Birth stories
Every birth story is unique. Read some real birth stories from women who have kindly shared their experiences of giving birth at our Trust.
Alissa's home birth experience
Pregnancy
I feel so fortunate to have had two healthy pregnancies. This time around, I experienced a lot of morning sickness and felt incredibly tired throughout – most likely because I was also looking after a one year old! Although I was classed as high-risk due to my BMI being over 30, it didn’t affect much other than having additional growth scans towards the end of my pregnancy.
I used Badger Notes again and found it brilliant - it’s so convenient to check your notes from the comfort of your home.
Birth plan
My plan this time was to have a hands-off, home water birth. With my first daughter, I laboured mostly in the midwife-led unit at Pinderfields, which was a calm and wonderful experience, but I dreaded the painful car journey there. I felt confident that being in the comfort of my own home would help me achieve the birth I wanted and, as much as I was nervous about planning a home birth, I’m so glad I went through with it.
Labour and birth experience
My labour started at about 3am on 16 June 2024, when I was 40+3 weeks. I woke up with what felt like trapped wind and wasn’t sure if it was labour or not. After noticing a small part of my mucus plug - a first sign in my previous labour - I realised it was happening. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I tidied up and ate cereal and cereal bars to keep my energy up.
I stayed mobile, using my birthing ball and by walking around the house, then at 8am, just as my contractions had picked up, my daughter was collected so I could fully focus. My birthing team included my boyfriend, mum, and sister - a bonus of having a home birth!
At 10am, I ran a bath for some pain relief as I wanted to wait to get into the birth pool rather than lose its full benefit too early. My sister arrived shortly after and she encouraged me to start using the birth combs, which turned out to be an amazing pain relief tool.
At 10.30am, my birth team decided to call the midwives. My boyfriend and sister set up the birth pool, while my mum kept me company as I stayed in the bath, starting to feel the urge to push but hesitant to believe it was happening so soon as my previous birth was 24 hours. The pool was rather hot to begin with but when I couldn’t wait any longer, I got in and the relief from the water was incredible. That and squeezing my combs with every contraction just kept me calm until the midwives arrived.
By 11.10am, I heard the midwives arriving, and I felt such relief. They immediately handed me gas and air, and I floated in the pool, holding my comb in one hand and the gas in the other. I didn't know what the midwives looked like or how many there were at that point because I didn't open my eyes once, but I did hear them all reading my birth plan and discussing it with each other and taking it all in, which filled me with confidence and made me feel really good.
At 11.45am, the midwives told my boyfriend to turn on the hot water which they’d explained would be a signal that my baby was near. By 11.50am, I started to push. My waters hadn’t broken yet, so I was shocked to realize it was already baby’s head. Seven minutes later, Alice was born, still in her sac. Her dad lifted her from the water and placed her on my chest. It was such an emotional and incredible moment - I couldn’t believe it had happened so smoothly.
Afterwards, I stayed in the pool for her first feed while waiting for the placenta. When I decided to have the injection to speed things along, the placenta came out right away. I had a second degree tear, and the midwives stitched me on my sofa in 5 minutes! It was all so surreal. As Alice’s temperature was a bit low, they stayed until it was back to normal and we just chatted and sat in my living room until then while we did skin-to-skin. They did all Alice’s checks at home so I didn't have to go anywhere which were handy.
The midwives, Chloe, Rachel, and student midwife, Charlotte, were incredible and are one of the reasons my birth went so smoothly. They listened to everything I wanted, respected my space, and were just lovely people. When they left, my daughter came home to meet her new sister, and we celebrated with a Chinese takeaway - like nothing had changed!
Postnatal
Breastfeeding started well, but I sought support when Alice took a little longer to regain her birth weight and had a preference for one side. One midwife was quick to spot signs of mastitis, getting me an appointment with a doctor which meant I had antibiotics the same day - she was amazing.
I recovered so quickly this time and within five days, I was back at the park with my toddler. I believe the calm, home environment and minimal movement during labor played a huge part in my speedy recovery.
My top tips
• Do hypnobirthing! It’s not about hypnosis - it’s about understanding your body and feeling empowered.
• Stay mobile, hydrate, and trust your body.
• For home births, prepare a birth box. My essentials: a straw water bottle, snacks, birth combs, a peri bottle, and a thermometer to monitor the baby’s temperature.
A home birth was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m so grateful to the midwives and my support team for making it such a positive experience.
