Where do I start ? Its been almost five years since I birthed my child at home…. I didn’t plan on it.
The experience was so powerful and moving, it’s still with me today. It’s changed my life.
Falling pregnant at 32 , I was considered a geriatric mum. However, thought my appointment history I was told by the obstetrician that I am low risk and the baby is growing and developing well.
I have been practicing yoga for about 5 year at this stage, I was a very dedicated practitioner so I continued attending my regular yoga classes. In one class I came to my regular teacher was away and the class was substituted by a female teacher. I told her I was 25weeks pregnant and she told me I should be attending Pregnancy Yoga classes ( which I never heard of before).
I listened to her advice, from first class I was hooked, I was at home…. I couldn't of imagined that this pregnancy specific yoga is going to chave so much impact on me!!!
I has connected me to my self, to my baby and most of all to my feminine power.
I changed my position from “going with the flow” to actively researching and learning about birth, the hospital system etc…
As well as my Yoga Pregnancy classes 3xweek I did my “homework” . Daily positive affirmations by Hypnobirthing (absolute a must!! ) , reading books about active birth as well as daily yoga practice and vocal toning. Attending birthing courses with my partner - I think I did them all!!!
At 32 weeks I was booked into the hospital, my husband who was on this journey with me started talking about home birth, I wasn’t sure, I was scared. My birthing teacher said to me that “birth is Yoga, you are ready”. These words shook me up. I knew it. I was going to birth at home.
I quickly contacted the Community Midwifery program to change providers from hospital to home birth. They said I had to hurry as I can change only up to 34 weeks.
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I needed an approval from my obstetrician, that’s where things have really turned, suddenly from being a lovely supportive doctor she was AGAINST me having a home birth. She given me some stats to look at deaths and complications during home birth.
By that stage I was already under the community midwifery program, but we needed that signature. My midwife was extremely supportive, amazing , an angel. I was advised that if this doctor wouldn’t sign, I could approach another doctor who was more likely to sign me off. I was ready to fight for my right to birth where I wished.
The obstetrician said I had to go for another ultrasound, from being “low risk”, she changed her position and told me the baby is quite small. For any pregnant woman these words are so powerful and inject fear and doubt ( which is the worst thing during birth). I was lucky had support, from my husband, my midwife, my birthing teacher and my doula.
The ultrasound results were good and still the doctor was trying to talk me out of birthing at home, it was so hard to keep insisting on my choices, me against a doctors opinion. But I knew what I wanted for me and my family, I kept my ground and after lots of back and forth, I was approved for homebirth! I couldn’t wait , I was so ready. All the work I put in this process I could finally put it into action!
We set up our home with a pool, hired a doula, ready to go… read my next blog about the birth.…
Here’s some amazing books I recommend to read :
By Rita McCabe
Personal Recommendations:
Pregnancy friendly Yoga Class
Wednesdays 5:30pm - Move & Relax Book here
Favourite book : Active Birth - Janet Balaskaz
