Our baby boy was the perfect birth born in the water and under the ‘tree of life’!

Story by Vanessa

Friday 19th January 40+4 I had been having irregular tightenings on and off for a couple days. I was visited by my caseload midwife who offered a stretch and sweep, which I accepted. My cervix was anterior and 1-2cm, 2cm long but baby was sitting posterior, and his head was still very high and not well applied on my cervix. After the stretch and sweep I had some mucous show. That night around 12am, I started having regular contractions every 3-4 mins lasting up to 60 secs. I started using the tens machine around 4am, using the boost button with every surge and moved to the lounge room where I put on music and used my ball and peanut ball, rocking and moving through contractions to try and get baby to rotate from posterior position.

Saturday 20th January 40+5 8am- my contractions continued every 3-4 mins and were becoming more intense. I wanted to stay at home as long as possible and felt that it wasn’t yet time to go into hospital but knowing that the previous day baby was not well engaged in my pelvis, we decided to contact our midwife so that we could go into hospital to see how things were progressing. 10am – we arrived at the hospital where we were met by our midwife who had prepared a room where the lights were dimmed, and the clary sage diffuser was going. I was checked by our midwife and my cervix was 3cm and fully effaced with the membranes bulging. Unfortunately, the midwife was unable to feel baby’s head, so she organised for the doctor to come to review baby’s position and work out a plan. The doctor advised that baby’s head was only just engaged in the pelvis, and he was sitting posterior with lots of water around him which is likely why he was still sitting high in my pelvis. Not being comfortable to go home in case my waters broke with baby’s head still being high, I requested for a controlled ARM, knowing of the possibility that baby’s head might still remain high. I was required to wait until the doctor was available to do the ARM as a theatre had to be open on standby in case baby’s head did not descend and the cord slipped through, and I required an emergency CS.

While waiting for my waters to be broken, I continued using my tens machine, moving around, the Calmbirth meditations and music, all while being supported by my wonderful husband Liam.

7:30pm- due to attending to other more urgent cases the doctor was now finally available to break my waters and thank goodness it all went well, and baby’s head was now well applied on my cervix. The doctor recommended to start Syntocin, but I asked them to give me 2 hours to see how things progressed now that waters were broken. 9:30pm- things had now well and truly heated up and I was contracting well on my own.

I continued using the tens machine and my breath – 4 seconds in, 5 seconds out. Liam massaged, cuddled and slow danced with me through the surges. My midwife checked me, and my cervix was 6cm and baby’s head had moved lower – no need for Syntocin! I then moved into the shower, and the hot water was incredible, I held one shower head on my belly and Liam held the other one on my back. 11pm- my midwife offered for me to get into the bath which I happily accepted, and she encouraged Liam to get in with me, which was the best as I was able to lean into him and put my head in his chest and soak up all the Oxytocin. I felt so relaxed being in the bath and was completely quiet just focusing on my breathing through the contractions.

After some time, I was feeling more pressure and my midwife encouraged me to listen to my body and go with my urges. Our baby was born into the water under a wall art of the tree of life on Sunday 21st January @1am and was lifted onto my chest where Liam announced, “it’s a boy!”. He had his first breastfeed within 15 mins of being born and had the golden hours of skin to skin with both Liam and me. He was then weighed at 4520g,

I couldn’t believe it! It was the most perfect birth I could have hoped for which I don’t think would have been possible without the support of Liam, our midwife and the incredible education taught by the wonderful Karen @southernhighlandscalmbirth.