirthing

Updated: Nov 10, 2022

Positive Birth Story - Home Water Birth Unmedicated - First Time Mother



Hello there lovely,


Our baby A arrived in the early morning of Easter Sunday (4th April 2021) after established labour starting the day before (3rd April).

From established labour to birthing the placenta, a total of 9 hours labour.

Now, I was in early labour from 01:00 on the saturday (3rd) morning and this was intense enough but we got through it.

I think I was so focused on trying to have my home birth and not get the COVID-19 virus, I forgot about how to set myself up for the first contractions lol.




My pregnancy was low risk, I was a FTM (first time mam) with no medical history.

I puked my whole way through the pregnancy and had extreme heartburn, pelvic pain, exhaustion but it was a healthy pregnancy and the baby was healthy throughout too.

I had braxton hicks from week 20 and then had a couple "is this labour?" moments and when people would say "you will know when it's labour" (I used to get so angry about this) but honestly if I could sleep through it it wasn’t labour but I knew it started once I was woken by the contractions. And boy, I knew it was labour.

 

Note: My due date was calculated by the hospital using my LMP (last menstrual period), they used a 28 day cycle which calculated my EDD (estimated due date) as the 20 March 2021, however I have an average cycle of 37 days so this was inaccurate.

It was when I reached 41 weeks and started to panic, my midwife gave me the book ‘Inducing Labour by Dr Sara Wickham’, to prepare for if I ended up past 42 weeks and resulted in a hospital birth.

This book changed my life.

It also is the reason I didn’t have to have a hospital birth due to my original EDD.

It taught me that LMP is not the most accurate way to calculate an EDD, and that early scans and CRL (crown rump length) are more accurate.

Thankfully I had x2 scans from the hospital, one at 8 weeks and one at 11, both with EDD of 25 March 2021.

Also the CRL measured the 30th of March.

Thankfully I was able to change my EDD from 20th March to 25th based on this evidence. This made me feel a lot calmer knowing I had a bit more time before I hit 42 weeks and potentially had to have a hospital birth.


Inducing Labour by Dr Sara Wickham - https://www.sarawickham.com/iol/

I'd strongly recommend every pregnant woman read this.

 

Now, I was 41+1 (based on my new EDD of 25th March) on Good Friday (2nd April) and had my midwife appointment at home as always. I felt really good and decided to ask for a VE (Vaginal Examination) and if things looked good, a sweep!

Things were looking good so my amazing midwife (who I have had continuity of care with from week 17 of pregnancy and postnatally too) successfully completed my sweep.

 

Note: I asked my midwife for this sweep as I felt it was the right move for me and my baby and I had done my research and knew the benefits and risks of this intervention.

It was completely my decision to ask for the sweep (and all VE's i obtained).

Had it been a week before (when I had my incorrect due date) I didn't want a sweep as I didn't feel it was the right time for us.

My midwife respected all of my decisions.

 

Later on, I started to have a bloody show and mild period cramps.

I went and did a food shop in Aldi with my Dad and Sister (my dad was proper buzzing baby could arrive on his bday the 3rd- the date he predicted from the start lol).

My partner was on night shift so I told him I'd call if there was any signs!! (I called him at 3am).


Sean came home at about 4:30 and naturally I was too excited to sleep.... but I did try and just rest my body by laying down (on my side, not on my back) and had a shower before things ramped up which was really nice.

To be honest I couldn't do much else except breathe through each contraction. I really didn't anticipate the intensity of early/established labour lol.

Still, it was nothing I couldn't handle.

Mind over matter and all that.


In the late morning I called my midwife to see if she could come down and confirm I was in labour. I knew I was because at this stage I was living on the toilet. It was the only place that felt comfortable. I knew I couldn't stay on it forever as I'd have to rest but it did the job for a few hours.

She came down and confirmed I could be having this baby tonight!

Great, but I was only in early labour, I hadn't even hit established yet haha.

My midwife went home to let us labour away!

 

I kept breathing, envisioning the oxygen flowing & trying to relax my body every time it tensed up with the start of each contraction. I did try to eat but everything was just flushing straight through me, so I was sipping away on electrolytes, labour aid and clippos!


Mix it with ice and ohh yes, it hit the spot.


As Sean just finished four shifts of which two were nights shifts, I told him to go to sleep for a few hours because I knew I could manage on my own now but I’d need him on his A game later when things got intense.

My Mam and Sister came around to keep me company whilst he slept, not like I was much company I couldn’t even hold a conversation. My contractions were on average 3 minutes apart for 1 minute from early labour. I just knew I needed to get my head in the right space to deal with it as it was my first baby and I knew I had a good while to go.


I had Toy Story on in the background and the 'Freya' App (from the Positive Birth Company) playing as I was timing my contractions I felt like I was in another dimension.

Somewhere around this time my water broke in the bathroom!


I would definitely recommend every pregnant woman do some form of hypnobirthing course.

Knowledge is power.


Hours passed and it felt like things started to ramp up, however I stayed calm. Sean woke up and I asked him to prep the birth pool, so he worked on that which took a bit of time so I was glad to have said it when I did.


I also called my midwife & she came back and I got a VE and she confirmed I was 5cm - my Mam was so proud of me, her face filled with joy!

She was with me through my labour coming and going getting anything we may have needed.

My midwife stayed and called my student midwife who had been with us throughout my pregnancy too.

Sean had been getting the pool ready at this stage in between giving me light touch massages and filling my ears with positive affirmations!



