Freebirth 101
I have written this course to provide the thousands of women considering unassisted birth (due to COVID-19) with the essential information necessary for a safe and stress-free birthing experience.
It is paramount that we protect the reputation of unassisted home-births during such a time of panic and dismay- the best way to achieve this is to educate yourself, your family and your birth partner on the fundamental principles of an unassisted birth so that your birth is conducted in confidence and with the knowledge to calmly deal with emergency situations should they arise.
About Me
I am a trained Doula with experience in childbirth education and birth support; since training, I have decided to forego certification in order to better support mothers who wish to home-birth unassisted (freebirth) as most certification boards do not allow their workers to support such demographics.
I am currently pregnant with my first child and have experienced an entirely unassisted pregnancy; it has been my plan all along to birth unassisted, and, with the breadth of knowledge I have garnered over the last few years, I am 100% confident and unafraid.
This is my wish for every woman.
If you wish to contact me personally, or would like additional doula support after viewing this page, please:
Send an email to: hollycarine@outlook.com
Reach me on Instagram @age.olde.birthing
Use the contact form at the bottom of my website: https://hollycarine.wixsite.com/ageoldebirthing
Freebirth 101 Covers:
What is Freebirthing?
Is it Legal?
What Supplies do I Need?
What are the Risks?
(And How to Avoid Them)
True Emergencies
(And What to Do)
FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Postpartum Care
Birth Stories
Additional Support (And Resources)
What is Freebirthing?
Freebirth is the less formal synonym for 'Unassisted Childbirth'.
The Macmillan Dictionary defines Freebirth as:
"the process of giving birth to a baby at home and without the help of a doctor, midwife or other medical professional." 1
Freebirth is also known as 'Unhindered Birth', 'Unassisted Childbirth' (UC) or 'DIY Birth'. 2
Freebirth commonly includes the assistance of: family members, spouse/ partner, children and birth assistants who are not medically certified, such as doulas.
The safety of freebirth has not been definitively studied, and subsequently we are left with annecdotal evidence to discern the potential risk. Alternatively, we can look to homebirth statistics to provide a rough idea of risk potentiality. See the table below with statistical findings from one such homebirth study (Jansson et al, 2009).
(Note that, by default, a freebirth mitigates the usage of medical equipment and thus the rates of episiotomy, cesarean and EFM are drastically decreased unless the mother is transferred. This can also be said for augmentation of labor (usage of labor inducing chemicals))
Is it Legal?
The US and the UK have different rules regarding freebirth; freebirth is legal in all states in the US and is currently legal in the UK.
US Specific rules:
Some states require a free-birthing mother to report to a hospital or pediatrician within a strict time frame after birth to avoid the involvement of CPS (Child Protective Services); this is not the case with all states, and mothers can call their local Vital Statistics Office to get information regarding the legality of free-birthing and to order the paperwork necessary for registering their babies. The requirements for registering a birth differ from state to state, but usually require proof of pregnancy and at least one affidavit from a birth witness.
UK Specific Rules:
A mother in the UK has full rights to deny prenatal and antenatal care, as well as medical professional attendance at her birth. The only legal requirements are for the mother to notify the the local NHS Trust of the birth (which can be found at www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/pages/nhstrustlisting.aspx) within 36 hours; and to register the birth at the local Registrar Office within 42 days of birth.
What Supplies Do I Need?
Essentials
Birthing Mother
Mess Catching/ Cleaning Material (e.g. towels, puppy/ chux pads, waterproof sheet)
Preferred (by most)
Birth Partner (spouse, family, doula, friend)
Cord Cutting/ Tying Aparatus (sterilised scissors, cord clamp, cord tie)
Herbal Tinctures (for hemorrhage: angelica root, wombstringe; for afterbirth pains: afterease)
Flexible Tape Measure
Rubbish Bags
Scale
Optional Extras
Pain Relief (TENS machine, arnica 30/300, OTC medicaton, heat packs, cool packs, herbal teas)
Electrolyte Drink (coconut water, supplemented water, fresh juice etc)
Decorations (fairy lights, personalised encouragement quotes etc)
Protein Heavy Snacks (meat & cheese bites, boiled eggs etc)
Birth Pool & Kit (pump, liner, hose, adapter)
(Video) Camera (spare batteries)
Placenta Bowl (& herbs for lotus birth)
Stethoscope/ Fetoscope
Cup & Straw
Birth Ball (exercise ball)
Bulb Syringe
Sitz Bath
Peri-Bottle
Music Playlist
Gloves
PLEASE NOTE- the following 'Potential Risks' are noted to be incredibly low, and hence it is important to highlight that this section is for EDUCATIONAL purposes, and not to instill fear.
Potential Risks
And How to Avoid Them
This is a list of commonly perceived risks associated with home-birth or unassisted birth. This is not an exhaustive list, and I encourage you to research more on each point.
