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Independent
midwife Chris Warren of Yorkshire Storks provided my midwifery care for
the second time last year. My antenatal appointments were held in the
comfort of my own home at times convenient to me and my family.
We'd already built a good relationship during my previous pregnancy and Chris's visits were like social calls since she understood what sort of birth I wanted having attended me at the gentle birth of my second son.
On the big day, Chris was a reassuring presence and didn't make me feel as though I was under observation. When I got a bit panicky she said helpful things about how difficult it can be.When I felt a need to sit on a bucket she told me this would help so that I didn't feel silly or undignified!
She
said very little and smiled lots. She has such a calm nature and believes
that a woman should do what her body is telling her, which helped me to
feel in control and breathe out the pain. Her confident easy-going manner
was a help to Simon too.
He was able to feel confident that things were progressing as they should do allowing him to leave the room to bring our sons to say goodnight and then put them to bed with stories, while I belly danced and focussed inwards. Chris monitored the baby's heart and my pulse rate at regular intervals, offered me regular sips of water and unobtrusively wrote notes.
Chris's approach is one of least interference - she didn't need to examine me to know that I was dilating. I gave birth squatting in the birthing pool, leaning on the edge and Simon. I held my perfect daughter for ten minutes until the cord stopped pulsating.
A few minutes after it was clamped and cut, I climbed out of the pool and nursed my baby. Ten minutes later I birthed the placenta and Chris checked it, weighed Amelia and made us all tea and toast. She cleared up and shared our joy and peaceful conversation in the still of the midnight hour.
I settled down in bed with my daughter. I felt happy and relieved that the whole process had been so gentle and yes, even if it is a cliché, empowered and proud of what my body had just done. People often advise 'older' mums (I'm 41) to have hospital births but if you are fit and well I think this is unnecessary. Giving birth is a natural process not an illness.
It was lovely for our family to have breakfast together
in the morning in bed and introduce Felix and Edgar to their baby sister.
Chris continued to visit for six weeks after the birth to monitor our health and provide companionship.
The service Chris provides is tailored to suit a mother's individual needs. She will be my lifelong trusted friend.
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