I stayed in an upright forward and open position for most of my labour, however I was moving around alot too. I was going in between the bed, the toilet, a hot shower and eventually felt ready to get into the pool to labour for a bit, I needed something new and different.

We were all just chilling in the living room & it was really peaceful, my midwives would leave us for a bit and go into the kitchen in between doppler checks!

It was crazy because what was actually 9 hours (from established) felt like 9 minutes.


My student midwife plated my hair - it was so relaxing, there's actually nothing better than someone playing with your hair haha.


I couldn’t even stomach water at this point, I was puking up anything I tried to take down, which made me nervous as I didn’t want to become weak or dehydrated, my midwife began to offer me tsps of honey every now and then, which absorbed so fast I couldn’t puke it back up. This was a game changer.

I wore my Garmin watch throughout my entire labour and ensured to regulate my heart rate which was actually a great idea for me because I kept it pretty focused and calm for the entire thing.




My midwife Ruth, was constantly checking mine and babys heart rate and everytime the baby's heart rate was getting checked the doppler was moving lower and lower into my pubic bone!

Sean was by my side the entire time. I can't even recall him going for a wee or anything haha.

I was being reassured that "everything was perfect and that my body and baby know what they are doing."

P.S. cold wet flannels are gold. Thanks Mel :)



My midwife then called our second midwife - I then knew, baby was COMING!!

I was waiting on this call for the entire time tbh. I knew once she was here, it was going to happen very soon.


At this point it was after midnight so my mam headed home, as she was only around the corner, she would come back once baby arrived!

My second midwife arrived and I knew my body was baring down!

My midwife suggested I feel for the baby's head inside the birth canal with my fingers and I did and it was SO COOL!

As the baby started to crown my midwives asked me to stand up out of the water (due to a current temporary suspension of water births), however I declined as standing up at that point was the last thing I could do.


For me, the final stage of labour was more manageable compared to the early stage! I felt in control at this point and I knew we were close, which helped.

I used the winner flow device to breathe my baby out, which was great.

One hour later after almost choking out my partner, our beautiful baby boy was here, born at home safely in the water!

I birthed in an upright, forward and open position, leaning over the side of the pool holding onto my partner very tightly as he held me. I will have another post all about this soon. For now, here are a couple of relevant links if anyone is interested.


Evidence Based Birth - Optimal Birth Positions - https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-birthing-positions/



Sorry, did I mention, I birthed UNMEDICATED. Yes, I can't even believe I did this. Just throwing that out there....

Once my baby was born the midwives guided him forward under my legs, I sat back and picked him up.

It was euphoric, I felt so powerful and strong.



Baby A was born with the cord wrapped around his neck - nuchal cord (which is actually common enough apparently), it was swiftly unravelled by the midwives whilst he was in my arms and he was completely fine!

My beautiful son was finally here in my arms. Big dark eyes (which are now icy blue four months later) looking straight into mine. We were now a family of three!

We had immediate skin to skin and delayed cord clamping, we awaited my placenta but it was taking a while so after about (i think) 40 mins my student midwife clamped and my partner cut the cord.

Baby A was passed to Sean for skin to skin with Daddy and I used the winner flow again to breathe out and birth my placenta.


 

I had second degree tearing which my midwife stitched me up on the sofa, it was fine!

Sean had texted my mam straight away and my mam came around so quickly and got to hold her first grandson.


The midwives stayed for about 4 hours after and cleaned up everything, including the pool!

It was so beautiful, honestly.

I have nothing to compare it to but I don't think I could have asked for a better experience.

The three of us went up to bed together once everyone left and the oxytocin was FLOWING!


We are now 4 and a half months on and EBF(exclusively breastfeeding) and it has been such an incredible few months! Our handsome young buba is thriving and we love him so much.


My partner is by my side and on my side. He supported me in every way imaginable, and still does.

I honestly don't know where I would be without him and I believe everyone deserves this level of support from their birth partner.


I had my homebirth with the HSE Community Midwives and I couldn't recommend them enough. The continuity of care provided by these fantastic midwives is like no other.

I had my incredible midwife Ruth throughout my pregnancy and postnatally for two weeks before being discharged.

I felt supported and safe & she made me feel confident in my abilities to birth and become a mother.

I am so grateful I had the support of my amazing student midwife too, couldn't have done it without you either.

My birth family.

Roll on the next one ladies ;) and Sean of course, my number 1.


I am sharing my story to hopefully help someone out there hesitating on planning a homebirth, especially a first time mammy, to assure you that it is possible.


If I can do it, anyone can - as long as you are low risk of course.

Do remember, low risk doesn't mean no risk.

I planned for all outcomes and not just the one I really wanted.

I am so grateful I got the birth I hoped for, but I did alot of evidence based research, preparation and hard work (including watching raw birth videos for breakfast everyday) in the months leading up that essentially got me there.


Instagram accounts I found useful for positive birth stories - including videos of vaginal & cesarean @badassmotherbirther @birthofamama @freebirthsociety.


Stay tuned, as I will be posting about what I did to prepare for such birth, and more!


Good luck to all the mamas out there, FTM you got this too!


Love always,

Hayley


 

PHOTOS ON THIS POST CAN NOT BE USED OR TAKEN BY ANYONE ELSE WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE OWNER, HAYLEY WARD.

 

Homebirth Resources in Ireland

Some links I used that may be useful

Community Midwives Association - http://communitymidwives.ie/

Homebirth Community of Ireland & Homebirth UK Facebook Groups were also great groups to be apart of to read stories and posts from others planning the same.


Thanks for stopping by :)

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