Asher Arrives Under the Stars at Home

Birth Story by Brie, Hypnobirthing Mum

On Wednesday 26th February 2020, 13 days from the due date of our sixth child, I felt our little boy was going to join us very soon. Our other children had all arrived quite close to their due dates (our third daughter was earliest, being five days before), so I had almost relied on this knowledge being true for this birth as well in making plans and getting organised.

I had left a lot of things needing to be done, and was still planning to prepare the birth space I wanted with images from my baby blessing my beautiful friends had held for me only three days before, affirmations, images and items of significance. I spent the day preparing the things I felt were most pressing – stocking the house with food, getting petrol, washing and installing the car seat, moving and building furniture for the baby, and getting things together to prepare for a birth at home.

I collected my eldest four children from school in the afternoon feeling all the more certain if not today, that we would very soon meet our baby. My amazing mum helped prepare dinner and care for the children while I continued finishing up what I could for a little while.

Feeling utterly exhausted from a day running around, I went to bed at about 6pm and left the kids with my husband and mum.

I woke around 8.30pm that night and spent some time with my husband. Shortly after 11pm I felt like I was actually in labour. I tried to tell my husband, but he had fallen asleep only moments earlier it seemed, so I let him sleep knowing it would likely be many hours of labour, and I really didn’t need anything of him yet. I called my midwife, who said to keep her posted when things were a little further along. I went back to bed to rest while I laboured.

I stayed there for quite some time, sleeping lightly, and breathing through the labour as it came. At around 2am I realised I wasn’t actually managing to sleep between contractions anymore and woke to call my midwife (about 30 minutes away from us) and sought find a place to settle down and work through things.

I woke my husband (who didn’t yet know I was in labour) and asked him to join me outside as I was going for a swim in our pool. We grabbed some towels and we headed out into the night.

He listened to my requests to light citronella torches we had alongside the pool, unlock the front door for the midwife, grab me some antacids (as I felt like I would vomit from reflux), and turn off the sensor light I was finding particularly irritating as it flickered on and off.

I stayed in the pool for only around 20-30 minutes before the feeling came across me that was so very familiar from birthing my other babies.. one of not wanting to be there, wanting to leave, or opt out of doing this. I knew baby was getting close, and felt the need to be out of the pool.

I hurried to get out and move to the glass pool fence only a couple of steps away between contractions. When the next one came, I grabbed the fence and felt myself bearing down, and some membranes released. I felt surely I still had a while longer (my midwife was still on the way), but also suspected it could be almost imminent, so moved quickly to the daybed beside the pool.

The next contraction I again felt my body bearing down and my senses were so heightened, even time seemed to pass differently. The sound of the fire burning was so loud and clear, and I could feel the heat from the flames on my skin.

After three more contractions our beautiful baby boy Asher had arrived at 2.50am on February 27th. It was calm, quiet and so very intimate, with just his dad and me there to witness. My husband caught him as he emerged ’Starry Side Up’ (our name for our boy born under the stars ‘Sunny Side Up’, or posterior).