On 17 May 2010, I gave birth to my eldest daughter, Melody, at home in a birthing pool. I was really relaxed at home to the extent that the midwives were laughing and said they usually have screaming and swearing and the birth was beautiful.
She was born with her eyes open and appeared to swim up to me for a cuddle and a breast feed. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had. She was 6 lb, 2 oz born. When I fell pregnant again, there was no other way I was going to give birth than in the relaxation of my home. However, although not an issue at the time, the consultant at the hospital said that he did not recommend I have another home birth due to the fact that my first born was small.
I attended a Home Birth Meeting where a midwife there talked through things with me and said that I should get a midwife from the hospital to come to my home and discuss it with me and if a home birth was what I really wanted then as long as the midwifes were available to come out to me it should not be a problem. I did indeed have another home birth the second time round, albeit it not in the birthing pool as they took me out to break my waters and Harmony was born about 15 minutes later on 16 October 2011 after weighing 6.12.
Without the support of the midwives and the home birthing support group, that second home birth may not have been possible. The idea of going to hospital to give birth is alien to me whilst if there were any complications, hospital would probably be best. I do feel mothers should be more encouraged and supported to birth where they feel the most relaxed. After all, home births were "normal" years ago. I was also able to sell my birthing pool through the home birth support group afterwards and it was just lovely hearing other people's birth stories
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