Home Birth Story Katie + Olivia
So there had been a few days where we thought this baby was starting to come, with some stronger contractions and some regular pattern. This all started at 36 weeks!
All of that combined with finding out she was pregnant so early made it feel like Katie had been pregnant forever!
However with no poking or prodding, this baby came in her own time at 41 weeks and 1 day.
Mild contractions started building through the day and I got a text giving me a heads up at 17:15 saying they had been coming throughout the day but were about 1:10 and can talk through them.
Then by 18:30 they were 1-2:10 and lasting 45 seconds and Katie ordered a burger from #fathippodurham still saying they weren’t bad and she’d probably have a nap and sleep through them.
Meanwhile I was packing an overnight bag and getting some dinner ready to be called any minute.
At 19:04 I got a message saying the last two were significantly stronger.
I asked if I should come but she said no maybe in an hour.
I said ok but started pulled on all my labour clothes 😂
19:12 she said she’d called her mum over but still didn’t want me to come as she didn’t want it to be a wasted trip.
I said I would just come and chill out at the house if it was too early.
19:54 I arrived at the house to get chilling in the shower baby’s heartbeat was great and so I went back down to get my stuff set up in the pool room.
20:00 Katie has a massive contraction and I can hear her from downstairs - I run back upstairs thinking she’s having the baby on the toilet from the noise.
No baby yet but she’s definitely not far away.
Katie tries to make it downstairs but no joy. She makes it out of the bathroom and onto the dressing area floor.
I bring all the kit and towels and gas and air up and then quietly watch Katie really calmly and gently birth her baby while resting her head on her husband’s knee.
Olivia was born perfect and healthy at 20:29 and cried immediately as we all just took it all in.
Big brother and grandma came in straight away at Katie’s request.
✨Birth Story Part 3✨
Waiting for the placenta to come Katie wanted to stay where she was, so she held her, ate and drank chatted to William and her mum as her mind and body caught up with what had just happened!!
It was all so fast that she said it didn’t feel real. Katie said it didn’t hurt and it felt so much easier than her first birth. She didn’t feel a need to push!
About 40 minutes later the placenta came, cord still attached and we managed to get a little photo of her lying next to it.
After some more cuddles a feed and a check over of both Katie and Olivia while they stayed in skin to skin, Katie had a glass of Champagne and got comfy not wanting to move just yet. It felt like a little sacred space that they weren’t ready to move out of.
When all the family and friends had been called and Katie was ready for a quick shower before bed I weighed baby Olivia in the sling she was 7lb7oz and had her oral vitamin k.
Then finally time for dad to get a cuddle as Katie showered, got into bed and time for baby’s second feed as labour care was all done by 00:30.