Rosanna's birth experience at Pinderfields Birth Centre
"When I found out I was expecting, I wanted to be as informed and prepared as possible. I attended online antenatal classes run by Families and Babies (F.A.B) in Wakefield, on natural birth, hypnobirthing, baby safety, and even pregnancy yoga. These classes really helped me feel more confident and prepared for what was to come.
"I also found the BadgerNet app incredibly helpful during my pregnancy. It made accessing information from previous appointments so easy, and I loved being able to log my birth plan in one place. The links recommended by my midwife were also great, and it was comforting to have everything organised and readily available.
"My pregnancy was relatively straightforward, aside from some additional back pain due to historic back issues. For my birth plan, I chose the Pinderfields Birth Centre and aimed for a natural birth, with the option of using the birthing pool if it felt right at the time.
"James arrived at 41 weeks. That day, I started to feel twinges at around 4am. I managed to go back to sleep for a bit, but by 8am, the pain was increasing so I got into a bath at home. By 1pm the contractions were frequent enough to call the hospital, so we headed in. While at the hospital, my waters broke, however, as I wasn’t dilated enough, we went back home briefly, but within an hour, the pain became intense and much more frequent.
"When I returned, I was in established labour. The midwife offered me the birthing pool, which I happily accepted. Once it was ready, I got straight in and used gas and air for pain relief. I didn’t want to get out of the pool and decided to stick with the gas and air. The room was so calming - we played our own music on the speakers, and the lighting was dimmed perfectly. It created an ideal setting for the birth.
"My husband and mum were my birth partners. My mum was there mainly for moral support, but my husband was incredible. He held my hand the entire time, kept me cool with a fan and a wet flannel, and made sure I stayed hydrated with energy drinks when I needed them.
"My first midwife, Maisie, and the student midwife assisting her were both fantastic. There was a staff crossover about 30 minutes before James was born, but the new team - Caitlyn and her student midwife - were equally attentive and supportive. They provided good humour, a calming presence, and made me feel completely safe and cared for throughout the entire experience.
"At 8pm on January 26, 2024, my baby boy was born. Seeing him for the first time was overwhelming - I was in shock that he was finally here, and I was so in love. We had immediate skin-to-skin contact, and then my husband had the chance to hold him as well, which was such a special moment.
"Breastfeeding happened much more naturally than I had anticipated. James latched on straight away, and the student midwife, who was also a breastfeeding ambassador, was so supportive. She gave us great advice on different holds and checked on us throughout the night. Her guidance really set us up for a positive start to our breastfeeding journey.
"The baby checks and recovery checks were thorough and didn’t feel like just a box-ticking exercise. I also felt supported during the midwife and health visitor checks. At my 6-week GP appointment, the doctor asked all the right questions and genuinely cared about my wellbeing as well as James’.
"One thing I’m so glad I packed in my overnight bag was a flannel and a handheld fan - they were lifesavers during labour, helping me stay cool and calm.
"My tip for anyone preparing for labour is to be open to your birth plan changing. If things don’t go exactly as planned, that’s okay. You’re in the right place, and your baby will be delivered in the best way possible for both of you.
"A huge thank you to the midwives and support team at the Pinderfields Birth Centre. I genuinely had a positive experience throughout, and it’s all thanks to their care and dedication."
Katie and Luke's birth experience at Bronte Birth Centre
Katie gave birth to baby Charlotte at Bronte Birth Centre, on the grounds of Dewsbury and District Hospital.
“We wanted a natural birth with as little intervention as possible. We knew that, statistically, births at birth centres result in less intervention and lower likelihood of c-section, which we ideally wanted to avoid (albeit knowing that measures such as these are never fully within our control and completely depend on the labour and the health of both mum and baby). We were willing to accept that we would need to travel by ambulance to Pinderfields if any emergency interventions were required.”
“The birth centre provided a calming and relaxing environment in which to deliver our baby. We also really liked the idea of the unit being midwife-led. The birth centre facilities were modern and clean, whilst also being very comfortable. We were able to have our own birthing room, which included a bed, a birthing pool, birthing ball, and floor mats etc, as well as an attached en-suite wet and shower room. The room had dimmed lighting in various colours, LED candles and the option of using Bluetooth speakers - all of which made the room a very calm and relaxing space. We also had a separate room for after the birth, which we preferred rather than having to be put on a ward (as we would have in hospital) - Luke was able to stay with me after the birth and there were no set visiting hours at the birth centre, so some of our family were also able to come and visit us in our private room after she was born. Free parking was also available right outside the front door.”
