Birth Day Thursday: Amy's Story

This week's birth story is from Amy.  She is the mommy of Lillia, born in 2009 (whose homebirth story was featured in Cosmopolitan Pregnancy Magazine from Australia) and Annabella, born November 15th, whose birth story is featured here. 

This is the story of Amy's homebirth in her own words:

"So here is the homebirth story of the birth of Annabella Grace born November 15th 2011.
After a false start early the previous morning, I was woken by what felt like strong period pain that lasted a minute at a time. So I grabbed my iPhone and turned on my BabyBump app that counts and times contractions. Everytime one would hit I woke, timed it and fell back asleep again. I did this for an hour and a half until I woke up properly and realized they were every 8 mins lasting 60 secs.
I told Pete and went to my mums room, who had been staying with us, and told her I thought this was the start of things. She started cleaning up a bit while Pete got things ready for her to take Lillia out for the day.
It was a long day of facebooking, relaxing, waiting for things to kick off. When my contractions went down to every 10-12mins I told Pete we were going for a walk to get things going. So went for a slow waddle to the local park where I had to stop and grip him when a contraction hit. By the time we got home and I had a shower they had picked up to every 8min again. About half an hour later at 4.15pm they suddenly dropped to every 3 mins. I waited for half an hour to see if they continued like this before calling Lisa my birth attendant and Claire my birth photographer. They said they would leave right away and be here soon.Meanwhile mum came home with Lillia and she was exhausted as she had been at the beach and playground all day and hadn't napped. So Pete made her dinner, bathed her and had her in bed by 6pm which was good timing as 5mins later everyone arrived at the house!

I finally felt like I could let myself go and begin labour properly! I lit the candles I had set up on the bookshelf and tv cabinet and Pete started filling the birth pool.

Lisa suggested I get into the pool and it was exactly what I felt like. The water felt so good and relaxing and I found a good place was leaning forward and half squatting against the edge. this position really kickstarted my contractions and they started coming on very quickly. The started coming hard and fast and in between them I managed a joke and asked Lisa if she brought an epidural with her, she laughed and said "oh yeah I have one in my bag, hang on!" next I moved onto my bottom and tried to lean back against the pool but I soon felt like I needed to go to the toilet. Lisa encouraged me to go and come back to the pool.

I slowly walked to the toilet and as soon as I sat down I had the hugest urge to push! My whole body took over and was pushing for me! Lisa came in and told me to get off the toilet as my baby might fall in! She said i still had time to get into the pool but there was no way i was walking! I kept refusing because I felt like I couldn't move, but quickly after a huge contraction I got off the toilet and onto my hands and knees on the floor in front of the toilet! Lisa and my photographer crammed behind me and Pete was down on the ground in front of me holding my hands as I pushed like crazy. I remember it took about 3 big pushes and her head was out. Lisa told me I needed to push again soon as the cord was around her neck. I waited for the next contraction to hit and pushed and she came out into Lisa's hands.

    

        

The cord was actually wrapped around her neck 4 times!! She quickly unravelled it and passed my baby girl under my legs for me to hold! Lisa said to blow some air on her face and as Pete and I did it she started screaming! What a great sound! Lisa then told me to stand up so I could deliver the placenta which happened within minutes of giving birth.

We walked to the loungeroom where it had been set up for me to lean back on the arm rest and cuddle my baby. I spent about half an hour getting baby to latch on and feed. Then Lisa helped me to the toilet and made sure I did my first pee. Then she helped me get dressed and put down lots of waterproof bedding pads on my bed.

After a few other checks she left us alone and said she would be back in the morning.
And that's the birth of Annabella Grace Giannakis, 15/11/11 at 8.26pm weighing 9lb5oz or 4.2kg"

Amy, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story with us!