Home birth story!

MrsT2011

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I know there's a few people on here thinking about having a home birth so thought I would share my experience.

It's a long story considering it was a short labour!

So I was overdue on the Tuesday (40+5) and decided I wanted baby out as I was getting impatient! I spent the day relaxing with my son and hubby, went for a speedy walk around the block and had a lovely clary sage and lavender bath.
Hubby cooked dinner that night and put chillies in it! We then Dtd that night and I just had a feeling it would work!

40+6
2am I got up for a wee and noticed some plug was coming away. I had a loose tummy from the chillies so was feeling a bit uncomfortable and got back into bed.
2.30 I needed another wee and thought I would have another loose tummy as tummy was cramping.
2.45 back to the toilet and it suddenly clicked I was having contractions!
(My previous birth was a silent labour so I have a track record of not realising I'm in labour)!

Woke hubby up to let him know and he suggested getting things cosy in the lounge for me. Popped my tens on and downloaded a contraction timer.
2 mins apart lasting 40 seconds but no intensity or pain.
This pattern went on for a while so rang labour ward and explained it was a planned home birth and although it didn't hurt I was told to ring early at night due to a lot of the on call midwives being out of area.

They said they would ring back when they found someone. 5 mins later they said they would send someone out but she was a hour away which was fine. At this point got my mum up so she could watch my son if things changed.

Midwife arrive about 4.30am and did all checks and made sure baby was head down.
She wanted to monitor me having contractions and was surprised I was talking through them at the length they lasted but at this point I was so distracted I wasn't even noticing them.

She checked me and said I was 3 to 4 cm but cervix wasn't ready so could be a while yet.
She offered to stay but I said I was going to have breakfast and rest ready for the big moment!

She said she would go to the local hospital rather than her own and to ring if anything happened.

So me hubby and my son snuggled in the lounge watching cartoons and having breakfast.
I had stopped timing contractions now as didn't feel like much was happening and I wanted to relax.

7.20am was texting my sis in law and said I was chilled watching greys anatomy and eating breakfast!

A few minutes later I felt some pressure and heard a pop! No gush of water though so just ignored it. Within minutes I started to feel things happen and I knew I was in transition as I felt a bit panicky.
Told hubby to take our son downstairs to my mum and for her to get someone to watch my son as I needed her to help as I knew the baby was coming!
Rung midwife at 7.45 and told her I thought my waters had gone and I was feeling the urge to push. She said she was 10 minutes away!

Well I was pushing! On my sofa. With my trousers still on and on my side with legs firmly shut lol.

Midwife arrived at 8am and told my hubby to get my trousers off by any means possible which somehow he did. (Midwife praised him after)
Midwife was setting up resus area and trying to get her gloves on. She told my hubby she needed his help to get me in position but I wouldn't let go of him!

Luckily my sis in law arrived at 8.10 to watch my son and my mum came up to help the midwife. She had to hold my leg out the way whilst midwife coached me through pushing (I had requested this in my plan to help avoid tearing)
Crowning was so uncomfortable as with my son his head popped out in one so didn't get the ring of fire.

Midwife was saying omg there's so much hair!
Next thing I know baby was put straight on me - whole head and body came out with one push.

Cord around neck so needed a bit of rubbing down to stimulate a cry which happened at 1 min.
I then felt a gush which was blood so midwife asked to deliver the placenta straight away before delayed cord clamping which I agreed to. My husband asked my mum to have the honour of cutting the cord which was lovely.
With a bit of stomach pushing the placenta came out pretty quick and no more bleeding which was good.

At this point I asked hubby to tell me what we had as had been team yellow and he said it's a girl! Real surprise as I'd thought boy!

We guessed the time as 8.24am but my sis in law downstairs said my mum shouted baby's here at 8.19.
2nd midwife arrived at 8.50 and established I had a small 2nd degree tear on same place as I'd torn with my son so needed stitches.

