Sara’s Unexpected Unassisted Homebirth Story

by | Jan 14, 2020 | Birth Stories, ChildBirth

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Michelle here! I was Zehra’s doula and I remember getting the phone call that she was in labour. Things sounded early on so I rested a little more but after half an hour or so, I had a feeling I should head over. I spoke to Zehra’s husband on the way, he asked what sort of timing he should be looking for before heading to the hospital. I believe that was about 5am. It was only a few minutes later that he rung again to let me know that Sara had arrived, the ambulance was on its way and all was well. Zehra had always wanted a home birth but was booked into Sunshine Hospital with the Midwifery Group Program. It’s funny how things work out sometimes and she got her wish!

It’s about 1.30am on the 14th of May 2019. I lay in my bed with my almost 2yr old son cuddled and snuggled up together. It’s about now that I start to feel slight niggles and a little uncomfortable tightening but I think nothing of it. It’s probably Braxton hicks again!
I had been having these practice surges every day for the past two weeks now, and felt familiar when they started again.

So I quicky told myself to practice my calm breathing and ride the discomfort as I stayed closely cuddled with my son who had been tossing and turning and a little unsettled. As I felt the tightening come on i snuggled a little closer to my son each time and practice ·#uģ:  the breathing even more concentrated all at the same time trying to settle my son back to sleep.

It’s about 2am by this time and I feel the urge to go toilet for a bowl movement. Diarrhea! That’s what the cramping is about I think to myself. After this I make frequent visits to the toilet until I notice a mucous stretchy red thing appear… the birth show! My uterine seal! I’m excited!

Finally I think to myself labour has started and I’m going to meet my baby girl! I decide to wake my husband up and whisper “I think labour has started, my mucous plug just fell out!”. He’s extremely exhausted…. he turns over to me with his eyes still shut and whispers “Are you ok? How you feeling?”, I respond “I’m good, I feel good…. I think there’s still time”.

At this stage I remember feeling like I had gone through a time lapse. I remember checking the time to realise that it was 3.30am and thinking “What!? How did that happen? It was just 1.30am a minute ago!”

So now I’m walking around moving, making frequent visits to the toilet and also breathing even more concentrated through each surge.

My husband and I make our way down the stairs into the living room and I tell my husband I feel like I need to just lay on the couch and have a nap. I ask him to cover me as I lay on my side with lots of pillows around to support my back, head and belly. At this stage I kind of lost track of time and didn’t really check. I was so concentrated and connected with my body I had almost blocked off the external world around me and everything that was going on. I was breathing deeply but calmly listening to my body and doing exactly as it was asking me to. And then I came to a point where it almost felt like everything had come to a stop…a rest… a pause….and I shut my eyes for a brief second and then “POP” I felt and heard my membranes release and babies head crown all in one go…. my body was doing everything for me… I instinctively rolled myself off the couch and kneeled onto all fours on the floor as baby made her entrance. We pulled her up onto my chest and began skin to skin….she was perfect!  It was just beautiful! I was smiling from ear to ear in shock of what had just happened! But feeling so very content about everything.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Clift

Michelle Clift

Author

Hi I'm Michelle. I am a second-generation birth passioneer, a protector and supporter of birthing parents and birth workers alike. Among so many things, I am a HypnoBirthing Educator, doula, advocate and disruptor of the birthing status quo. I also laugh too hard at my own jokes, I swear and often over-share! Since attending my first birth in 2016, I fell head over heels in love with all things birth and was determined to make this my life’s calling. Connecting women to their purpose, to their children, to their ability to birth, to run businesses, to be happy…this is my reason for being on this earth.