A HAPPY HOME BIRTH AFTER DECLINING INDUCTION

first baby, Feb 2013 workshop

Turns out our daughter arrived at the 11th hour – at home at 1.20am today after a pretty quick, intense and painful labour. I bellowed for England, begged on multiple occasions to be taken in for an epidural, but in the end I managed just with the pool with the help of Nick as an amazing birth partner and the wonderful NHS midwives.

I’m sure the natal hypno helped me stay relaxed in the 1st stage (in fact, my contractions really kicked in after listening to the CD) and it really helped Nick understand the stages as I went through them (even if I didn’t understand how I could be at self-doubt only an hour after being 2cm dilated – 2nd stage was v quick!).

I’m so glad I declined the standard induction apt (which would have seen me induced about 2hrs before my waters broke naturally) and the midwives said she doesn’t look like a 42-wk old baby (she’s only just under 7lbs!). Your birth story and advice really helped me stick to my desire to let the baby come when she was ready.