Jordans Homebirth After Caserean (HBAC) Story

The Birth of Baby Avery, December 2024

Written by Jordan

2020 Unplanned C-Section due to “Big Baby” 

Uneducated and trusted in doctors and medical team to guide me. Public hospital for birth and all antenatal with public midwife and OB (don’t attend birth). Scans almost every appointment, CTG monitoring from 40 weeks every couple days. 4 stretch and sweeps from 39 weeks. Induction booked at 41 weeks, luckily went into labour night before- waters broke (gushed out like the movies) so got told to get to hospital after 12 hour for iv antibiotics. So all night at home for the 12 hours I was having irregular contractions but they were very close together, 1 min, 3 mins, etc. I used the shower and bath and moving around on birth ball, they were too much for me to sleep and rest and ignore them so was up all night and heading to hospital around 530am. I Probably had 7 VEs by different staff, stuck on the bed with CTG and cannula in my wrist. Not once did the midwife suggest moving around or changing position just kept offering all the pain relief ended up with epidural at 5cm this was midday so I had been labouring for 20 hours and hadn’t slept for about 36 hours. Baby and I were fine but then she checked my paperwork and scared us into a c-section because baby was too big. “I’ve never delivered a baby this big, they should have induced you two weeks ago, we will have to break your pelvis or the babies collarbone to get it out, etc”. Baby was delivered an hour later and was completely healthy and happy at 4.4kg (they thought she was 5.7 going off my last scan). Didn’t offer delayed cord clamping or skin to skin in theatre, got to hold her in recovery maybe 2 hours later. Covid and being a Kiwi in Aus I didn’t have any support network around me and a FIFO partner. I found the recovery really hard as I’d never had surgery or even a broken bone before.

February 2024- Miscarriage 

I had already decided to go with a private midwife before getting pregnant. As I was aiming for a VBAC and a physiological birth. I was very blessed to fall pregnant in the first try, we were so excited. I had a dating scan and then went in for my 12 week scan but I was closer to 15 weeks. I took my daughter with me so she could see her baby not thinking anything of it, and there was no heartbeat and baby hadn’t grown much since the dating scan. I was heart broken, and I struggled quite a bit after this but also didn’t really deal with it and pushed it inside and carried on this was Feb 2024. I had to fly to NZ the following day for a holiday that was booked and so I let my body do it’s own thing, that was 3 weeks of heavy bleeding and looking pregnant, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop. Ended up needing a DNC which was quite a horrible experience. The doctor said I can try again after one period. We decided not to actively try but not use protection either and we got pregnant again the following month. 

December 2024- Successful HBAC

At around 5 weeks I started bleeding quite heavily, which turned out to be a subchorionic hematoma. I also had low Papp-A levels. This could have resulted in growth scans and extra monitoring. But having PPM she gave me the information and the choice was mine. I decided to not get any scans after my 20 week anatomy scan. 

This pregnancy was full of anxiety and dread and I struggled to enjoy it or be excited due to having a loss. Then in September my sister in law went into labour and unfortunately lost her baby boy during delivery. She was also planning a homebirth with a midwife and unfortunately had the worst possible result. This brought back all my fear and anxiety, which I felt like I had just started to get better after my 20 week scan went well. I also started having intrusive thoughts that something was going to happen to my baby. I knew if I wanted a homebirth I needed to address this so I went to see a therapist that specialised in pre and post natal mental health. We did EMDR which I found to be really helpful. 

PPM was the best money I’ve ever spent. All appointments at my own home. Not once was I weighed or mentioned BMI. Not once did I have to fight or advocate or prove my decisions with research I’ve done. I just simply said no thank you to GD test, GB swab, growth scan, etc and was not questioned. Induction and stretch and sweeps were not mentioned. Risk of rupture were just briefly talked over in factual information when discussing birth plan.

I had bad SPD pain but managing it well in third trimester until 3 days before labour I could barely walk and I knew baby was coming early. 38+4 my dog was acting weird she wouldn’t leave my side, and then my daughter got up in the night, so I took her to the toilet and felt my waters leaking. 38+5 midwife appointment in the morning, told her waters had been leaking and she said labour should start within 24-72 hours. Went out to lunch for my mums birthday and after a nice meal I felt a contraction (2pm) and wanted to get home. Felt another couple but just felt like period pain so tried to ignore but every time I laid down to rest it was too uncomfortable. So, we got the birth space set up- pool, towels, etc. I had a shower around 4 or 5pm to freshen up. Then our friend broke down in his car about 2 hours away and asked if we could help him I said it was ok for my partner to go help as this could fizzle out or last 3 days. Not long after he left I got the tens on as was told it’s best to put it on early. 

