This is the story of the birth of Meadow Joanne on Friday 29th of August - born at home with no interventions. I have not minced my words and I've included details which I didn't know myself before labour! 
At 5.30am I woke feeling strong tightenings of my womb along with a "period pain" type of feeling in a
band around my lower abdomen. These were coming every 10 minutes so I woke Gary and we
decided to get up and start timing contractions on the internet. Half an hour later my
contractions were every 5 minutes, then every 4 minutes and growing in intensity. I rang
the labour ward and was told that the midwife will be informed that I was going into labour
and she would arrive at the house soon to check me over.
In the meantime my contractions became more like 3 minutes apart. We rang Kate, our Doula,
and she said she would be with us soon.
I was shocked that my contractions were so frequent because I'd heard all about women in
labour having time to do housework etc. (LOL) but it was rapidly becoming clear to me that I
could have what felt like seconds between contactions and when the contraction started I had
to focus to breathe through the increasing discomfort.
I ran a bath and got in it - then soon got right out of it again! I just wanted to walk
around with the TENS machine on. In the early contractions the TENS machine helped in the
sense that it distracted me from the contraction itself.
I started doing my relaxation (which I learned during the pregnancy using a hypnosis CD) and
this really helped me cope with the whole of the early labour. The midwives commented on
how peaceful and how relaxed I was - my pulse was always moderate and the baby's heartbeat
never fluctuated from 135 for the whole of the labour.
Kate (the doula) arrived and she and Gary got the pool ready. They lit candles in the
lounge (even though it was daytime LOL they closed the curtains of course...good choice
because half way through the labour the window cleaner arrived LOL
Then the cheeky sod knocked on the door for his money and the midwife went to the door saying "go away please there is a woman having a baby in here" ). They also put on my hypnosis music CD. To be honest I didn't care at that point lol, because the contractions
were taking up all of my attention, but looking back I think these things *did* contribute
to making the place where I gave birth have a good positive atmosphere.
At around 12pm I was 5-6 cm dilated and the midwife talked about me delivering that
afternoon - I realise she was being optimistic but it really helped me psychologically at
that time to think about how long was left and how I'd have my baby soon.
I got into the birth pool which was FANTASTIC! The water really made a huge difference and
during each contraction Gary was pouring warm water onto my back. I laboured on all fours
in the pool with the water supporting me, with my hands on the side of the pool and
sometimes between contractions with my head resting on the side, looking down into the
water. I found that I became totally overtaken by the experience and less and less aware of
what was happening around me. My entire focus was taken in using my mind to prepare for
each contraction and then breathing through and focusing during each contraction. At this
point I did find myself praying to the Goddess to help me and I really believe that she did.
At 2pm I felt the urge to push. I had been pushing for what felt like a lifetime (actually
an hour) and the midwives started talking about me needing to get out of the pool and go and
have a wee. What I now know is that they were concerned that I wasn't progressing so they
needed to examine me and kick start things. I was really annoyed that I had to get out of
the pool and things got quite comical when they walked me up my steep terraced house stairs
(ouch!!) and put me onto the toilet... I was saying "please tell me what I'm doing here!?"
and wimpering. They said "you need a wee" and I said "I HAVE HAD ONE IN THE POOL" ROFLMAO.
They took me into the bedroom and examined me. This was the worst part of the whole
experience because I was still having strong pushing contractions and my waters broke as I
crouched on the bedroom floor. Then the midwife said that my cervix was at 10cm but a "lip"
was preventing the baby's head from descending. After an hour of pushing to hear this made
me fall to pieces and I begged for "help" of some kind. They mentioned the MEPTID injection
but even in this state I knew in my mind that it wouldn't help. I had heard it just makes
you tired and they said if I took the injection I would not be able to get back into the
birthing pool.
Kate the doula was a star at this point - she talked to me and said "remember what you
wanted" and she assured me that I COULD do this and I WOULD do this. I accepted that, but I
struggled so much with feelings of intense fear and paranoia that the baby would never come
out and how this would never end! I refused the injection and we managed to get back
downstairs and back into the pool.
Once back there I felt the relief of the water again and I remember thinking "This is it"
and I knew I had to muster all my strength and courage in order to cope with what was
happening. Unfortunately at this point the Gas and Air ran out and I had to accept that
there simply wasn't any more available (which really annoyed me
)
I pushed for another 2 hours and 20 minutes. It was the hardest thing I have ever done in
my life - the hardest thing physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. It
felt like I was walking down the scariest, darkest, most base and carnal path and I had no
choice but to walk it with the glimmer of hope that at some point I would come out at the
other side.