Breech Birth
'Breech' presentation is a position whereby the baby is 'upside down'; the legs, buttocks or feet are presenting at the bottom of the uterus instead of the head. A breech presentation usually resolves itself in the mid-late stages of the 3rd trimester, but sometimes persists. Hospitals consider this a birth complication and often results in C-section despite the existence of numerous remedies which can be employed at any stage of pregnancy (including active labor). Some of these remedies include:
1. Adjustment by a Webster Certified Chiropractor (up to 92% success rate)
2. 'Spinning Babies' exercises (https://spinningbabies.com/learn-more/baby-positions/breech/flip-a-breech/)
3. Eating hot, spicy or cold foods/ liquids to encourage baby to flip
4. Continue delivery with adjustments (see photos at bottom of section for instructions)
Breech positioning occurs in 3-4% of full term pregnancies. 4
Exhaustion
Exhaustion is not a common occurrence in home-births or free-births, and usually only occurs during labors where a baby is not positioned optimally and could be re-positioned using 'The Miles Circuit' (http://www.milescircuit.com/the-circuit.html). The body will usually allow the mother rest periods when required, however some mothers do become dehydrated, malnourished and subsequently exhausted if labor lasts an extended period.
The main ways to prevent exhaustion are:
1. Maintain adequate hydration levels from the onset of labor (this means electrolyte rich fluids, NOT plain water. Electrolyte rich fluids include coconut water, broth, (raw) juices & (raw) milk)
2. Maintain adequate food intake from the onset of labor (with particular emphasis on protein-rich foods to keep blood pressure steady. Have snacks readily available or enlist a birth assistant to ensure the mother is consistently fed)
3. Sleep as much as possible during early labor (when contractions are more than 5 minutes apart)
The main ways to combat exhaustion are:
1. Electrolyte rich beverages (e.g. coconut water, broth, (raw) juices, (raw) milk)
2. Honey (in snacks, in water etc)
3. Attempting to sleep between contractions
4. Attempting to labor whilst laying on the side/ back (only if absolutely necessary)
Pre-eclampsia
Unless the mother is opting for an unassisted pregnancy, their care-provider will likely diagnose them a long time before labor (from 20+ weeks); standard care seeks to reduce the blood pressure and associated symptoms of the mother, but often results in C-Section (up to 70%) and pre-term birth. Since pre-eclampsia is a pre-emptive condition, it can be treated and reversed before labor; some research by Dr Tom Brewer suggests that pre-eclampsia can be reversed in 24 hours using dietary interventions (http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/id36.html). Dr Brewer claimed a 100% success rate. Adoption of the Brewer Diet (high protein, high salt, high calorie) at any stage of pregnancy drastically reduces the likelihood of pre-eclampsia related risk.
Hemorrhage
Post-partum hemorrhage is an extremely rare condition whereby a mother experiences excessive bleeding (more than 2 cups/ 500ml) after the birth of the baby. Hemorrhage usually occurs when the placenta is prematurely torn from the uterine wall; this can happen in numerous circumstances: a care provider tugs on the cord to prematurely detach the placenta, the cord is short and birth tugs the placenta from the wall, and forceful pushing causes the placenta to be tugged from the wall as baby is forcefully ejected. Hemorrhage can be avoided by:
1. Allowing the placenta to birth in its own time (will usually birth within 1.5-2 hours, but most commonly before 1 hour)
2. Ensuring someone is able to catch the baby to avoid a short cord tugging the placenta (alternatively place a nest of blankets to birth baby onto, and push close to the ground)
3. DO NOT COACHED PUSH; push only if/when the body instructs the mother to push- otherwise wait for FER/ Fetal Ejection Reflex (involuntary pushing).
Numerous remedies exist to treat a hemorrhage:
1. Angelica Root Tincture - to be used ONLY if the placenta has not been birthed, but mother is excessively bleeding.
2. Shepherd's purse/ Wombstringe Tincture- to be used AFTER the placenta has been birthed and mother is excessively bleeding.
3. Place a piece of the mother's placenta inside her cheek if it has been birthed (oxytocin will halt bleeding)
4. Suck on the umbilical cord if the placenta has not been birthed (oxytocin will halt bleeding)
5. Nurse the baby immediately (oxytocin will halt bleeding)
6. Place baby skin-to-skin with mother (oxytocin will halt bleeding)
7. Fundal Massage (as instructed in photos at the bottom of this section)
Jansson et al (2009) reported the rate of hemorrhage at 3.8% for home-births. 5
Nove et al (2012) proposed a 1.1% risk for vaginal births. 6
Sometimes the placenta will not birth in 1 piece, and a mother will retain a membrane or chunk of it; ensure that you observe the placenta when it is born (it will be very obvious if a chunk is retained- but look at photographs and videos of 'normal' placentas to get an idea of what an intact one should look like). If a mother retains some placenta, it can cause excessive bleeding and sometimes infection- the remedy for bleeding is to take Placenta Out Tincture or Angelica Root. Look out for fever, chills and prolonged excessive bleeding if you are concerned about retention, and then try interventions mentioned above before seeking assistance.
Both retention of membranes and infection from retention are incredibly rare. Rate of retained membranes is 1-3% in vaginal delivery, with the highest risk of infection occurring after surgical removal of said retained tissue. 7
It is important to note that 'retained membranes' includes a placenta birthed >60 minutes from delivery in this study- this is a variation of normal, and hence the rate of ACTUAL partial membrane retention after the birth of the placenta is lower but not specified.
Retention of membranes is less likely when a mother's natural oxytocin levels are stimulated; you can dim lights, have as much skin-to-skin with baby/spouse as possible, stimulate nipples, place placenta in cheek, suck on the umbilical cord and kiss to encourage oxytocin production.
