I’m incredibly proud of how I birthed our baby into this world

Stephanie’s Birth Story 

Australia, Perth
Finley Peter, 3090g
39+6
Natural vaginal birth in hospital

Our journey to get pregnant was not as magical as we had hoped, with a diagnosis of endometriosis, low AMH and a unicornuate uterus. Despite everything we were told and with a looming IVF appointment booked, we fell pregnant naturally.

From the very beginning I knew that I wanted to birth at a Family Birthing Centre and despite a potential high risk pregnancy, we were accepted at our local FBC. It was the continuity of care and women-led model that we were attracted to at the FBC and we were so thrilled to be accepted. Halfway through our pregnancy we attended a hypnobirthing course. Having many fertility issues, there were times when medical professionals would tell us what to do. Attending a hypnobirthing course gave us the knowledge and strength to advocate for what we wanted for our birth.

At 39+5 weeks pregnant I felt some light contractions as we headed to bed. Sleeping through them, I awoke at 11.30pm to my waters breaking as a big gush. My waters were green, which I knew meant that meconium was present. As soon as my water broke the surges started strong and fast, and my partner called our midwife to let her know. We made a plan to meet at the main hospital at 1.30am. Because meconium was present, we had to be continuously monitored and were unable to birth at the main hospital. I told myself over and over ‘I accept wherever this birth takes us’. I wasn’t worried about the change in venue as my partner put on the TENS machine and got things ready to leave.

We arrived at the hospital at 1.40am and our midwife was there to greet us. Our student midwife arrived shortly after and they got to setting up the room with our galaxy projector, lights off and my meditation music playing. We had discussed with our midwives throughout the whole pregnancy what we wanted for birth and despite being in the main hospital, our midwives were able to provide the perfect environment for us to birth in. My partner stood by my head, offering me sips of water between contractions and whispering words of support. Our midwives left us alone to birth, knowing that my body was capable of bringing our baby into the world on its own. They only stepped in at the end, to provide perineal support as my baby crowned. With only my TENS machine and a wooden acupressure comb for management of the surges – I breathed our baby into the world at 4.35am. I lifted our baby onto my chest as my partner announced that we had a little boy (we kept the gender a surprise until birth).

Being in the main hospital and with meconium present, a paediatrician came in soon after to check our little boy over. Having the knowledge of the hypnobirthing course allowed me to have the confidence to ask if all checks could be done while baby was still on my chest. The answer was yes, and we were able to have that golden hour of skin to skin time, with baby having his first breastfeed. The midwives dealt with the delivering of the placenta and cleaning up while we basked in the first lights of the sunrise of a new day with our new son, Finley. I was thrilled to hear that I had only one minor tear that did not need any stitches and that we were discharged to go home later that day.

I’m incredibly proud of how I birthed our baby into this world and I couldn’t have done it without the knowledge that was given to us by our hypnobirthing course. Despite a few complications, I felt no fear and look back on that day as the most magical day of my life.