I wasn’t sure I’d get to write my story as it looked like my home birth was going out the window! But here goes…

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Third time mum

🗓 Due date 19th February 2023

👶🏼 Born 9th February 2023

💖 Known Girl

⚖️ 7lb 5oz

⏱ Born at 20.39 - Less than 3hr labour

⚠️ Prolonged rupture of membranes - 70 hours at time of birth

💊 Hypnobirthing (The Naked Doula - can’t recommend her highly enough), pool and entonox.

We found out we were having our 3rd baby following 3 consecutive miscarriages, shortly after finding out I had a big bleed and thought history was repeating itself! However I had a subchorionic haematoma and baby was fine!

Next hiccup was a low lying placenta which was totally covering my cervix so if it didn’t move would require a C section! Luckily though by 28 weeks it had moved!

So the next hurdle was the fact there was no homebirth cover in my area! I approached the senior midwife who arranged cover from another team but subject to there being no ‘unprecedented demand on the service or staff sickness’ oh and also they wouldn’t attend if the ambulances were on strike! I knew at this point that if I wanted a homebirth I’d either have to freebirth or source an independent midwife, the second option won and I found an amazing independent midwife!

Fast forward to 38+1 and my waters went at home at 10.30pm. Clear fluid, baby’s head was engaged at the last AN check 4 days before and I wasn’t having any contractions so we agreed to sleep and I’d call the midwife if anything happened overnight.

Needless to say nothing happened and we questioned whether or not my waters really had gone or it was just watery discharge. By tea time it was very clear they had gone. Baby was moving normally and we had a discussion about my options and I chose to wait 72 hours before agreeing to augmentation.

2.30am on weds contractions started, we called the midwives after an hour. They arrived and we filled the pool. I got it and everything stopped!! I’m the end we all bedded down and reassessed the situation in the morning. At 10am the midwives had me doing some spinning babies exercises and decided it was best to leave me to my own devices. The hospital at this point were jumping up and down as I was outside of their 18 hour guidance! Their head of midwifery and consultant were calling my midwife to arrange augmentation! I agreed to go and get checked but as the coercion increased I decided that going in to that environment wouldn’t help my oxytocin and I’d feel threatened to I advised I’d attend at 9am on Thursday.

Thursday came and still no baby, I sat in front of my pool and had a good cry and grieved for my homebirth. We then packed up the pool and headed into the hospital. They didn’t have a bed immediately but said to come back at 8pm and they would have a bed. The Midwife in the assessment unit gave me a stretch and sweep (with my consent) and we went home! As I thought I had a hind water leak and my forewaters were still there! Anyway Independent Midwife of The North Ltd met me at home at 5.30pm for reassurance and a chat about our plan! Needless to say labour started!! 🎉

By 6pm I was having regular contractions and I was receiving calls from the unit telling me that I was putting my babies life at risk as there was an ambulance strike starting at midnight! At 6.20 Debbie called for her second midwife. I asked for entonox around 7pm and FaceTimed my friend. I got into the pool around 8pm and my beautiful baby girl was born at 8.39pm!!

It was wonderful!! The midwives were amazing and they took so many pictures and videos!

I had a physiological 3rd stage and a small 1st degree tear which didn’t need sutures!

The feeling of getting into my own bed after a shower was the best!!

Phoebe is now 19 months old and I’m still riding the oxytocin high from my birth!!

Huge thanks to Debbie and Sarah Forster!