Mairead

A positive home to hospital birth

My partner and I had opted to have a homebirth because we wanted to be in our own environment for as long as possible and felt that I would feel better at home with home comforts around me and also my wee doggy close by! We had hired a pool and had practiced setting it up to get a sense of where it would go in the living room and how long it would take. We had the living room all set up for when the time was right. Our homebirth midwife was amazing. I feel like I have lost a member of the family now that I don’t see her regularly, her care was second to none. She was so knowledgeable and lovely, just really empowering. I can’t express what a difference she made to my pregnancy and post pregnancy and her care was just amazing. I am so sad not to see her regularly anymore.

So a homebirth was our main plan, we had our pool and we were aiming for a waterbirth. I was due on a Wednesday and on the Wednesday my contractions started and I lost my mucus plug! I was excited that things were starting naturally because I was keen for a homebirth and I knew induction options were limited at home so I was delighted that things had started on their own. On the Thursday, I had a regular 40 week appointment. The midwife came out and saw us at home and by that point the contractions had intensified a wee bit more. It seemed like things were progressing but slowly as we knew was normal. The midwife agreed that I was in the early stages of labour. I knew that things could last for a while so I was trying to rest but also stay as active as possible. I didn’t want to overdo it as I knew I needed to reserve my energy. I was walking the dogs and stretching and bouncing on the ball. I was so keen for things to progress.

Early hours of Friday morning the contractions had intensified and were two minutes apart. I called the homebirth team and my midwife came out and examined me. I was 2cm dilated at that point. She gave us loads of lovely reassurance and advice and she left at that point so we could relax in our own space. I managed to get a wee bit of sleep which was nice and just continued to do different movements and stretches; trying to relax but get the baby into a good position too. It continued like this and on Saturday I felt the contractions were longer, so we called the midwives again as that had been a big change as they were more intense and together. Thankfully it was my lovely midwife again who was on. I was 3-4cm dilated at that point, 24 hours later. I was getting quite tired by this point as I hadn’t managed to sleep and I was finding the contractions very intense. I had managed to make myself a wee throne on the couch with cushions all around me and under my feet as I felt I could cope better when I was being propped up. I had put the tens machine on on the friday night and the boost button was amazing! 

My homebirth midwife gave us loads of advice and showed Callum some things he could do like applying pressure to my hips when I was on my side which really helped. On Saturday I tried my best to get things going more; I was curb walking and using my exercise step at home, I was lunging and squatting, trying loads of different positions to try and get things going. I used a load of the positions that we learnt at the bend and breathe class which was so helpful. My waters broke at five past one in the morning on Sunday. I shouted down to Callum and he rang the homebirth team. Another midwife came out who was so lovely. I hadn’t met her before but she was amazing; so kind and calm and lovely. She examined me and I was 5cm dilated. Once the waters broke, contractions seemed a bit relentless. Callum had started filling the pool and after she examined me I got into the pool. It was really nice! It felt so good and I felt a bit more relaxed. My contractions slowed down a wee bit once more so the midwife recommended I get out and bounce on the ball, so I did that and tried to rest a wee bit. Then I tried the entonox and I felt it made such a difference. I had tried it in the pool but at that time I didn’t like it but I am so glad I tried it again. It was amazing! I was in the pool bouncing for ages using entonox and I felt like it gave me a second lease of life. Between water and the entonox I felt I could really do it.

I was due to be reexamined, and at that point I was still 5cm. I was so disappointed about this and I had a wee cry. I thought I had progressed more! I think the baby was not in an optimal position and it maybe hadn’t helped me to progress. We had a long chat about what to do next and  we decided to go to the hospital to get an epidural. I was just so tired by this point. We got to the hospital with the entonox in my hand (nobody was taking that away from me!) and then I got an epidural which was amazing. I felt like a new human being and Callum could chat to me again! I was examined and I was fully dilated. I think my body just needed to relax and I needed a rest. So we decided that as the baby was happy and I felt good I would try and push. The midwife was amazing and helped me with pushing. I was on the monitor and she guided me with two hours of pushing. I was determined but my baby had other ideas! We had a discussion with the doctor who was very nice. The communication was lovely; really informative and lots of opportunity to ask questions and to chat things through. So the plan was for a forceps delivery in theatre but maybe a section and after a big discussion we felt it was the right decision for us.

We went to theatre after getting all sorted and met the anaesthetic doctor who was amazing. I can’t sing her praises enough; she answered all my questions, kept me updated and made me laugh loads. Throughout everything, everyone was super lovely. The doctors managed to turn her and then used forceps to deliver her. Her head came out but then her shoulders got stuck. They had to do a few manoeuvres and they managed to get her out. That was a bit more eventful than we thought but we were so delighted she was out.

She was a wee bit shocked when she was delivered and didn’t cry instantly so she went to the neonatal team but picked up by herself and then Callum came back with her. I did try and do skin to skin but felt like I was wearing her like a scarf and a bit like I was being choked! So he did skin to skin instead. I mentioned skin to skin and breastfeeding lots of times before we went to theatre so he took her and did that while I was being sorted. We went into recovery and I tried to breastfeed. I think because I was so tired by this point I asked the midwife who had been with me in theatre to help me express colostrum and then Mairead managed to latch beautifully and the midwife managed to get some colostrum out. She was then feeding every two hours. 

I loved the homebirth team and would recommend them to everyone. Birth plans don’t always go to plan and we were very aware that things could change from our original preferences. We had tried everything and did as much as we could at home which is ultimately what we had wanted and transferring to hospital was what was needed at that point. The communication from everyone; the homebirth team, the ambulance crew, hospital staff and the doctors was amazing. I don’t feel sad that I ended up in hospital having a forceps birth. All in all I had such a positive experience, I got to labour in my pool at home and I had a lovely team at home and hospital. It was great.

Jade's Top Tips

• Get your birthing partner to learn how to do pelvic pressure techniques during contractions. This really helped me and I was able to sleep when my partner did this.

• Be opened minded about how things might progress and have open conversations before labour so you know your birth partner is on the same wavelength as you and will be your advocate if needed. This way you can relax

• Smoothies are a good way of hydrating and getting protein and energy into you. I bought lots of snacks but didn't want to eat, just to drink!