Finally I started to feel the pressure of the baby descending and beginning to stretch my
perenium and despite my total exhaustion this spurred me on - my baby was finally coming
out! As she crowned, I felt the most intense and downright evil pain of burning, stretching
and stinging, but I had to push against it and it got worse and worse as her head emerged.
The contraction ended with her head partially out and I screamed "ah that hurts!!" over and
over whilst waiting for the next contraction and hoping that the next one would finally have
her out! Her head emerged and I felt the immediate release of the pain...and then her body
slithered out of me (giving me the strangest feeling of "everything" coming out). This was at 5.22pm.
She was then placed immediately on my chest and she cried so loudly immediately. I looked
into her totally beautiful face and said "oh my GOD" over and over. I shook uncontrollably
and was totally overwhelmed.
The cord pulsated for what seemed like forever and the midwives kept commenting "look at
that cord still pulsating". Gary cut the cord when it stopped pulsating which was a relief
because the cord was pulling and making me feel an uncomfortable sensation down below.
They took her from me and helped me out of the pool. I was always told that once the baby
arrives labour is "nothing" but I didn't experience that. I was still having contractions
and pain and was really uncomfortable and shaking as the placenta delivered (naturally and
just 10 minutes after she was born).
The birthing pool was blood red and the lounge was starting to look intense due to
bloodstained towels and blood coming out of me. I was told it was normal though so I didn't
worry, and they put me on the couch to look if I had torn. I hadn't YAY!
and they said I
had just minor grazing and tiny tears that would not need stitches.
I was having some kind of panic symptom and my heart was racing (for the first time during
the whole experience) so we waited for about half an hour before I went upstairs. In the
meantime the midwives checked Meadow and said she was 6lb 7oz and put her to my breast. She
suckled a bit, and I was overwhelmed with her. She is just so gorgeous and wonderful!
A little later I was sitting in my bed upstairs drinking tea and a toasted bagel (YUM!).
Everything was so calm and wonderful and I was so glad I was at home and not in hospital.
Gary and I sat on the bed with Meadow between us and we were just amazed and totally blown
away by the whole thing.
At 5.30am I woke feeling strong tightenings of my womb along with a "period pain" type of feeling in a
band around my lower abdomen. These were coming every 10 minutes so I woke Gary and we
decided to get up and start timing contractions on the internet. Half an hour later my
contractions were every 5 minutes, then every 4 minutes and growing in intensity. I rang
the labour ward and was told that the midwife will be informed that I was going into labour
and she would arrive at the house soon to check me over.
In the meantime my contractions became more like 3 minutes apart. We rang Kate, our Doula,
and she said she would be with us soon.
I was shocked that my contractions were so frequent because I'd heard all about women in
labour having time to do housework etc. (LOL) but it was rapidly becoming clear to me that I
could have what felt like seconds between contactions and when the contraction started I had
to focus to breathe through the increasing discomfort.
I ran a bath and got in it - then soon got right out of it again! I just wanted to walk
around with the TENS machine on. In the early contractions the TENS machine helped in the
sense that it distracted me from the contraction itself.
I started doing my relaxation (which I learned during the pregnancy using a hypnosis CD) and
this really helped me cope with the whole of the early labour. The midwives commented on
how peaceful and how relaxed I was - my pulse was always moderate and the baby's heartbeat
never fluctuated from 135 for the whole of the labour.
Kate (the doula) arrived and she and Gary got the pool ready. They lit candles in the
lounge (even though it was daytime LOL they closed the curtains of course...good choice
because half way through the labour the window cleaner arrived LOL
Then the cheeky sod knocked on the door for his money and the midwife went to the door saying "go away please there is a woman having a baby in here" ). They also put on my hypnosis music CD. To be honest I didn't care at that point lol, because the contractions were taking up all of my attention, but looking back I think these things *did* contribute
to making the place where I gave birth have a good positive atmosphere.
At around 12pm I was 5-6 cm dilated and the midwife talked about me delivering that
afternoon - I realise she was being optimistic but it really helped me psychologically at
that time to think about how long was left and how I'd have my baby soon.
