My name is Hannah & I gave birth to my second child during a pandemic in 2020 whilst in lockdown !
My due date was 26th May,
I’m a self employed hairdresser and had plans to work up until 19th May to accommodate my clientele before the arrival of number 2! Instead I finished work 20th March after the government closing all salons for the safety of our people ! This gave me 10 weeks of my First born, our Daughter – Abella, aged 2.
I had a water birth with Abella at Arrow Park and I had a lovely experience but not so great afterbirth !! So during this pregnancy when the midwifes mentioned the choice of a ‘home birth’ to me it would shock me and I insisted that it wouldn’t be a option !
In April it was then announced that due to Covid-19 a water birth wouldn’t be possible as ArrowPark we’re having to use those particular birthing suites for covid mothers & There was a higher risk of infection through body fluids that they couldn’t control in water !
This sent me into complete panic !! I watched so many episodes of one born every minute from being pregnant with My 1st that I knew I never wanted to deliver on a bed!! I felt pain just thinking about it !! I really wanted to deliver in water again.
This then caused me to worry about even going into the hospital ! So it took me back to the drawing board and back to the option of a home birth!
I spoke to my Midwife- Jacqui Tellet who was amazing !!! She was totally supportive of whatever I wanted , as to what was possible during this time also !! I got Intouch with the HighField team @ seacombe Centre & went to chat with a Midwife called Lizzy !
Lizzy talked me through everything & at this time
Ambulance services couldn’t support the team ! they had lowered the response cat of home births which would mean you could wait upto a hour for a ambulance! so I still had the birth kit delivered to the house in hope things would change ! I was also advised against home birth by a Doctor from Arrow as I Hemeridged last time. It was only a low chance of 7% of it happening again so I felt it was low enough to risk
But I just knew I didn’t want to go into hospital during this time and I had come around to the idea of birthing from my own home in my own comfort !
Thankfully the Ambulance team gave the birth teams the green light and all was back up and running 10 days before my due date !! I was then SO excited to know in was staying at home !
I had a sweep at my 40 week appointment 26/05/20 and went into labour that evening! my contractions started about 11pm so We set up the birthing pool ready for the midwife to arrive! I called her about 3pm as I felt I needed gas and air now and she arrived- Midwife Carley about 3:45am In her PPE , and it’s true when they say they smile through their eyes ! the mask didn’t bother me at all you don’t even notice ! She called for second midwife – Sue. my husband and mum filled the pool as quick as they could and I was straight in it !
The midwives were absolutely amazing and let me just go with it ..
we had the Lounge lit in peony candles which are my favourite! & we had a playlist on that I’d put together on our wedding songs and music we would play to Abella when she was newborn ! So my little BOY- Parker was born at 5:35am 27/05/20 into the most relaxed and perfect environment I could have wished for !
He wasn’t responsive when he arrived as his hand come out with his head he got a little stuck and was slightly stunned! But the midwives worked very quickly and calmly over a couple of minutes that felt like a life time he was absolutely fine and back in my arms in the water !
My Daughter, Abella then joined us downstairs ! She woke at 5:15am so it was such good timing ! She met her baby brother just minutes old and that is something we will treasure forever !!!
I’ll be forever grateful to the nhs & High field team for offering this service especially during the pandemic!
Parker weighed 8lb 3oz & has just settled perfectly !!
since he has been born I’ve had plenty of time to work with him and get breast feeding right for him with not having visitors that has been a bonus to this situation !
And spending time just as a family 4 for that time of my husband-Jack’s paternity leave was just bliss !
So I can proudly say that I safely gave birth during a worldly pandemic to a beautiful healthy baby boy !!
What an amazing story, thank you so much for sharing. If you have a story you would like to share about giving birth during Covid-19 or would like to book a session, please get in touch here
