Estimated due date: 24th Aug 24
Arrival date: 18th Aug (39+1)
Planned: home water birth
Actual: home water birth
At 39 weeks I woke around 3:30am with contractions. I managed to go back to sleep but began noting down the regular times from 5am, where they were roughly every 15 minutes, lasting 30 seconds or so.
Mali was cuddling me in bed and I was really beginning to struggle with the contractions come 6:30, so I got up and we went to wake Josh up. He’d been throwing up the same night with Norovirus, which both me and M had had earlier in the week – perfect timing!
I text my mum & dad asking if they’d take M for the day as I was having regular contractions.
I also rang the hospital to let them know that things were progressing but I didn’t want anyone sending out yet. They said they had 4 midwives on call today but there would be no cover over night – great!
Mum arrived at 7:30 and off M went. I gave her a big kiss and cuddle and remembered what everyone told me. She’d never look like my little baby anymore once the new baby arrives so I squeezed her so tightly and felt a little emotional, albeit excited that I was going to be giving birth to her brother or sister soon!
Once she’d gone we started setting up the pool, emptying the dishwasher, tidying up!
Then the contractions stopped! I felt so disheartened. My first labour progressed really quickly and I thought this one would go the same way.
My local MLU called me at 9:30am to check in with me and reassured me that there would be cover for me overnight and not to worry about it. I told them my contractions had stopped and they said that hearing there was no cover overnight wouldn’t have helped but they told me to relax and get some rest.
We continued pottering about at home. I bounced on my ball but the contractions were few and far between. We decided to go for lunch, seeing as though we were child free and didn’t get to eat out often alone. We both had a fry up and then went for a little walk to the shop for more Lucozade and snacks for the day ahead.
Back home Josh watched some football and I sat and watched Love is Blind UK. I got the next to me set up beside my bed and started looking through all the baby clothes hoping it would kick start something again.
I then got a bit of a bloody show and that got me excited again thinking my body must be preparing itself and I was hopeful it would be tonight.
It was a nice afternoon so we decided to go for a brisk walk. I had one or two contractions whilst we were out and then decided to get some sleep.
I went to sleep around 5pm and woke every half hour or so from the contractions.
From around 7pm they were every 15 minutes, ranging between 15-50 seconds.
11pm, they ramped up and each contraction would come within 10 minutes, lasting 50 seconds.
Just before midnight, I was getting 4 within 10 minutes. This is when I decided to call the midwives.
The midwives arrive at 1am and to my delight it’s my midwife I had at my first borns pregnancy and birth and throughout this pregnancy. We had a good chat but then the contractions start to slow a little. We ask them if they want to sit upstairs as our living space is quite small and I was a little scared to make a noise from the contractions.
We put a spa playlist on the tele to help me get in to the zone and 2 contractions later, I’m asking to get in the pool and for gas and air! The warmth of the pool was so lovely, I felt totally relaxed again. The contractions slow down but I didn’t mind as I remember this happening last time.
Sooner or later they are coming thick and fast.
Josh sat on the sofa opposite me in the pool. Having him to grab on to and to reassure me with me with my breathing and remind me that we’d be meeting our baby girl or boy soon was everything I needed to get through, plus gas and air and 2 bottles of raspberry Lucozade – yum!
I got to the point where I thought I couldn’t do it anymore but I also remember this being the point where I was ever so close to actually giving birth so I tried to think of meeting my baby soon, and less about the pain.
I then started almost mooing where I felt baby really move down in to the birth canal. I felt the pressure of my waters and then recall the midwife telling me my waters had just gone.
At some point Josh cut my knickers off as I didn’t take them off before getting in the pool and I didn’t feel comfortable enough to take them off myself.
Then, after a good few contractions and pushes and me getting a little annoyed at myself, babies head was out! I felt relief as I knew we were ALMOST there.
2 more contractions and a lot of pushing and baby was out. My midwife picked baby up, untangled the cord from around their neck and lifted them up between my legs and in to my arms. What a feeling! They needed a little rub to get them to cry which was the same with my first born.
I was so happy to hold them in my arms, I felt in a bit of shock and didn’t even check to see if it was a girl or a boy! My midwife asked if I had seen what it was but I hadn’t and asked her to tell me, in which she told me it was a girl! We couldn’t believe it, we were so sure it was a boy! I sat in the pool for a couple of minutes holding her. Then managed to get out and on to the sofa for the injection to help deliver the placenta. I remember feeling in a lot of pain until the placenta came out and I was shaking for a long time from adrenaline.
Baby girl latched on whilst I was coming round to giving birth and stayed latched for almost an hour I believe! I really wanted to give breastfeeding another go so I am lucky she’s taken to it so well.
They checked me over for tears and grazes and I was so shocked I had none! I was almost certain I’d torn.
The midwives handed me some paracetamol and Ibroprufen from my kitchen cupboard and made me some buttery toast to help bring me round. I soon began feeling a lot better and managed to get myself to the toilet and fill a whole jug of wee without any pain!
Josh and the midwives tidied up what they could, emptying the pool and getting rid of the liner so we didn’t have that to contend with later in the day.
The midwives left at 7am and Josh, myself and our newborn baby girl went to bed to get some rest!
My mum, dad and gran brought M round after her afternoon nap to meet her baby sister. She was absolutely delighted to see her and I swear she seems 10 times more grown up over night. Even her speech has come on so much in just a few days!
I had a glass of champagne and was, and still am, in disbelief that I have a second gorgeous girl to complete our family.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and if you’re considering a home birth, I say, go for it! Best thing I did!