I got into the birth pool which was FANTASTIC! The water really made a huge difference and
during each contraction Gary was pouring warm water onto my back. I laboured on all fours
in the pool with the water supporting me, with my hands on the side of the pool and
sometimes between contractions with my head resting on the side, looking down into the
water. I found that I became totally overtaken by the experience and less and less aware of
what was happening around me. My entire focus was taken in using my mind to prepare for
each contraction and then breathing through and focusing during each contraction. At this
point I did find myself praying to the Goddess to help me and I really believe that she did.
At 2pm I felt the urge to push. I had been pushing for what felt like a lifetime (actually
an hour) and the midwives started talking about me needing to get out of the pool and go and
have a wee. What I now know is that they were concerned that I wasn't progressing so they
needed to examine me and kick start things. I was really annoyed that I had to get out of
the pool and things got quite comical when they walked me up my steep terraced house stairs
(ouch!!) and put me onto the toilet... I was saying "please tell me what I'm doing here!?"
and wimpering. They said "you need a wee" and I said "I HAVE HAD ONE IN THE POOL" ROFLMAO.
They took me into the bedroom and examined me. This was the worst part of the whole
experience
because I was still having strong pushing contractions and my waters broke as I crouched on the bedroom floor. Then the midwife said that my cervix was at 10cm but a "lip"
was preventing the baby's head from descending. After an hour of pushing to hear this made
me fall to pieces and I begged for "help" of some kind. They mentioned the MEPTID injection
but even in this state I knew in my mind that it wouldn't help. I had heard it just makes
you tired and they said if I took the injection I would not be able to get back into the
birthing pool.
Kate the doula was a star at this point - she talked to me and said "remember what you
wanted" and she assured me that I COULD do this and I WOULD do this. I accepted that, but I
struggled so much with feelings of intense fear and paranoia that the baby would never come
out and how this would never end! I refused the injection and we managed to get back
downstairs and back into the pool.
Once back there I felt the relief of the water again and I remember thinking "This is it"
and I knew I had to muster all my strength and courage in order to cope with what was
happening. Unfortunately at this point the Gas and Air ran out and I had to accept that
there simply wasn't any more available (which really annoyed me
)I pushed for another 2 hours and 20 minutes. It was the hardest thing I have ever done in
my life - the hardest thing physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. It
felt like I was walking down the scariest, darkest, most base and carnal path and I had no
choice but to walk it with the glimmer of hope that at some point I would come out at the
other side.
Finally I started to feel the pressure of the baby descending and beginning to stretch my
perenium and despite my total exhaustion this spurred me on - my baby was finally coming
out! As she crowned, I felt the most intense and downright evil pain of burning, stretching
and stinging, but I had to push against it and it got worse and worse as her head emerged.
The contraction ended with her head partially out and I screamed "ah that hurts!!" over and
over whilst waiting for the next contraction and hoping that the next one would finally have
her out! Her head emerged and I felt the immediate release of the pain...and then her body
slithered out of me (giving me the strangest feeling of "everything" coming out). This was at 5.22pm.
She was then placed immediately on my chest and she cried so loudly immediately. I looked
into her totally beautiful face and said "oh my GOD" over and over. I shook uncontrollably
and was totally overwhelmed.
The cord pulsated for what seemed like forever and the midwives kept commenting "look at
that cord still pulsating". Gary cut the cord when it stopped pulsating which was a relief
because the cord was pulling and making me feel an uncomfortable sensation down below.
They took her from me and helped me out of the pool. I was always told that once the baby
arrives labour is "nothing" but I didn't experience that. I was still having contractions
and pain and was really uncomfortable and shaking as the placenta delivered (naturally and
just 10 minutes after she was born).
The birthing pool was blood red and the lounge was starting to look intense due to
bloodstained towels and blood coming out of me. I was told it was normal though so I didn't
worry, and they put me on the couch to look if I had torn. I hadn't YAY!
and they said I had just minor grazing and tiny tears that would not need stitches.
I was having some kind of panic symptom and my heart was racing (for the first time during
the whole experience) so we waited for about half an hour before I went upstairs. In the
meantime the midwives checked Meadow and said she was 6lb 7oz and put her to my breast. She
suckled a bit, and I was overwhelmed with her. She is just so gorgeous and wonderful!
A little later I was sitting in my bed upstairs drinking tea and a toasted bagel (YUM!).
Everything was so calm and wonderful and I was so glad I was at home and not in hospital.
Gary and I sat on the bed with Meadow between us and we were just amazed and totally blown
away by the whole thing.
