A Beautiful Home Birth Story

I had a home birth with private midwives in Dublin for my first and always imagined having a second in the same spot in my sitting room. But lockdowns pushed us to make a move west. But we were unfortunately too far out in Clifden to have a home birth. We loaned a friends house close to Galway with lovely views of lough corrib and lots of nature around. I worried that not being “at home” would effect the birth but it was perfect. Having a week or so in the space before lily came made us all feel very grounded.

My due date came and went. I was sure I might be early with just feeling so ready but my body also feeling like it was under pressure. I had upped both reflexology and acupuncture and with a full moon happening two days after my due I set my sights on labouring under the glow. I learnt it was to be a beaver moon so called as it marked the time of year when beavers built nests in nature.

I visioned labouring with her guiding the way. It was not hard to imagine this as the glow of the moon had been getting fuller and reflecting off the lake in the days leading up to its peak.

My waters broke just as we turned off the light to go to bed that evening. I texted Anne our midwife and she called me back and told me to let her know when contractions started. I hung up and within a few minutes they came. Me and Jasper my partner had decided to try sleep not knowing when things would kick off. I put on some hypnobirthing tracks and tried to close my eyes. After a few contractions I decided to time then and asked Jas to help. Five minutes apart and lasting a minute we couldn’t remember when it was your supposed to call but I let anne know. she said she was going to get going. She had told me that this labour would most likely be a lot quicker but I felt like perhaps shaving off a few of the 35 hours if took for our first child would be in the realms of possibility. So when she said to start filling the pool I secretly thought that was a bit eager. It was 11.30pm Jasper got up and we both started pottering him working on the pool, lighting incense and a fire and I lighting candles that id put out on the mantle that day. Both sooo excited.

I lay on the couch and took the waves of the contractions with headphones in. Working them myself and breathing through them. Just before anne entered I started needing Jaspers company for the contractions.

Anne arrived and I was happy to see her. She gave us space and set up shop on the other side of the room. A few contractions later I got into the pool. I welcomed the feeling of the water and a slight change in pace. Jasper joined me for the intense moments and made me a cold towel which he placed on my forehead. Jonelle the second midwife arrived shortly afterwards.

Jasper was saying lovely things to me and my contractions shifted from like a 3/10 to like a 7/10 in intensity. It rushed me with oxytocin and opened me up.

I felt like I needed to poo so Jasper helped me to the bathroom it’s small and pokey but felt dark and safe. The contractions where coming thick and fast and I felt like I wanted to be back in the pool. But getting back to the sitting room felt like a mission I wasn’t sure I was able for. I knew that this was a good sign. I also knew that being out of the pool and riding some of these waves out in the open would be beneficial.

I managed to get back into the sitting room in between contractions and making my way to the pool I took some standing up beside the candles leaning against the mantle piece. Anne pushed on my back as I fell into Jaspers arms and took some contractions with the heat of the fire close to my naked body letting gravity do it’s thing.

This position felt very primal and intense In this moment I took a moment to think about women everywhere all of them since the dawn of time birthing before and with me.

I got back into the pool which offered relief and much needed lightness. I still felt connected to my breath but could feel a small bit of noise coming out of my mouth almost involuntary.

There was only one point I could feel some fear in my body I could feel my baby descending and I looked up at anne she looked back at me with such trust in my body’s ability, in me and the process that fear had no way of entering.

She constantly reminded me to soften during the contractions so many classes so much training on birth and yoga but that wasn’t something I fully realized until I was in this birth. I didn’t use gas and air this Time around just worked with the power of the breath. I wanted to tense up so badly during the contractions to grit my teeth hunch my shoulders and push the sides of the pool away anne gently guided me to bring down the shoulders keep my breath and soften the body. Let the body do the work and don’t meet the contraction with a wall. How inspiring and how amazing it felt to feel a edge and hold no resistance or feel the resistance and then remind myself to soften.

Close to 3 I felt the baby coming and felt like pushing. I put my fingers inside myself and could feel the baby’s head I asked Jasper if he wanted to feel it too. It felt very connecting for him to feel our babe inside me. My thought was that the first two hands to touch them would be the two people who created them. I asked weather we were going to wake my son and we all agreed that it was a little to middle of the night. In the next few pushes I pushed through the stinging sensation to birth our babies head the circumference sitting on my opening. Still just using the breath, staying connected. I imagined the big moon that was out of sight now and just kept telling myself I’m going to open up and get huge like that big fuck off moon.

Suddenly some little footsteps and Ru came into the room “I knew it was baby time”. He collected his dinosaurs and asked if anyone would like to play? We told him maybe later and he took his place by the side of the pool. I knew I only had a few more pushes so I stared and him and took him in his blonde innocence. He came and gave me a kiss and a hug I didn’t won’t him to stop hugging me. In a few pushes I would have two and we both knew it.

I was lying on my front in the pool swaying with my hands on the babies head imagining them doing there final twisting and silently encouraging them to come to me.

Heart of the moon by Ali farka toure playing on the speaker. I caught Lily as she came into the world I couldn’t stop Laughing and smiling.

A dream come true. 8 lb 4oz of pure magic.

Literally couldn’t of asked for a better birthing team. Anne and Jonelle were the best and compliment each other so well. I feel like the west of Ireland is sooooo lucky to have them.

They both have very calm energies and felt like they knew exactly when you needed encouragement and when I needed space. A dream team!

I have such a fond memory of once lily and the placenta was born all us ladies on the couch having tea and toast and chatting through what just happened while my partner played with our son. Bliss.

Xxx