Amelie’s birth
I sailed through my 1st pregnancy without any problems and can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute of it! Being an Independent Midwife I have attended many beautiful births and truly believe in our body’s ability so I approached the birth with a very positive and natural view. I knew from the beginning that I wanted Carole to be there for me as her philosophy for birth is the same as mine and being an IM I knew the benefits of having someone I knew and trusted 100% at my birth.
On Saturday 21st July 2012 I started getting a few period cramps every half an hour or so in the afternoon. As it was my first pregnancy and I was only 37 weeks and 2 days I assumed this was normal and just 'practice contractions' and thought nothing more of it. I was out shopping for a camcorder to film the birth but gave up when one of the cramps had me leaning over a bollard with shoppers passing by!!! I went home and had a little snooze on the sun lounger in the garden. By about 8pm I realised that the period cramps were coming every 10-15mins and I needed to 'breathe' through them. I text Jonathan and told him to come straight home after cricket, even though I still wasn’t convinced it was labour. He came home about 8.30pm and we ordered a Chinese, I still thought at this point that it would just tail off, but by 10pm they were regular at every 8-10mins and uncomfortable so I called Carole just to give her a heads up to get an early night!
From 11pm they were every 5-6 mins and stayed like this until about 3am when they were at least 4mins apart and lasting more than a minute. I had been using the TENS machine since midnight which was great, but I now fancied the pool which Jonathan had put up by now whilst I had been trying to watch TinTin in between contractions! I got in the pool just after 3am and it was lovely, it didn’t slow things down and was lovely and relaxing in between contractions, by now I thought I might be in established labour. I tried to examine myself but I couldn’t find my cervix and baby’s head felt quite high so I knew I had some way to go.
By 5.30am I was feeling disheartened as it was really intense and I was worried labour might not be established. My waters hadn't released and in the back of my mind I was worried it would all be too intense when they did go. I rang Carole and was a little tearful, deep down I thought I might be going through transition, Carole arrived at 6.30am. We discussed an examination which she thought was unnecessary as she felt I was in established labour and asked me what I would do if she didn't give me the news I wanted, to which I replied 'just carry on' so decision made for no VE. (This makes me smile now as I say the same thing to ladies when they ask for a VE!) I’m so glad I opted not to be examined as looking back I think I was just at the start of established labour and Carole probably knew this!
From this point on the contractions were really intense and 2-3 mins apart, Jonathan was amazing and never left my side. I had no concept of time (it was around 12.30 now!) but just as I was thinking I had really had enough I had a very short urge to push and thought thank God I’m getting there! Carole confirmed this with a smile and said 'that felt different didn't it!' The contractions at this point were so strong and I found myself silently counting each out breath, when I got to 9 I knew the contraction had peaked and was going to ease, it was getting harder and harder to get to 9 without losing my concentration and every now and then Jonathan would just remind me to breathe (as per my instructions!!!).
Slowly but surely I started getting pushy urges with every other contraction, a very weird involuntary sensation that I just couldn't control! The only way to describe it was like vomiting from my bottom!!! Carole was fabulous and took the most amazing pictures of the head descending. I had always envisaged seeing my baby being born so once I could feel her head I turned around in the pool and watched it gently come out. It was an amazing feeling once the head was out as I no longer felt any pain. My waters didn't break until this point which was lovely, with another contraction I waited for her to turn and wriggle out and then I lifted her up into my arms which was amazing. Amelie cried as soon as her head was above water which brought our dog Buddy hurtling down the stairs and almost into the pool! She was born at 2.30pm. Jonathan and I looked to see what we had and were so happy it was a girl. I planned to birth the placenta before cutting the cord but it was so short that I decided to cut it as soon as it had stopped pulsating, Carole clamped and Jonathan cut it and had his first skin to skin cuddle whilst I got out of the pool.
It was amazing to get into my own bed with my new family and not have to leave the comfort of my own home. I birthed the placenta about an hour later after Amelie had breastfed and then we all went to bed very happy!
I never considered giving birth anywhere other than at home, I genuinely believe it is the safest place for most women and babies and certainly the best place for me! I’m so lucky to have had Carole as my midwife as I trusted her 100% to encourage me to give birth exactly how I wanted to. Looking back I wouldn’t change a thing. I only have positive memories of my labour and birth, as does Jonathan. I had the birth that I always envisaged and Amelie had a lovely calm, gentle, drug free entrance into the world.
