Shared here with permission, this story was originally written by Helen Colby-Major on April 03, 2020, posted on the Positive Birth Community Facebook Group.

home water birth
💗 second birth
💗 baby girl
💗 40+1 weeks (just 3 hours late for her due date)
💗 no pain relief
💗 born 1/4/20 at 2.52am

I had a positive home birth with my first 3 years ago but with a toddler to look after and the scary times we’re living in I didn’t feel as prepared this time round. I was also worried that home births were going to be cut in our area. With all the stress I have to admit I was panicking slightly in the run up to the birth. I needn’t have worried though as my body remembered exactly what to do!…

I started having a few mild, irregular surges on the afternoon of the 31st. I didn’t tell my husband as he tends to go into full on panic mode! At around 8pm though he noticed something was happening. All was still very irregular and manageable but he called our midwife regardless. She came out to just check me over as they were coming every 3 minutes and some were stronger than others.

Turns out baby was back to back which is why things weren’t picking up steadily. Our midwife advised me to lay on my left hand side to encourage her to move, try to get some rest and call her back if/when things ramped up.

I was only laying down for around half hour when things picked up fast! I went straight to having very intense surges a minute on a minute off! We called the midwife back out and hubby continued to fill the pool.

I was only having these surges about an hour before I could feel her coming! The pool wasn’t ready so I was kneeling on the sofa holding onto the back. I could feel her descending with every surge and it was all very intense and fast!

Finally the pool was ready and I was given the choice to get in or stay where I was as her head was right there! I chose to get in the pool. Once in it was only around another 3 surges before her head was out! The last surge came and I was able to reach down and get her myself. The cord was round her neck so I had some help with that but I was then able to pull her to my chest and have the most amazing first cuddles! That feeling of relief, love and complete joy I had remembered from the first time was just as good second time round. From when things ramped up to when she was born was only around 2 hours!

I chose to have a managed third stage this time as I had issues delivering the placenta first time round. All went smoothly this time and we had the most amazing first hour! I only had a first degree tear and no stitches needed.

Just like my first birth I was reminded of the intense and incredible power our bodies hold and have been in awe of this miracle again ever since. Never in my life have I ever felt like such a complete bad ass!
We (women) are totally amazing and although we aren’t planning any further children I hope I never forget a single detail of my two incredible, intense and miraculous birthing experiences 😊