My Homebirth Story....

(Also posted in due in september.....)

Finally have a chance to do my birth story! I do tend to ramble so it might be a bit long sorry!

I woke up the morning of 4th September the day after my due date, at around 5.30am and felt as though something 'wasnt right' so went to the loo. As I stood in the bathroom I felt a trickle and saw a pool of water on the floor! My first thought was 'oh shit, what do I do now?!' As if 9 long months hadnt been building up to this very point and prepared me lol!
I left the water there-remember someone saying the midwife will ask what colour the waters were
and went to wake my husband up-his response? 'What day is it?' before rolling over! I repeated what Id said and he soon woke up!
At about 6am I called the midwife unit and told them that my waters had gone and they asked whether I was having any pains which I wasnt at that point. I then pretty much pottered about the house, cleaned the oven hob (!) had a bath and even painted my nails until I began having period like cramps around 11am. I still just felt really calm and a bit excited at what was to come and about finally meeting our baby. By 1pm Id started to feel they were more close together so I got my husband to time them and they were around 5-4 minutes apart. During this time I was lying in bed concentrating on my breathing and felt quite relaxed and hubby was busy preparing the pool and moving the sofa around in the lounge.
At about 3pm I started to feel as though I couldnt cope so well with the contractions so we called the midwives again and i turned out my midwife was on duty so she came over along with a student midwife who had previously asked us if we minded her attending as she'd never been to a homebirth before.
They said I couldnt get into the pool until I was 5cm dialated so she examined me and it turned out I was just that!

I cant begin to describe the relief when I got into the pool and there I stayed for the next few hours gradually starting to feel the contractions feel more intense. All the while we had the lounge exactly as we'd wanted it, calm relaxed with candles burning and the lights low. With my hypnobirthing cd playing the whole time-the woman did start to annoy me at the end lol!
I was aware of the midwives changing over at some point and I remember one of them dropping the whole doppler madhine in the water which broke it! In the end they resorted to monitoring babys heartbeat via one of those old fashioned ear thingys-sorry dont know what they're called! It was a bit annoying as I had to keep standing up in the pool which meant I felt the contractions ten times as much!
Then they kept on at me to go for a wee! had a
Apparently my bladder was very full from drinking lots of water and lucozade over the 4 hours and it was stopping babys head from descending so they wanted me to wee so it would move down. Well I just couldnt do it as everything was numb by then down there plus I probably had a bit of stage fright what with 3 midwives and my husband sat watching me! Anyway they nagged me so much I got out of the pool and staggered to the toilet as they thought Id do better trying there but no I still couldnt go so in the end they put a catheter in to empty my bladder and this seemed to do the trick as the next contraction was on a whole new level and I really wanted to push now. For some reason I didnt want to get back in the pool after that so I had about 5 or 6 contractions standing up, some kneeling and then finally ended up on the floor between my husbands legs who was sat behind me on the sofa. I remember them saying that the head was out and did I want to feel it but I think I just shouted no that I just wanted it out now lol!
My husband started to cry a bit and I had to really concentrate on the midwifes voice who was telling me to pant and before I knew it they were getting me to take my bikini top off and my baby girl was put on my chest! My husband announced it was a girl and cut the cord and I held her on me and counted her fingers and toes etc. I was just SO relieved it was over and she was out safely. I was also in shock I think as I was convinced we were having a boy!
Then I had to be stitched up which was pretty horrendous as Id had a 2nd degree tear but this has pretty much healed now and Im feeling so much better.
Overall the whole experience was all that we'd hoped for and Id definately recommend a homebirth to anyone and also the hypnobirthing techniques we used were brilliant. The midwives cleared away all the 'mess' and took it with them and we were left at 11pm to settle down for the night with our new daughter Isla Amy Smith born 9.05pm 4th September 2009.

I hardly get the time to log on here at the moment but am hoping to be able to get online more as we get more settled as I miss everyone!

Hope everyone is well and those of you still expecting your babies have a happy and safe birth.
Sarah & Isla.xxx