The Home Birth Pages

My Son Half An Hour After His Home Birth

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So, what happened? Well, obviously I didn't bleed to death.

I went into labour naturally at 5 days 'overdue' by my waters rupturing. I waited around, sitting on a pile of towels, hoping something else would happen.

Half an hour later the contractions started which were mild. I put my TENS machine on and offered tea and biscuits to the midwives who were there just to watch and only intervene in an emergency. They declined the tea.

I had wanted to be alone for the birth, with only the baby's father present, but he didn't feel comfortable with my wishes so I compromised and agreed to have them there on the understanding that they would not physically do anything.

I had an hour and 40 minutes of period like cramp that I used my TENS machine to help with, and a very strong pressure building up as I got nearer the birth. There was no actual pain. I felt everything as pressure. It was very uncomfortable but I wouldn't say it hurt.

The midwives sat in the corner, observing me and taking notes. Twice, they asked to listen to the baby's heart beat and I said okay as long as I stayed upright, so they listened while I stayed in the position I liked, and they didn't do any internal exams. I had no idea how dilated I was and I didn't care. You know when to push anyway.

I pushed for no more than a few minutes and my baby's head was born with only a mild sting. He started crying before he was properly born.

Then the rest of him was born. The midwives commented on how 'controlled' I'd been, but there was nothing to control because it didn't hurt.

I felt a bit weak so they passed the baby to me and put a hat on him. That was the only thing they did.

I was thrilled to have a son after 4 girls! He was so pretty. It sounds gender stereotypical but I assumed he wouldn't look pretty. I couldn't stop staring at him!

He weighed in at a bouncing 9lbs, 1oz, and no, I didn't have drugs, I didn't tear and he didn't get stuck or any of the other grim scenarios that the NHS tried to scare me with.

I was happy to give birth unassisted with the midwives there as a 'back up', but I'm angry I had to fight so hard to make them concede I had the right.

Looking back, even though I had the gentle birth I wanted, I would have preferred a totally lone birth if the father had been in agreement, as I sometimes felt irritated by the presence of the midwives.

I was very pleased, though, I didn't have anyone yelling 'push!' at me, that I directed my own birth experience and that it was almost completely pain free.