Placenta Previa
Placenta Previa is a condition whereby the placenta lies low in the uterus, usually covering the cervical opening to varying degrees. It can be potentially life threatening and makes vaginal delivery extremely difficult if not impossible. Women with Placenta Previa will experience bright red blood loss from the vagina late into pregnancy- if you suspect that you have it, see a medical professional. It is an incredibly rare condition, with approximately 0.36% of first time mothers affected, and 0.53% for VBAC mothers birthing for the 2nd time (most of which resolve on their own as the uterus expands and draws the placenta upwards). 8
'Baby Too Big'/ Shoulder Dystocia
A common concern, particularly among spouses of petite women, is that the baby will be too big to fit through the birth canal. This is largely due to the misconception that the width of a woman's hips accurately portrays their capacity to fit a baby through; the truth is that a woman's body physiologically prepares to birth her baby regardless of hip size. A woman's ligaments, joints and connective tissue become very loose/ malleable in pregnancy thanks to the hormone Relaxin; this hormone allows the pelvis (and ligaments around it) to stretch and separate to varying degrees, facilitating even the chunkiest of newborns. Unless a woman is diagnosed with a malformation of the pelvis, she should absolutely be able to birth her own baby as her body has prepared so vigilantly to achieve. If a woman feels that the baby needs assistance, numerous positions can be implemented to widen the pelvis including: the 'Seated Squat' and the 'Forward Lean' with knees together and ankles splayed out to the sides.
Medically speaking, a care provider may estimate the weight of a baby and convince a mother that it is too big to fit through the birth canal without its shoulders becoming stuck; this is referred to as Shoulder Dystocia, and mainly affects babies born to mothers with Gestational Diabetes. Laboring and pushing whilst laying on her back also increases a mother's chances of Shoulder Dystocia, as it narrows the pelvis and restricts the baby's ability to turn itself to maneuver through the pelvis.
If the baby's shoulders are not delivered within 2 contractions after the head, try to switch positions to 'Hands and Knees' (all fours) or the 'Runner's Position' (single legged lunge); this will almost always release the baby's shoulders. If the baby will still not release, a birth attendant can maneuver the baby out of the canal using the technique outlined in the photos at the bottom of this section.
Shoulder Dystocia occurs in 0.7% of vaginal births. 9
Nuchal Cord/ Suffocation
Nuchal Cord refers to an occurrence whereby the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck at birth (sometimes multiple times); this is a commonly misrepresented as a 'risk' to the baby. Up to 35% of babies will be born with a Nuchal Cord, and it is not inherently risky in and of itself; it simply requires unwrapping after full delivery. The thick 'Wharton's Jelly' surrounding the arteries inside an umbilical cord protect them from compression, meaning blood flow from the placenta is maintained in spite of a wrap (if there were a serious cord complication, compression or restriction, symptoms would present much earlier than delivery and would usually be identified first by a decrease in fetal movement).
The main fear most have regarding Nuchal Cord is that the baby will suffocate; in fact, a baby has approximately 3 minutes' worth of oxygen supply in their placenta & cord in addition to the protective jelly layer mitigating compression of the arteries. This means that a baby may not even take their first breath for up to 3 minutes after they are born, but still have adequate oxygen supply from placental blood. If, however, your baby does not breathe, cry or looks limp or lifeless, please do the following immediately:
1. Turn the baby so that their stomach is on your forearm and back facing the ceiling; pat and rub their back in this position to loosen potential mucus or fluid blocking their airways.
2. Use your mouth or bulb syringe to suction mucus from the baby's mouth and nose.
3. Perform infant CPR as instructed in the photos at the bottom of this thread.
4. If all else fails, call an ambulance.
Once again, this is an incredibly rare scenario and most babies will be born perfectly healthy and breathing well. Most babies will appear somewhat blue/ purple (discoloured) immediately after birth, and require back rubs and a few breaths before they 'pink up'- this is PERFECTLY normal.
Meconium Stained Waters/ MAS
Meconium is a baby's first poop- it is thick/ tar like and usually green. A small percentage of babies will release their meconium inside the womb before the waters rupture; you will be able to tell if your baby has pooped if your waters are coloured any shade of green/ brown when they break. 8-12% of babies are born with meconium stained waters, and it is important to realise that this is a variation of normal (not a cause for concern). The risk of Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (breathing problems due to aspiration of meconium in the process of birth) only becomes prevalent when a baby is distressed or asphyxiated, and hence is forced to breathe deeply during birth (usually prostaglandins decrease fetal 'breathing' during labour). In order to keep the baby as calm as possible, try to:
1. Keep the mother calm and confident
2. Avoid rupturing the bag of waters if it has not broken by itself
3. Create a relaxing birth environment (dim lighting, comfortable blankets etc)
The likelihood that a baby with meconium in the waters will aspirate it is 1-2% (of the 8-12%); this relates to an approximate 0.6% chance of Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. 10
If your baby is born with meconium stained waters and has laboured breathing (sharp and short) in spite of trying the interventions mentioned above, seek assistance.
True Emergencies
The following are true emergencies which need medical assistance to resolve:
1. Mother is non-responsive after birth (due to shock, passing out etc)
2. Baby is non-responsive after birth (not responding to CPR, suctioning or other interventions mentioned above)
3. Mother continues to bleed excessively with worrisome symptoms (dizziness, repeated fainting, confusion) in spite of interventions listed above for hemorrhage
4. Mother is exhausted and is not responding to interventions mentioned above
5. Placental abruption (separation from the uterus) in the early stages of labour (indicated by bright red blood, swollen top of uterus, signs of shock presented)
6. Mother's intuition tells her that she needs to go to the hospital (not to be confused with transitional stage of labour as described later)
FAQ
Most commonly asked questions from Unassisted Birth Groups:
Where Can I Buy Tinctures?
