It’s safe to say we worked hard on our breathing techniques and her birth was the most beautiful calm moment in the world.
After awaking from a nap at 19:00 on Tuesday my waters broke and it took a couple of hours for the surges to start.
My partner made me a lovely meal to give me plenty of energy and we relaxed into watching the telly whilst things progressed. After I had begun to have three surges in 10 minutes 40-60 seconds we made a call to triage who discussed with us staying at home for a couple of hours before going to hospital. Having had a bath and surges now feeling very strong and regular we went to hospital. I walked from the car park to triage. It was now midnight.
On arrival, triage examined me and I was fully dilated! Which came as quite the surprise to us! As it had only been 5 hours since my waters broke. She could see our baby’s head. I walked from triage to the labour ward where they filled up the birthing pool. Once full I climbed in and then 4 good surges later and our daughter was born. No pain relief and I birthed her without difficulty, catching her as she came into the world.
The only way I can describe my birth was perfect. I managed to keep calm and birth her in the way I had hoped without really realising I was doing it. My partner was brimming with pride and my mum who also supported me at birth wished she had filmed it because she had never seen anything like it. I knelt on my knees in the birthing pool and looked like I was about to fall asleep on the side. I can remember the midwife and my birth partners in the room and can recall talking to them and their conversations. But it all felt completely dream like. Like I was watching from the side. It was beautiful. I caught my daughter and my partner cut the umbilical cord. I then naturally birthed the placenta and breast fed my baby for the first time.
Thank you so much for guiding us through the process and allowing me to believe in myself and birth our baby in calmness and serenity.
With many many thanks!