|
These are a few words about my pregnancy,
labour and birth that has given me my most precious gift ever, Joshua.
Firstly I have to admit, I'm not good with pain, and my husband always
teases me about this, especially a bee sting incident that had me in
tears.
When I conceived I had never considered having a natural birth at home.
I knew little on the subject and could only consider having a baby with
drugs, epidurals, anything to stop any pain, which would have meant hospital.
My husband and I looked at all the hospitals locally. The two larger
maternity hospitals, which were very busy places, very clean and fresh
but made me feel as if I went into either of them I would be having a
medical procedure and not a birth (which women have done for thousands
of years and before the assistance of paediatric doctors). I also looked
at two smaller village hospitals that had midwifery-led maternity units
and was very impressed by these. It was about this time I then heard
more about home births and how it can be more relaxing for the woman
in familiar surroundings without the sound of other women in labour,
which I had thought may scare me.
As I began to read more and talk to other women about their birth experiences
(all of which were very individual) I gradually decided that I would
opt out of the NHS service and go with an independent midwife. This was
largely because I wanted the continuity of care, being able to get to
know who was going to deliver my baby and them in turn knowing me and
that even when in labour I could feel confident my midwife knew what
I wanted. This was what I found when I met Lynn.
Lynn told me all about my options and encouraged me to ask questions,
especially the 'what if?' variety. The one thing that I never did was
plan in great detail where I would deliver my baby. While I had in my
mind now I wanted a home birth I was open minded enough to realise if
I had complications I would have to go into hospital, because then it
would become a medical procedure. This would have also been the case
if I had had my baby in a village hospital: any complications and it's
an ambulance to one of the larger city maternity hospitals.
My relationship with Lynn grew as did my confidence in her, and with
the decision to go ahead with a home birth came the idea of hiring a
birthing pool for pain relief. I am not an Earth Mother figure by a long
way but more and more I heard the benefits of water births, less trauma
for the baby and more comfort for the mother. So from pain relief I was
now the next stage on to wanting to try and have a water birth. I did
however keep a very open mind, in that I would decide the place of delivery
once into labour.
Once my contractions had got to the point that I felt I couldn't cope
on my own, and my husband although supportive couldn't cope with me,
I rang Lynn. I described my labour symptoms and after a quick assessment
of which stage of labour I was in or about to start Lynn came. As babies
want this was in the early hours of the morning, so Lynn packed my husband
off to bed (after he had filled the birthing pool) and we sat and chatted
and dozed. Lynn suggesting positions I may find comfortable while my
labour continued to progress. Lynn relaxed me and helped me with breathing
exercises sitting beside me and keeping me focused but calm. Once Lynn
was satisfied I had gone into established labour is was time to wake
my husband and try the pool. That was where Joshua was born four hours
later in the water, totally naturally with no drugs. Once I was in the
pool Lynn had contacted her second midwife who was there for the birth
with my husband, sister, and of course Lynn. Despite having four people
around me they were who I had chosen. I found both midwives unobtrusive,
closely monitoring my progress while allowing the supportiveness and
encouragement to come from my husband and sister.
Having spoken to my husband about his views and experiences he felt
of more use at home. He felt useful in that he could make cups of tea,
flit in and out fetching and carrying food, snacks and towels or top
up the water with hot. As he said, he was a participant in the experience
not merely in the back row as a spectator.
I have not doubt in my mind that, without the support I had, I would
have had a completely different birth experience. My labour wasn't straightforward
and on phoning the local hospital Lynn was advised that I need to go
into hospital based on their protocols and policies. Lynn discussed this
with me and talked through my options and reminded me that it was my
decision and while my labour continued in this way I was not going to
harm the baby or myself. Lynn also made it clear that if this changed
in any way we would be going to hospital.
I now have Joshua who both my husband and I are very proud parents of.
He fed almost as soon as his head broke the surface of the water and
hasn't stopped since. Born at 8lbs 14oz he has never lost weight and
his most recent weighing in at age six weeks he had reached 10lbs 14oz.
I can only recommend independent midwifery as a choice based on my experiences
and based on Lynn and her care. Lynn empowered both my husband and I
as future parents, giving us options and choices but, most importantly
unbiased information and continuity of care. My husband and I have already
discussed any future additions will be done with Lynn's assistance and
care. |
