Bruce, Grace, Saskia and William (before his birth)
My husband and I decided to have a home birth for our second child. We attended various workshops to prepare for the birth, most notably Amanda Edwards. Amanda gave me strength in her words that it is not only me birthing the baby but the baby and my husband too. Together we were a unit to bring this little darling into the world. Needless to say I wouldn’t let my husband out of my sight during the labour and I certainly couldn’t have done it without him as he managed my pain beautifully with the techniques that he had picked up from our workshops. Natural pain relief works!
It was the evening of the 6th August 2009, full moon, about 6.30pm. I was sitting at the dining room table feeding my 21 month daughter, Grace and chatting with my Cousin Cathy and drinking a cup of raspberry leaf tea. I was 10 days away from my due date. I suddenly felt quite a strong twinge in the very lower part of my abdomen. A couple of minutes later there was another one and quite painful. I had to breathe through it. I jokingly said to Cathy I wonder if this is the start of my labour. Cathy decided to stay a while longer while I bathed Grace; by this stage I was experiencing regular strong “twinges”. Once I had put her to bed I decided to phone Bruce, my husband and let him know what was happening and Cathy left. I casually mentioned that this could be the start of the labour, but he shouldn’t rush home as I wasn’t sure. It had started to pour with rain outside and I decided to eat (fish fingers and veg), and have a relaxing bath! Bruce arrived home at bout 9.30pm and I suddenly started to shake and I had a “show”.
We decided to phone the midwife at this point and she said that we should time the contractions. They were already three minutes apart. So Maria, the midwife, decided to come immediately. When she arrived I wanted to be upstairs in our bedroom as the light was warm and pink and the room felt very cosy. I leant over the bed on my knees and got in and out the bath a few times as well as going to the loo a lot! By about 3.30am I was exhausted as the contractions had been so strong and regular. I felt like I was getting nowhere and Maria was coughing a lot and I started to cough. By this stage all I wanted to do was sleep! I remember walking outside into the garden, the rain had stopped and the air felt beautiful and fresh, the night was alive. Luckily Maria decided to go home, but before she left I lay on the couch and a new midwife Vicky came over. I slept on the couch and Bruce slept on the floor next to me. I went into the deepest, most restful sleep ever. I could see my baby rotating down the birth canal, I could see his face. I had a few contractions in my sleep, very strong and very deep. Suddenly I awoke and burst into tears and said, “I don’t want to go to hospital!” Vicky gently and kindly invited me upstairs to our bedroom again. The contractions had now really calmed down but when I did have one, they were strong and deep. I soon felt the urge to push, and Vicky phoned her partner Anne and soon I was pushing our baby son out. Vicky guided me through; my husband held my hips and guided my breath. As this was all happening, our daughter Grace woke up, the midwives assured me that everything was ok and that Grace would be fine. She was calling out and then quiet and listening when I laboured. Soon our Son was born at 6.43am, on the 07.08.09. William Bruce Davies. As soon as he was born, my husband went and got Grace and she came into the room while he was still attached to the umbilical cord and I was holding him in my arms.
When Grace came in, Grace checked everything out, pottered around and then carried on as if this was an everyday occurrence! Once my husband cut the umbilical cord, and William was warm and settled, I jumped in the bath and freshened up and came out to embrace my beautiful family!
We are doing great! Little William was born 2 weeks ago on the 7.8.9 at 6.43am at home in our bedroom. Grace was with us when Bruce cut the umbilical cord and the placenta came out and she was completely cool with everything. Our birth was wonderful and a true blessing. We could not have achieved it without your support and knowledge and love during the 3 meetings that we had. The information that you gave us was so helpful and Bruce and I kept our connection throughout the birth. We did lots of kissing and I kept thinking about accepting love and knowing that support is there for me!