After my first baby's birth 'Angus', I went through a period of grieving and then a time of healing. I had planned for the perfect homebirth, and then I transferred to hospital which was very interventionist. I couldn't relax and be a mum, I was caught up in my birth and the pain involved in that.
When I became pregnant again, I really thought a lot about my plans and expectations. I did a lot of talking and soul searching. I decided that I needed to accept whatever happens as fate. As long as the baby and I were ok, that was the main thing. I decided to birth at home with my family, Leonie, my midwife, and Marg my support. I was five days overdue when I awoke at 2am on the 1/1/94 with mild pains. These continued on and off all day. Sometimes they were painful, sometimes they were close together. I felt like an earth mother, just pottering about and stopping to rock my pelvis and to acknowledge these sensations. I knew my baby was coming. My mucous plug came in the afternoon. What great, fertile, healthy mucous it was (after 6 months of thrush).
Leonie and my mum came that evening. We decided to get some sleep. I lay down about 11.30 prn then I needed to go to the toilet to poo. My contractions came hard and fast after that. So there I was pacing around the lounge room, breathing, holding on to Phil's waist, bent over rocking through contractions. I felt very centred. My contractions quickly became stronger and closer together. I decided to have a shower, until the water ran out after 6 minutes (I knew that would happen). I then felt pressure in my bum. Onto the toilet, rocking, grunting, breathing. Hot nappies on my tummy and lower back heaven!
Things changed. My body began to convulse inwards, I needed to push. Back into our birth space, head down, bottom up. The baby's head was crowning. The burning on my perineurn was unbelievable. Phil and Leonie were saying he was coming, I couldn't believe it, it was all so quick Next I was pushing out my baby with these amazing primal grunts. Hamish was born after 1 hour and 45 mins of full on labor.
My mum and Angus came in, it was beautiful. We all just watched and touched this tiny bundle. I was .squatting on the floor, and I sat up on my knees and out came the placenta! Luckily we had plastic on the floor. We all inspected the placenta. I went to pick up Hamish to wrap him and I realised he was still attached so we cut the cord.
NB: What a great birth I felt fantastic, and so lucky, I smiled 'for a very long time! Leonie was wonderful, so calm, I'm so glad she was there. We couldn't find my doctor or support person, but it didn't matter. It all feels like a dream now, but I have Hamish to prove it was real ...
I feel empowered! Now.
Robyn Smith.