A Freebirth Story - Our 5th Home Waterbirth

This is the freebirth story of our precious daughter. Our unmedicated, unassisted 5th home waterbirth.

(I’m not a doctor or healthcare professional. This is my personal story and does not constitute medical advice. Please do your own research and talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions or need guidance.)

A little backstory

I became interested in homebirth even before I was pregnant with my first child. It took several months for us to conceive him, and during that time, I researched the fertility awareness method to increase our chances of conceiving. After tracking for just 1.5 cycles, we were thrilled to get that positive test!

I did a lot of reading during that pregnancy and learned about homebirth, waterbirth, natural birth, nutrition, etc.

I remember a few people telling me, “Maybe you should have your first in the hospital and then consider a homebirth with a second child.” But after everything I had read, I really desired to have a homebirth right from the start.

We were blessed to have a wonderful team of midwives and had an incredible first homebirth experience!

Natural, unmedicated, physiological birth has many advantages for both mama and baby. During a normal, healthy birth, a woman’s body releases certain hormones intended to help her labor and manage the discomfort. These hormones also help the baby transition outside the womb and facilitate breastfeeding and bonding.

Why freebirth?

During this 5th pregnancy, as I reflected on my 4 previous homebirths, I realized that the best ones were the births where my midwife was super hands-off. She would slip in, set up, and basically be like, “I’ll be in the other room if you need me.” She could tell just by listening to you where you were in the labor process.

Truly, all of my homebirths went very well, and I loved all the midwives I’ve worked with. Homebirth midwives are some of the sweetest, most caring humans I’ve known. They really take the time with you at each visit and are so much more thorough than the rushed visits I’ve had with an OB when I’ve done parallel care.

After I had my first baby, I had a total of SEVEN postpartum visits with my homebirth midwives, and as a first-time mom, those meant the world to me! Everything was so new, breastfeeding was hard the first time, and every word of encouragement they spoke meant so much to me. I’ve never forgotten their kind words.

Expecting a 5th child, I sure didn’t feel like I needed a bunch of visits like that.

I knew this 5th time around that I really wanted to fully trust my body and the process of physiological birth.

The decision to freebirth was not one we took lightly. We took into account a lot of factors.

Having a track record of 4 smooth homebirths with no complications, as well as a history of low blood pressure, helped us feel comfortable with the decision.

I did have some care during the pregnancy. I had bloodwork done, worked to get my iron levels up, and did a thorough 20-week anatomy scan to make sure everything looked good with baby girl. We had midwives on call during the birth in case we decided that we wanted them to come.

My husband was so chill with it all. Having his support and knowing he too felt confident helped with our decision as well.

I prayed a lot about it and entrusted our baby and her birth to the Lord. He created my body to do this, and I knew that he would give us the wisdom as to what we should do.

Our Freebirth Story

Early Labor

In the early morning hours on Sept 7, I began to feel contractions coming about 15 min apart. Still mild, but stronger than Braxton Hicks. It felt like it could be the real deal.

My husband asked if he should still go to church (he was leading worship), and I said yes. I felt up to going as well, so the kids and I got ready and joined him a little later. Several people asked about when baby was coming, and I said, “Maybe today!”.

My contractions continued throughout the service. I felt good, just a little serious and not as chipper as usual.

When we got home, I was able to catch a little nap with our toddler. Then I took all the kids on a train ride at a park nearby while my husband snagged a nap as well.

One son had an evening soccer game, and my husband suggested that I could go sit and watch, and that he would have dinner ready when I got home.

I tried to relax and enjoy the game. Contractions were slowing down a little, and I was feeling bummed that maybe labor wasn’t going to kick in as soon as I had hoped.

We got home and had dinner, and my husband and kids were asleep by 9:30.

I tidied the house and felt a little restless, trying to determine if this was the night or not. Then I timed a few contractions and they were still 15-20 min apart. I messaged a friend who was planning to come for the birth, still unsure whether it would be that night or not. She said she would leave her ringer on, and we decided to try to get some sleep.

I lay down but never fell asleep. Between 9:30 and 11:30, contractions picked up to around 12 min apart. They were moderate intensity, enough that just as I was about to fall asleep, one would wake me up again. Soon I was feeling like I wanted to take them standing up, and would get up when a contraction hit and then lie back down to get some rest in between.

At around midnight, the contractions started lasting a minute but were still 9-12 minutes apart. I still felt better taking them standing up, so I decided to get up and begin setting up some things for the birth.

I laid towels around the birth tub (we had inflated it a few days prior), filled a big pot with water on the stove, and set up a protected mat beside the birth tub where I could climb out and rest after my baby arrived.

All the while I wondered when I should wake my husband, as I wanted to let him sleep as long as possible.

