No.5 - Home delivery at last!
Caroline delivered No. 4 at Poole hospital as she was 5 weeks early and she was the first of my babies that Caroline had delivered. Pollyanna arrived safely weighing 5lb 2oz, she breathed normally at birth but we had to spend 7 days in the Trans Natal unit where staff insisted feeding her for the first 4 days, initially with FORMULA milk. I loathed being in hospital and felt cheated of my home birth once again (No. 3 was also early and had to be delivered in hospital instead of home).
No 5 was due early June and after lengthy discussion with Caroline she agreed that she would be prepared to deliver baby at home from 35 weeks (because of my history of 4 babies delivered at 37, 38, 36 & 35 weeks). May Day Bank Holiday weekend my cousins family with their 4 children arrive for the weekend. I have a large show on Sunday lunch time so I call Caroline to tell her that labour is imminent (but I am only 34 weeks!).
Caroline phones Poole Maternity to be told that baby will be placed in SCBU, lines will be put into baby in case they need to use them and there is no bed for Mother so I can sleep in a chair or go home. Caroline knows that I am not going to like this news and so she calls Mary Cronk who is an independent midwife from Chichester experienced in premature birth. She says to deliver at home and that she would be willing to assist and help Caroline with checking baby's lungs after birth.
So, 9 children in the house and we decide to go ahead and fulfill my dream of home birth. I sit down with my feet up for a few hours and somehow manage to stop myself from going into full labour until after the children have gone to bed. Caroline arrives and I go out for a walk with my cousins' wife to get things moving.
It felt wonderful to be so free in labour, I could wander around, make a cup of tea and Caroline just waited patiently upstairs for me to need her. Paul & I watched a movie together and by the time it finished the contractions had got very painful. By about midnight I started on entonox but my membranes would not break spontaneously and eventually Caroline broke my waters at 03.10.
Harry was delivered at 03.35, 6 weeks early weighing 7lbs and breathing. Mary then helped with checking his lungs. Paul & I had a cup of tea in bed with our handsome little bundle.
Caroline then stayed for 10 hours to monitor baby's breathing every hour as the first 12 hours are the most crucial for such an early baby. It was the most wonderful birth. Paul was a sceptic but now preaches the benefits of home birth. Caroline… well she makes you feel so good that you just want to do it all over again. Antenatal care, labour and giving birth all seem so easy with Caroline. Without you I would never have achieved my home birth. Thank you from all of us.