I achieved the birth I desired!! So in November 2012 we happily found our selves pregnant after trying for 3months, now after two induced births I knew right from before conception the picture perfect birth I desired to own. After loosing my 8 week old girl in August 2007, and giving birth to my rainbow baby in April 2012 I had done it twice before and knew exactly how I wanted to bring this baby into the world, here is my story. I knew I was pregnant before I was even actually pregnant, after a week of negative home tests the doctor sent me for bloods and even they came back negative, I had some spotting (implantation bleeding?) so had an ultra sound and even that couldn’t pick up pregnancy, I then had an internal ultra sound and an ’empty’ sac was found. I was told to go back 2 weeks later but due to more bleeding I went back maybe 8 days later and a tiny heartbeat was detected! I was officially pregnant and the scan dates had me due at 31st July 2013 other wise according to period dates I was due 13th July 2013. At 12 weeks pregnant I hadn’t had any sickness or tiredness, energy was normal but I found myself with even more bleeding, hospital visit and scan showed nothing. At 15 weeks pregnant DH, our daughter and i had taken a holiday to Wellington the capital of New Zealand and I found myself with a large amount of bleeding and clotting I was convinced I lost my baby, we had gone to the local doctor and even with no money on hand they could tell I needed to be seen and were so very kind there service still amazes me, I was transferred to the Hospital were we spent all the next day the joy I felt when I had an ultra sound and saw my little bean flipping around bought tears to my eyes. The tests came back that I had 3 Subchorionic Hematoma’s these grew over time and gave me trouble right up until I was 35 weeks pregnant with my last bleed and my final scan at 36 weeks showed there were only two so only bled out.
I tried to get in with Any independent Midwife I could but everyone was booked up, I had to go wit a midwife who worked in a clinic and shared the clients around, my given midwife was only just qualified and didn’t even start work until the end of February 2013. My main goal with this birth was to go into labour naturally, I needed to experience natural labour. My second was to have a home birth which obviously goes with no pain medication and 3rd a water birth. After a few more bleeds and ending up in hospital and an early labour scare at 25 weeks pregnant then the last bleed at 35 weeks my midwife said to me “There is no way me or anyone at the clinic will support you in your homebirth” That comment didn’t even bother me because I knew nothing was obviously wrong with me serious enough if they just sent me home with this bleeding? I also didn’t feel seared or to worried within myself. I spent the next few days trying to find a midwife to take me on and The lady who I had through the pregnancy with my first was available (she didn’t deliver my first though) so I was supper excited, me and DH went to meet her and left so excited, finally he felt positive about my decision to home birth too which was so important to me. Jan (midwife) was so supportive of all my choices down to every last detail. We got bits and pieces to bring home and blew up the pool at 38 weeks as DH had to go back to work, just incase he didn’t get back in time to blow it up for me. My ‘due date’ came and went and as the placenta doesn’t function as good as it does earlier in pregnancy and with my hematomas I was only aloud to go to 42 weeks, at 41+1 it was a Thursday my midwife started talking induction for the following Monday I felt so sadden by this and told her I would get back to her about this. My partner only had One week off work from today and I really wanted him to be there a few days after birth as well to help me with a New-born and a then 16 month old who im still breastfeeding as well. Jan the midwife gave me a stretch and sweep and acupuncture to kick start everything in a natural way. This Thursday night on 08th of August I began to get tightening’s every 30 minutes or so I was secretly excited but in denial it was anything happening, I was in a mood that night and had DH sleep on the couch. 