InHisHands: inhishands.com
Blissful Herbs: www.blissfulherbs.com.au/
Amazon/ eBay/ Etsy (search individual tincture names)Where Can I Buy Birth Supplies?
InHisHands: inhishands.com
Amazon/ eBay/ Etsy (search individual items)How do I Tie/ Cut the Cord?
Wait until the cord is limp, white and has stopped pulsating; tie the cord at least 4 inches from the baby, and cut at least 2 inches further from the tie. 11What is a Lotus Birth and How do I Have One?
A lotus birth occurs when a baby's placenta is left attached until the cord dries and detaches of its own accord; usually this takes between 3 and 10 days. The placenta is placed in a lined receptacle (bowl, basket, bucket etc) and covered in a herb/salt mixture to encourage it to dry.Why Choose a Lotus Birth?
Some mothers choose a lotus birth because they feel that it helps their baby to transition to life outside of the womb in a gentle and gradual manner. Others may choose a lotus birth for personal reasons.What do I do with the Placenta?
This is a personal choice; some mothers throw out the placenta (usually in a trash bag/ a clinical waste bag), some keep it as a memoir, some bury it in their yard and some consume it.How Long Will my Birth Take?
It is difficult to gauge the length of a woman's labour before birth, however home-birth is usually indicative of shorter labours in all mothers (including FTMs). This is because the average length of labour is exaggerated due to the high rate of artificial induction in hospitals (around 30% globally). 12 Artificial induction lengthens labor for multiple reasons (including lack of appropriate hormone production for physiological birth). When a woman's body is left to engage in spontaneous labour, hormonal changes necessitate a shorter birth than their induced counterparts.
Studies show that a FTM (First Time Mother) should expect an average labour of 14 hours, and multi-paras mothers an average of 7.25 hours; when we take into consideration the effect of comfort, confidence, support, movement, and allowance of spontaneous labour, we can deduce that most mothers birthing at home will birth in less time than the average. 13 Anecdotal reports from unassisted mothers show that labour is usually faster than the above stated average (please look to birth stories to find this information).How Painful is Natural Birth?
A natural birth does not automatically equal excruciating pain; in fact, most unassisted mothers report that their contractions are akin to strong menstrual cramps and the pushing stage is a relief! So why does everyone think that labour is so painful? Well- it is because the average hospital birth IS painful- the overuse of pitocin (synthetic oxytocin used to stimulate uterine contractions) contributes to elevated 'pain' perception because the dosage is increased at a rate whereby your body cannot produce endorphins fast enough to counter the pain; in a spontaneous vaginal birth, contractions gradually build in intensity and allow the body to simultaneously manufacture its own pain-killing hormones. Not only this, but a home-birth allows a mother and her team to create an environment which can help to ease pain; dim lighting stimulates oxytocin production and hence endorphin production, walking and moving through labour allows a physical release of pain and re-positioning of the baby, skin to skin contact allows for increased production of endorphins and water (warm) can help to mitigate the intensity of contractions (there are other methods of reducing pain).What if I Tear?
Due to the nature of unassisted birth, tearing is not as prevalent as it is in a hospital setting. This is because interventions which increase the likelihood of tearing are minimised, including: coached pushing (unassisted mothers usually push with the body, or wait for Fetal Ejection Reflex) & pushing whilst laying on the back (use of gravity in an upright position spreads pressure more evenly around the perenium, decreasing the likelihood of tears). Unassisted mothers can also control the speed at which their babies are born (usually) by 'breathing the baby out'- this means a mother can control the descent of the baby to maximise the stretch of the perenium over a longer duration of time (she/ a birth partner can also support the perenium with their hands).
That said, tearing is not unheard of in unassisted births (sometimes labours are so fast that control of the baby's descent is not achievable and hence may be conducive to tearing). Wait until swelling has minimised after birth,and use a mirror or a partner to check for tears; if you have one, it is recommended to use an herbal Sitz Bath for quick healing, to keep the legs together as much as possible, to minimise movement as much as possible, to use seaweed compresses and to use a peri-bottle to spray water at the same time as urinating to decrease the burning sensation. If your tear is particularly bad, you may want to use butterfly (invisible) stitches to hold it together or seek medical treatment for stitches. Generally speaking, tears will heal on their own; assistance is only necessary if you feel uncomfortable going without, or if the tear is incredibly deep/ severe. (please see photo at the bottom of this section for a reference guide regarding degrees of tears)How do I Know I'm in Labour?
Many women experience 'Braxton Hicks' and 'Prodromal Labour' during the last weeks of their pregnancies; thus, it can be hard for some to tell when real labour has begun. Here are a few tell-tale signs that labour is imminent: your water has broken in the last 48 hours; you have recently lost your mucus plug; you have had a burst of energy resulting in extreme 'nesting' (tidying, preparing) and your contractions are increasing in intensity (usually less than 5 minutes apart) and do not cease when changing position.
