Nicki’s Birth Story. A Homebirth after a Previous Traumatic Birth

Nicki had a previous traumatic birth with her first baby. With her second, she was determined to have a positive experience. She enrolled in hypnobirthing and she had a home birth. Read her amazing and positive home birth story…

Previous Traumatic Birth

I had my first baby 10 years ago. It was a traumatic birth. The whole experience was so traumatising. I vowed that if I ever had another baby I was going to be one of those ‘too-posh-to-push’ mums and have baby extracted via the sunroof.

I met my now husband, James, in 2009. We got married in May 2015 and I was pregnant by August. We were absolutely over the moon. This time, I decided that I was going to completely embrace being pregnant; I was going to look after myself, carry on working out and contrary to the first sentence of this post, I was going to plan to give birth naturally. BUT I was going to do something about the fear I still held onto. I decided to enrol hubby and me onto a hypnobirthing course.

Hypnobirthing and Choosing Home Birth

The hypnobirthing course was fab and made it real for James too. I was totally keen for all of the breathing techniques and the course was worth it just for those. It was also worth it because hypnobirthing empowered us to ask the right questions with the medical staff looking after us. For example, during my first labour, I would have asked them why they needed to intervene and speed up my contractions when I had been getting on just fine? As a result of the course, I also decided on a homebirth. Yes, away from all the medical intervention, surgeons and drugs! We moved to Cheltenham from Berkshire when I was 8 months pregnant and I immediately noticed how amazing the midwifery care was here compared to where I had moved from.

My desire to have a homebirth and use hypnobirthing terminology, like saying “surge” instead of “contraction,” was fully supported. I felt excited about the impending arrival of our second baby girl! A complete turn around from the fear of birth that I had at the beginning.

Early Labour

We got the spare bedroom ready for the birth and 3 days after my due date, I started feeling tightening in tummy. I went to sleep that night and woke up to the same tightening. I had breakfast and decided to take a warm bubble bath. Whilst in the bath, the tightening felt stronger and I felt I had to breathe through it. I called the birthing centre and had to stop talking when another ‘surge’ came – the lovely midwife said, “If you couldn’t talk just then, you’re in labour my love.”

Midwives Arriving

I put on the music that I’d listened to during my hypnobirthing relaxation sessions and sat on a swiss ball, gently bouncing. The first midwife arrived at about 10am and asked me if I wanted her to check how things were progressing. I said yes and found out that I was already 6 to 7cm dilated. The surges started to come in stronger and I used my breathing techniques to breathe through them. I wouldn’t say they were pain free, far from it, but the breathing really did help. I buried my head in hubby’s neck which I found really comforting and hubby didn’t speak… also comforting. 

Two more midwives arrived and they were all fantastic – kind, patient, friendly, chatty – everything I could have wished for. I got to 10cm dilated with no pain relief but it was becoming unbearable so I asked for the gas and air. My water’s still hadn’t broken and I didn’t really feel the need to push but they told me to start pushing. I felt exhausted and just wanted to sleep. I felt like I had nothing left in me. Then I heard the midwives saying that they were calling for an ambulance. The baby’s heart rate wasn’t recovering quickly enough between surges.

Wait a Minute (and baby arriving)

I remember lying there thinking. “Wait a minute. If an ambulance comes, I’m going to have to get downstairs (there’s no way I could have walked), get into the ambulance, travel to Gloucester hospital. All the while with no pain relief. And our baby was going to be pulled out with forceps. Or worse. I was going to end up having a C-section.” Within seconds of hearing this, I put my chin to my chest, closed my eyes, breathed down and gave it everything I had. Before I knew it, I heard the midwives saying, “Cancel the ambulance, the baby’s coming!” And come she did at 1.19pm.

My waters broke as she arrived!

Gosh the relief was dizzying and I was ecstatic that baby girl and I had made it.

Newborn Bubble

We left the umbilical cord pulsing for nearly 30 minutes. James cut it and I delivered the placenta naturally too. The midwives stayed for nearly 2 hours after the birth. They left me, James, baby Jasmine and the room I’d given birth in. All clean, fresh and ready to start our new adventure together. We relocated to our bedroom and ordered Chinese takeaway at 6pm. Hands down the most delicious meal I’ve ever eaten!

If you’re low risk, I can’t recommend a homebirth enough. Not having to worry about when you can or can’t go into a hospital was brilliant and I genuinely felt excited about being at home, amongst our home comforts. When friends come to stay, I love saying, “I gave birth to Jasmine in the room you’re staying in.”

If you want to know about other ways to have a great birth then…

Immerse yourself in positive birth stories. To read more second time birth stories following previous traumatic birth, read Shontelle’s Positive Birth; Hormone Drip for Placenta Delivery or Vicki’s Positive Water Birth. 

Check out our series of YouTube videos on how to make your birth better.