Homebirth story: Claire “As a midwife I have without a second seen women have their thought if I ever had babies in all manner of any more children.” situations. When it It felt like weeks. It was weeks. Weeks of trying to stay came to choosing calm and patient with a tantruming toddler and huge belly in the heat of summer. Keep my blood pressure down and where to have my my heart rate steady. That was my plan. I had my heart set on a second child, it was homebirth. Why? There’s something primitive, secret about birthing in your home. I distinctly remember a homebirth I attended in the dead of obvious to me that as night. I drove round the dark quiet streers, found the one house with lights on, warm and glowing. Something long as all remained special, something sacred was happening in there and the privilege was mine to bear witness to this tiny person well in my pregnancy, entering our chaotic world. And if only for those first few hours, life would be simple and beautifully divine for this being at home for my mother and baby. After the baby was born and all was said and done, myself and a colleague tucked this new labour and birth was family up into bed, tidied up and closed the door behind us. As the latch clicked shut I stood for a moment. Breathed in my safest and least the cold winter air and said to myself. That is it. That is just perfect. And That is what made me want a that… stressful option. I loved homebirth. the beauty of getting So as my due date approached and the braxton hicks came and went, I became anxious. What if my blood into your own bed and pressure stay down. What if I have to be induced doesn’t again? What if. What if. I did all I could mind, body and snuggling up as a soul to will my body into labour. After a number (!) of sweeps to try and get my body to cooperate with my plan I family afterwards. I eventually went into labour. would do it again
Homebirth story: Claire “As a midwife I have seen women have their babies in all manner of situations. When it came to choosing where to have my second child, it was obvious to me that as long as all remained well in my pregnancy, being at home for my labour and birth was my safest and least stressful option. I loved the beauty of getting into your own bed and snuggling up as a family afterwards. I would do it again without a second thought if I ever had any more children.” It felt like weeks. It was weeks. Weeks of trying to stay calm and patient with a tantruming toddler and huge belly in the heat of summer. Keep my blood pressure down and my heart rate steady. That was my plan. I had my heart set on a homebirth. Why? There’s something primitive, secret about birthing in your home. I distinctly remember a homebirth I attended in the dead of night. I drove round the dark quiet streers, found the one house with lights on, warm and glowing. Something special, something sacred was happening in there and the privilege was mine to bear witness to this tiny person entering our chaotic world. And if only for those first few hours, life would be simple and beautifully divine for this mother and baby. After the baby was born and all was said and done, myself and a colleague tucked this new family up into bed, tidied up and closed the door behind us. As the latch clicked shut I stood for a moment. Breathed in the cold winter air and said to myself. That is it. That is just perfect. And that… That is what made me want a homebirth. So as my due date approached and the braxton hicks came and went, I became anxious. What if my blood pressure doesn’t stay down. What if I have to be induced again? What if. What if. I did all I could mind, body and soul to will my body into labour. After a number (!) of sweeps to try and get my body to cooperate with my plan I eventually went into labour.