AN EMPOWERED HOME BIRTH

This gorgeous birth journey is all about empowerment. Thank you so much to this awesome couple for sharing their story. 
Ava born 6.30am on 7th June, weighing 3.26kg.
Welcome to the world divine girl and congratulations you perfect lot.

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"Hi Siobhan,

Day 10 of Ava's life - cant believe it!!! First of all, Tom and I both feel so grateful for having done the course with you, it really proved invaluable both in the lead up to, during and after Ava's birth. Im so happy we Skyped with you only a few days before she arrived:)

We are all doing well and feel really grateful for having had the home water birth we were hoping for. Luckily the birth pool has just been delivered, it was the first day I was allowed to have a home birth! 
I started having mild but regular surges on Monday morning but it stayed like that the whole day. We really enjoyed laying out the room with candles and the pool and the time did go really quickly. Tom and I practiced a lot of hypnobirthing during this time so it really got us in the zone. The midwives came in the afternoon to see how things would progress. When they left I was 3 cm dilated and they told us to call them back when things picked up. I stupidly mentioned to them that I wasn't sure whether my waters had broken, (you did warn us) forgetting that that sets of an 18 hour timer after which you have to go to the hospital. So by 10.30 in the evening they wanted me to go to the hospital, rather than sending the midwives to our house, because of the risk of infection, but I wasn't even sure if my waters had actually gone or not. So off to the hospital we went, where I was monitored and advised to stay and give birth in the labour ward. We used our BRAIN technique from hypnobirthing; it was difficult given the pressure to stay but having considered the data and the options, and the fact that my surges really picked up by then, we decided to return home. Bizarrely we found ourselves rushing away from the hospital during active labour! Back home we filled up the pool, lit all the candles, put on the affirmations and I felt a huge relief when I could get in the water. The midwives arrived soon after midnight and I have to say those next few hours are one big blur. Tom was amazing in supporting me to breath calmly, which I found more difficult than expected. I do really remember the last stage, where she came out. It gave me a lot of strength to see her in the mirror and to feel her turning in my pelvis. And whilst the midwives kept saying push push, Tom kept whispering in my ear 'just breathe, just breathe' #Tomisincredible! Tom was able to catch her too, which was very special for us... We feel really proud and happy for having taken control in the way we wanted Ava to enter the world! She was totally calm and at ease and we spend some time together before tom cut the cord. I got out of the pool to birth the placenta for which I did receive the injection in the end. I was so shaky so I just wanted to do it quickly.

Thank you so much for having played such a big role in the lead up to giving birth. The whole course and affirmations and the hypnobirthing tracks put us in the right state of mind for birth and helped us looking back on an incredibly intense but really positive experience!

Lots of love,

Tom & Jo xxxxxx"