Rodney's home birth story

This week is Home-Birth week, and I have been given permission from homebirth org and the fathers to post their amazing stories.

Enjoy

- Eric

Rodney’s account of the birth of baby Anna-Lee Marion Niven

Everyone has the list… You know the one, babies coming and magically this list appears ’Things to do’. No matter how hard you work and toil over this list it just never seems to get smaller…

So 9 months after starting on this list, (ok I had a few days out fishing) it was Saturday morning and all I had left was to plant 5 trees and fix the hose.

I had been woken at 2am to be told that my wife had been having very mild contractions since 7pm the night before, but don’t panic as this was the third time and baby was still a long way off. The midwives were due at 10am for a checkup.

10am rolls around the midwives arrived and we timed the contractions at about 30sec long and around 10 mins apart. Armed with the information that when they last 45sec and 5 min apart that we should head to the hospital. Yes this was originally supposed to be hospital birth, but the fact that this letter is in this magazine you already know the outcome…

Back to the story; 10.30am and my wife and I are in the back garden with the final job on the list. She is only there to supervise, while I am digging planting and timing the contractions. Just after 1pm the first contraction that went aver 45 sec came. Quickly finishing the last plant and fixing the hose, my job was done and the list complete.

1.20pm I ring the midwife to report our progress and we arrange to meet at the hospital at 2pm. Everyone’s calm and happy, so with only a 20min drive there is time to have a bite to eat and a shave. In the bathroom 10 mins later with shaving cream over my face my wife walks in puts her hands on the washing machine and has a really big contraction that brings tears to her eyes and sent shivers down my spine. I have never seen my wife in that much pain. Feeling completely helpless I wipe the cream off my face and rub her back. Able to talk again she instructs me to ring the midwife to inform them that things are much further than we thought. Speaking to Robyn (our midwife, who just happens to be in her car about 5 mins away), relaying the message, my wife says she can feel a bump as she’s trying to take her pants off. I am trying to pull them up and get her to the car. Robyn says “what did she say?”. “A bump I reply”. “Stay put I am on my way!”

Hanging up there is another big contraction and the baby’s head starts coming out, covered in the membrane. As the head fully emerges the waters finally break. On my hands and knees I leaned under and made sure the mouth and nose were clear (as we do with the farm animals). The third contraction started and the head turned and the shoulders started to appear, then whoosh and my baby daughter was in my hands. Turning her over and up the right way, we wrapped her in my shaving towel and she started to cry…

Hitting speed dial with shaking hands, I said to Robyn “babies here, now what do I do?” “Is she crying?” “Yes” “She’s fine, wrap her in a towel, don’t touch the cord, and I will be there in a minute”

I would swear as I hung up the phone I heard a high revving engine roaring down the road. And like knights in shining armour the 2 midwifes came charging through the door. Taking control of the situation they summed things up and immediately took care of my wife and baby. I stood back dripping with sweat and went to find some plastic for the bed as asked.

I was given my baby to hold wrapped in a clean towel and my world was complete. My wife continued with the rest of the process as I was in a daydream. She was in great hands as these two midwifes threw them selves into the task at hand.

An hour later I wondered round the house and was amazed that the house wasn’t the bomb site I was expecting. The floors moped, washing on and hung on the line, etc. Every thing was ship shape. Somehow in amongst the chaos they had put my house back together care for my wife and make sure my baby was healthy. I take my hat off for Robyn Maude and Rachel Green. They did a fantastic job. Thank you.

Baby Anna-Lee Marion Niven, was born at 1.35pm on Saturday 24th November 2007

Now a week on all is well and happy.

Regards

Rodney & Lee-Anne Niven