“We didn't want a home birth as we felt that, with this being our first child and therefore first experience of labour, we wanted a professional environment to feel extra safe. We also liked the idea of "bringing our daughter home", i.e. Luke carrying her out of the birth centre in the car seat, carrying her over the threshold of our front door etc.”
“The end-to-end care we received from the staff at the birth centre was amazing. The midwives introduced themselves when we arrived, there was a shift change during and the handover and continuity of care was seamless. There was always somebody on hand to assist during the early stages of labour and towards the end we had constant dedicated care. We were fed and watered throughout, support and reassurance was provided constantly. They held my hand and guided me into different birthing positions to make me as comfortable as possible. Labour is one of the most physical and mentally demanding things to go through as a woman and they made me feel very dignified and empowered throughout and helped me believe that I could do it and that my body was capable. After birth, again, they were on hand to answer any questions and performed their necessary health checks on me and baby – and the cup of tea and toast was also the best I've ever had! We were also able to add a leaf to the birth centre family tree for Charlotte, which contains a leaf for each baby born at the centre since it's reopening in April - which was a very special moment.”
“Our baby was over her due date by 11 days and I had declined being booked in for an induction as we wanted to give birth at the birth centre. I had already started my maternity leave from work and therefore had a pretty relaxing day, watching television and taking a nap. I started to feel contractions around 5.30pm whilst out walking our dog. At this point my husband called Bronte to give them a heads up that we would likely be coming in later in the evening. We monitored the duration of the contractions throughout the evening until they got to a point where I was having them regularly, roughly every 4 minutes and they were lasting 1 minute or more, for longer than an hour. At around 3am we left our house to drive to the birth centre, which took around 25-30mins. Upon arrival at the birth centre, we were shown straight to our room. I was given an initial examination to see how dilated I was, and then the labour progressed from there. I tried multiple different positions throughout to help manage the pain and we also used the birthing pool and some gas and air to ease things through.”
“My waters broke naturally and eventually I gave birth to Charlotte at 12.09pm on Thursday 5 September. The midwives showed her to Luke before placing her on my chest and Luke told me that we had had a girl - it was a truly magical and unforgettable moment, mainly relief and overwhelming joy that I had done it, I had delivered her exactly how we wanted and that she was healthy - it really was perfect and we feel so lucky that everything went our way on the day. She also latched on immediately which triggered the natural delivery of my placenta without the need for any injection - again, all natural and just as we wanted, which we are very grateful for.”
“Overall, we would say that the level of care is what stands out the most to us from the birth centre - the friendliness and skill of the staff especially so. Our midwives were truly incredible, fully informed and professional whilst being incredibly empathetic and supportive. We whole-heartedly believe midwifery to be a truly noble profession and we are incredibly thankful to all the staff at Bronte, especially to those midwives who helped delivery our baby, for the work that they do.”
“We would absolutely recommend the birth centre to everyone hoping to have a natural birth. As long as you are willing to accept that you are unable to have an epidural and are also willing to accept the risk that you might need to travel via ambulance to Pinderfields should any unforeseen complications arise - we truly believe the birth centre offers the best birthing environment and experience. If/when we have more children in the future we will absolutely be looking to have them at the birth centre again.”
Jessica's birth experience on the Labour Ward
Jessica gave birth to baby boy called Louie on the labour ward at Pinderfields Hospital.
Previous birth experiences
My first child was breech which is the reason I had a caesarean. With her, I had planned for a lovely calm water birth, with candles and soft music - so my reality was very different.
Pregnancy
My pregnancy was high risk due to gestational diabetes. It wasn’t an easy pregnancy due to bouts of reduced movements and concerns over the baby’s growth. I had additional checks and weekly scans after 36 weeks with induction scheduled at 39 weeks. With this baby I didn’t make any further birth plans due to how different my experience turned out to be with my first baby.
Birth of baby Louie
At 38 weeks pregnant I was induced due to concerns about baby’s movements when placed on the monitor following another bout of reduced movements. The induction process started at lunch time on Saturday and my baby was born Sunday Morning.
I used gas and air for pain relief during the contractions. My midwife Gemma was incredible and egged me on the whole duration of my labour. She had literally just returned from delivering a baby via caesarean. She came with me to the labour ward and the poor woman was probably exhausted but she didn’t let is show at all! She was amazing throughout the whole experience. At one point the baby’s heart rate has dropped and she acted immediately and managed to regulate it.