Postpartum Care
Caring for yourself post-partum is every bit as important as it is to prepare for birth. In any case, the body has performed an amazing feat and will need time to recuperate. Many mothers feel very normal very quickly after a home-birth or an unassisted birth, however it is recommended that the mother take care and employ some of the following pointers to ensure that the body heals properly:
Rest for 1-4 weeks after birth- in many cultures, a mother is put on bed rest and tended to by family and friends for 30 days post-partum. The body requires adequate time to return all organs and musculature back to their pre-pregnancy positions, as well as energetically and hormonally recuperate from the 9 month process of growing and bearing a child. This extended rest allows the body to focus on these processes. Some light walking is permitted in this time, leading to the inclusion of more strenuous activities after the first week. Some women find that they attempt to return to ordinary life too quickly, and can suffer from excessive post-partum bleeding, fatigue and general malaise as a result.
Focus on Nutrient Dense Foods- eating with a focus on nutrient density will encourage the body to heal faster and more effectively; the focus should be on the fat soluble vitamins A,D E, K (found primarily in animal foods such as eggs, liver and fats), collagen and gelatin (found in broths), protein to facilitate the building and re-structuring of musculature, and iron found in meat, organ meat and to a lesser degree in green vegetables (to increase haemoglobin after blood loss from birth and PP bleeding). Ideal foods to eat in this time would be: broths, soups (made with bone broth and various meats), organ pate and shakes made with egg yolks, optional fruits and (raw) milk.
For more information on nutrient dense foods and postpartum healing, check the following link to the Weston A Price Foundation and their numerous books: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/womens-health/nourishing-the-new-mother-the-lost-art-of-postpartum-care/Belly Binding- this is the tradition of tightly binding a woman's abdomen with a breathable cloth (usually muslin) to encourage post-partum healing. The binding draws together the abdominal muscles and subsequently helps to decrease incidence of diastasis recti (lasting separation of the abdominal muscles) and generally provides comfort and support for new mothers as the body works to return to its pre-pregnancy state.
A belly bind usually requires approximately 17 yards of plain fabric, and can be home-made or bought online (Etsy is a good source of pre-made binds). Elasticated waistbands and modern corsets are not as effective as a traditional tightly knotted belly bind (research the Bengkung Bind for more information).
Birth Stories
The main reason that so many women fear birth is because every woman they have ever spoken to had a negative experience; a painful, misplaced epidural; brutal episiotomy after a 30 hour labour; an emergency c-section which took weeks to heal, etc. On the flip side are the hundreds of thousands of women who have birthed at home or unassisted and have heartwarming stories to share, many of whom are SO eager to spread the positive message that birth is a blessing and can absolutely be a positive, fearless (and sometimes painless) experience.
A few ladies volunteered to share their stories on this page:
1. "On Monday, March 9 2020 I had contractions off and on all day. It was the full moon that night and I was wondering if I would end up with a full moon baby. Tuesday I woke up still pregnant and sore as usual. All day Tuesday I had more contractions but nothing too intense or timeable at all. I went to bed Tuesday night and woke up around 11:30pm with contractions. I tossed and turned all night feeling strong period like cramps. I lost parts of my mucous plug all night long. By 6am on Wednesday the 11th I couldn’t sleep through my contractions so I woke up. I had to get my kids up and ready for school. I was feeling fairly intense contractions by the time my kids all left for school around 830am. I paced my house, swayed my hips and tried stretching my back. I was feeling a lot of pressure in my hips and butt area. Around 1045 I tried sleeping because I was exhausted. I napped through contractions off and on until around 12. By that point they were too intense to sleep through. I started bouncing on my ball and doing hip circles. That helped with the pain a little but I still felt an extreme intensity unlike the labors I’ve had with my other 3 kids. I tried to get on hands and knees hoping to ease the intensity but that seemed to make it worse. Around 1:00pm Scott left to get the kids from school and I was really in the zone. Contractions were extremely intense and close together. At this point I was standing in my bathroom bent over the counter trying to breathe through the surges. Scott helped me get into the shower around 2:00pm and at that point I was really vocalizing through each wave. I felt the need to get on hands and knees so I did. As soon as I was on my hands and knees I felt the need to push. I pushed once and my water broke. I noticed a bit of meconium in the water but it didn’t concern me at all. I was too focused on breathing baby down and out. FER kicked in after about 3-5 minutes and I had an uncontrollable urge to push. As I pushed I reached down to feel her head crowning, but this was an odd feeling, not at all like a head. I finally realized I was feeling her butt. Another wave came over me and I pushed again and she came shooting out onto the shower floor. I picked her up right away and brought her close to my chest. She immediately took a breath and was so alert. I felt a few gushes of blood come out but nothing too much. It took about 10 minutes for me to deliver the placenta. I waited until the cord was white and no longer pulsating which took about 25 minutes. I tied and cut the cord and Scott took her while I showered off and cleaned up."
2. "Sunday morning (12/8/2019) as I was making the boys breakfast I felt a gush or warm liquid and went to the bathroom to discover my waters had released. I was shocked and so excited! I told Justin and the boys that Holden would be here soon and we should all rest and have a good day. Contractions came and went with no real pattern. At one point that morning they were 2-3 minutes apart but quickly fizzled out and stretched to every 15-20 minutes and then down to nothing. I cleaned, cooked, took a walk in the park. I asked my dad if he could take the kids to his house so I could rest and then slept the rest of the evening until he brought them home to me. Things picked up Sunday night with waves every 8-10 minutes apart but it was short lived. I tried to sleep but, it was difficult at that point.
Monday morning came around and we got the boys off to school. At this point my waters had stopped gushing and waves were gone. I was so confused and tired, it had been over 24 hours since they released at that point. I decided to ask my mom to pick the kids up from school and go get Emma so I could get my mindset in the right place and continue to rest and build strength.