I agreed as long as I could have gas and air for this bit! Got high as a kite on the gas and air which was lovely and had to do a wee and a breastfeed before midwives would go - achieved both of these so they helped mum and hubby clear everything up whilst me and my little girl had skin to skin and she fed off me.

Hubby got skin to skin whilst I was having stitches.

Luckily I put down a dust sheet and towels on my sofa early on as it protected it from the blood although one cushion didn't survive lol

So to summarise baby M was born at 8.24 (or 8.19) weighing 8lb 9oz (my conversion was 8lb 6oz)! At home on Star Wars day. No pain relief and less than a hour established labour.

It was a bit scary when I was pushing and there was only me and hubby but otherwise it was magical! I'd planned to have music on softly in the background whilst I relaxed in my bath and birthed on a spare mattress we had.
The reality was I laid in a crap position, felt like baby was coming out of my bum (midwife was wiping my bum throughout pushing - so dignified) I did a lot of quiet sobbing rather than breathing baby out and paw patrol was on the tv!

But I got to have a lovely coffee from my nice machine after and a bath followed by lots of lovely visitors who ran around after me all day in exchange for cuddles!

M is now 5 days old and the first 2 nights I didn't sleep as she wouldn't settle anywhere but me and breastfeeding was so hard, she screamed at my right boob as if it was poison BUT I stuck with it and we're nearly at the point where she can latch herself and it's getting easier and enjoyable. I've managed to feed out in public today, on trains and in pubs. Not discreetly I might add as I frequently exposed myself but I couldn't of cared less.
We had a fantastic night last night and she gave us a lovely sleep of 12.30 till 5am - we'll see how long that lasts!

I've been really proactive in taking care of myself postnatally as I felt really poorly after my son so I've only been drinking water or a light squash (this stops stitches stinging when having a wee as urine is pretty pure) eating good meals and having liquid iron (spatone) everyday.

We've been out and had paeds check at local hospital on day 1, registered birth and had passport photos done day 2, stayed in day 3 to help get milk in so stayed in bed all day and fed, day 4 went to a family bbq and showed her off and today day 5 went to London on the train to get passport sorted and planning a day of rest tomorrow!

I'm on cloud 9 at the moment, my son has taken to it well and people have been really generous with gifts for him so he doesn't feel left out.

If you managed to read all this well done!
 
Sounds amazing!! :)

Massive congratulations again hun!!! Xxx
 
Lovely story. Thanks for sharing! I giggled at the bit about paw patrol being on tv. Its DDs favourite so I can see it being on when I give birth :). Planning our 3rd home birth in December if all goes well.
 
Aww what an amazing birth story!

I laughed out loud at paw patrol being on the telly!

Congratulations on the birth of your little girl

:)

XX
 
Wow, what an amazing birth story.

Huge congratulations on your little girl xx
 
Wonderful story- loved reading it & love how great your husband is! Huge congrats and enjoy your beautiful little girl xx
 
Awww congratulations what a lovely story.

I too laughed at paw patrol. Way to set the mood :p

You sound like you did brilliantly well done. I used arnica oil in my bath which healed the tear and stitches up good n quick.

xxxx
 
I genuine laughed out loud at Paw Patrol because I'm going to have a home birth in a few months and my son is obsessed with PP... so I can TOTALLY imagine that happening!!!!!!

Your story is wonderful, thanks for sharing. I also had a silent labour with my son (didn't know it was called that though!) so am expecting a swift & probably bit shocking second birth at home too.... so reading this was brilliant.
 
Thanks ladies!

Best of luck with your home birth Birdie - let us know how it goes x


 
Congratulations, such a lovely birth story xx
 
Congrats Hun lovely birth story and Yep I laughed too at paw patrol �� Xx
 
Bumping this up for those interested in home birth x
 
Congratulations , i can only wish my labours were as nice. Mine felt like i was dieing. Honestly
 
Thanks for bumping it up for me hun. It was very helpful reading a real home birth post. It does sound like a positive birth experience aside from the Paw Patrol which I'm sick of watching with dd lol xx
 

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