Oscars arrival - Paula's first waterbirth

• Lots to do - pool to be filled, crumpets eaten
• Baby, it's cold outside
• On the Entonox merry-go-round
• My Active Birth lessons get me through

Lots to do - pool to be filled, crumpets eaten

My waters broke at 5 am which dispelled any doubt that I was in labour. I'd woken twice the previous night with Braxton Hicks wondering if this was it. Now it definitely was. Contractions were about 5 minutes apart, so we thought things might progress very quickly. The midwife explained later that when the waters break they cause a surge of oxytocin to be released, which increases the contractions.

We started to fill the birth pool and phoned the out of hours response team. The receptionist seemed awfully excited when we said we were booked for a home birth. She told us a midwife would call us back shortly, which she did, to tell us she was on her way. There seemed a lot to do - pool to be filled, crumpets to be eaten, raspberry leaf tea to drink, making phone calls and toast, interspersed with contractions.

Baby, it's cold outside

Elaine, our midwife, arrived at 6.30am, in the fog at minus 3 degrees. She'd had to scrape ice off her car. At this point I could still chat through my contractions, which were about every 5 minutes, but not particularly strong or regular. I'd refused an internal examination initially, but as we wanted to go for a walk in the park, I agreed so the midwife could tell how well I was progressing. It was 7.30 am and I was 2cm dilated and fully effaced. Elaine said this was really good, and she could feel the head in a good position too. She offered to release some more amniotic fluid to help the contractions which I agreed to.

By 8.00am the contractions were getting stronger. I started rocking through them and concentrating on my breathing. But this made me feel like I was going to pass out after each contraction. So, I tried the TENS machine, and I don't know if it helped, but it did give me something to focus on as each contraction came. As my birth seemed to be picking up rather quickly, the midwife ordered the Entonox and oxygen from the hospital, which arrived by taxi soon after. By now, I was pretty focused inwardly, and wasn't really aware of what was happening outside of my body. I was vaguely aware that things were being done elsewhere in the room, but didn't feel part of any of it.

By 9.30 am I was "4cm dilated and doing well", so the midwife advised I could get into the pool whenever I wanted to. By now the contractions seemed very close together and very strong. I was on all fours leaning onto a beanbag to get through each one. It felt like I was falling asleep in between them.

I got into the birth pool just after 10 am, and suddenly felt much more relaxed and in control. I didn't feel like sleeping at the end of each contraction; I felt like I could cope with each one much better.

On the Entonox merry-go-round

Jean, the second midwife, suggested I try the Entonox, which I did when the next contraction came. When it was over I sunk down with my chin on the side of the pool, smiling. Jonnie asked "Are you smiling because of the gas and air, or because that contraction's over?" "She's on the merry-go-round." answered Jean, as I hung over the side of the bath clinging to the Entonox with one hand, Jonnie's hand with the other, smiling! After that I didn't move from the side of the Pool much. Between contractions, I squatted or knelt, always close enough to grab the Entonox and Jonnie's hand as soon as a contraction started.

My Active birth lessons get me through

At about 11 am I felt like I was getting close. Suddenly I shook my head. I felt panicky and really couldn't envisage how the baby was going to come out. After drinking 2 glasses of water with Bach's Flower Rescue Remedy, I felt that I was coping better again.

At 11.30am I knew I was getting close - I could feel the baby's head starting to press down, and could feel it with my fingers. The midwife's didn't believe I was that close, as I was coping so well, and they had predicted a 4pm birth, so they were very surprised when they examined me at 11.45 and they could see the head. I could feel the change in contractions from pushing down to pushing out, and the strange mixture of them during transition. Jonnie was keeping me focused on breathing, (not pushing). "Breathe the baby out" as we had been taught at Active Birth classes.

As the head was crowning I felt the force of the water was holding the baby in, and knew I had to move forwards or backwards to get the baby out. The midwives asked if I wanted me or them to bring the baby to the surface. I said I did, although it was really hard to make any kind of decision or to communicate at this point. So, I dropped to all fours and felt him starting to come out, but then I realised that he'd be born behind me so I quickly flipped over onto my back, which was fairly easy as the water took most of my weight.

Felix Oscar Xavier Daly was born 7lb 15 oz at 11.57 am on 1st February 2001 into the birth pool, to the sound of Orbital in the dim light of fairy lights with heavy curtains blocking out the daylight. I brought him to the surface and he started breathing almost immediately, and gave a few little cries. I held him close.

We spent about 10 minutes in the Pool, holding him to my breast, and letting the water gently wash over over his head and body, gently massaging him and welcoming him to the world.

Where to next?

• Read accounts of different types of birth
• Read accounts of other waterbirths