Well, I am not sure where to start. Having had one very problem and stress free homebirth in London with my first daughter, Grace, the midwife turned up at the same time as Grace did, I really didn’t have much doubt that I would have my next baby at home. However having moved back to Australia I found there is far less support for homebirth here than in the UK. Anyway, we found a wonderful midwife and all was going very well, doing my yoga and very positive that all would be well and there would be absolutely no problem to get in the way of my waterbirth. At about 33 weeks the baby turned into a breech position, I was still not worried as in the second pregnancy the baby often moves.

At 34 weeks I was told that I had severe anaemia and needed a blood transfusion, which I refused and compromised with an iron infusion. Whilst in the hospital I encountered an obstetrician who told me that I was ‘very silly to consider going ahead with a home birth as the baby’s head was stuck under my rib and a normal delivery would be dangerous and harmful to my baby’. It was obvious I would require a caesarean. It was his attitude, along with a lot of negativity from various people around me, excluding my husband, family (especially my mother) and midwives, (Wendy and Tania) that determined I would find out as much as possible about this fear surrounding breech birth. I went home and tried homeopathic and natural remedies including moxibustion, all to no avail. At 37-38 weeks I agreed to try an ECV, fortunately my midwife knew an excellent obstetrician who is a very supportive believer in the woman’s ability to birth naturally and where she is most comfortable, without unnecessary intervention. So when the baby wouldn’t turn we did an ultrasound to determine the position, and found it was a straightforward breech. He said he could see no reason why hospital intervention would be required and was supportive of my decision to go ahead and deliver vaginally and at home. So with all the research and reading I had done and the knowledge that I had two skilled midwives and that I was quite capable of birthing, head first or bottom first, we got ready. I had full support from my wonderful husband and mother and this helped me with my convictions that we could do it.

At about 10.30pm on Tuesday evening I started to get jittery and anxious, shaking and panicking. I remembered from the first one that this happened just before some serious contracting started so I rang Wendy and then my husband who was at work. I also rang my mother as we had decided that it might be a good idea for her to be there in case Grace woke up, also she was keen to see the actual birth. I instructed Ivan (husband) to come home immediately to put up the pool and start filling, which he did. Of course he did a lot of ‘bloke’ things before hand, rigging up all sorts of contraptions to ensure the water was the right temperature and that the hose didn’t fly all over the living room. But he did a very good job and followed my instructions very well. Wendy and Tania live about 45 minutes away so by the time they arrived I was in the pool and having serious contractions very close together, this was midnight. About 5 minutes later I asked if I could push as I really felt I needed to, Wendy told me to do whatever my body told me to do, I was in charge, or rather the baby and my body were.

The water was definitely a help, particularly while pushing and opening up ready for the birth. I must say that pushing out the little bottom was no easier than pushing out a head, it took quite a while in fact. I could feel that it was almost there and then it would come back in! I was trying all that I knew, my yoga breathing, moaning, going into the contractions, all things that worked wonderfully with my first, but for some reason this time I could not find my groove, so to speak. I have no doubt this slowed things down a little as I was getting frustrated, not conducive to labour. But I managed to remind myself of all I had read and allowed myself to feel it all and help my little baby out. I stayed on my knees leaning against the wall of the pool and with quite a few more pushes the bottom and one foot slid out. The second foot was caught a little and needed a few more minutes, but it came. Once the body was out I rested for about 5 minutes, which I find bizarre to think about now. Anyway, the shoulders and head came out very fast, just like Grace’s bottom and legs came out fast the first time.

And it was wonderful, I held her up to my chest and couldn’t believe we had done it, my little baby and I. I spent a good few minutes just marvelling at how beautiful she was, and so alert, very pink, eyes wide open and with healthy lungs! 2.06am Wednesday morning, only 3 hours after I started having heavy contractions. My mum was there and along with my midwives and Ivan (my husband) we just sat looking at her. Grace had managed to sleep through the whole thing!

Finally Wendy suggested we move out of the pool as it was getting cold. So with some help we got out and as I stood the placenta literally fell out. We sat for about an hour or more, with my little girl on my breast and then finally tied the cord off. Wendy uses thread rather than the horrible plastic pegs used in hospitals. We wrapped her up and finally let her dad absorb some of her magic while we did the ‘housekeeping’, I hadn’t torn so needed no stitches, and in fact was able to get up and wee immediately, without any pain! All these things added to my experience of it all being so wonderful.

It took us a couple of days to find Mia’s name, Mia Maisy, but she fits it perfectly.

And I try to tell anyone who wants to listen that breech births do not necessarily mean hospitalisation or caesarean. Given our situation and my faith in myself, the support of my husband, mum, Wendy and Tania, it was definitely the right thing for us.

Thanks for letting me share my wonderful water birth with my very special baby who chose to enter this world feet first.