Imogen Rose – Born 22nd April 2009 at 1.48am, weighing 7lb 10.5oz.

For a couple of weeks before my due date of 21st April I had been having increasingly strong braxton hicks and lots of period type pains. As Zach was born at 38 weeks I kept thinking any day now!!!

Zachs birthday on the 19th April came and went and I started thinking about going overdue and what my options would be. On Monday the 20th April I was at the midwife and was offered a sweep which I accepted as I didn’t see why not. The midwife commented that the cervix was quite far back still (not sure what that means really!) and I had no more labour symptoms immediately after the sweep.

Tuesday 21st April arrived (my due date) and I woke up at 7.20ish feeling a contraction type pain. I didn’t mention it to DH and he went off to work. My mum picked Zach up as planned (he was staying over that night) and the Tesco shopping arrived. Through the day I had on off irregular contractions which weren’t overly painful, a couple of times I thought I’d be calling DH but they trailed off. DH arrived home from work and I told him about them and kept him posted but by 8.30 I decided that nothing was happening, just more false alarms and got a bath run for myself.

Around 8.45 while watching Gok on the upstairs TV I had another mild contraction then felt a ‘pop’ sensation and the contraction immediately got stronger and I knew this was it!!! I went to the loo and hadn’t lost any water then went downstairs and told DH what I thought. A couple more contractions later (about 10 mins apart) I felt water and that was the beginning!!!

I called the community MW team to let them know I was in labour, the MW who answered said to let her know when we wanted her out and she would get all her bits and bobs done at the hospital. I got on my bouncy ball, got the TENS on and started timing using contraction master (what a good little tool!!). I had met the MW once before when she dropped off the birth pack at 36 weeks. (never met the student or the second MW).

Around 11pm we decided to call the MW again, DH had been asking for about 15 mins and I decided they were definitely getting strong. MW said she would set off and asked if a student could come which I was happy about. She arrived at 11.30 ish. And set about sorting things, she checked me and I was 4cm. The student arrived soon afterwards. (I think the students put a note on the board at hospital to ask about any homebirths as they don’t get to see many of them while training)

After this the contractions started to come thick and fast and I was soon on the top level of the TENS and making lots of noise!!! The time seemed to be flying too and I stopped talking to people except for little things. I decided it was time for the pool and was surprised to find it was 1am already. I made a dash to the pool and DH and the student started to take off the TENS pads without turning the machine off which was quite funny!!! I then got in the pool super fast before the next contraction.

I just got on with it once in the pool (which was lovely and relaxing – to a certain extent LOL!!!) and dealt with each contraction as it happened. I think the second MW was called soon after I got in.

I soon started to do involuntary pushes which was noted by the MW and then she said the head was visible at about 1.20 and I slowly pushed and breathed the head out. OMG, it was painful!!! But it felt nice to push, very strange. I don’t remember this experience with Zach as he was ventouse and episiotome. The feeling of relief when the head was out was immense as the stinging stopped and then I carried on with a little push or 2 and the body was out – There was my baby. Amazing.

She was unravelled (cord around body) and passed to me, I couldn’t believe I had done it and DH and I were really emotional. We cuddled for a bit and then I remembered to check it WAS a girl which everyone seemed to think was hilarious as they had already noted that it was!!

The MW explained about the cord pulsing which I felt and she seemed to know instinctively that I wanted to wait to cut the cord until it stopped. Cord was clamped and DH cut it which he was really happy about as he missed it last time. Baby was scooped up, wrapped in towels and passed to daddy for cuddles and we dealt with the placenta. MW mentioned that we should just go for a natural third stage seen as I hadn’t had any drugs up till now (No gas and air – can you believe it, I was and still am amazed, that certainly was not the plan!!!) and the placenta was delivered about 20 mins after birth and I got a good look at it (I’m nosy!!). I was ready to get out of the pool now for cuddles.

I had a couple of small tears which the MWs decided needed no stitches (ooooh, they do sting though). The notes were written up and student and second MW left. We all had toast and tea and Imogen had her first BF. The MW left at 4am and we went to bed.

It was fantastic and I am still in awe of the moment she was there in the water. I also can’t believe I had no pain relief – I didn’t plan it that way and was happily going to use the gas and air but I just never asked for it and the MW was great, she didn’t offer as she thought I was doing really well. I just remember hearing her calm voice each time I was starting to feel a bit out of control and she calmed me down and focused my breathing. I kept thinking that I’d ask at the next contraction and then I’d only have a minute to get myself together before another contraction so I never got round to vocalising my thoughts!!! I felt really comfortable at home too and able to make all the funny noises I wanted too without being self conscious which definitely helped.

The next morning DH and I thought it was fab that only us knew baby was here, our BIG secret. My mum was gobsmacked when I called her at about 8 o’clock. I couldn’t wait for Zach to meet Imogen and he really loves her, long may that continue!!!