"Amazing home birth"

My decision to have a home birth was not an easy one. My first labour had been long and tough, involving an initial hour’s drive to the Peterhead midwife unit and an eventual ambulance transfer to Aberdeen for an epidural. I was conscious of the travel time to hospital should emergency care be required, and I was also trying to weigh up the pros and cons of the various birthing locations, made all the harder by the current lack of functioning birth pools across NHS Grampian.

That said, my eventual choice for a home birth was the best decision I made. From the start, I had fantastic support and advice from my community midwife, Jamie. She did a brilliant job of sharing her knowledge and helping weigh up the various considerations involved, including a plan for managing my expected nausea. It’s largely thanks to Jamie’s knowledge, experience and down-to-earth manner that I was able to trust my gut and go for a home birth. That and being reassured by the increasing number of women in the local area that were choosing this option. We also brought Fiona on board as our doula so that I would have the best possible emotional support during labour, and to ensure continuity of care should a transfer be required (for anyone considering a doula, I highly recommend it!)

In the lead up to the birth, I felt my confidence and excitement grow. While initially I had thought a birth pool wasn’t an option due to our old boiler and limited hot water supply, our doula had the brilliant suggestion of using tea urns to supplement the boiler so we would have enough hot water to fill the pool (a genius idea that needs spreading!) A water-birth was back on the cards!

When labour did start, I felt prepared and ready. Knowing that, should all go smoothly, we didn’t need to decide when to drive to the midwife unit or hospital was a great feeling. It meant I could completely relax and let the body take over, which it did rather rapidly! All helped by the dim lighting, fairy lights, music, the toddler sleeping soundly upstairs and everything being calm, familiar, safe and warm…

Our midwives - Rachel and Jacqui - were superb. They turned up promptly to deliver anti-sickness medication and seamlessly joined the support team. They exuded calmness and confidence and knew how to strike just the right balance of checking in with me and letting me do my thing. Guided by Jacqui’s experience and wisdom, Rachel did a brilliant job keeping an eye on me and monitoring the baby, working in a calm, quiet way which meant I could stay in the zone. This was her first home birth (not that you would have known!) and I think she absolutely aced it 😊.

My baby was born in the pool after a 7hr labour. It was the most powerful, intense and empowering experience of my life. Afterwards, Rachel was a great help in birthing the placenta and Jacqui’s expertise in suturing meant that my 2nd degree tear was stitched up on the couch rather than tripping to hospital. Our postnatal care in the days since has also been excellent. We really do have an amazing team of midwives supporting us.

To all of you, and especially Jamie, Rachel and Jacqui, thank you so much for your passion and dedication, and for helping me realise the birth I had so hoped for. And for expectant mums out there… if you feel a home birth is right for you, go for it! I couldn’t recommend it enough xxx