We had signs of early labour on the Friday afternoon, mainly period cramp sensations.  I went for a walk and then for a pedicure and manicure.  This was our third baby so I knew what was coming and also knew there wouldn't be much time for self care afterwards.  Life carried on as normal, looking after our two older children.  We even had a decorator in the house finishing off some work.  That evening my waters started to leak.  

That evening I woke up a few times with period cramps but no real surges yet.  We had been advised to go to hospital as my waters had broken and not quite 37 weeks yet (one day short). We decided to spend the night in our own home.  At 3am I woke, left my husband sleeping.  I did some gentle drumming and Native American chanting, using this time to ground myself and tune into my body and sensations.  It was Saturday morning and we were officially 37 weeks.  We arranged childcare for our two children to have a sleepover at a friend's house.  We started preparing the house for our homebirth with a birthing pool, playlist on and candles lit. The house was tidy and we were calm and ready.  We played Yatzee to distract ourselves ... I got a yatzees with 1's.

At around noon the surges became more regular and intense.  I was able to focus on my breath and use my breath work techniques. I visualised waves coming in and out.  I stayed active moving around the house and using the birthing ball.   My husband read out our affirmations and rubbed my back.  I felt calm, almost serene.  We spoke to the homebirth midwives and told them to come soon as we both knew the baby was ready.  I got in the birthing pool and continued to use my breath and visualisations. It was still full daylight in the afternoon, the sunlight coming through the skylight in the kitchen, the back doors open to the garden with a beautiful breeze of fresh air.  My husband later on said I was in my own world, he knew I had taken my mind somewhere else.  He was amazing at knowing when to leave me and when to offer touch or words of encouragement.  I felt ready to push but I wanted to wait for the midwives.  

We called them again ... they were just parking up. We had Francine and Harriet from the Homerton home birth team, who both immediately made me feel supported and safe.  Harriet took my hand, spoke positive words that I was doing amazing.  I was becoming more vocal, surges were very intense now.  Midwives gave me gas and air which really supported me taking deeper slower fuller breaths and managing my pain.  About an hour later after the midwives arrived I was ready to push.  In the pool, on all fours, holding my husband's hand ... I felt no fear, I felt connected to my baby and my body ... I pushed

Our son, Marley King was born on Saturday 3rd September at 4.50pm, 8.1lbs

The midwives left us to bond and hold the baby.  My husband cut the cord.  Then he noticed the pool had a lot of blood in it.  Midwives supported me to get out of the pool and we went to the sofa to try and birth the placenta.  Unfortunately the placenta wasn't coming and I was losing a lot of blood.  I still felt calm and so supported by everyone.  They explained they had called an ambulance and would prefer to try and remove the placenta at the hospital due to my blood loss.  We had a hospital bag ready and agreed to go. 

At the hospital they were able to encourage the placenta out without drugs or operating.  They advised us to stay one night to monitor the baby's breathing and my blood loss.  We set up our room in the ward with battery candles, I had my eye mask and headphones and stayed in our happy bubble.  It was never the plan to go to hospital but it didn't take away from our magical home birth experience.  We felt more confident leaving the hospital the next afternoon knowing I was okay and the baby was healthy.     

Our first two children were born in a hospital, totally different experiences.  I was previously scared of labour and pain.  But I feel my own self-work journey over the last few years led me to this home birth.  I had zero fear, I felt confident, ready and prepared.  I believed in me, trusted my body and my baby.  

Huge thank you to Anna at Hackney Hypnobirthing who supported us in preparing for the birth we always wanted.  We felt confident in making the right decisions for us and we felt prepared for when things didn't all go to plan.