The Birth Interview Project consists of 17 simple questions designed to help mothers process their birth story & share it with others. All mothers are invited to take part in this project. Born out of Joy’s desire to help women discover, process and express the feelings surrounding their birth experiences, The Birth Interview Project strives to offer a platform for mothers and readers alike to share and be heard, to search and to discover, to identify and to heal, and to exhort and remember. The views and opinions expressed here are unique to each woman who takes part in the Birth Interview Project and may not always reflect the values of the blog author.
37 week bump
Please give a brief description of yourself, and what number baby/birth you’re sharing with us.
Hi there, I’m Simone,I’m 22 and I’m from the UK. This is the story of my second baby and first home birth.
What was your due date, and what was your baby’s birth date?
Olivia was due on the 1st September and arrived the 5th September.
What was Olivia’s weight and length?
Olivia was 8lb 11oz; they didn’t do her length for some reason.
Please give a brief, one paragraph synopsis of your birth.
My labour was 4 hours. A planned homebirth. I rang the midwife at 8pm when contractions were every 3 minutes, they then went to every 1 minute and were very intense and then my body just started pushing! My partner was filling the birth pool and had to rush in to catch Olivia. She started crying straight away but had a very short cord, so short, in fact, she could only reach up to my belly button. The midwife then arrived and was shocked to see me sitting on the floor with Olivia.
What did you do to prepare for your labor and birth? Did it help?
I went to homebirth workshops, I also read a lot on how to prevent tearing as I had a third degree tear with ny first; with Olivia there was no tearing.
What did you like about your birth experience, if anything?
I liked how my body did all the pushing and the natural 3rd stage.
What did you not like about your birth experience, if anything?
I did not like the fact I never got chance to use my birth pool.
What surprised you about your contractions/labor?
The big surprise for me was how intense the contractions got and how quickly they changed from manageable to unbearable.
In reflection, would you do anything differently, either before the birth, during or after?
I would have the pool already set up, ready to fill and I would have rang my midwife earlier.
What do you remember the most about your birth?
I remember the moment Liv came out and just the amazing rush of love I had.
Sweet Baby Olivia
How was your birth experience different from what you imagined it to be?
It was different in the fact that I never imagined it to be so quick. I was told I would need a c section because of my previous tear.
What were your immediate emotions about yourself and or your birth experience after the birth?
Shock more than anything, my partner was, and still is, very proud of delivering Olivia. He and my birth partner who was 35 weeks pregnant herself were just amazing.
How would you describe your recovery?
The recovery was ok, I didn’t have any stitches but the after pains were a lot harder to deal with than I imagined.
How has your perspective of your birth experience with Olivia changed in the last 16 months since the first week of having her?
It’s not changed, I am very happy with how Olivia’s birth went. She is 16 months now and still as amazing as the first day we met.
Did you learn anything about yourself through this experience?
I learnt that I make strange noises in labour and that a woman during a contraction should never be interrupted. My partner interrupted me asking where the hose was!
Would you recommend having a natural childbirth or medicated childbirth to other women?
Definitely natural birth.
Any further thoughts, comments or advice you would like to share?
Not really, just go with your heart, don’t make definite plans as it can all change!
Mama and her girl
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