My children’s father was my birthing partner. He was fab at plumping my pillows or sips of water when I needed, and helping me up to the toilet but it was my midwife who really helped me through the toughest parts.
All of the staff who cared for me were wonderful - so lovely and warm and guided me through the whole induction experience amazingly because even though it was my second child, I’d never laboured before.
I’m forever in debt to Gemma who delivered my baby boy safely. Her quick and prompt action meant baby’s heart rate stabilised which meant I avoided another caesarean, which I was so desperate to do. She encouraged me the entire time and as I said, was probably exhausted but she never showed that. She remained calm and friendly the whole way through, she made me laugh and I couldn’t have done it without her.
I had been so worried about whether I could love another baby as much as my first born but as soon as he was placed on my chest I knew I absolutely could, because I did. I had skin to skin right away which was incredible. He weighed 7lbs 4oz which is the exact same weight as his sister 3 years beforehand!
I’d describe my birthing experience as ‘empowering’. That’s the only word I can think of to truly capture the feeling.
Postnatal
I was really well supported with breastfeeding. The staff on the recovery ward were all incredible, they helped me with different feeding positions and really encouraged me to keep going as I had made it clear how much I wanted to feed him.
Jessica’s message to women who are due to give birth is:
My top tip would be to not hang too tightly on to a birth plan because more often than not, they go out of the window. Giving birth, no matter how you do it or whether you stick to your birth plan, is the most empowering, incredible experience in the world - there is nothing more amazing than seeing a baby you created for the first time. That’s all that you will remember at the end of it all - not your birth plan, but how you felt seeing your baby for the first time.
Jessica's message to people giving birth during the Covid-19 pandemic:
I gave birth during the Covid-19 pandemic and apart from the restrictions on visiting, the experience was amazing. It was actually nice to not worry about lots of visitors in to see my newborn and gave me the time I needed to bond with him before we returned home to the chaos of family life with a toddler and newborn. The staff were just incredible and put me at ease throughout the whole experience and I just couldn’t be any more grateful to them - every single one of them. They are doing amazing things day in, day out. What could be more important than delivering the next generations safely?
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and huge congratulations to Jessica and her family from all of us at the Trust.
Rachel’s elective Caesarean birth at Pinderfields Hospital
Rachel gave birth to baby Lucy Amelia Bell at Pinderfields Hospital by planned Caesarean birth.
Previous birth experiences
Previous natural birth where I experienced a 3rd degree tear and episiotomy at Pinderfields birth centre.
Pregnancy
I had an uncomplicated pregnancy for the most part. I had moderate sickness which I needed to take medication for to stop be getting dehydrated and I also had a small bleed around 23 weeks which turned out to be fine.
I was undecided at first whether to have a natural birth again like my first however in the end I decided to have a planned caesarean-section (C-section) due to the complications I had previously. The consultant I saw at Dewsbury was happy with my decision and promptly booked me in!
Birth of baby Lucy
I gave birth via planned C-section at Pinderfields Hospital, ward 18b on the 14th May 2020 at exactly 39 weeks pregnant. I was originally booked for the afternoon list however in the morning I had some bleeding which was checked at triage and thankfully it was all fine. I then received a phone call around 9am to come in earlier so I could be on the morning list which put my mind at rest. Staff on the ward were very cheerful and supportive all the way through. I had my husband with me up until about two hours after the birth of my daughter which I was very glad of.
I was able to have skin to skin after she was cleaned and weighed which I was surprised about given that I had a C-section, I honestly thought that would have to wait till I got back to the ward but they gave me lots of options.
After the birth I was given painkillers regularly and I was given help with getting up and walking, getting dressed, washing etc. I was also offered plenty of biscuits!
They made sure I could pass urine and all mine and baby’s observations were what they should be. My catheter was removed shortly after I could mobilise. I spent less than 24 hours on the ward before I was discharged.
The staff were very helpful and I had a lovely experience.
I can't remember the names of all those that looked after me but I can remember a lovely student midwife named Laura who was so lovely and friendly. She talked about her own experiences to help me through it all. There were others that I wish I could remember the name of that were very kind and supportive. They all made me plenty of tea and made sure I was well fed! My surgeon did a fantastic job: you can barely even see my scar now only 5 weeks post-partum! I chose to bottle feed. They made up bottles for me whenever I asked them to.
My top tips for labour from my experience first time around would be remembering to eat in labour and keep moving even if you don't want to! It really gets things moving!
