Kathryn Bowman

The relaxed and tailored support alleviated my anxiety about being overdue and the possibility that I may need to be induced. I felt so at peace with the process and felt no stress or pressure. I truly believe this allowed my body to feel safe and go into labour naturally. 

I was 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant when I went into labour with James. I had been niggling for over a week, my body was showing signs it was ready. I was excited to see this as I had gone to 41+5 with my daughter, which lead to me being induced and not having a great birth experience. Hence why I chose to go with a private midwife with my second pregnancy. I came to Mama midwives looking for hospital birth support, but with their help, my confidence grew to a point that I felt comfortable attempting a home birth. My faith in my body was renewed. I knew on a deep level that my baby and I were made for this and were capable of achieving a physiological birth. 

Even then, the seeds of doubt crept in as time passed and I woke up each morning still pregnant. At my last antenatal appointment we booked for 2 weeks time and joked that it will either be a postpartum visit, or we can chat about how fun being 42 weeks pregnant is. The relaxed and tailored support alleviated my anxiety about being overdue and the possibility that I may need to be induced. I felt so at peace with the process and felt no stress or pressure. I truly believe this allowed my body to feel safe and go into labour naturally. 

I had been preparing for birth by having Osteopathic and acupuncture treatments, taking red raspberry leaf capsules, using clary sage. I also tried to relax knowing it was the last couple of weeks with just my daughter, husband, dog and I. My midwives advice was ‘just do things that made you happy’ so I wouldn’t look back on the time and regret trying to force things to happen. I’m so glad I listened. We focused on things that made us happy and got the oxytocin flowing. 

Monday the 18th came, I woke up still pregnant, but I felt a little different. I was having some period like pain, I tried to ignore it thinking it was likely nothing and went about my day as usual. Driving home from childcare pick up, I thought there might be some sort of regularity to these feelings. My husband got home and we all enjoyed each others company. By dinner time, I needed to stop what I was doing when I got those sensations. As my daughter’s bedtime rolled around, I needed to lean over the bench and make some low noises with each sensation. 

I said to hubby, it may be nothing, but I think I should message my midwife Veronica just in case. I let her know what was happening. She said to keep her posted and that a baby tonight would be fabulous. I jumped In the shower and was feeling excited. I thought, it may still fizzle out, but maybe we should put the birth pool together just in case. Turns out, we should have tried the birth pool out a week or 2 earlier as it had a hole in it.

Things started picking up a little and I got back in the shower and it gave me a lot of relief. When I hopped out of the shower, hubby helped me put the TENS machine on. Veronica came to the rescue and brought us another birth pool and stayed to help blow it up. She quietly observed while I had a few contractions, we chatted and laughed about the music that was playing. She said things were looking good, but ‘a watched pot never boils’. She said she wasn’t far away, so she would leave and we can let her know when things ramped up. 

Things continued and I thought, this could go on for ages, I’m already a little tired, I’ll lie down and see if I can get some rest. We had fairy lights above the bed, hubby came and laid with me as the birth pool was filling up. I had a couple of contractions, one he remarked ‘was a good one’. After 20-30 minutes I had to get up and move to keep comfortable. I needed to go to the toilet and hubby looked at me and I said ‘I’m not about to have a baby its okay’. 

I knew sitting on the toilet could make things more intense so asked hubby to come with me. I had a contraction that made me want to get out of my skin. I came back to the bedroom, my safe place, leaning over the bed on my hands and knees, hubby supporting my tummy with each contraction. I felt something had changed, we messaged Veronica to let her know things were ramping up and she said ‘Beauty I’m on my way’. 

With the next contraction, my waters broke and I felt my body start to bare down and said ‘I’m pushing’. Hubby helped me to the birth pool and strip everything off to get in. I was shocked, I said to him this is too quick, where is Veronica, he was so calm and reassuring. Looking into my eyes and holding me saying its okay, you’re doing great, she is on her way. 

The pool felt amazing and gave me a sense of calm. I felt at peace and had full trust in my body. I could feel it working my baby out, I just had to lean into the sensations and my body and baby would do the rest. I held tight onto my husband as my body was bearing down, I was in awe of what was happening, my dream birth. 

Within a few contractions his head was out, not long after with another contraction his body followed. My husband caught him, this is a moment I will cherish forever. It was magical. Just the two of us. He handed me our little boy and I placed him up onto my chest. As I was soaking him in, he went and met Veronica out the front and said ‘there’s a baby!’ Unfortunately we had messaged to late and she had missed the birth. Her arrival was perfect timing and grounded us, it felt like everything was okay now.

I sat in the birth pool as we told Veronica how everything unfolded and shared our amazement. When the time came to get out of the pool my placenta came out all on its own. Shortly after, Ally and Cally arrived and we all soaked in the bliss of a birth. They checked James and I out as we chatted about what just happened. It was the best welcome party for our little boy. It was wonderful to have a shower in my own shower and relax on our couch until hubby, James and I jumped into our own bed. Our daughter slept through the whole thing and woke up to meet her baby brother at home.

The support and continuity of care that I received from the mama team was incredible. I will never be able to thank them enough for everything they did for our family. This pregnancy, birth and postpartum were healing in ways I could not have imagined. I felt so supported as I transitioned into parenting 2 children and I am so grateful.

Birth story by Kathryn Bowman.