This week’s birth story comes from a lovely couple Jenn and Tim who attended a TCBS Refresher Course with The Calm Birth School Owner Liz Stanford.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with is!
“Our birth story – by Tim
15th March 2020
Jenn had been having, what we were jokingly calling, Braxton hicks throughout the weekend, both of us thinking it couldn’t be labour as it was too early, and they were extremely mild. I left for work around 5.30 am as I normally would. Jenn woke up about 6 with Giselle and went downstairs for breakfast and some Peppa Pig. She mentioned feeling rough but that was nothing new from a 39-week pregnant lady!
At 8.30 am Jenn text to say the Braxton hicks were coming around 5 times an hour but were manageable. I got home for 10.30 am, we had a normal morning, she even sent some work emails. She had a bath at 2ish having 2 ‘Braxtons’ in the bath, still not quite taking it seriously but hoping it was the start of baby boy’s arrival.
Around 4 pm we called the midwives, as we were planning a home birth, to give them a heads up we may be in labour. Jenn has another bath, which was really soothing, and I got work covered as I was on call and got the car ready in case we had to dash. It then stepped up to moderate contractions and it was starting to affect Jenn. She used her breathing techniques really well and we carried on with our routine, having dinner and getting Giselle ready for bed. Jenn sat on her birthing ball for a lot of the evening. I got my mum round as she was our help for Giselle if we needed to leave and she helped us with the bath time routine, as Jenn was getting big contractions now needing me to be her support and literally using me to lean on.
We called the midwives round for 8 pm and they sat with us in the kitchen talking and observing Jenn’s contractions. We’d asked not to be examined as we wanted as little interference as possible and after Giselle’s birth didn’t really believe it gives much indication as to how far along Jenn would be. They were lovely midwives and really embraced the calm birth approach keeping Jenn really positive and even had some calming visualisation techniques of their own.
After staying for an hour they said, with our agreement, they were going to leave to get some rest as they thought Jenn was hours away. Jenn said she didn’t feel like she needed the gas and air yet, so she thought she was quite a way off too. We carried on working through each contraction, turning the lights off and had just a candle on making it a peaceful, calm environment. Jenn was fully focused on bringing our little boy into the world and kept saying how she can’t wait to meet him.
Just after 10 pm we decided to call the midwife as Jenn said she would like the gas and air and the contractions were getting intense. They said to try having a bath and keep working through and call back if it stepped up again. Jenn did not want a bath or shower at this point and 30 minutes later she was convinced she was nearing the end.
I called the midwives again and they said they’d come straight away but would be 20 minutes.
After 10 minutes Jenn was sick and transitioned. Within minutes she said it was happening. Fully trusting her judgement, I called 999 as the midwives hadn’t arrived and they passed me on to the ambulance service who talked me through what to do. Jenn was in full control of her body, and I felt in full control of the situation, even though I hadn’t a clue what to do, it felt instinctive.
The lights were still off and I was trying to see what was going on with my phone torch whilst having the emergency services on the line. It wasn’t ideal but I did what felt right and Jenn listened to her body and let the baby do what it needed to. She felt him pushing down and went with it when it felt right and held back when she felt that the pushing was too much.
I was told to put my palm to the baby’s head and guide him out. It just happened and within minutes I was holding my little boy and was so overcome with emotion it was incredible. He was here and Jenn was amazing. I couldn’t believe we did it just me and Jenn but I’m so glad we did, because it just felt so right doing it there and then. I was so proud of Jenn and just overwhelmed that she had absolutely nailed the situation. What a woman! Then the ambulances arrived… 1 for mum and 1 for baby. With 4 paramedics. Then the 2 midwives arrived, and we went from just me Jenn and our baby to all the help we could possibly need. It was all a bit blurry from then as there was a lot of people around and we ended up going to Heartlands for check-ups as it was classed as a 999 emergency.
Maddox Francis was born at home at 11:03 pm 15th March 2020. We even remembered to screen shot the time! He weighed 6 lb 13 oz and is perfect.
We were delighted with our birth even though it wasn’t exactly what we thought. No pain relief, no midwives, taken into hospital anyway but It worked out well because then we had the time in hospital with the right care for Jenn and baby and we were back home for Monday night”.
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