a freebirth in pictures

These pics are from around 5pm on NYE - between contractions I'm being fed and watered by my wonderful support people Jase, Amy and Sheryn, and I'm just relaxing between contractions in the pool... enjoying the weightlessness and warmth of the water.


I love the times between contractions - such anticipation knowing I am going to be giving birth to my baby that day.

During contractions I am completely immersed in the moment... feeling a shift in consciousness as I embrace the power within my body and the life giving force pouring out of me. I'm wearing my beautiful Goddess necklace that Sheryn made for me and gave to me at my Blessingway.
At this point I am having intense contractions and I'm talking to my baby - saying "Down, down, come on Doooowwwwwwwn baby".
The room is hushed and candlelit and Om Hraum Mitraya is playing on my ipod... I am completely in my 'zone'. I am working at breathing through the contractions now and even though I haven't had an examination to determine if I am dilated, I instinctively know the end of labour is very, very close.

I never got an urge to push (same as with the other two kids), but I had felt the baby descending so tried pushing to see what would happen and in the one contraction I had pushed our baby's head out... and then after making sure Sheryn was ready to catch I pushed the rest of her body out using that same contraction. I really don't like to muck about in second stage of labour!! The rush of catching the baby meant that photos weren't possible for the actual birth (but we did get it on video!) but this next pic is the first photo of our new little baby who i haven't actually discovered is a girl yet. Our little bub was born at 755pm. She breathed and was a beautiful healthy pink straight away... and she cried as this photo was taken at the fright the flash gave her!

And here's our first eye contact and breastfeed... Her eyes were so fixed on us both... such timelessness in those moments and such exhiliration that she was born so blissfully at home.

Here I am completely elated....... THIS is what birth is about, and what mainstream medicalised births so frequently rob women of experiencing... Such a wonderful and empowering feeling - soaring on the oxytocin high of natural birth in a supportive environment!
The umbilical cord is still intact as we're waiting for the placenta to come out. We had a lotus birth so there is no cutting of the cord.

Here I am waiting to birth the placenta.. which took around 40mins and was the worst bit of it cos I just wanted to lay down with my baby and relax but didn't feel comfortable birthing the placenta while laying down as it was attached to baby still... so i leant over a chair to get gravity to help it out.

Placenta birthed, here is our first proper breastfeed while I'm laying back on the bed and feeling rush after rush of blissful heavenly hormones... that cocktail of love hormones that are so important for establishing bonding with a mother and her new baby. And I'm already wanting to do it all again... and again and again!