My Baby is Here!

******Reposted in its entirety from my original blog******

Just to let you all know that I gave birth at home in water to a beautiful baby BOY weighing 7lbs 6oz this morning at 4.00am.

My waters broke quite spectacularly after I felt him literally punch his way out at 1.00am (I’d just gone to bed after a night out), contractions started 5 minutes later and grew in intensity very quickly. The midwife (a lovely woman who was my antenatal teacher for Elliot’s pregnancy) arrived very quickly and my best friend Jo wasn’t far behind. She did a quick internal to check position (I was 4cm very stretchy and very thin), and everyone was amazed by how much water there was, it just gushed and gushed. Justin was busy getting the pool ready whilst I rocked my way through the contractions with the TENS machine. Just when they started getting really hard to cope with I got in the pool, which refocused me for a while before I started pushing.

The pushing was quick but very painful he wasn’t in a great position and I could feel him trying to turn round, but with no waters it was a painful process. I also had to ‘breathe’ him out as I was so scared of tearing (I have a lot of scar tissue from a previous episiotomy and a second degree tear). He was passed to me as he came out of the water completely peaceful and relaxed just looking around at his new world. He has stayed utterly calm and unphased by everything since and is currently curled up on my shoulder snuggled into my neck.

I’m really pleased to say that I only tore a tiny bit (no stitching needed), and that’s from where his hand was up against his head. It really was a very positive and empowering experience, but having not slept for a very long time, I think I need a few days to get used to the idea that he’s actually here!

He still hasn’t got a name but we’re working on it.

Oh and there is something to be said for instinct… I’ve been harping on about the 30th September being my ideal birth date for ages, and on the Friday morning, I’d suddenly decided that I really had to get the last few bits done, and cleaned and moped the floor where the pool was going and checked all the equipment, just in case! Thank goodness I did!

It’s amazing what our bodies are capable of doing when we trust them isn’t it?!

Here are a few pictures….

Big brother and sister have a good look!