I was getting pretty overdue and fed up with waiting and being stuck in a limbo of not knowing when the baby was going to come. A week or so before my due date I'd transferred midwife teams and Juliet had come to meet Paul and I to discuss our homebirth and assess us, and all was on board for it as I'd had a pretty easy and complication free pregnancy. Angeline, one of the other community midwives, came to my house on my due date to give me a sweep, booked me in for a second one two days later and also had to book me in for induction. The hospital insists on induction being booked at 42 week at the latest but the ward was full the two nights previous to me being 42 weeks so I was booked in for Saturday 1st November (when I'd be 41+4) which sent me into a major panic. Angeline managed to convince the hospital to change it to when I was exactly 42 weeks, which calmed me a down a little but by this point I'd convinced myself I'd be induced and not even have a hope in hell of my homebirth.
Two days later (Thursday 30th October) Angeline gave me another sweep, though it was so disappointing to find out my cervix hadn't changed at all since the last one ? was stretchy but still 1cm thick. That afternoon I had reflexology and was shown pressure points that Paul used later that evening every hour. We also had sex for the first time in 10 days (I reckon it was a sympathy shag cos I was so miserable!) and played singstar on Playstation til midnight ? well, one of these things clearly did the trick...
I woke at 2:20am on Friday 31st October with sharp regular pains. I didn't really feel any of the tightness of braxton hicks contractions, but knew this was potentially the start of labour ? it is totally true that real contractions cannot be mistaken for braxton hicks! I woke Paul and we timed them as being 4 mins apart, lasting about 10 seconds so I knew it was a bit early to call the midwives. I sent Paul back to bed and ran a bath which didn't help the pain at all. Around 4:30am they were 2 mins apart and lasting about 20 seconds so we called the midwife team who said to call back once they were at least 50 seconds and try to get some sleep. For the next 3 hours I drifted in and out of sleep which was horrid as the pain would wake me up and disorientate me, so I finally got up and had a shower which did really help ? being awake made it easier to focus on the contractions and deal with them. Paul got up at about 7:30am and hoovered the flat and prepared our living room with plastic sheets and inco pads (bless him he'd created various ?birthing spots?!). We camped out in the living room, put on the Princess Bride, Paul massaging me and waited until the contractions were lasting longer. At 9am Paul ran out to get various energy drinks and foods, milk and biscuits for the midwives and a TENS machine (yup, even 10 days overdue there were certain things I'd still managed to not get around to doing!). Juliet and Angeline both texted when they started their shifts saying they'd heard I was in labour ? I was to call Juliet whenever I felt the need.
Paul was simply amazing the whole time ? by this point having cleaned and prepared the flat, he'd continued massaging the pain away for me which worked so much better than the TENS did (I kept it on for a few hours but eventually it just annoyed and hurt me). Every time I panicked or lost my breathing during contractions he brought me back, breathing with me. He also had to see the fruits of his labour go to waste as I threw up anything I tried to swallow!!
We called Juliet at about 10am by which time the contractions were still 2 mins apart and lasting now up to a minute. She arrived half an hour later and measured me at 2cm (3cm during a contraction) which was a relief to know things were actually happening. She left us to it as it seemed like it would be a while yet so we carried on, by now watching Battlestar Galatica (huge tip for homebirthers ? watch tv, something relatively easy but takes a bit of concentration!), I kept having to change positions as the contractions intensified ? I found I couldn't be on my hands and knees but either bounced on the ball, stood with my hips swaying, put the ball on the sofa and leant over it or sat on the sofa arm rests. I'd always imagined I'd labour at night but there was something exhilarating about it being day and the sun shining through the windows ? it definitely gave me some sort of extra energy.
Juliet returned at about 2:30pm by which time the contractions were much more intense ? lasting about 90 seconds and having 4 in 10minutes. I really hadn't expected it to get quite so painful quite so quickly ? still managed to cope as I at least had a bit of a gap between them which helped. Juliet had brought up a few Gas and Air canisters ? telling me each one lasted 20mins and she could get at least 4 more at a moment's notice. I ended up using less than a third of one canister! It did really help to steady my breathing though and took the edge off the contractions though didn't really lessen the pain ? best pain relief was still the massage which Paul continued throughout. Juliet occasionally monitored the baby's heartbeat which stayed between 120bpm and 140bpm throughout the whole process ? even whilst pushing!