I sailed through my 1st pregnancy without any problems and can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute of it! Being an Independent Midwife I have attended many beautiful births and truly believe in our body’s ability so I approached the birth with a very positive and natural view. I knew from the beginning that I wanted Carole to be there for me as her philosophy for birth is the same as mine and being an IM I knew the benefits of having someone I knew and trusted 100% at my birth.
On Saturday 21st July 2012 I started getting a few period cramps every half an hour or so in the afternoon. As it was my first pregnancy and I was only 37 weeks and 2 days I assumed this was normal and just 'practice contractions' and thought nothing more of it. I was out shopping for a camcorder to film the birth but gave up when one of the cramps had me leaning over a bollard with shoppers passing by!!! I went home and had a little snooze on the sun lounger in the garden. By about 8pm I realised that the period cramps were coming every 10-15mins and I needed to 'breathe' through them. I text Jonathan and told him to come straight home after cricket, even though I still wasn’t convinced it was labour. He came home about 8.30pm and we ordered a Chinese, I still thought at this point that it would just tail off, but by 10pm they were regular at every 8-10mins and uncomfortable so I called Carole just to give her a heads up to get an early night!
From 11pm they were every 5-6 mins and stayed like this until about 3am when they were at least 4mins apart and lasting more than a minute. I had been using the TENS machine since midnight which was great, but I now fancied the pool which Jonathan had put up by now whilst I had been trying to watch TinTin in between contractions! I got in the pool just after 3am and it was lovely, it didn’t slow things down and was lovely and relaxing in between contractions, by now I thought I might be in established labour. I tried to examine myself but I couldn’t find my cervix and baby’s head felt quite high so I knew I had some way to go.
By 5.30am I was feeling disheartened as it was really intense and I was worried labour might not be established. My waters hadn't released and in the back of my mind I was worried it would all be too intense when they did go. I rang Carole and was a little tearful, deep down I thought I might be going through transition, Carole arrived at 6.30am. We discussed an examination which she thought was unnecessary as she felt I was in established labour and asked me what I would do if she didn't give me the news I wanted, to which I replied 'just carry on' so decision made for no VE. (This makes me smile now as I say the same thing to ladies when they ask for a VE!) I’m so glad I opted not to be examined as looking back I think I was just at the start of established labour and Carole probably knew this!
From this point on the contractions were really intense and 2-3 mins apart, Jonathan was amazing and never left my side. I had no concept of time (it was around 12.30 now!) but just as I was thinking I had really had enough I had a very short urge to push and thought thank God I’m getting there! Carole confirmed this with a smile and said 'that felt different didn't it!' The contractions at this point were so strong and I found myself silently counting each out breath, when I got to 9 I knew the contraction had peaked and was going to ease, it was getting harder and harder to get to 9 without losing my concentration and every now and then Jonathan would just remind me to breathe (as per my instructions!!!).
Slowly but surely I started getting pushy urges with every other contraction, a very weird involuntary sensation that I just couldn't control! The only way to describe it was like vomiting from my bottom!!! Carole was fabulous and took the most amazing pictures of the head descending. I had always envisaged seeing my baby being born so once I could feel her head I turned around in the pool and watched it gently come out. It was an amazing feeling once the head was out as I no longer felt any pain. My waters didn't break until this point which was lovely, with another contraction I waited for her to turn and wriggle out and then I lifted her up into my arms which was amazing. Amelie cried as soon as her head was above water which brought our dog Buddy hurtling down the stairs and almost into the pool! She was born at 2.30pm. Jonathan and I looked to see what we had and were so happy it was a girl. I planned to birth the placenta before cutting the cord but it was so short that I decided to cut it as soon as it had stopped pulsating, Carole clamped and Jonathan cut it and had his first skin to skin cuddle whilst I got out of the pool.
It was amazing to get into my own bed with my new family and not have to leave the comfort of my own home. I birthed the placenta about an hour later after Amelie had breastfed and then we all went to bed very happy!
I never considered giving birth anywhere other than at home, I genuinely believe it is the safest place for most women and babies and certainly the best place for me! I’m so lucky to have had Carole as my midwife as I trusted her 100% to encourage me to give birth exactly how I wanted to. Looking back I wouldn’t change a thing. I only have positive memories of my labour and birth, as does Jonathan. I had the birth that I always envisaged and Amelie had a lovely calm, gentle, drug free entrance into the world.
