Someone once described my eldest’s birth as “unremarkable”. They meant it was straightforward, textbook, uncomplicated. But to me, it was the most remarkable thing I’d ever achieved. What I’ve come to realise is that birth doesn’t have to be dramatic, medicalised or frightening to be extraordinary. There is something incredibly powerful about being able to…
THE PLAN My plan from early on in pregnancy was to have a VBAC. My previous had been a long back to back labour resulting in an unplanned caesarean and I wanted to birth my second the way my body knew how and to have a water birth. I also wanted to be in a…
On the evening of 24th February my parents came over for a glass of wine. I was having crampy feelings and sitting on an exercise ball. However, having felt I was ‘about to give birth’ for the last couple of weeks I wasn’t thinking much of them. I really felt on the precipice of something…
At 41+4 weeks I went into labour spontaneously around 1am. Earlier that day I had agreed to be inducted at 42+1 weeks. I was woken up by a contraction, got up, went to the toilet. Then after a few more contractions I woke up my husband, Will, at 1:20am, and told him I was having…
I woke up about midnight with some cramping which then became more like contractions every 10-15 minutes, so around 3.30am I called the Horton and we were told all community midwives were unavailable! So until shift change at 7.30am we wouldn’t be able to have a home birth OR go into the midwife unit, but…
We were eagerly awaiting the arrival of our second baby, she was keeping us waiting, unlike her big sister who was very punctual, arriving right on her due date. This pregnancy was very different to my first. My first birth ended in an unplanned caesarean, and I was told any future pregnancy would be consultant-led…
Writing my birth story feels as surreal as the experience itself. As I sit here, looking down at my precious baby, I’m in awe, not only for his sweet little life but for the strength of women everywhere. Never before have I felt so deeply connected to both my own body and the collective power…
My first birth was at the Horton MLU. It was incredible but there were moments that have stuck with me where I didn’t feel great. Moments where I wasn’t taken as seriously as I’d liked. These feelings are engraved in my memory of my first birth and while I always say it was incredible, there…
It feels so surreal to be writing this 😂 but having enjoyed so many birth stories during my pregnancy I really wanted to share my own. I hadn’t really realised how much my partner took away from hypnobirthing and how it enabled him to advocate for me when I was unable to speak for myself….
At 4:43am I felt uncomfortable from my sleep (standard), and rolled myself over from my right to left in bed. I then heard the oddest noise – no joke, the sound was what you hear as the bath or sink has almost emptied itself. I thought, gosh, I know my tummy often growls at me,…
I had my first daughter (you can read that story here) at 38+2 weeks after my waters went and labour started spontaneously. This time I was ready for an early baby again and finished work a bit earlier. But I was over 37 weeks and hadn’t noticed much so I thought I had to prepare…
The end of my second pregnancy was very different to my first. We had a dream birth with my first son and we wanted to try and have a similar experience. We did Amy’s hypnobirthing course first time round and so it was only right we came back to her for a refresher.. and also…