The concept of homebirth is probably new to many parents in Singapore. Michelle, an amazing mum with 7 children, shares with us why she decided homebirth is for her and how she gave birth to her beautiful daughter at home, with the help of her husband.
Why Home Birth is for us
I had had a hospital birth and while I didn’t hate it, when it came time to make decisions with my pregnancy I knew I wanted something different.
I met a lady in the park one day who was talking about how her husband had delivered all her babies at home, with no midwife and no doctor. I’d never heard of that. But I was interested. I wasn’t even pregnant yet. But I began reading about what she called unassisted birth.
By the time I got pregnant with Millicent (now 6) I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to have her at home with just my husband and family around.
Most people were worried for us. We, however, felt comfortable and relaxed. We had read all the books, done all the research and felt fully prepared for whatever happened.
Birth is NOT an emergency. And homebirth is AS safe as or safer than hospital birth (depending on which study you read).
Giving Birth to Millicent
I had a super long labor, as she was turned the wrong way and had to work to get positioned correctly. But through it all, I was exactly where I wanted to be.
As labor kicked into high gear, and the contractions became intense, my husband filled the birth pool with warm water and I got in. For a while, it was super relaxing. I just closed my eyes, relaxed my body and let the contractions do their job.
Before I knew it I was in transition. I remember thinking that I knew why women got epidurals. But I didn’t want one. I felt strong. I felt powerful. I felt pain. But good pain. Pain with a purpose. I knew all the contractions were pushing my new baby closer and closer to her new world.
My water broke and the pressure let up. I was a little more comfortable and was ready to push.
The pushing didn’t last long. I remember my husband telling me to reach down and feel my baby. I could feel her head and her hair.
She came out in about three pushes and Jeff scooped her up out of the water and placed her into my arms.
It was a holy moment. We could feel God’s presence in that moment.
Our beautiful baby girl was healthy and beautiful and perfect. And we had done it with only God’s help. It was amazing.
Jeff went running through the house, crying and praising the Lord for our new blessing. And the siblings came in to meet their new baby.
We also do our own pre-natals, which basically consists of what the doctor does. With our next pregnancy my blood pressure went up and I started spilling protein, which meant preeclampsia. So we transferred to the hospital for his birth. All was well, though he was early. Jeff and I managed to deliver him alone in the hospital room.
Our next pregnancy was another beautiful homebirth.
My wish for the current pregnancy
I’m currently pregnant with number seven and hope to have this baby at home, here in Singapore. Things are a little harder to do in Singapore, than in America, but not impossible. Going unassisted is probably not practical here, but we’ll do the best we can with minimal interventions.
For me, I trust birth, I trust myself and I trust my husband. Homebirth is a perfect option for us.
Beautiful Millicent, age 6 this year
We are really touched by Michelle’s story and seeing how blissful her beautiful family is, remind us of life’s treasured moments. Mummies who wish to have unassisted birth please tell us your thoughts or write to us at contact@preggymum.com
Thank you Michelle for sharing your story and wish you all the best for your first birth experience in Singapore!
You may also be interested in reading:
Real Story: Anxieties of a Fuss Free Pregnancy
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