As the evening went on waves started to come back. Justin came home from work early. I took some Benadryl and we had a nap on the couch.
I woke up feeling groggy and hungry so I ate, took and bath, and started to bake a cake. As the sun went down waves started back at 10 minutes apart. Once the cake came out of the oven I told justin I needed to go lay down. At that point I was having to breathe deeply and sway my hips through the sensations. I laid in our dark cool room with the sound machine on as I concentrated on my breathing. It was the weirdest feeling...during each wave I could feel my baby working himself down. Once it was over he would stop and when another started I could feel him working hard again. I felt such a strong energy when I could feel him move like he was telling me that he was getting ready to come. I called justin into the room and we starting timing the waves and they were about 5-7 minutes apart.
Before long I found myself moaning through the waves and reminding myself to keep my jaw loose and mouth opened as justin ran his fingers through my hair and breathed with me. I needed to go to the bathroom and by the time I was done I told justin we needed to fill the pool. I had texted my doula about an hour earlier and asked her to come.
I labored on my hands and knees in the bathroom until there was enough water in the pool for me to get in. Not long after I climbed in my doula arrived and things felt very intense. I remember thinking to myself “Why is this taking so long?” I remember telling myself to focus on each wave and that every one had its own job and my body was doing exactly what it was supposed to. I can remember hearing justin tell me to stay loose and drink water as my doula applied pressure to my back. I felt SO supported and safe.
At one point I felt like I needed to get out of the pool and sit on the toilet to pee so justin helped me to the bathroom and it was unbearable to sit without counter pressure being applied so I knew I needed to get comfortable somewhere that my doula could reach my back more easily and I ended up on the couch. I asked justin for pillows and as soon as he left the room I felt Holden drop down and my body began to push. I felt down and could feel my body opening up. I yelled for Justin to come back and started shaking. I’ve never felt anything like how I felt in that moment. I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I wanted to cry. I needed a break. I told them I couldn’t do this anymore and to please help me. Justin and my doula both told me “You can do this. You ARE doing this.”
Before I knew it I got myself down onto the floor on my hands and knees but that didn’t feel right. I tried to squat and lay back on justin but, that didn’t feel okay either. I flipped myself onto my belly on the floor with my left leg pulled up and my right leg out while moaning and screaming. I felt the ring of fire and knew he would be here soon. About that time Justin told me he could see his head! And then I felt it come out. My body gave me a tiny break at that point. I could finally breathe as I felt his head was out and before I knew it another wave came. I could feel his shoulders come out as he rotated and then another wave came and out he was! I felt the rest of my waters burst and I could hear Justin saying “he’s here, you did it.” He was born at 11:05pm on 12/09/2019.
I flipped over onto my back and justin placed him on my chest. He was so tiny! I rubbed his back and he started to cry. I was so relieved and I remember laughing while telling my doula that I was so glad that was over. She told me it had only been an hour since she got there. I was shocked! It had felt like it was forever.
Justin helped me onto the couch and we loved on our baby and laughed and I told him how crazy everything felt. This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my whole life and at one point during labor I remembered thinking “Why would anyone do this on purpose?” But in that moment I finally knew why. It was all worth it. All of the waiting, preparing, second guessing, education, trusting myself, trusting my baby. It all lead up to this utterly perfect experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world. Women’s bodies are so intricately designed. God knew exactly what he was doing when he created us to grow, birth, and nourish our babies. I’m still in awe over our story and I honestly don’t think that will ever wear off. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so proud and strong!"
3. "I wasn’t due for another week and a half, and both of the boys had arrived on their due dates, so I was not expecting labour for at least another week. On Thursday the 2nd of August I woke up to my waters leaking, and they leaked a lot, all day long. I was a little bit concerned because we were moving house the next day, but I knew that it could still be days or even weeks away, and I was confident that Bubba would wait until we were settled. That night I got some very strong contractions. Okay so maybe it was going to happen soon.
Throughout Thursday night I was woken by about 7 or 8 very strong contractions that I needed to breathe and focus through. I knew these were labour contractions and not just Braxton Hicks.
On Friday morning, the removalists showed up at 7am, Dan went to work, and the contractions pretty well stopped. I only had probably 4 or 5 all morning; my body knew I couldn’t birth with these people around. The boys and I went to the house with the removalists with their first load, so I could tell them where to put everything. I had two contractions on the way there that were very intense, and in hindsight I wonder if I should have been driving… After they unloaded the truck and left, and it was just the boys and me at the house, the contractions picked up straight away, to about 5 minutes apart, lasting about a minute, and very intense. I asked my sister-in-law to come over and play with the boys so I could do some unpacking, and I called Dan to come home from work. By the time he got home, contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart. I laid down in the swag that Dan had been camping in, and the contractions slowed right down, to 10-15 minutes apart, but they were SO painful! I couldn’t believe the difference. It was agonising, laying there trying to sleep in between, but waiting for and dreading the next inevitable excruciating contraction. It was so strange working against labour and trying to stop it from happening, rather than working with the contractions as I had done last time. I realised that this must be what most women go through, simply because they are not educated on how to work with and surrender to the contractions, and they try to escape the pain. It was awful. I stayed like that for the next 5 hours; it was the longest day of my life. Every time I got up to the go to the toilet, the contractions were straight back to 2 minutes apart, so I would rush back to the swag to ward them off again. My sister-in-law had to go and my mother-in-law came and took over looking after the boys at 3pm. We had planned to have her at the house during the birth anyway to look after our 2 year old. As soon as the removalists brought our bed, Dan prioritised getting it assembled, and I moved onto the bed sometime in the afternoon. The removalists finally left at about 5:30pm, after chatting for AGES with Dan and taking their jolly time. They knew I was having contractions, but didn’t realise how far into labour I was. Dan didn’t realise either to be fair. I appeared calm most of the time, but the pain was so bad that I was struggling to stay in control. I called Dan into the bedroom just before they left and told him that lying down was starting to not work anymore; the contractions were getting closer together anyway. I had ordered Indian takeaway for dinner because I figured we would need to eat, and the delivery man showed up just after 5:30pm, and he also chatted to Dan for AGES. In my head I was screaming “JUST GO AWAY! I NEED TO GIVE BIRTH!”
