Birth Story - My Home Birth With Extra Ham, Egg & Chips! (Copy)
Mum: Jennifer
Baby: Kept anonymous for privacy reasons
I had planned to have a home birth because I felt that home was where I would feel safest and more in control of the birth. I had hired a TENS machine and a pool, and had attended antenatal yoga and practised hypnobirthing meditations in preparation as I knew I wouldn't have stronger pain relief options unless I went into hospital.
My was born at home at the end of September 2018, weighing 6lb 13oz.
I had planned to have a home birth because I felt that home was where I would feel safest and more in control of the birth. I had hired a TENS machine and a pool, and had attended antenatal yoga and practised hypnobirthing meditations in preparation as I knew I wouldn't have stronger pain relief options unless I went into hospital.
I started to experience contractions in the evening two days before my due date. The first midwife arrived at 2am and I was 3-4cm dilated, so after some deliberation she decided to stay. As this was my first birth it was expected that the labour may take a while.
The yoga and hypnobirthing practise helped me to tune in to my body and have faith in its ability to birth my baby. This really helped me to get into positions where I could cope with my contractions and remain calm as the contractions got stronger. I wonder if it also helped me to have a quicker labour than what was expected.
In the end I didn't use any of the pain relief options available to me other than a hot water bottle on my back towards the end. I wasn't trying to avoid pain relief, but was so deeply in a 'zone' that I felt able to cope by using the positions and vocalising as we had practised in antenatal yoga.
After a short period of pushing my baby was born between 9 and 10am at the foot of my bed on the floor. We stayed on the floor and I breastfed for about an hour while we waited for the placenta to come out naturally. I feel amazed and incredibly lucky that I didn't tear.
After the midwives did their routine checks and made sure we were feeling confident and well they left, and we had ham, egg and chips in bed. It was a lovely birth and I felt amazing afterwards.