XP: Birth story. Unplanned home birth

KateLouise

Short version: Jane Hermione was born on Friday. Weighing 10lbs 2 Oz. Completely med-free. On our bathroom floor, delivered by her Dad as the ambulance arrived.

Pushed about 7 or 8 times. No stitches. No problems. 

Long version:

10pm started having contraction.

Midnight contractions are 4 mins apart, I go to bed as they're not very intense.

2am contractions are 2-3 minutes apart but still not very intense. Call midwife and head to the hospital so she can check me out.

3 am arrive at the hospital.

5.30am midwife checks me, am only 3cms dilated and cervix is still long and firm. the options are: stay at the hospital have an IV drip and be checked again in four hours. At which point I would move into the realm of augmented labour etc etc.

Or: go home, have a bath and a sleep, and call midwife as needed.

We decide to head home where I have a bath and a nap.

815am wake from nap. Contractions are intense and we time them as being one minute long, but not consistent in length apart.

830am get into the shower. I begin to think I'm in transition. Can't face the idea of the car. Think we should ring midwife, but still thinking this can't be transition it's just been too quick. So really focus on how I'm too tired to do this for hours, having been awake all night. (In hindsight classic transition thinking)

8.45am waters break. Call DH to call the midwife. I feel the urge to poo, being in the shower this doesn't bother me. As "pooing" I realise that the baby is coming.

Takes me a couple of minutes to make it clear to DH and midwife that the baby is coming NOW, and that driving 30minutes to the hospital is not an option.

8.50am DH calls the ambulance, who talks him through catching a baby.

8.55am Baby is head out, ambulance crew arrive. They talk DH through the remainder of the delivery, but allow/encourage him to stay where he is and catch the baby.

9am baby is born.

It was definitely en emotional rollercoaster of panic, adrenalin, joy and relief. 

Thank goodness for paramedics who make you feel like finding you naked in a pool of blood and poo on your bathroom floor is the most normal thing in the world. 

This pic is about 20 minutes after she was born