Many people who wouldn’t normally choose home birth are considering their options right now, due to covid-19 restrictions on birthing options. I’m a huge fan of birthing at home, having had my second baby in my lounge, but I appreciate it’s not for everyone! Hearing about other people’s experiences can be helpful to give you a feel of what it could be like. Of course, everyone’s experience is as unique as they are, but it’s so lovely when we hear positive stories in the Big Birthas Facebook group, and so I asked for permission to share this one with you. This is Sarah’s homebirth story.

Welcome to the world, Gabriel Leonard!

Just wanted to announce the arrival of our gorgeous 4th baby, Gabriel Leonard, born in a pool at home on Wednesday 15th July at 07.48am, surrounded by peace, quiet and love.

I am very much a larger lady with my bmi probably in the very high 40s (I refused to be weighed), I had gestational diabetes (GDM) for which I was on 2 500mg modified release metformin tablets. I also have a medical history of gall stones, diverticulitis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). None of those things affect me and have just been found on scans over time rather than because of emergencies. I am otherwise fit and well and still perfectly mobile (something they like to presume is fat = immobile 🙄).

This birth was slightly different from my other 3. He was my latest to arrive (38+2, 39+1, 37+6) at 39 weeks and 2 days. To be perfectly honest I was losing faith in having a natural birth. When you have GDM the word induction gets thrown around a lot regardless of how well mum and baby are getting along 🙄.

The other things that made this birth different were the fact that in my other 3 births my waters had gone first, and then my contractions started a few hours later. With this baby I started off having some slightly uncomfortable cramp. That cramp then started coming and going and increasing in intensity. I called my homebirth team and they said someone would be with me within an hour.

Early stages

Husband set about getting the pool up and my mum (who lives with us) did a great job of herding the other wild animals (ie my other 3 😂). By the time the midwife arrived I was so uncomfortable but managing to own it by breathing through (seriously ladies, get hypnobirthing!). The midwife just sat there quietly letting me do my thing, not interfering or asking me to do anything at all.

I did start to have a little wobble, being unused to my labour starting before waters breaking, I thought I was probably only 3cm and thinking “Jesus, how do I make it through the rest!?” I asked for a vaginal examination as I needed to know in my own mind what I was dealing with. The midwife was fantastic and waited until in between contractions to assess me. I was 6cm!! Knowing this really helped give me the push to continue.

Time for gas and air…

The second midwife arrived with the good stuff (gas and air) and the pool was ready at last (which meant the husband got to live on for another day!). That amazing feeling when you get into that water is indescribable. Things felt like they really ramped up. Within a few moments of being in the pool my waters went which was such a strange sensation! Probably 5-10 mins later I could feel baby start to come.

I reached down and could feel his head (something I’d never done before). In the next 2 contractions his head was out and then in the next his full body. I lifted him out of the water and onto my chest. I don’t think I have ever felt more proud of myself in that moment.

The midwife asked for the pool to be topped up with hot water and occasionally wet the towel covering baby to keep him warm. The midwives said what an amazing and calm birth it was, I didn’t make a sound other than the grunty breath noise whilst my baby came out. (My husband said our toddler makes more noise whilst having a poo 😂😂). Placenta came away nice and easily.

Baby fed like an absolute pro. My husband eventually cut the cord and the midwife helped us tie our cord tie.

Reflections

It was the blissful birth I’ve needed. Baby was absolutely perfect and weighed in at 8lb 7oz.

I just wanted to say the homebirth team were sensational and never once did I hear “no”, “but”, “maybe”. From first visit they believed in me and my baby.

I also had a private midwife to do my antenatal and postnatal observations. She came a few hours after Gabriel arrived. She was so full of joy and happiness for us that we got the birth we needed. After doing the first set of bloods on baby (in GDM, blood sugars are done on newborns to ensure there isn’t hypoglycemia), she did a few other checks on us both, had some celebratory chocolate (it had been soooooo long without chocolate!) and left us to it.

My mum set about emptying the pool whilst the hubby child herded. I just sat there in my own living room in utter bliss eating toast and feeding my baby.

I did his second set of bloods which were also absolutely fine so no further bloods needed.

Still on a massive euphoric high.

So ladies listen to YOUR BODY, YOUR BABY. Do not accept no for an answer. There are still people in the profession that see beyond your weight and believe in you as a woman and as a mother. It’s taken me 4 babies to find that very special team of women.

Would you like to share your homebirth story? Or hospital birth story? Or wherever it happened to take place story?

We love hearing about births. Even if it didn’t go exactly as you hoped, or if all your plans went completely out the window! Huge congratulations to Sarah, and thanks so much for sharing your very special homebirth story. It just goes to show that GDM and other health conditions need not be a bar to homebirthing, if it’s what you would like.

Welcome to the world, Gabriel!