Ooh, wish I was coming to the meet-up too!
OK - here's my birth story as I remember it...
Have to say first off that I did have Independent Midwives, as I really wanted to know the women I was going to be giving birth with. In the end I think that's what allowed me to have my home-birth as if the hospital had had their way I would've been induced and therefore would have had her in hospital as they wouldn't agree to induce me and let me go home!
I was quite overdue when she was finally born at 43+3, but was reassured by my midwives that it's quite normal for women like me (1st timer and caucasian) to go to at least 42 weeks. It's interesting too that the World Health Organisation recognise 42 weeks as full-term, not 40 weeks! Anyway I digress!
When (eventually) I did go into labour my waters broke at about midnight. My midwife had done another sweep that day and had said things were very favourable and that I was about 2cm dilated already - I had also been to the hospital every day for the previous few days for the baby to be monitored and that day's printout showed baby was still happy, but that there were uterine movements happening. I had also unknowingly had Braxton Hicks for a while - MW pointed them out when she was exmaining me one day when my tummy went hard - I never felt them at all!
Anyway, my waters went and I just about managed to jump out of the bed in time to save the sheets! I started contractions almost immediately and I was surprised at how much they hurt. I realised they were already coming quite quickly and after half an hour or so decided to start writing them down. Rang my midwife at about 1.30am and she talked me through a couple of contractions and said she was on her way. Had already woken DH up and asked him to put on the TENS machine and sent him back to bed, but now rang my step-sister to come down too as I didn't want to be on my own.
I woke DH again and told him he needed to get the pool ready, so while he got on with that I tried to get comfy, eventually leaning over the arm of the sofa and jiggling my legs and waggling my hips at each contraction which were about every 3 mins. MW arrived and I was already starting to go into my own little world and don't think I said very much to her. She pottered about, bringing up the G&A, and sorting out all her equipment. She went back down to the car and I said to my sister, who was rubbing my back, that I had the urge to push. Think she was a bit startled! I remember saying, "I want to get in the pool NOW!" and her suggesting I should wait a bit longer. Have a feeling I swore at this point! MW came back and was reluctant for me to get in, but I was insistent. It's funny, but I'd wondered about how I'd feel about getting naked, but I couldn't have cared less!!! DH said I just flung my clothes off.
Was helped into the pool and I've never experienced bliss like it! Seriously, I can't describe how good it felt to be in the water. Almost immediately I felt calmer and the contractions slowed down, which I really needed as I felt I wasn't coping very well as they were so quick - I had always thought in the 1st stage of labour you had time to recover between each contraction, but DD wasn't going to hang around now she'd finally decided to come! So contractions slowed from every 2-3mins to 5 mins, and amazingly stayed that way right up until she was born. My 1st stage had lasted about 4 and a half hours.
Once in the pool I lay back against the side and my sister held a cool flannel to my head. As each pushing contraction came over me I focused on breathing out through my mouth and this helped me get through them. I remember that I was feeling too hot in the water, but couldn't tell anyone! Eventually they worked it out as MW took my temp and realised what was happening. My DH was on pool temperature control after that and I vaguely remember him taking buckets out and pouring fresh water back in. MW was very hands off and I had no internal exams at all, however, she was monitoring the baby every so often and all was well.
After about 3 hours of this, MW suggested changing position, but I really didn't want to move. It was the only time she spoke to me firmly and she said I had to in order to help the baby crown. I ended up in a sort of crouch, holding onto DH's hands. It wasn't that comfortable, but had the desired effect. It bloody hurt while she crowned but with MW's help I went with the contraction and finally her head was born. Think I was mooing quite a lot, but I couldn't have stopped it for love nor money, just a very primeaval noise. The MW had placed a mirror on the floor of the pool so she could see what was happening. I remember my sister telling me the baby had a full head of black hair. I then had to wait another five minutes before I could push the rest of her out, so for all that time her head was born and in the water! It felt very odd, and I was desperate just to push her out, but my MW made sure I waited for the next contraction. Before it came she told me that the baby would be born on the next contraction and that she would pass it to me through my legs. I could feel the contraction building up and told everyone it was coming. MW helped hoik her out by hooking her fingers under her armpits and the next second she was born! The MW had to tell me to pick my baby up off the bottom of the pool!
I reached down and picked her up and as she came through the surface of the water she took her first breath, but didnt cry. My legs felt very shaky having been crouching for a while so gentle hands helped me lie back again, holding my precious precious bundle. MW and sister were in tears, and I was just in shock I think! I had a look to see what sex the baby was and said sadly, "It's a boy!" (I really really wanted a girl.) Of course, anyone can get a willy and an umbilical cord muddled up!! When I realised she was a girl I was so pleased. DD looked a bit squished and I was surprised at her purple-ish colour. DH and I look just a little bit shocked in those first photos. I held her for about half an hour just sitting in the pool and she was already looking so wise and interested in everything. It was so peaceful and the curtains were still drawn so it was kind of half-light. So glad she had such a peaceful first few hours. My sister cut the cord after it had stopped pulsing and DH was handed his newborn daughter and I was helped out of the pool. I was very wobbly and felt pretty faint.
Unfortunately I had trouble delivering the placenta, and despite eventually managing it, had to be transferred to hospital as my uterus was "boggy" and I was losing more blood that I should've been. However, my beautiful little DD slept through it all. They think that my bladder was too full and it caused the problems with the 3rd stage, so make sure you wee during labour, girls! I think next time that I will have the syntometrine injection after the cord is cut!
DD was 7lbs, 11oz and I survived mostly in tact with minor grazes and a small tear.
Phew! That turned into a complete essay! Sorry it's so long - even if you don't read it I enjoyed writing it!