A birth centre natural birth was the plan. What Isabella didn’t know was that her baby had another plan entirely and she would end up birthing him breech, standing beside a hospital bed with her husband’s hands in hers.
When labour began
I was 38 weeks pregnant and had been having period like cramps all day. I also suspected I’d been losing my mucus plug over the previous few days, but I didn’t want to read too much into it because I knew labour could still be days or even weeks away.
Earlier that day, I’d been swimming at a local pool with a friend, and was driving myself home in peak hour traffic when the cramps started becoming more intense and coming in waves. Before long, I actually had to breathe through them.
All I could think was, I need to get home.
Once I finally got home, the contractions continued to build, so I called my husband and told him to come home right away.
I spent the first five hours of labour at home, sitting on the birth ball with my birth playlist playing, the lights dimmed, the diffuser on, and my husband frantically packing the car around me.
When we were finally ready to head to the hospital, I put on my headphones with my birth playlist, slipped on an eye mask to block out distractions, and gripped onto my birth combs for dear life.
Somehow, that got me through the drive to the hospital.
Labouring in the bath
There are a few moments that really stand out to me when I think back on my birth.
As soon as I got to the hospital, I went straight onto the gas, which worked really well for me, and was able to labour in the bath.
I actually loved this part of labour and experienced that full-body high people talk about, helped along by the gas and the warm water.
Don’t get me wrong, the contractions were intense and painful, but in between them I was laughing, chatting, and talking deliriously right up until the midwives told me I could reach down and feel what we thought was his head.
Is it soft and squishy? my midwife, Freya, asked.
Yes, I said, and smooth! He must be bald.
We all laughed.
A couple more pushes later, the midwives suddenly said, There’s poo!
The lights came on, people rushed into the room, and I heard, You need to get out of the bath now. We have a breech.
We have a breech
I climbed out of the bath between contractions with his bottom already making its way out.
I was terrified, not knowing what was about to happen next.
But my midwives were incredible at helping me refocus on my husband, who stayed calm for me through it all, and I knew what I needed to do.
All I could think was that I had to get my baby earthside, and I was going to do everything I could to make that happen.
I stood leaning over the hospital bed, gripping onto my husband’s hands, and with every ounce of strength I had left, I pushed him out.
A few more pushes, my knees buckling beneath me, and then I felt the rest of him finally slip free.
Welcoming my baby Earthside
I felt exhausted, shattered, incredibly sore and fragile, and completely in awe of what had just happened.
The doctors were concerned about his heartbeat and breathing, so my baby was whisked straight over to the examination table. That part is mostly a blur to me.
I just remember the overwhelming desperation to have my baby in my arms, and the immense relief when he was finally placed on my chest.
What surprised me most about birth
Obviously, the breech birth was the biggest surprise, but what also surprised me was how much I actually enjoyed labour for the most part, and how deeply in awe I am of what my body was capable of achieving.
What I would say to someone planning their birth
Birth is so unpredictable, so it helps to go in prepared for that reality.
At the same time, knowing your options and clearly communicating your preferences to your midwives can make a huge difference. It allows them to advocate for you when things don’t go as expected, and can help you feel heard and supported during moments when you don’t have the capacity to speak up for yourself.
I also recommend doing a birth course that helps you build a toolkit you can draw on in the moment to get you through contractions and reframe the intensity of the pain.
The meditations I was given through my course, along with pregnancy yoga, really helped me get more creative with my body, tune in to what I needed, and find positions that supported me through labour and helped me birth my baby.
When her baby arrived Earthside, Paris described the feeling in one word: euphoric.
And for those currently planning their birth, she offers this grounded, heartfelt advice:
“Be open to all scenarios and breathe! Take every contraction one at a time and do not look at the clock. Your body knows what to do and the professionals are there to guide you.”
We’re so honoured to share Paris’ story — a gentle reminder that calm, powerful birth can happen in any setting, and that strength doesn’t always look loud.
Welcome to the world, little one!