3.29am I woke to a tightening and layed there for half an hour and they came every 10 minutes so I knew then something was happening I went back to sleep woke a few more times but managed to sleep until 7.30am when my daughter woke up. “Amaya’s coming today Hun” I said to my partner and we hung around for a bit timing them, the feeling was nothing at this stage they wouldn’t make me pause a conversation but were certainly happening so we called the midwife who told us it sounds like its go and to get my space set up 🙂 Hmmm I didn’t want to sit around here all day though as we didn’t know how long of a day we were in for and needed my little one to burn some energy so she could have a nap, I really wanted her to witness this birth even though i’m unsure she would remember?! I had a planned birth Photographer coming to but she was off out of town on this day at 3pm, lucky I had a back up photographer We went to the Zoo so my girl could play and see the animals I was hoping no one would be there but it was semi busy and here I am leaning on the cages as these tightening’s were making me stop in my tracks, was so cool though – loosing track of time but we came home and my girl went to sleep, DH filled the pool up. Midwife came over and asked if I wanted an internal to see where I was I agreed and was at a 4cm she left at about 3.30pm, my sister came over as the tightening’s became more intense I couldn’t talk through them anymore, I couldn’t walk through the contractions but they still weren’t painful as I remember my other labours, I kept waiting for this labour to get like that even though I was more mentally and physically prepared. 4.30pm contractions were coming every 3minutes. I was so good and opening my body as I greeted every one of these I could actually feel this working. I had been texting my birth photographer this whole time but at 4,49pm was my last message to say come over now as DH was on the phone to Jan saying its all happening. 10 minutes later the photographer and midwife turned up at the same time and 10 minutes after that the second midwife! ITS ACTUALLY HAPPENING!!! everything I have worked for and planned is being put into action and despite my groaning I couldn’t be happier. My daughter was absolutely amazing and my noises didn’t even phase her, in between contractions she would wave and smile and say “hey mummy” she gave me that extra strength.
I couldn’t let the midwife check me at this stage, I needed to get in that pool, while I was waiting though Jan gave me an amazing lower back massage!
Climbing into the pool was just to amazing for words, the relief and the way I could just float around and bounce around, through every contraction I was just bouncing on my knees leaning over to DH as he supported my weight I just couldn’t keep still couldn’t stop bouncing then in between I would lie on my back and float and roll around I was in the pool maybe 20 minutes and then my waters broke that again was more relief, I was a little confused. Why isn’t this getting worse? Ahh natural labour, the comfort of my own home. I was doing this!! 30 minutes in the pool before I started pushing I could feel her almost flying down the birth canal. I found me position leaning over the side arms around DH and I could feel her coming I just wanted to push so hard, trying not to push so I didn’t tear was probably the hardest bit of all. I held her there and with the next push her head was born and an arm flew out I could feel it on my inner thigh. I couldn’t get into a good enough position to catch her as her body was born so Jan caught her and handed her to me, 6.08pm and she was here. I held her there under water to take a breath looking at the miracle and quickly took everything in before I lifted her up to take her first breath.
We waited for the third stage of labour and placenta to be born then Daddy cut the cord. I was officially on cloud 9! My 16 month old was obsessed babies as my belly grew and we talked about the baby. I was so thankful she could be there to watch such a thing, her reaction when I pulled the baby up was “BABY” with lighten up eyes, her and DH gathered beside the pool and she then wanted to jump in the pool to greet her new baby sister! This was the most happiest moment I’ve ever lived, nothing right now could be more perfect. I was taking in her new born sweet smell, the pride I felt was beyond words. I nested on the couch to give my little baby her first feed, was a bit of a struggle to get her latched on which I thought wouldn’t happen as I still breastfeed Miss 16 months who soon cuddled up with us and began to nurse as well.
Its crazy to think that if I trusted or went by what that first midwife told me I would have had yet another induced birth, another hospital birth and no sense of fulfilment from achieving my dream birth. I’m so glad after my birth last year which apart from being induced was drug free (my first birth wasn’t and was also rather traumatising for me) which aloud me to realise my body CAN do it, I began a rampage of soaking up so much information and educating myself, I began doula study which truly inspired me even more and now here I am with my story that you can do it, you need to educate yourself and you need to trust and know your body before you put your trust into someone who yes is a ‘professional’ but they don’t know you or your body or your baby. Amaya Lily Patricia Born 09th of August 2013, 7pound 12ounces of pure sweetness
