My partner Jon and I had been hoping for a baby for some time and I was getting a little concerned that at 37 I’d missed the baby boat. Eventually Jon and I decided that I’d give up my demanding job as a Creative Director and take a year out to do a Foundation Course in Natural Medicine. I felt that this would adjust my frame of mind, tune me into my body and give me a positive, new direction.

Well, I got all of the above and more… things couldn’t have worked out better!

I started my course in October 2002, conceived in November, finished my course in July and gave birth to our little boy Luca in August. During those 10 months I learnt so much about the intelligence of my body and the power of nature that I decided I couldn’t possibly turn myself into a patient to have my baby. My body had conceived and grown this little life all by itself. It needed no help or intervention – why should it need assistance to give birth? Surely it knew what to do.

I was advised by my course lecturers and colleagues to investigate Independent Midwifery services in my area. This way I was far more likely to have my plans for a home birth realised. An Independent Midwife would get to know Jon and me long before our baby was due. We would be guaranteed her attendance at the birth, not a stand in at the last minute and, practised in home births, an Independent Midwife would be confident to deal with any complications calmly. Basically, we would be assured the best possible birth experience.

I looked on the internet and found Lynn. I instantly warmed to her photo and when we spoke on the phone I was sure we were doing the right thing. Lynn came to see us one evening after work and both Jon and I knew that we couldn’t have our baby without her.

From then on Lynn visited me regularly. We spent hours chatting about the issues surrounding childbirth and she gave me such confidence. My pregnancy could not have gone more smoothly. Lynn shared her knowledge with me regarding the tests she performed, the position of the baby and its heartbeat. Knowledge is power and so long as you understand what is happening to your body and your baby fear will rarely creep into your thoughts.

Luca engaged himself quite early and was always in a great position for the big day. I had a feeling he was not going to hang around and Lynn agreed. About 2 weeks before he was due, I had a show but nothing followed immediately. The next day a similar thing happened and my waters started to leak slowly. I called Lynn to let her know. She felt it was certainly a sign that the baby was on the way and would visit me the next morning if things didn’t progress overnight. With that, Jon and I went to my parents’ house for a big family supper. I was getting the odd period type pain and was leaking quite a lot of water but felt totally calm and enjoyed the evening. During our 10 minute walk home the period pains got stronger and I realised that things were really starting to happen. We went to bed at 11.30pm and the minute I laid down contractions started in earnest…so much for walking in the garden and baking cakes! They were coming about every 5 minutes. After a while it was too painful to lie so I sat backwards on a chair in the corner of the room surrounded by pillows. I started to shiver and shake so Jon wrapped a duvet around me. Meanwhile, Jon tried to get a little more sleep to prepare for the hours ahead.

During my pregnancy I had been very anxious about the birth of our baby and my ability to cope with the pain. Quite amazingly, finding myself on the brink of the big event, I had no fear or anxieties at all. I became totally focussed on the present and didn’t waste any energy on fear of the coming hours. Nature is truly amazing!

After half an hour’s rest, Jon helped my contractions by rubbing the base of my back. When this no longer helped, he applied the Tens Machine. I found it very effective and it saw me through most of the night. During these early morning hours I could hear the town’s church bells counting down every 15 minutes. The time went amazingly quickly, partly due to dramas like the first power cut we’d experienced in years lasting 4 hours. So not only was our pool losing temperature, but we had no kettle to heat it or any light. At about 3am Jon rang Lynn to tell her that my contractions were very strong and coming every few minutes. Lynn asked if we wanted her to come straight away, Jon said we were doing OK so Lynn suggested we ring again later. I was happy just Jon and me. I felt that the arrival of Lynn would make the whole thing ‘real’ and I wasn’t ready for that. I took sips of Rescue Remedy and some Homeopathic remedies for the ‘shakes’ to keep me going until Lynn got here. Jon rang Lynn again at around 6am. She arrived at 6.45am and calmly came upstairs to see me. She stood behind me, just watching for a while before I felt her presence. She then said that I could get into the pool whenever I wanted to. This was a relief as the Tens Machine was on its most powerful setting and was providing little relief. Before I went downstairs, Lynn asked me to pee on a stick to test my key tones (energy levels). It showed that I was running on low and she instructed Jon to get some food prepared for me – bananas and cereal bars etc.

The minute I stepped into the pool I felt the warm water wrap around me…it was a lovely feeling as I’d been shivering and shaking quite considerably up until then. However, this relief was suddenly interrupted by the strongest contraction yet, probably brought on by walking down the stairs. I laboured in the pool for a further 5 hours. I remember hearing the comforting sound of a wood pigeon in the tree outside our front door heralding the new day and I knew that our baby was going to be a Saturday’s Child. Jon kept trying to feed me little bits of fruit which I wasn’t keen on but knew I needed. He held me though every contraction and my concerns about Lynn’s presence making the event a ‘reality’ and invading our personal space were totally unfounded. We hardly knew she was there. She only spoke to ask if she could listen to the baby’s heart which she did very calmly and reassuringly. At no stage did I feel fearful or panicky. When I began to get tired I asked Lynn if I was close to the ‘dreaded transition stage’. Fearing her answer in case I had ages to go, she replied by telling me that I was through transition. I felt such relief at this news, it meant that I was nearly there and my baby was nearly here! Throughout the entire labour I had no idea what ‘stage’ I was at or how ‘dilated’ I was. I didn’t ask because I feared Lynn’s response. I just wanted to get on with it blindly without distractions of time and progress. Lynn never volunteered any information, she just quietly observed. This helped enormously to keep fear and panic at bay.

During this time my Mum arrived at the house. This concerned me as I knew she wasn’t keen to be around during this time and it brought me back into the ‘real world’. I suddenly felt aware of myself and very tearful as I looked into her concerned eyes. She responded in the same way. Eager not to flee immediately she made herself feel useful by making a round of tea for Jon and Lynn then scuttled away with a shopping list of things we needed. I was very relieved she didn’t stay to hear my pain and she was pleased to escape the experience. It did jog me out of my distant state of mind and I was worried that it would set me back.

Luckily it didn’t and shortly after this, I could see that Lynn was getting ready to greet our baby. She said that I could start pushing with the next contraction if I felt like it. These pushing contractions were very hard work and I could feel Luca’s head coming and going which was very frustrating. Eventually he popped and slipped out into the water and Lynn’s expert hands. She calmly brought him out of the water and into my arms.

Jon and I just stared at him in relief and wonder. We weren’t sure he was a boy for a good few minutes…it didn’t seem to matter, our baby was finally with us in the big wide world. I can’t describe my feelings at this time. It’s such a personal experience that there are no words suitable.

Luca and I bobbed around in the pool for about 15 minutes until Lynn and Jon helped me out to an armchair. Then, right on queue, my Mum returned. She was amazed at the progress I’d made whilst she’d been out shopping and couldn’t believe she had a Grandson and she was a Granny! We cracked open a bottle of champagne, put the kettle on and feasted on sandwiches in celebration. Luca took his first milk and apart from the odd contraction as my placenta freed itself, I was in heaven surrounded by my family and my wonderful midwife. Two and a half hours later we decided to deliver the placenta. I was still anxious that I had some nasty work left to do. However, with the next contraction I stood up and the placenta just popped out. At last, my body had birthed my son completely. Jon cut the cord and held Luca for the first time.

I had a bath, got dressed and sat in the garden on a gorgeous sunny afternoon with my baby whilst flowers, family and champagne flowed! Even in my dreams I couldn’t have wished for more.

Thank you Lynn, you will always be an important part of our family and we will remember you always.

Love, Lou, Jon and Little Luca x