At 3:15pm Juliet measured me again and thank god I was 7cm by then ? was utterly convinced she would say I'd only dilated to 4cm, so it gave me renewed strength knowing I ought to have my baby by that evening, though I was still preparing myself for hours yet to come (all timings at this point taken from my labour notes ? in my head it went so so much quicker).
3:30pm The contractions were really bad by now, piling on top of each other and excrutiating ? I was getting seriously worried I'd have to transfer to get more pain relief, little did I know it was because the baby was ready to come out. I threw up yet again and whilst having a wee felt a pop and a small gush which I reckoned were my waters but seeing as they went into a toilet bowl full of sick it was a bit hard to tell!! Juliet called Angeline who was to be my second midwife during the actual birth. 5 minutes later I felt the urge to poo and it took a hell of a lot of persuading by both Paul and Juliet that it was an urge to push the baby out! Then ensued a battle of wills as I insisted I just needed to poo and they should leave me alone, with them practically dragging me out of my tiny bathroom! I went into the bedroom convinced I'd only be going back to the loo in two minutes so Paul grabbed all the inco pads he could get from the living room and spread them over the bed ? where I stood, very precariously again insisting I was fine up there! Juliet persuaded me to get down onto my knees, resting against the headboard ? and then I realised she might actually be serious about the baby coming...though I was still protesting that I was only 7cm dilated. By this point all dignity was thrown to the wind along with the remains of my clothes which soared across the room, after all my fuss about them seeing me go to the toilet!
3:37pm during contractions the head was visible and I had a minor freak out that I had to look after a real human being ? Paul thankfully brought me back to earth! Pushing during the contractions was the most intense thing I have ever experienced. I know at the time it hurt like hell but now I can only remember the huge physical exertion ? Paul said I looked like a body builder with muscles popping out all over the place. Just felt like this incredible energy swept down through my body ? I was emanating sounds I didn't know were possible! Juliet's voice cut through the fire and effort like a cool breeze and I managed to listen to her when she told me to keep my voice low and only push during contractions (labour notes at this stage say ?good maternal effort? - putting it a bit mildly I thought!)
3:41pm with the most almighty effort (I wasn't damn well going to push like that for another hour!) I pushed the baby's head out and managed to not push during the next contraction as Juliet turned the shoulders so I wouldn't tear ? the baby's body then just slithered out in comparison with the head and Juliet delivered him onto a towell between my knees ? screaming and wailing and covered in vermix. Paul and I just looked at him and at each other, burst into tears, me pronouncing ?oh my god, it's a baby!? Juliet put him into my arms ? we just couldn't believe this was our son, he was utterly perfect (though screaming bloody murder) in every way. I had to pass him over to Paul quite soon afterwards as I'd had the injection to remove the placenta and had to turn around so Juliet could help me deliver it.
It was the most incredible, surreal, proud and terrifying moment sat on my bed watching my husband cradle our son in his arms skin to skin. I went into shock a little and couldn't do much more than shake and stare at them both. Angeline arrived a couple of minutes later triumphantly exclaiming ?I told you you could do it and there was no need to move the induction?.
Paul had skin to skin with Ethan for a good 45mins whilst Juliet and Angeline cleaned me up (no stitches yay!), helped me shower and cleaned up the mess in the bedroom ? leaving absolutely no trace that a homebirth had taken place at all. They then weighed (7lbs 14oz) and checked Ethan over while Paul cuddled me and I will never forget how much my heart was just bursting with love for him ? I really feel like we went through the whole process together and there is no way I could have done it without him.
Juliet stayed for a good three hours after the birth, helping me breastfeed Ethan, checking both Paul and I were ok, making us tea and reassuring us she'd be back first thing in the morning and we were left, the three of us, in our own home.
It was the most incredible experience and so wonderful to be in my own environment ? I felt totally under control at all times which is down to my amazing husband and midwife. I know I'm incredibly lucky to have had such a fast and relatively easy labour, but definitely feel that being in my own home made me more relaxed and able to cope. Paul and Juliet were both towers of strength in very different ways ? it made a huge difference having my midwife who'd met us both previously and who very obviously just adores attending homebirths. The yoga birth rehearsal and massage class proved invaluable not just so Paul had something to do, but the best way I found of coping with the contractions was through him massaging and breathing with me. I'm even more in love with my husband than I have ever been ? it makes my heart soar to see him with his son, who I just want to love and protect forever!