Rachel sends a message to women who are due to give birth during the Covid-19 pandemic and says:
Honestly it wasn't much different to normal other than I couldn't have visitors but actually it was quite nice having that time to bond with your baby!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and huge congratulations to Rachel and her family from all of us at the Trust.
Victoria's home birth experience
Victoria gave birth to baby Brooke Erin at home in a birthing pool.
Previous birth experiences
My first birth was a very long hospital labour due to the beast from the east! Unfortunately it didn't progress as my contractions stopped and I ended up with oxytocin drop and assisted birth with forceps.
Pregnancy
My pregnancy was the similar to my first as I had heartburn through the roof and morning sickness until 20 weeks. But in terms of coronavirus it was awful, I had just had my home birth signed off at 33 weeks and then home births were put on hold. We then had to consider various options and even considered the possibility of free birthing! I was very lucky that when my due date week arrived home births were back on! I was so relieved.
Birth of baby Brooke
On the morning of Saturday the 25th April my lovely home birth midwife Adriana came to see me, I was 40 weeks and 4 days. We discussed how the home birth would work, she told me the days she was on call and that Saturday as in tonight was one of them…no pressure!
So we went for a walk to one of our favourite places and played hide and seek and chase with our son in the woods.
The evening came and we put our son to bed. Normally this is a two hour battle of going in to tell him to lie down or give him this and that, but not this time. He took his two toy dinosaurs to bed, played for an hour and fell to sleep.
I had a bath and my contractions began! It was 9.30pm and I was contracting 50 seconds every three minutes. My husband suggested we start to fill up the pool at 10pm just in case. Everything was good until I sat down. My contractions stopped and there was an 8 or 10 min gap! But then the next time I stood up I had the biggest surge!
At around midnight we decided to try and sleep, and if it was the real deal then surely the contractions would continue.
I managed about 45 minutes of rest and in that time I had three strong and painful contractions. With the last one I decided to get up and I checked the pool to see it was full.
I had previously been to hypnoborthing classes and I used hypnobirthing and the Freya app to guide me with my breathing. At 2.40am I rang the labour ward to ask for advice as even though the contractions were strong they were irregular and spaced out, plus if I sat down they disappeared. I rang triage to explain what was happening and they rang my midwife who was on call. I really didn't want to bother her as I wasn't sure if this was it. At 3am my midwife rang and said she would come out. She arrived at 3.30am and just sat and observed and as my labour progressed a second midwife arrived at about 5am.
I breathed through my surges with the help of my husband rubbing and applying pressure to the bottom of my back. I was classed as in established labour at 5.15am when I asked for the tens machine putting on. I lasted for 30mins with tens machine before deciding at 5.45am to get into the pool.
I went to the toilet one last time before deciding to get into the pool and I said I wanted to know how far dilated I was but I also didn't want to know either. My midwife was perfect, she explained that she didn't feel it was necessary, the plan wasn't going to change and if I wasn't established and we felt the water was having a slowing effect then I could just get out. This made complete sense and I got in...wow the relief! I had a contraction that felt so much better in the water, it made me regret not getting in sooner but then no more than a minute later another came.
Something clicked and baby had dropped right into my pelvis, I transitioned and I remember saying that I said I couldn't do it and I knew straight away what was happening. I then had gas and air which was heaven.
I then had the most amazing experience, I felt everything, and felt my baby in the space of 1 to 2 contractions move through my birth canal, I have to admit, I did say after this movement "that better be her head out!" it was a painful sensation that felt like my whole body was opening up, however the pain was an amazing feeling, it was indescribable. The midwife replied to say she could in fact see the head, the next surge my body pushed the head out, which was a massive relief. My waters also went and the next minute I felt my baby turn, I felt every bit.
The next minute at 6.30am our little baby girl Brooke Erin entered the world! It was so perfect. I pulled her up from the water and placed her on my chest and she screamed but it was so magical. It was like she was saying "I am here! I made it". The cord felt short and I felt I couldn't lift her up enough to see what gender she was so we just rested. Eventually I gained the courage to reposition her little body and revealed she was in fact a girl! Not knowing if she was a boy or girl was so special, when I realised she was a girl it just took my breath away.
Our amazing midwife captured the moment too…I can't watch it without crying!