As soon as the Indian man left, I got up out of bed and started walking through the house. The contractions were suddenly on top of each other, with sometimes a minute in between, sometimes 10 seconds in between. Dan was putting sheets one the boys’ beds so they could go to sleep, but I went and grabbed him and told him that it was going to be soon and that we needed to get things ready. We both started rushing around; the bath didn’t even have a spout on it, so Dan was finding and attaching the spout, I was filling my water bottle and digging through boxes to try and find a bowl to birth the placenta into. Dan watched me for a second and told me I was “transitioning”; he could tell I was going into the zone. He frantically told me “we haven’t picked a boy’s name!” and I told him it didn’t matter. I went into the boys’ bedroom and told Reuben that Bubba would be coming out soon. Dan’s mum was putting Levi to bed, Dan was setting up the go-pro and I was getting out all the towels and a little chair for Reuben to sit on and the handheld mirror and a bucket… in between contractions of course. During contractions I was swaying, walking, rotating my hips; I ended up swinging from the rafters on our back veranda to take the pressure off. I had never been this far into labour without being in water before, and I was surprised at how intense the pain was. While I was on the back veranda I got my first pushing contraction. I called out “Hey Dan… I’m pushing”. He thought I was literally pushing the baby out right then and there. He asked what I wanted him to do, so I told him to fill the bath. I thought, based on my previous births that I had about 15 minutes left, and I still wanted a water birth.
He started filling the bath, I went and got Reuben, then hopped in the ankle-deep water. It was cold. Dan flicked it to hot and it started warming up. I gave Reuben a pep talk, reminding him of all the birth videos we had watched, and that there would be blood and that it would probably hurt me, and reminding him to stay quiet. I had a pushing contraction and Dan tried the hip squeeze that had been such a help in my last birth, but it was awkward because he wasn’t in the bath, and it didn’t really help anyway. Reuben loudly asked if we had remembered the scissors (he was very excited to cut the cord). We reminded him to stay quiet. Dan changed the lightbulb from a fluoro to a soft white. I had another pushing contraction, what was left of my waters broke, and then the water that was filling the bath started coming out yellow. We hadn’t been living there for 8 months so the water had just been sitting in the pipes and had turned yellow. I asked Dan if that mattered for Bubba, and he confidently said it didn’t, even though he didn’t actually know. He knew I needed to stay calm and confident, and he knew I would be doubting whether I should stay in the bath if he gave me any reason to question it. I asked Dan if the water was still getting warm. It wasn’t; the hot water system had chosen that moment to die. So the water was tepid, it was yellow, and it was shallow, but there was no turning back now. Dan had caught the baby at the last birth, but because of the position I found myself in, I told him I was going to catch it myself. I felt up inside me and I could feel the baby’s head, only about an inch in. It was amazing; I could feel its hair, and I could actually feel the little tectonic plates of its head overlapping. Another contraction, then another rest. Dan rubbed my back. I said “No. Actually yes”. I told Reuben he’s a good boy. We all looked at the camera and smiled for a labour photo...
Another contraction. I knew it would be very soon. During this one, I suddenly had the irrational thought and feeling that the baby couldn’t fit out. It didn’t seem possible, and it was happening so fast that I had a moment of fear. I freaked out that I was going to tear. I told Dan I didn’t want to tear, and he reminded me to just relax. Logically I knew I wouldn’t, but in that moment I was sure I just couldn’t do it; it wasn’t physically possible. The feeling passed with the contraction. Another brief break. I talked to the baby: “hey Bubba, see you in a minute”. This was the first birth where I have been mentally present enough to even think of talking to the baby. The next contraction, I swore. I felt for a moment like a train with no breaks, like I had no control over what was happening and where I was going, and to be honest I felt like I was going to be torn apart. I didn’t understand how the baby could fit through the birth canal and I felt stretched to my absolute limit. I deliberately and consciously submitted to the birthing process and trusted that my body knew what it was doing, even if my mind was having a bit of a flip-out. There was nothing I could do but let my body do what it needed to. It turns out that was the final contraction. I had my hand on the baby’s head as it emerged from me. It was so amazing. There was no “ring of fire”, just a lot of pressure. As soon as the head was out there was so much relief but still so much pressure. I told Dan and Reuben “head’s out”, waited for a few seconds, then I felt the whole body rotate inside of me as it emerged all at once into the tepid, yellow water and its mama’s waiting hands. It was 6:15pm, only 45 minutes after the removalists and delivery driver had left.