Around 7pm my daughter started getting a bit full on and I couldn’t concentrate so my mum put her to bed. I was standing up right for every contraction or leaning over the bed and swaying just instinctively. And then trying to sit and rest in between. The contractions were about 2/3 mins apart and I still thought I was in early labour, I think I was mentally preparing for like a 2/3 day labour because of last time. 

My partner got back at 9pm (thank god because I was starting to ask for him). We told my midwife to come as she was 1.5 hour drive away but I still didn’t think I was in active Labour. Sarah arrived (Birth photographer) and at around 10pm she suggested to try the shower, my midwife arrived and around 10:30 I had a big contraction and my body was pushing. So hopped in the birth pool. From here everything seems to slow right down and I quite enjoyed the rest and less intensity. Water felt so good. Contractions were more spread out and felt less intense but my body was pushing on its own while I breathed. I think it was about an hour of these active pushing contractions then I screamed his head out (this part was quite intense and the hardest part I think) and waited for the next contraction which felt like forever and pushed his body out. I was able to bring my baby up to my chest for immediate skin to skin which was the best feeling. 

My midwife checked babies heart rate in between contractions a few times with Doppler. Other than that there was no interference and she just quietly sat back and watched. I had a small first degree tear and a couple minor grazes. 

It’s been a month and I’ve only just watched the footage as I’ve been in shock that I just birthed a baby at home. I’m so glad I hired a photographer as I can’t really remember the birth, it’s like I was in a trance during labour and I can only remember glimpses. So it’s really special to be able to have these moments captured to relive it and remember it. Recovery has been so easy compared to my c-section.

Things I did to prepare that helped:

• listen to Great Birth Rebellion, Australian Birth Stories and VBAC Homebirth Stories
• Hazel Keedle, Ina May Gaskin, Rachel Reed books
• Did birth course/Pilates from the belle method
• Did birth trauma counselling 
• Chiro throughout whole pregnancy 
• Pelvic floor physio 3 or 4 times in third trimester

I tried to do perineal massage a few times but didn’t really commit. I didn’t eat dates, or curb walk or anything. The night my waters broke my friends came over for a drink and she helped massage my sore back, we laughed and had a good chat and I believe that did help get me into labour by having fun and relaxing. When they left my dog was acting funny and wouldn’t leave me alone, she also the next day wouldn’t leave my side. She knew before I did that I was in labour and she stayed by my side the entire labour and birth. I wanted my daughter to be there for the birth but I was in such a trance I didn’t think to tell someone to go wake her. Maybe I didn’t want her there in the end but was happy she was in the house where I knew she was safe and glad she was there immediately after. 

It was such a beautiful, calm, night. I hate being the centre of attention and not once did I feel uncomfortable with everyone that was there. I was suppose to see Sarah on the 29th to go over the birth photography and make a plan. But baby came early and I just had to roll with it. I had planned on speaking with Sarah about the fact that I don’t like being the centre of attention and I didn’t want the camera in my face all the time, and if she was too distracting I might tell her to leave. But Sarah was absolutely beautiful and even though we didn’t discuss anything she was in tune to what I would have wanted. She quietly blended in and started capturing straight away. I didn’t feel worried about her being there in my space because she was respectful and knew exactly what to do and brought a calm presence to the birth space. She went above and beyond as a photographer (her doula side kicked in) getting ice water and cloths from the kitchen and quietly suggesting the shower which felt so good as I had been in the same place for a while.

Again I didn’t know if I would want my parents there the whole time, but I needed and wanted my mum there and she was such a supportive and important part of the birth. In the early stages when I first started having contractions I said to her why am I doing this having a bit of crisis of confidence from the get go and she said “don’t let the pain take over, you can do this”. That stuck in my mind and I was able to come back to that each contraction if I felt like giving up. I think what helped me achieve this beautiful birth was MINDSET, having the right support team and environment I felt safe in.