Robyn’s Homebirth Story by Lette

On Saturday 04/02/23 I woke up to a wet feeling, I went to the toilet and instantly thought it was my waters that had gone. I took a few breaths, excited and anxious at the same time. Throughout my pregnancy I had been anxious about where our 2 year old son, Jasper would go so getting a ‘warning’ from little sister to say she was making her way was much appreciated. I woke up my husband, Pete and together we sorted Jasper’s things and he got dropped off at his childminder’s for a sleepover.

At this point we texted Claire, and our midwives. Both said to keep active and wait for everything to start. I just assumed everything would get going after my waters had gone. With Jasper’s birth my waters only went close to giving birth so this was all new to me. I was hyper focussed on any sensation in my body, desperately wanting something to get started and already worried about having to go in to be induced. Claire was amazing at reassuring me and telling me to focus on the now, get all of the oxytocin going. Pete made me crepes with Nutella, we watched all the films and TV shows that we loved and we waited. I was tired but trying to stay on my ball and go outside for some kerb walking. Nothing happened. For an impatient person like me this was difficult and I was getting increasingly frustrated.

I remember Claire popping over at some point during the afternoon to check in on me and she brought along her peanut ball so I could lie down on my side with the peanut wedged in between my legs and still support baby in making her way down. I was still forcing myself to feel twinges, the reality is not much happened (it’s only when reflecting on the whole experience that I can admit that now).

Around midnight (?) I thought some things were happening and I felt a few surges. Claire came over but everything died down again. Claire suggested sleeping on our sofa, even though she lives 5 minutes away. This made me feel incredibly supported and safe, we went to bed and tried to rest a bit, I was having mild period cramps at this point and really hoped something would start soon. I woke early in the morning feeling very agitated and frustrated, still no baby!

We spoke to the midwives and they reassured me I didn’t have to come in to the hospital to be induced yet as I wasn’t feeling ill. We also realised that me waking up to my waters going probably wasn’t my full waters breaking yet, this probably happened around 13:00 on the 4th, so we still had time. They seemed to think the baby moved back-to-back so I had to stay upright to try and get her to flip into the optimal position.

I tried to remain upright and my favourite position was leaning against the sofa with my head in my hands. Claire suggested getting all the endorphins going again, I remember being sat on my yoga ball bouncing away and looking at baby pictures of Jasper. I think this was around 10:00, and something finally started happening. I was having mild surges that I was able to breathe through. Claire was there to rub my back, offer counterpressure on my hips, guide me through my breathing and massage me with clary sage oil.

At 12:00 the midwives arrived and asked if I wanted to be assessed. I found the mental side of this difficult because, yes I was curious to know how I progressed but also knew I was going to be disappointed if I wasn’t dilated much. I decided to find out and my lovely midwife told me I was 1cm dilated. I had half an hour where I allowed myself to feel annoyed, I called my mum and sister crying (who later told me I had done the exact same thing when I was in labour with Jasper). The midwives left around 12:30 with the message that they would be back around 16:00 and to call if I needed them earlier. Claire was there to wipe away my tears and reassure me I was going to meet my baby soon and told me she felt this was my first transition.

At 13:00 I hung up the phone to my mum and agreed to have a nice shower whilst swaying my hips to try and get our little lady out. This felt sooo nice and at one point my surges got very intense. I felt so in control and the specific surge breathing Claire had taught me helped me so much. I vividly remember telling my husband I wasn’t having another child and that I wanted an epidural (hilarious as we were at home). I think he was a little frazzled by my request and got Claire to come and talk to me. She reminded me of this indicating my transition to being very close to giving birth, something I knew deep down but couldn’t tell myself.

I moved into the bedroom, kneeling against the bed with a dressing gown draped over me, Pete was there rubbing my back and holding my hand. I had no real reason to tell Claire to tell the midwives to come back, but I asked her to call them. She did and she told me the midwives were on their way and would arrive within 10 minutes. This must have been around 14:15. Around 14:30 I told Claire I really wanted to be in the pool but I was worried the midwives wanted me to wait until they got there. Claire encouraged me to go in if it felt right as the midwives would be arriving shortly. Little did we know they were stuck in a bad traffic jam. I waited a bit and then walked down the stairs in between surges.

I could feel another surge coming and I just wanted to be in the pool. I quickly took my clothes off and plunged into the pool to Claire and Pete’s surprise. The water felt so nice, and I quietly regretted not getting in there earlier. This feeling ebbed away my mind took me in a calm focussed state. Claire had called the midwives to see how close by they were, and we were told they were minutes away. Claire was splashing water over my back whilst I knelt against the pool edge. I could feel the baby making her way down without me putting an effort into pushing (completely different experience to when Jasper was born).

I felt in between my legs, and I could feel her crowning. I told Claire and she checked with a mirror, then called the midwives again as we expected them a while ago. They said they were nearly there. I felt safe and as soon as I hear Claire say they were nearly there the baby’s head was born. I remember instinctively holding her head, offering counter pressure as she made her way out. I said to Claire the head was out, little did I know it was my husband splashing water on me now, whilst Claire was opening the door to the midwives. They walked in at 15:00, I announced the head was born, they got their gloves on and caught the baby when she came out at, helped me unwrap her out of her incredibly long umbilical cord and placed her on my chest. I remember blurting out to my husband and Claire ‘I did it, I really did it’.

When Jasper was born, I had a retained placenta, and a bleed after he was born. This is something I was very anxious about happening again. Claire helped me through this with trauma release hypnosis and the midwives agreed I could have the injection to help the placenta along. I came out of the birth pool, walked to the living room and laid down on the sofa, received the injection and my placenta came out beautifully. All whilst having our beautiful, chubby girl, then named Robyn Mae Watson on my chest. We must have had two hours at least with her on either of our chest, and she then had a lovely cuddle with Claire too. The midwives left and Claire stuck around for a little longer, making sure we were settled before she left.

For Jasper’s birth we didn’t have a doula and I will say having Claire support us through pregnancy and beyond made the whole experience so enjoyable. I look back at this birth experience and I feel so confident, so happy with how everything went but most of all I enjoyed the whole experience that I would do it again in a heartbeat. I know – Pete tells me I’m crazy!

Claire continued to support us the weeks after birth, we ended up having to go into hospital as Robyn had a suspected infection and Claire came to the hospital to support us to get Robyn to latch well, an mainly to reassure my anxious mind. She went above and beyond to support us, and in all honesty, we have gained a friend for life.

A few hours after Robyn was born. Such an honour to be part of their birth team.