"Cool, calm and collected home birth team"

I work in health care and was apprehensive about hospital admission in order to give birth due to my reading on the importance of increasing my natural Oxytocin levels for birth. Initially a bit sceptical after being recommended them by a friend and Community Midwife, I decided to go to a drop-in group session which I found out they run.

Prior to the session, I was sent information on home birth by one of the team's midwives and by the time the session came round I knew they were the right choice for me. I was lucky enough to meet multiple midwives over my being under them and through the Meet the Midwife sessions, every one of them was so kind and knowledgeable. 

My prenatal care whilst under the team was impeccable, I felt really well looked after. Caroline was my named Midwife, though I also saw Kylie due to holidays, both made me feel totally at ease, listened to any concerns and made sure I was informed and making decisions with for me.

When in labour (this was my first baby) I called the Midwife triage several times and had a Midwife come out a few times over the course of the days I was in labour and I requested they check how far along I was etc. I called them out more than necessary no doubt, but each time they were so reassuring, kind and informative.

When my labour kicked up a notch, Caroline was the Midwife from the team who came, my husband got the birthplace in action and it was bliss 🤗 Caroline, checked me when she needed and otherwise left me to it with my husband which was just ideal for what we wanted.

Before long my waters broke and unfortunately there was meconium, Caroline recommended that we go into hospital so they could monitor the baby, which I absolutely agreed with, she helped to maintain the air of calm that we had at home whilst swiftly organising my transfer into hospital. All within approx 15 mins of her arrival, things moved quickly but I felt entirely safe, the second Midwife and ambulance arrived within minutes and before I knew it I was on my way. I was fully present and involved in decisions and I overheard thorough and professional handovers to both ambulance crew and then hospital team (Caroline accompanied me until I was in the labour ward). 

I ended up choosing to have a c section in the end, so very different from my planned birth but I felt calm and in control of every decision. The home birth team really helped me feel safe and informed. Both pre-natally, post-natally and in labour. 

The team on labour ward were great, listened to me, read my birth plan, added personal touches based on my birth plan (music/tealights) however having spent some time pushing... baby wasn't for budging (later suspect he had his arm at an awkward angle) I opted for c section over instrumental birth. The team in the operating theatre were so kind and reassuring, professional, informative and put up with my nonsense chat after getting the good stuff. The anaesthetist in particular was so kind and his photography skills were on point, he's obviously taken first pics with baby a few times!

I can honestly say that I loved my birth, twists and turns and all, I knew was in good hands. To anyone thinking about going for a homebirth, highly recommend, will do again with next baby but equally, my experience of the hospital staff during labour was lovely, they really saw me as a person not just a patient.