I love a birthing story! I’m always excited to read about other mamas experiences in the Big Birthas Facebook group, and so I asked for permission to share this one with you. This is Nitisha’s home birth after caesarean. It actually took place in November 2019, but proving that baby brain is a lifetime condition, I completely forgot to add it until now. Sorry about that, and welcome baby Maya!
I got my homebirth after caesarean! 💪🏾
- Waters broke at 36+7 naturally and so did contractions
- 1 sweep at 37+3
- Natural birth (no pain relief, too quick to get into my birth pool) delayed active management
- Risks: high bmi, age, previous caesarean
- Prep: yoga, aquanatal, positive birth company digital pack hynobirthing, saw a chiropractor, spinning babies exercises, positive birth after caesarean audio course.
- Birth partner: Doula + hubby
- Main sources of information: chilled mama and positive birth after caesarean.
- Hyperemesis gravidarum (4-26wks) and pelvic girdle pain
- I denied consultant led care after first appointment as we both agreed I was informed about the risks for a vbac and I felt there was nothing he could tell me that I didn’t already know /mythbust
- Previous birth: induction led to fetal distress and emergency caesarean
- Breastfed toddler throughout pregnancy
- Toddler upstairs asleep through whole thing (rare occasion of sleeping through the night in his own bed)
After not feeling very informed in my last birth (waters broke, spontaneous start to contractions, induced before 24hrs post waters breaking) I was determined to be informed regardless of location and delivery.
This pregnancy and birth was so healing for me.
I really felt in control of my body, conversations which took place, and all options around delivery. I’d planned for hbac, hospital vbac, and caesarean, wanting to take control over any situation. I hadn’t planned for my labour starting the same way but was determined for it not to end emotionally the same way.
The VBAC consultant midwife was supportive and has changed hospital policy for midwives to use sense and monitoring birthing mums to individualise care and reduce need for vaginal exams! I had requested a meeting with her before the 36wk birth choices meeting as I didn’t want to be blindsided by policy and what they “wanted”. I had this at 32wks and planned my birth plan before of what I would accept and wanted. By the end of both meetings I was happy with my birth plan.
Home Birth After Caesarean
My waters broke 36+7. At 37 weeks I went to the Antenatal Day Assessment Unit and they confirmed my waters had broken. They checked mine and bubs stats; we were all fine so I respectfully declined any intervention for 72 hrs and said I would monitor bubs and fluid release.
Irregular contractions started within 24hrs of waters breaking. At 37+1 I went back to hospital for fetal monitoring and to check my stats and everything was fine. 37+2 – no checks, irregular contractions which increased during the night. 37+3 72hrs were up. I went back for monitoring and talk with a consultant and our stats were checked. The consultant said she thought I should be induced or have a caesarean because of my bmi being so high, I was told I only had 20% chance of giving birth vaginally.
I had a vaginal exam to assess options: cervix was 1cm thick, soft and 2cm dilated. Considered BRAIN and opted for a sweep. No contractions following sweep. Toddler wanted more feeds that night and we danced together. 37+4 still no contractions: walk with hubs, went for breakfast, chilled, massages, naps, laughs and lovin’, once toddler returned from nursery, more feeding. Rang doula to discuss plan.
I had settled that I would have an appointment at 37+5 to arrange what would happen if baby hadn’t come by 38wks. I would be induced with as little dose as possible of syntocinon. Once contractions began, turn the syntocinon off to allow body to do what it could and turn on if any stalls. The plan was also to discuss intervals of drip dosing and levels & what point I would have a caesarean section.
The contractions came back!
At 11pm, in bed, contractions came back. I was so chuffed as I felt the sweep was really invasive, made me feel uncomfortable and thought I shouldn’t have done it. I didn’t monitor, just let it happen. They became regular, so started to monitor. 1am I woke hubs and he rang doula and mother-in-law.
Just before doula arrived I went to my birthing room to relax and take in what was happening. At this point didn’t know whether we would stay at home or go hospital. Initially I was dancing to my 90s RnB club hits, but I was getting sleepy so laid down with a leg elevated to keep my sacrum free. The contractions were starting to increase and I needed my doula to push on my hips. I needed to change position, I went on my knees with my ankles out further than knees (one strong mama tip) and leaned on the sofa with my hips being pressed down during contractions.
Midwives arrived
Things progressed quickly, midwives called at 04:xx arrived 06:xx. During this time I carried on as I was, but the pain getting more intense. It felt like my whole pelvis was expanding. This is normal, I just didn’t know. I did keep checking my puppy pad for blood or meconium. At one point my hubby said I turned and growled at him.
When midwives arrived I wanted to go to hospital because I didn’t know that the pelvis pain was normal, instead I had 1 vaginal exam with consent, I was 10cm and midwife could feel baby’s head. I wanted to get in the pool but couldn’t wait, one breath and baby was out! I didn’t get a chance to catch her but I did cut the cord.
During birth I didn’t think I was Hynobirthing breathing well & didn’t really work for me, I was a bit too cave-woman rather than peaceful 😂 but my doula said I was doing it at the start and to relax but the elevator breath and the final breathing the baby out was great.
Congratulations Nitisha and welcome baby Maya!
Hopefully your husband has completely forgiven you for growling at him!
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Or look under ‘Birth Stories’ in the Labour and Birth menu.