This incredible birth story was generously shared by the wonderful E, who wanted to shine a light on the depth, grit, and quiet power that birth can hold. It’s a story of preparation and presence, of navigating unexpected turns with courage and creativity. You’ll find no polished perfection here just the rawness of real labour, the moments between the milestones, and the unwavering strength that carried E through. By opening up about her experience, E reminds us that birth isn’t one-size-fits-all—and that even when plans change, there is still space for empowerment, instinct, and grace.
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Despite knowing early on that a water birth might not be an option due to pre-existing physical limitations, I remained committed to creating a birth experience that supported my body and my wellbeing. Although hospital criteria like BMI and manual handling limits made accessing certain birth options more difficult, I took every step possible to advocate for myself, including attending a special appointment to explore alternatives.
I choose to focused on what I could control. Wanting a natural birth as much as possible, I poured myself into researching a wide range of supportive techniques everything from movement, TENS machines, and acupressure to hypnobirthing, which felt especially intuitive thanks to my lived experience with chronic pain. These tools became the foundation of my approach.
When the day came, I created a calming, nurturing environment that reflected everything I had prepared for, comfy clothes, my favourite blanket and pillow, music on the speaker. All the sensory elements that supported me in relaxing deeply between and during contractions. With my husband by my side, using massage and pressure points, I leaned into breathwork and visualisation, especially when other options felt limited.
Even though pain was constant due to my hips and labour progressing quickly, I remained grounded and composed, so much so that the midwives didn’t believe I was far enough along to be admitted.
I continued to adapt.
I decided to get an epidural to give me some support with my hips, due to some issues getting the epidural in place I was fully dilated by the time it was in place! My daughter’s positioning meant I needed to wait before pushing, and when contractions paused, I stayed mentally present and focused. Even as plans shifted, I kept turning back to my breath, my visualisations, and the peaceful mindset I’d worked so hard to cultivate. The particularly helped me overcome the awkwardness of having people down at the business end of things!
At 12:32am, after twelve hours in hospital, I held my baby girl for the first time. It was a moment of profound joy, clarity, and stillness after the blur of labour. Later, as I navigated some of the lingering effects of the epidural, I returned again to my techniques, my body-mind tools that helped me manage discomfort with a sense of steadiness.
Next time, I’m hopeful for that water birth.
But for now, I’m proud of the way I handled what came my way. I’ll bring forward everything I learned, perhaps adding new tools into future experiences, grounded in the knowledge that I’ve already done something extraordinary.