Birth stories - Home water birth with midwife

Birth stories - Home water birth with midwife ^Featured

Siobhan Mairead Wilcox (40) always thought her work was her life. Read her story here.

She figured her work as a chiropractor fulfilled her enough but like she says herself, Mother Nature kicked her hard in the pants! She got injured and had to take two months off work. This showed her that she would not lose her patients and that maternity leave could be arranged if she should have a baby. She had her first child, Liam, at home in the water with a midwife.

“I have never been a fan of the medical fraternity – I had an actinidomycosis growth in my neck when I was about eight years old and had to go from doctor to doctor to doctor to find out what it was. Then the trauma of having to go to hospital and have it cut out, traumatised me for life. My sister was a highly allergic child and the only person that finally helped her was a homeopath. From then on we went with alternative therapy all the way.” Having treated many pregnant women and babies, she had heard all sorts of birth stories and was convinced she did not want to birth with a gynae or in hospital.

Homebirth an option

“One of the midwives I met at an open day at Linkwood, referred most of her moms and babies to me for treatment. She was the first person I called when I found out I was pregnant. At one of our consultations, she asked me if I would consider a home birth. I had never imagined one could do that – but when my hubby was in agreement, we opted for it all the way. When I was studying and teaching swimming, I once saw a video of births in the Black Sea. From then on I decided I wanted to birth my kids in the sea or at the very least in the water. I am a water baby and have always loved water. We did the antenatal classes with my midwife and that was about all the formal prep we did. My doula suggested that I read Birthing from Within, which I did and did most of the activities in the book as further prep. I trusted that if God had given me a body that was designed to give birth vaginally – that was what I was going to do. I saw no reason to put myself anywhere near a hospital ever again in my life. As a chiropractor, I fully trust in the body’s own ability to function naturally on all levels, including birthing a child.”

Amazing baby movements

With her first child, baby Liam, her pregnancy went very well. “The first indication was sore sacroiliac joints during yoga. I think my pelvis was just so relaxed and mobile the ligaments complained. Once I knew I was pregnant it made sense. I continued to work, play under-water hockey and do yoga. I had to give up kick-boxing and stopped playing under-water hockey at about six months. I also craved sweets because my blood sugar would just drop. I tried to keep food with me wherever I went. It was truly amazing to feel my baby’s movements. What an amazing feeling knowing it’s a life fluttering around and hiccupping.”

Water broke

On 16 March, 2008, at around 17:30, Siobhan felt a trickle of “water” whilst she was standing. “I thought, ‘wow, I am sure I have not just wet myself!’. Fortunately it was a freezing cold day and I had black pants and boots on – no one could see anything. I went to the loo to check. It was just wet, no blood or anything alarming. So I went outside again and the same thing happened.” She knew she was in labour and her contractions started by 17:45. They came fast and furious. “They were about five minutes apart and alternated – one hard, one easy. If I moved, it brought on a contraction. My doula arrived and put me straight into my bath. She suggested that I eat some food. I was not keen at all but had some pasta and dark chocolate. Well, a little later that all came straight back out. I knew I did not need food!”

Joint pain worse than contractions

Her sacroiliac joints ached throughout her whole labour. “We tried a few things to ease the pain – heat, bouncing on the ball, walking, and squatting. Nothing helped. I think that pain was worse than the contractions. Needless to say the birthing pool was where I was most comfy. Hot water was the best place. Getting out to go to the loo was not pleasant, every step brought on a contraction.” Her husband was fantastic and breathed every contraction with her. “He held my hands throughout. Even when the midwife said he could go sleep, he said no way.” Around 02:30, her midwife said she could start pushing.

Goal-orientated contractions

“These contractions were not painful at all. They felt totally goal-orientated and I knew we were close to the end. At one point I felt Liam’s head almost coming out and then the contraction was over. His head slipped back in. I panicked! All that hard work and he just disappeared. It took about two more contractions and his head came out. One more and he was floating in the water, still attached. How surreal and amazing. It was a momentous moment. Love at first sight.” Siobhan says they let Liam “swim around a little” and he was then lifted onto her chest. Her baby stayed put until the umbilical cord stopped pulsating. Her husband cut the cord. “My husband and Liam bonded while I delivered the placenta. We planted it under our lemon tree. Liam started breast feeding shortly after. What an awesome gift to be able to successfully feed from the word go. Afterwards we all slept. Liam slept for eight hours. I phoned my midwife to ask if we should be worry and she just about flipped! She said I had to feed him immediately. Which I did and he latched and fed. In hind sight I am not sure it was such a stress.”

Intense and unrelenting

“My first labour with Liam was 9.5 hours in total from start to finish. It was so intense and unrelenting that I did think it was the hardest thing I had ever done. However, my births are the most empowering, amazing, most gratifying experiences of my entire life. I felt like I could take on the world after that. Endorphins are an amazing drug!” The heat of the water helped her enormously and she says she just wanted to exit the conversation by sinking under the water. “It was a stormy night and so the rain was also very soothing. A very dear friend of mine was pregnant at the same time as me, two months ahead. In truth, she was also one of THE reasons that I agreed to have a child. We grew up together and I knew that together we could do this mothering. To this day we are on the same page with most things mothering. She came to me wanting advice on birthing. I suggested that she see my midwife and decide from there if it was what she wanted to do. She opted for a home birth too. I remember her telling me that she just kept saying that every blink of an eye was one blink closer to meeting her little man.

Imagery

So I used that a lot throughout the labour. I held my hubby’s hands throughout too. He breathed every contraction with me. I sat under water a lot blowing bubbles. I kept doing as much imagery as possible – imaging a vortex spinning, helping my little boy to birth. I kept running through all the advice in Birthing from Within and trying to apply it in the moment.” Her hubby commented that he had never seen someone so “goofed” as she was that night.

Baby’s weight: 3,39 kg @ 41 weeks

Labour lasted: 9,5 hours

Birth date: 17 March, 2008

Birth stories - Home water birth with midwife Featured

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Birth stories - Home water birth with midwife ^Featured