This is a long one so bear with me!
I'd decided long before getting pregnant that I would have a home birth if at all possible when I had my first baby. Well earlier this year we found out that we were expecting and (as the NHS midwife wasn't too happy about first timers having a home birth) we booked with a local independant midwife.
I had a very easy pregnancy (not even morning sickness) but as my EDD got closer I was getting more and more worried that my baby was persistently in a breech position. I tried everything to get her to turn (bum in the air, moxabustion, visulisation) and at 37+4 she eventually turned.
Once she had turned we went ahead and had the pool delivered and started waiting (as everyone kept saying she would be late). However, on the 20th of September I had a feeling that she would arrive (I even put the champagne in the fridge to chill) and sure enough I went into labour at 1.30am on the 21st of September (10 days before my due date).
I coped by breathing through the contractions until 8.30 am when I got into the pool. It was bliss!!
Our midwife arrived an hour later and by this time I was singing along to the CDs I'd selected to get me through the contractions. By lunch time I felt I needed a bit more help and started using gas and air which really helped with the pain. At 1.30pm I was ready to start pushing and at 3.09 our gorgeous DD (Edith Mary) was born weighing 6lb 8oz.
I can't express what a fantastic experience it was. I felt totally in control at all times, was allowed to listen to my body and go with what I felt was right (both of my midwives just encouraged me, there wasn't a single instruction to push!). I even noticed that when I started feeling as if the pain was getting too much my contractions would slow down for a few minutes to give me a breather and then start up again once I had regained my composure!
After I spent an hour in the pool getting to know my DD and then her dad got to hold her whilst I got on with delivering the placenta (which took 2 hours in the end). I then had a shower and was really happy to find out that I'd got through the birth with just a tiny graze! Something I put down to taking things slowly.
All the best to everyone else expecting a baby. Don't worry about the birth, it really is a fantastic experience!