Jacob's Birth Story

I’ll start off by saying the best thing I ever did was hire an Independent Midwife and here is the story of the birth of my beautiful son Jacob.

I woke up at 6.00am with pains coming every seven minutes but I had no other sign i.e. waters breaking/ show etc so I wasn’t sure if I was in labour or it was just things hotting up so I phoned Kay as I was so excited and she told me it sounded like I was going into labour and she would see me at 4oclock as we had originally planned.

Steve started to get ready for work and just before he left I said I think this is it can you stay so he did, I then went and had a bath and got dressed and put my make-up on, I thought I better make an effort as I know the camera was going to come out later (very sad).

The contractions stayed about the same all day so we sat down and watched all our programmes on sky plus and I rocked on the birth ball. I was so relaxed as I knew I didn’t have to go into hospital and the midwife I knew and trusted well would be with me whenever I needed her!



At 4pm my Kay came to do her weekly visit and said she could tell that I wasn’t going to have the baby in the next few hours and to put the tens machine on and relax and to call her later when the contractions start coming every 3 mins, at this time I still didn’t want the tens machine on because I wanted to see how long I could manage without any pain relief. By 6.00pm the contractions started to get stronger so Steve put the tens machine on for me and I sat on the birth ball and went into my own little world still in the comfort of my own home.

At about 10.00pm I had a show and could no longer feel the tens machine working anymore and the contractions where coming every 3 mins so Steve phoned Kay and she told Steve to start filling up the birth pool and she was on her way. She arrived at 11pm, I was in my own world by then listening to my yoga cd and rocking on my birth ball that I didn’t even notice Kay arrive and I opened my eyes after having a contraction and she was sat in front of me smiling and she gently took my temperature, pulse and listened to the the baby’s heartbeat and then asked me to get into the pool. This bit was heaven the water really does help with the pain. I then started on the gas and air and had a giggling fit, then Steve tried it and the pair of us where giggling like little kids. At 1.50am a student midwife came along to assist Kay, my midwife doesn’t usually do this but I had met Mandy (the student midwife) 3 times before when she had come along to watch Kay on her visits so I knew her and was very comfortable with having her at the birth in fact I feel very lucky to have had 2 midwifes with me and Mandy was lucky enough to find an independent midwife as good as Kay to watch and learn from.

At 3.50am I asked Kay to do a vaginal examination as I started to loose heart and get tired, Kay doesn’t really do vaginal examinations but she agreed to and said I was 8cm so I felt a bit better.

I then got into the birth pool again and started to push and then my waters broke and on the 4th push Kay said to Steve on the next contraction the babies head will come out but it didn’t Jacob came out in one push and went shooting across the pool it was such a lovely feeling. I had no tearing and I think being in a squatting position really does make a difference along with being in the security of your own home and having a midwife as knowledgeable as Kay.



Overall I loved my labour, I think getting a private midwife was one of the best investments we have ever made. I am definitely going to have a home birth next time. I now have all the notes of my labour, Kay made an entry every half hour and even wrote down the laughing fit me and Steve had when we tried the gas and air, it’s a lovely thing to show my son when he is older.

My labour was a wonderful experience and I remember thinking when I was sat in the birth pool wow this is the most amazing feeling and I haven’t met many people in life who have said the same thing.

Steve and I would like to say a big thank you to Kent Midwifery Practice, the birth of baby Jacob will always be a lovely memory.

Love

Kiersten and Steve