Maddie’s natural home birth was intense and challenging, but she embraced every moment knowing the pain was hers and her baby’s. It was a powerful experience she chose to move through with strength, trust, and love.
Maddie planned a home birth in the pool, determined to have a natural experience without pharmacological pain relief and, in the end, she used no pain relief at all.
Her labour began early one morning.
“I started to feel pelvic cramps like period pains at 5am. I spent the morning watching TV and pottering about to distract myself while drinking raspberry leaf tea – I couldn’t eat from about 9am onwards.”
She wasn’t immediately sure when her waters broke, noticing only a slight watery discharge with a pink tinge.
“The next time I checked, again, small amount of discharge but clear. We went to the hospital to get the fluid tested, but we needn’t have bothered as I had 4 contractions during the 15 minute drive – that should have been our indicator!”
Maddie’s partner and midwife were by her side throughout.
What stays with her most when she reflects on the birth are the vivid, intimate moments.
“The feeling of his head under my hand as he crowned. Ice cold water from a straw in a cup held by my husband during contractions. The gentle but firm voices of the midwives.”
What surprised Maddie most was how crucial relaxation was between contractions.
“That the relaxation between contractions is more important than anything else. My body was going to push that baby out on its own, my mind just needed to resist helping or trying to force it and trust to letting it happen.”
When her baby finally arrived Earthside, her feelings were a powerful mix.
“Relieved, elated, awed, proud, in love with my husband and my baby, grateful.”
Maddie’s advice to anyone planning their birth is thoughtful and empowering.
“Take the time to learn your body and it’s cues. Do the prenatal yoga and pilates, learn how to breathe, learn what positions you like, and develop the trust and awareness in your body to both contract and relax. No matter how and where you birth, you will be hearing your body’s demands loud and clear – being able to understand them and respond to them makes birth so much more enjoyable… Yes! Enjoyable! Yes, it hurt like hell, but that’s MY pain that my baby and I made, and I chose how to experience that and move with it because I know my body and it’s capabilities.”
Maddie’s birth journey powerfully shows how trusting your body, preparing thoughtfully, and having the right support can transform birth into a deeply positive experience. With calm determination and the comfort of her birth pool and TENS machine, she embraced every moment – pain, strength, and all – and welcomed her baby with love and confidence.