Thank you for all the suggestions and guidance I received on your course.
First time round I had a new bathroom fitted instead of an independent midwife – assuming the NHS would be fine – and it WAS alright except for the breastfeeding and the arrival of two strangers at my home birth unannounced.
The first three months were tough and nothing how I imagined new motherhood – rigged up to a milking machine – desperately trying to GET IT RIGHT! I do feel this could have been avoided had I read up about breastfeeding beforehand. I recommend Ina May’s guide to breastfeeding and the World Health Organisations video on You Tube showing how to initiate breatsfeeding.
The bathroom probably helped rent out the flat and get us a bigger home but second time around I chose an independent midwife and the consistent care and confidence they gave me were great. It made such a difference after the birth as well. I felt in safe hands and the experience of the midwives was invaluable. They listened to my concerns and responded sensitively, gave me dvds, affirmed me, nurtured me and my baby and involved my daughter of 2 years, making her feel comfortable about the birth and giving me a child’s storybook with home birth in it. They were so soothing and caring and while it’s a huge amount of money it was more than worth it.
They also had a lovely friend who made the placenta into pills for me to eat and turned the cord into a pendant. Second time around I delivered the placenta naturally and the cord was left until it stopped pulsating. SO different.
I’m so grateful to you for suggesting this. I do know someone else who had a lovely homebirth with NHS community midwives but its so important to know what you want.
Andre was born in one hour, my hand feeling his head as he popped out. No waterbirth this time but just as beautiful. The midwives and my partner arrived half an hour before him and I did wonder if I might be on my own.
Hypnobirthing kept me calm and we are now so tired of the CD since it really helped me through both births and is frequently used at bedtimes and throughout the night.
all our best wishes,
Lucy, Peter, Lotte and Arthur