I really wanted a physiological 3rd stage in the water but with the short cord I felt I was best out of the water. I moved to the sofa and after nearly 40 minutes my husband cut the cord. I asked for an injection for the placenta delivery as I was worried that my son would wake and if he was to come down the environment wasn't as I would have liked. The placenta was delivered and I was then checked, this was the first time I had been examined through the whole thing so it took me by surprise but I understand it was necessary. There was a small graze and a 2nd degree tear. These were stitched whilst my husband tied her cord tie and we had a 20 minute feed. All was cleaned up and put away, and I got in my Pyjamas just in time for my son to come down. Never in his life has he slept past 7.30am. He got up at 8.30am and didn't come down until 9am to meet his baby sister! It was as if he knew. This was the most amazing experience in my life!
Adriana was my midwife, she was amazing, she shared my passion for home births and understood my want for a ‘hands off’ birth. I would thank Adriana for staying hands of throughout my birth and trusting my body more than I did!
Victoria sends a message to women who are due to give birth during the Covid-19 pandemic and says:
My advice is that your birth plan is your birth plan, made by you to show the things you want, just because we are in challenging times doesn't mean your choices should change. It's your body and your baby and it can still be a positive birth no matter where or how your baby arrives.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and huge congratulations to Victoria and her family from all of us at the Trust.
Zoey's born before arrival of midwife birth experience (BBA)
Zoey gave birth to baby Martha Rochella at home before the arrival of a midwife (BBA)
Birth of baby Martha
My waters started slowly leaking about 4pm Wednesday (16th). I wasn't sure initially if it was my waters but by 5:30pm I'd soaked through 5 pads so decided to ring triage. The midwife I spoke to said it sounded like it was my waters and that she would contact the homebirth team for someone to come and check. I wasn't having any contractions at this point.
The lovely Adriana from the homebirth team arrived, checked my pads and confirmed it was definitely my waters. I still had no contractions at all at this point... Nothing! Adriana checked me over and everything was fine.She did tell me baby was back to back (even though she hadn't been my whole pregnancy!) but she was so positive about it and kept telling me it was fine; she then explained to us what would happen from here. She was confident I would go into labour overnight and encouraged us to relax, cuddle, watch a funny film, etc to get the oxytocin going. Adriana then said she'd leave us to it and to call triage again when my contractions were 5 minutes apart and she'd be back out to us. So we settled down on the sofa to relax.
By 9:30pm, still no contractions so my husband and I decided to go to bed and get some sleep. At 11pm, I woke up with mild contractions which were anything from 10-25mins apart so I laid down to rest in between each one. I was listening to the Freya app and tracking contractions on there too. I left my husband sleeping as my contractions were not unmanageable and he would be more helpful to me well rested if I was going to be in labour for a while!
A little after 4:00am my contractions were consistently 5mins apart and getting more intense so I woke my husband, we rang triage and they said they'd contact the homebirth team. Adriana then rang to say she was on her way!
My husband headed straight downstairs to fill the birth pool and I followed shortly after. Downstairs my contractions quickly got even closer together and a lot more intense. I had a massively intense contraction in the living room so moved to the dining room where the pool was, it wasn't quite full yet so I leaned over the pouffe I had put in there and had another really intense contraction. I then informed my husband I had a mild urge to push. His initial reaction was "Oh God!" as Adriana wasn't there yet! But then he put his 'cool under pressure' hat on (he was so calm to say that we both assumed we had plenty of time left yet!) and said, "Well, you better get in the pool then". The pool was only just filled to the min line at this point... so I got in. I then had another intense contraction and informed my husband I needed to push. He quickly got in the pool and after one big push and she was here! My husband caught her and passed her through my legs up to my chest! I couldn't believe she had made an appearance so quickly, I was sure I had more time!
Minutes later, Adriana arrived. She took a look at baby and said she looked great. Baby and I then relaxed in the pool for a while in skin-to-skin, she latched on for the first feed and we just enjoyed cuddles. I then got out to deliver the placenta. I had a physiological third stage with the placenta arriving just over an hour after baby. We'd requested for delayed cord clamping and decided not to cut the cord until after I'd birthed the placenta. I cut the cord myself. Adriana stayed another few hours to sort out paperwork and check me and baby, take bloods for Anti-D and administer vitamin K. Then she left us to it.
My birth was amazing! I got everything I wanted... and it makes for a good story to tell her when she's older! I would like to say a huge thank you to the homebirth team! In particular, Michelle W and Adriana who have been amazing! Michelle saw us throughout our pregnancy and then Adriana was on call the night our baby was born. I couldn't have asked for better care and support. The homebirth team really are an asset to the Trust!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and huge congratulations to Zoey and her family from all of us at the Trust.