Skin-to-skin with Faye, and I’m so happy. I gave birth at home.

After waiting so long, it’s finally going to happen—I’m going to give birth! With Mace, I was induced at 37+4 weeks, and now I’m 39+6 weeks pregnant. On December 17, 2023, at…

07:20

I feel a strange little pop in the middle of my belly while I’m having a “Braxton Hicks” contraction after breastfeeding Mace. I look at Dennis and tell him what I felt. He says, “If your water had broken, we would have noticed.” I said, “Yeah, that’s true.” I have another contraction, and there it is. SPLASH. My water has broken. The whole bed is wet, and I quickly ask Dennis to grab a towel.

7:30 a.m.

Dennis is going to get Mace ready quickly so he can be picked up. In the meantime, I’ll call the birth photographer and my midwife.

I’m not quite sure what to do with myself—everything is wet. I decide to take a shower.

8:00 a.m.

Mace is being picked up. I tell Dennis he should call the midwife again because the contractions are getting closer together, and I think this is going to happen very quickly.

08:10

I step out of the shower and go downstairs to sit in the birthing pool, and Dennis starts setting up the tub and filling it. The contractions are now coming closer together and are more intense.

08:13

The midwife arrives. At first, I didn’t want a water birth, but now I’m having second thoughts. We decide to fill the tub first and get everything ready, and then reassess whether I want a water birth or not. The birth photographer is on the way. Some contractions are more intense than others.

08:40

The midwife goes upstairs to get some things. As she leaves the room, I feel the baby’s head moving down.

8:45 a.m.

I feel the urge to push and move from the ball to the floor. I’m on my hands and knees and shout, “She’s coming!” The midwife comes back downstairs. I ask if the tub is full. “Not yet,” the midwife says with a smile.

If I feel like I need to push, then I push.

08:50

The tub isn’t full yet, and the birth photographer hasn’t arrived. Dennis is sitting behind me, ready to catch our little girl.

08.51

I push, and there’s her head! With the next contraction, I push again, and there’s her body! Dennis catches her. She’s crying! Dennis hands her to me, and all I can do is hold her close. I’m so happy and relieved that she’s here!

08:55

I’m going to the hospital, and we’ll wait for the placenta to come out. I’m holding our beautiful little girl. She’s perfect. Welcome, sweet girl. Welcome, dear Faye.

09:20

This is my first time breastfeeding Faye, and she’s doing great! The placenta hasn’t come out yet, but I’m having a lot of cramps. I also feel like I need to pee. I walk to the bathroom with Faye in my arms.

09:24

I ask for some privacy. I’m trying to pee, but I don’t think I actually need to—I feel something else. I slip my free hand between my legs because I feel the placenta coming. And there it is. I catch the placenta in my hand. I call out to Dennis and the midwife. They help with the placenta and help me back to the couch.

I’m skin-to-skin with Faye, and I’m so happy. I gave birth at home—without any intervention from the midwife and completely together with Dennis. I didn’t make it to the birthing tub, and the photographer wasn’t there either, but that doesn’t matter, because Faye is safe and loved.

Best Day of 2023 – Insta @Kyahvw || Blogger || Nurse