I scooped the baby up out of the water, exclaimed “oh my goodness, I just did it!” the baby started crying straight away, (probably because the water wasn’t exactly a welcoming temperature!) Dan reached over and unwrapped the cord from the neck, and I held the little body against mine while I breathed out my relief and triumph and disbelief. I had done it. I had birthed my baby myself. It was such a wonderful, beautiful moment. I made a comment about the hair being brunette (after my two blondies, it was quite a surprise), then said “Hello Bubba, what are you?” Lifted and saw; it’s a girl! I had a feeling when I was pregnant that she was a girl, and while I would have been equally happy with another boy, my heart swelled with so much incomparable love when I realised I had a daughter. I was so overwhelmed that I cried and sobbed, and then double checked. She was definitely a girl. A daughter. She had a big cake of vernix on her forehead and she was totally perfect. We named her Eliza May straight away. We had her name picked since before we even got married. Eliza started breastfeeding straight away. I went into a bit of shock and started shaking and shivering uncontrollably. I think it just happened so fast and it was so intense and it had been such a big, overwhelming day that I just couldn’t process it all and my body reacted. I knew what to do though because I had educated myself. Dan wrapped me up in more towels and put a few drops of rescue remedy under my tongue and I was fine within a few minutes. He helped me out of the bath and the placenta came easily within about 40 minutes. I took some homeopathic drops for the contraction pain and it seemed to help.
There was hardly any blood at all, and I hadn’t torn or even grazed. I gave Eliza to Dan for some skin to skin while I got dressed, then we all headed to bed for more skin on skin and breastfeeding. After an hour or two, Dan tied the cord, and Reuben cut it with his craft scissors. Even though the birth was nothing like what I had imagined it would be, I had followed my instinct, I knew we were both safe every step of the way, and I never once wished I had a medical professional there. I was confident in my knowledge of birth and its variations, and in my innate ability to do what God designed me to do. Dan told me how immensely proud of me he was, we relived every moment of the day, pinched ourselves because it all felt like a dream, let our friends and family know she had arrived, weighed her on our kitchen scales, balancing on an esky lid, and measured her with my sewing tape. We were all tucked up ready to sleep by about 9:30pm, surrounded by unpacked boxes, chaos and peace."
This mother also offered her birth video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=nZQLCR2CJQw
If you want to read more birth stories, you can find them in the following places:
- Entirely unassisted birth stories: www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/birthing-truth-a-collection-of-freebirth-stories
- Positive natural birth stories (not all unassisted): https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/category/childbirth-stories/
- Multiple FB Groups linked in the 'Resources' section below
- Multiple books linked in the 'Resources' section below
Resources
Here are a list of useful resources:
Facebook Groups-
- Unassisted pregnancy and childbirth - NO ASSISTANCE TALK
https://www.facebook.com/groups/UPandUC/
- Freebirth UK
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2214433072172660/
- Unassisted Pregnancy and Childbirth
https://www.facebook.com/groups/737016529681110/
- UK Freebirth Information
https://www.facebook.com/groups/685962181497464/
- Unassisted & Freebirthers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/323384648550920/
- FreebirthTUBE
https://www.facebook.com/groups/319640922121506/
- Freebirth/ Unassisted Childbirth
https://www.facebook.com/groups/19041103996/
Books
- Homebirth On Your Own Terms (Heather Baker)
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Birth-Your-Own-Terms/dp/1090520166
- The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care (Sally Fallon Morell)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nourishing-Traditions-Book-Baby-Child-ebook/dp/B00CDJXQ52
- Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (Ina May Gaskin)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ina-Mays-Guide-Childbirth-Gaskin/dp/0091924154
Podcasts
- Freebirth Society Podcast
https://www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/the-free-birth-podcast
- Indie Birth Podcast
https://indiebirth.org/podcastarchive/
- Unassisted Childbirth Podcast
http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/category/podcast/
Bibliography/ Citations
1. Definition of Unassisted Birth
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/freebirth
2. Synonyms for Freebirth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unassisted_childbirth
3. Homebirth vs Hospital Birth Statistics (Jansson)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742137/
4. Breech Birth Statistics
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448063/
5. Jansson et al (2009) Hemorrhage Rate
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742137/
6. Nove et al (2012) Hemorrhage Rate
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3570310/
7. Retained Membranes Statistics
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6789409/
8. Placenta Previa Statistics
https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2393-11-95
9. Shoulder Dystocia Statistics
https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/patients/patient-information-leaflets/pregnancy/pi-shoulder-dystocia.pdf
10. Meconium Aspiration Syndrome Statistics
https://midwifethinking.com/2015/01/14/the-curse-of-meconium-stained-liquor/
11. Cutting the Cord
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/emergencies-and-first-aid-childbirth
12. Induction Rate
https://digital.nhs.uk/news-and-events/news/nhs-maternity-statistics-2017-18
13. Labour Length Statistics
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26467758
My Services
If you wish to seek further assistance, I offer the following services:
Birth & Pregnancy Education
I offer an indepth run-through of what labour is expected to be like, the physiological process of labour and much more information on how to manage pain, how to progress, how to support another person in labour etc.
Online Prenatal Support
Depending on the package, I offer up to 3 sessions for prenatal support- this includes: creating a birth plan, discussing concerns & educating ourselves on them, partner guidance and much more.
Birthing Guidance & Support
I offer individual and targeted correspondence throughout your birthing experience- I am on call for phone calls, texts or video support from 35 weeks.
Please get in touch if you would like my help!
Send an email to: hollycarine@outlook.com
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Use the contact form at the bottom of my website homepage
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