Baby Victoria's Home Birth - 08/07/08


As I type this I found the whole experience very positive, despite some comedy moments!!!.... So read on!!

I went to the Wirral Home Birth Support Group meeting on Sunday evening - 6th July, having fully expected bubs to be there in person. By my dates I was due that day!  After going to bed about 11pm ish I woke around midnight having had cramping pains. Tried to ignore them as they were only 20-30 mins apart (which had happened a couple of weeks ago then stopped after about 4hrs). By 7am Monday this had carried on which was promising or so I thought!

As I got kids ready for school everything stopped! Typical I thought. Bubs has changed her mind again! Had the odd twinge late afternoon but nothing I considered to mean everything was going to happen. About 7pm however this all changed and the cramping pains returned only more forceful in my back and hips and every 10-20 mins.


About 8.30pm I had a show so decided to ring labour ward for advice. Told, have a bath, take paracetamol and ring back when unable to cope with pain and they were more regular. They'd then send a midwife out to check me. I was texting a friend around an hour later saying I was going to leave it till 11.30 to ring again when pains suddenly went to 4 mins apart and I was so unable to cope!


At 10.30pm the 1st midwife arrived. The first 20 mins were the worst (wait for the comedy moment coming!!). She couldn't get the attachment for the gas and air to connect properly! She then started to read the instructions that came with it and still couldn't do it! (great I thought what else is going to happen!!) After 20 mins she asked my partner to have ago and finally it was spotted she was trying to attach it upside down and back to front! Once sorted I was away.


She examined me and I was depressed to find I was only 3cm! Needed more pain relief so asked for some pethidine.This was brought by another midwife who arrived around 11.30pm. I was 5cm and felt quite overwhelmed by the whole thing but the midwives were brilliant. Telling me to go with what my body was telling me in whatever position was comfiest (spent most of it on my birthing ball). Around 12.10am contractions seemed to be rolling into one and checked again to find I was almost 10cm. They asked me not to try pushing through next 3 contractions then just to do whatever my body said.


26 minutes later Victoria was born at 00.41am - delivered straight onto my tummy. I had a natural 3rd stage (no injection to speed up delivery of after birth - this took only 14 mins and I barely noticed it!). While my partner and I admired our new arrival the midwives completed their paper work and tidied everything away. The bubs was weighed after an hour. My partner had run me a bath so he had a cuddle while I cleaned up.


The Midwives left around 2am. As my eldest daughter was half awake I took baby into her and woke my other two. We then had a group cuddle on our bed (me and the kids) while I was made some tea and toast. The kids went off to bed and we went to sleep around 4am with Victoria asleep in her Moses basket beside us. It was so lovely to wake again as it was getting light and have everyone around me. My partner was a star. He looked after me so well and told me how proud he was of me having our baby at home. It was nice not to be separated from him or the kids immediately after the birth as well.


It was a lovely experience. One I'd recommend but have no intention of repeating!


My partner seems more supportive and has bonded really quickly with Vicky. Which I'm sure is the result of the birth being intimate as well as in our own surroundings. It has left me feeling empowered although I do have moments when I can't quite believe I did all that at home!