Active Labor

Finally, at 1:30 am, I decided to wake him, still feeling like maybe it was too early. Contractions had finally started to come about 5 minutes apart and were lasting a minute, and they were getting pretty strong. But in between, I still felt fine and continued to set up as he also began to prep some things. He made some almond butter toast for me and then began filling the birth tub.

I messaged my friend so she could get ready and come, and she and her 6-month-old arrived around 2:15 am.

Contractions were getting strong, and I still felt like I wanted to take them standing up. This was different from my other births, where I’ve been down on my knees leaning on the coffee table, or on the bed, trying to relax through them. This time, I wanted to hang on to something a little taller than me, so I leaned against the wall when each wave hit. I’ve never tried a birthing sling, but something like that would have probably felt so helpful.

Soon I was feeling like I wanted to get into the birth tub, but the house was warm, and the tub felt way too warm. Finally around 2:45 I got in, and the water felt so good. My hubby started staying near me for the contractions, and it was nice to just lay my head on his arm and hang on to him when the waves hit.

At about 3:00, I heard someone ask, “Can I come out?”, and our 12-year-old joined us near the birth tub. I hoped that it wouldn’t be too scary for him. Contractions were getting very intense, and I was getting noisier as I tried to cope and breathe through them.

Just then, I felt a big *POP* as my water broke, and soon contractions got even stronger. We worked through them one by one, and I tried to breathe and keep my vocals low-pitched and not let them go high with the pain.

One especially rough contraction hit, and I began to have thoughts of “I don’t think I can handle another like that”. My friend commented, “Whew, that was a good one”. I was encouraged by how much I felt my baby move down during that one contraction. I felt all-around more aware during this labor than with my past births. That was the most interesting part of this birth experience. Perhaps because there was nobody to default to and allow my mind to just check out. I was very aware of where my baby was and how dilated I was. I told my son, “It’s okay, she’s almost here,” knowing he might be feeling worried.

Internally, I wondered, was that the peak of transition? I felt that it was. I felt fully dilated. Surprisingly, that peak was not quite as hard as with my previous birth. With my 4th, the intensity had reached a point where I was beginning to feel panicky and cried, “Help me!”. I was starting to feel out of control and needed someone to help me remember to breathe.

Holding my new baby in the birth tub after our homebirth

(The worst part of this birth was that plastic tub liner! In the past, we’ve used one that is fitted to the tub. I don’t recommend a generic liner like this; it was so annoying!)

Delivery

I wondered if there was more to come, but sure enough, I felt my body making a switch. The next couple of contractions felt slightly easier. I found myself breathing through them more like I would in an intense workout, with repeated breaths out. I felt my baby low and close, and after 2-3 breathy, slightly pushy-feeling contractions, the next one came stronger, and I bore down just a little as I breathed out.

My husband asked, “Are you pushing?”

This is where I really wanted to let my body do its own thing. After having a few mixed experiences with pushing in the past, I knew that my best births had been when I just totally listened to my body and let it lead, without feeling any outside pressure to push harder or push a certain way.

It was either the following contraction or the one after, I felt her moving down and began to push just a little with it. Mentally, I was thinking, “Do I go with it and get this over with, or wait for one more?” but I decided to push a little more and felt her head coming. The WORST ring of fire yet, it felt like slow motion, and I screamed on that one enough that my throat hurt later. Whew! Her head was out, and I felt her body ready to come, and I started to semi-get up. I heard my husband say, “Whoa,” as he caught her, because she was so slippery. She was born into her daddy’s arms at 3:43 am. He has caught all 5 of our babies! What a precious moment!

He tucked her up on my chest, and oh, the relief to have that over with!!! She was pink and looked so great, and immediately let out a good cry. He grabbed some receiving blankets that were wrapped around a heating pad nearby, and we wrapped her up and sat soaking her in and enjoying the moment.

Afterbirth

We lingered in the tub for several minutes until finally I climbed out. Then my husband clamped and cut the cord around 30 minutes after she was born.

I snuggled my baby girl and helped her try out breastfeeding for the first time.

I’ve had a little trouble with the placenta in the past, but thankfully that went really well this time. I moved to a sitz bath for that, nursed my baby, and intuitively pushed in on my tummy, which helped it come right out.

The last thing we did as we settled into bed was to weigh our sweet baby. We used the same flannel sling scale that had weighed two of our sons at their birth, which was special. (One of my previous midwives loaned me her whole bag.)

My friend helped tidy a few things and throw a load in the wash, and said goodbye.

Nothing feels so good as being able to climb into your own bed right after giving birth at home! Snuggled in with my newborn beside me, the day’s work was done.

Birth is so incredible, and such a simple physiological process in a healthy and normal situation.