I was asleep at around midnight I started with mild cramps which I dismissed for Braxton Hicks as they felt the same as previously in my pregnancy . I awoke an hour later to go to the toilet and felt they were mild so went back to sleep and woke again with the need to go to the toilet and had to start breathing through my contractions this was 2.30am so I woke my partner and he started blowing up the pool while I packed my daughters things so she could go to my parents.

I had to pause and breathe through every contraction every 4-5 mins and rang the midwife which stated she can come out until 8am but then there wasn’t any staffing available for a home birth 24 hours after this . 

I thought I would be at this stage for a while and kept putting off ringing my parents to collect our daughter.

I did worry about having to go to hospital if I was still in labour after 8am but tried to relax and carried on packing my daughters things . At 3.30am Antony rang my parents and they took my daughter at around 5am until 5am I could manage with breathing through every contraction with my hypnobirthing tracks on and using the Freya app.

The pool was being filled by my partner and will be ready soon . All of a sudden my contractions started coming thick and fast and at 5.15 am the midwife rang and my partner said to come over.

At 5.20 I went to the toliet where my waters broke and was transitioning and needed my partner with me for support as this stage isn’t easy! Glad we did everything upto this point on our own and with Antony my partner for support.

I was struggling with how thick and fast the contractions were coming and could feel I was ready to have this baby! I went from coping fine to having a strong urge to bare down.

My partner assisted me back on the sofa once he had put the sheets down(should have got in the pool at this point! But didn’t ) as I then couldn’t move of the sofa as my baby was coming!

Midwifes came around 5.40 and 5 mins after the baby’s head was here and in the next contraction she was here and placed straight on me! We had delayed cord clamping and had a lovely time at home. What an amazing experience and I loved having my 2nd baby at home even though I didn’t get chance to get in the pool! Being at home during covid19 was great and the midwife and other checks we were lucky enough to also have in the comfort of our own home. 

Looking back it was such a special amazing birth and an experience I will treasure forever.