First baby- home / waterbirth

I am so delighted to share my birth story to hopefully help inspire and encourage more women to research, prepare (attend Gemma’s workshop!) and take control of their births.

I was home birthing from the outset! I had decided before I even fell pregnant that if I had a baby the only place I could envisage them being born was at home! I am a midwife and have had far too much time to plan my own birth!We waited a long time for our little fella to come into our lives. I have PCOS and annovulation issues that were exacerbated by stress and work! I suffered 2 miscarriages in 2019 so I stopped work July 2020 year to give my body and mind a break, focus on healing and begin some fertility treatment. Within 5 months I was pregnant and with a healthy pregnancy! We were completely over the moon. The first 12 weeks were a huge milestone for us but as soon as we got told all was well at the early scan I felt myself relax and begin to finally trust in my body again. I did some early work with Gemma to help resolve some trauma in relation to my fertility journey and experience of supporting my mother through a prolonged ICU stay. I found this incredibly helpful and important as I knew I wanted to begin my pregnancy journey in a good headspace.

My pregnancy was fortunately uncomplicated and I managed to enjoy it on the whole. The first trimester was the hardest due to the anxiety related to previous losses, also because I suffered bad morning sickness. I’d put a lot of prep into making sure my mind and body were really ready for labour keeping active, eating dates, attending Gemma’s workshop, practicing techniques learnt through the workshop, antenatal expressing from 36 weeks and drinking lots of raspberry leaf tea. The day before I went into labour I also enjoyed some reflexology. I had mother’s intuition that my baby would make an early appearance into this world because his Mama just wanted to meet him so badly!… so was no surprise when labour started at 38 weeks and 5 days.

My labour started with my waters breaking first things in the morning. I noticed some mild tightenings and nausea, but was expecting contractions to be a long way off yet. I continued with my day as recommended by Gemma. I made breakfast, bathed the dog, hoovered the house. As I was hoovering I started noticing that the tightness I felt was starting to ramp up and began to appreciate that these may well be actual contractions! I’d supported so many women through labour during my work, but I had no idea how they really felt and kept doubting whether this was the real deal or not. However fast forward another hour or so and by midday they we’re taking my breath away and this was where I really started to get into the zone and get my birthing head on. I went upstairs to our bedroom, closed the blinds, laid out the towels, put on a music playlist I’d created and got into my birth space (the importance of which is discussed in Gemma’s workshop). I shouted to my husband, who was fortunately working from home in the other room! He cleared his work schedule and joined me (trying to remember everything he should/shouldn’t do that he’d been taught at Gemma’s workshop!). Mostly he just stayed out of my way!!!

Fast forward another few hours and there we both were, sat in the birthing pool I had borrowed, in the middle of our bedroom, with our gorgeous son in our arms! I couldn’t have felt more in love or prouder of what I had just achieved, of what we had both achieved! They have to be the most magical and special moments of our lives! Although my labour was quick and incredibly painful, it was exciting, beautiful and I felt in control and so confident in the process. I wouldn’t have changed a thing! Gemma’s training and support really prepared me and gave me the confidence and reassurance to birth my way and the way that women deserve to birth… without fear!

Spread the word…!