Preparing for a birth in our home is a joyous occasion filled with love, strength, excitement & anticipation. Our eldest children Violet 4, & Jonny 2 had been beautiful, amazing home water births & we knew our third child would be born in an equally empowering manner.
Our third child was expected during the first week of winter & we eagerly awaited his arrival. I adore preparing for a birth, & really enjoyed my final weeks of nesting & planning. I especially loved involving my daughter in our pre-birth plans, Violet is such an old soul & so in tune with her surroundings.
On Thursday the 30th of May I spent a pleasant day shopping at Ikea with my mumma & jonny. We returned home from collecting violet from kindy at about 4pm. I suddenly felt really nauseous & had several bouts of diarrhoea ( I was excited as I was sure my baby was close) My husband lee came home from work & we decided on fish & chips for dinner.
I showered with the children & opted on an early night. I breastfeed jonny before bed and noticed slight tightening’s. I was even more excited & quickly took myself off to bed to rest. Jonny woke at about 11pm & I fed him back to sleep, this feed really set my tightening’s up a notch. These tightening’s were now requiring my attention & I decided to wrap the children’s presents from Ikea & bounce on my bouncy ball.
Lee woke up at about 1am & found me still bouncing on my ball in the study, he decided he wouldn’t be going to work tomorrow & we may be having a baby instead. At about 3am my tightening’s were coming every ten minutes & requiring all my attention, I decided to call my mumma & sister & let them know what was going on. I also messaged my midwife, student midwife & birth photographer.
However by about 4am my tightening’s started to “fizzle” & required less attention, I knew my baby was not quite ready to be welcomed. I was tired & needed to rest. I spent the morning dozing in bed having the occasional tightening. Violet, Jonny & Nanny baked a cake & daddy set up the birth pool & kit. We generally enjoyed a family day preparing for our baby’s birth.
About 6 pm we ate a delicious dinner of pasta, prepared my sister April and just as I finished my bowl a long, hard intense tightening took hold of me. I quickly moved into a pattern of regular 10 minute tightening’s & felt that the baby was indeed on his way. My wonderful family took over & bathed the children & put Jonny to bed. Violet was wide awake & excited to be awaiting the birth of her youngest brother. The entire home & all those inside were ready to meet this little guy.
I called my midwife & she arrived about 7:30pm, with my beautiful friend & student midwife. I made the decision to have a VE (as my tightening were still only 10 minutes apart, & would remain that way the entire birth). I was 7cm with my babies water intact & well on my way.
Another dear & beloved midwife arrived about 9:30pm, she had been present for both Violet & Jonnys birth & I felt as though the “missing piece had arrived”. I couldn’t imagine birthing with out her & was so grateful she came.
In amongst the caring & nurturing practices of the midwifes & the protective love & support from my family & dear sweet violet, stood my cherished Birth Photographer & my precious cousin who acted as videographer. Their presence was amazing, truly talented women who fell into the evenings birthing patterns beautiful y.
The Next few hours passed in a whirlwind of familiar intense tightening’s that rippled through my back & into my legs & groin, I sang my birthing song loud & felt the energy of my baby in every intense tightening. “I repeated my favourite Ina May Gaskin words “Don’t think of it as pain, think of it as an interesting sensation that requires all of your attention”. I moved from the birth pool, to my bed room to the shower & all around my home. I had never done this with my first two babies (I always happily stayed & birthed in the pool). My tightening’s continued at 10 minute intervals, which allowed me plenty of time to move & find comfy positions before they began (how fabulous are bodies are). My water was intact & I requested the midwives break them (it felt great & was glad they did).
At 12pm I started to do my own VE’s & knew my baby had not yet moved down far enough, I was getting impatient & tired, but owe so grateful to be in control & supported in my own home.
My midwives suggested various positions to encourage the urge to push. They suggested lee sit on our couch & me squat between his legs while he supported me. This felt amazing, I was safe & supported in the arms of my husband and in this exact instant I felt my baby “ drop” & in three almighty intense pushes our son “ Luke Lee McGlade” was born on Saturday the 1st of June in the presence of all the people who would love him most in this world. He weighed exactly 9lbs & was my smallest baby so far.
I felt pure joy & ecstasy & no desire to move from my new position on the floor. I picked up my Lukey & felt instant love ( I felt as though I had known him my entire life). He eagerly had his first breastfeed & was introduced to his adoring sister & brother.
While I enjoyed my newest addition & sipped on my favourite celebratory champagne & fruit toast ( a meal I have enjoyed at the conclusion of each of my babies births) I felt, so happy, & blessed. After my truly amazing birth team enjoyed a meal of my mummas homemade chicken soup ( she has made this for each of my babies births & is one of my favourite birthing tradition’s.), they worked there magic & restored my home to its pre birth state.
As each woman left I felt so much love & connection to each one and grateful to have been supported by my own sisterhood of women. My sister was the last to leave, she truly is my best friend & soul sister ( we were destined to be sisters & I love her so deeply).
Finally it was just me, lee, the children & my mumma rock. Violet & her nanny hoped into one bed, Daddy & Jonny into another and Mummy & Lukey into another ( LOVE my co-sleeping family). When the house was perfect & silent I cuddled & breathed in the scent of my delicious newborn & basked in his pure perfection.
Over the coming months Luke settled in beautifully & happily tandem feeds with his big brother. I was so inspired by my blessed path of birthing & breastfeeding, that I created my own business. Baby Bee Hummingbirds. I create custom “gems” from mothers own BreastMilk or Placenta and turn them into beautiful pieces of jewellery .
