Diary of a Durban Doula: Ciane's Birth Story - Unexpected, Unassisted Home Birth

As told by Carina

Find the story of Carina's first birth, the birth centre, midwife-assisted natural birth of Cara-Mia here.

Three years later after Cara-Mia's birth, I was married and pregnant with my second baby. From the moment we found out I was pregnant we knew we wanted a home birth. We went for two ante natal classes and after that we were even surer that that is what we wanted. We found a midwife who would assist us at home and who supported our decisions.

We knew we wanted a home birth.

On the 28 th of November 2013, I was 39 weeks pregnant. I woke up and when I went to the toilet I noticed a heavy brown discharge. We had a scheduled appointment with the midwife around 11am, so I just ignored it. At the midwife I did my usual urine test. She also noted the discharge. I could see on her face I wasn’t going to like the news. Either I had a very bad infection, which needed antibiotics, or I was in labor.

With the internal she discovered I was 5cm dilated.

Our birth plan strictly stated no internal exams, but I was pretty gatvol and would have been over joyed if baby just came already. With the internal she discovered I was 5cm dilated. I read so many birth books, and read so many stories; I knew I could still be in labor for days. We went home and because I felt fine, I send my husband back to work, promising I would call if something happened.

By 10pm every one was tired of waiting and we decided to call it a night.

He came home around 4am, and by then I have started with contractions. Although they were regular they weren't painful at all. We called both our mothers as they were invited to be present for the birth. My mother came with her bags packed. She herself birthed 4 children unmedicated. By 10pm every one was tired of waiting and we decided to call it a night. My mother and father in-law went home, and my mom slept in the guest room.

"You seem fine; I don’t think baby is coming any time soon."

I woke up at 4 am the next morning, I just couldn't sleep. I bounced on my birth ball, read a birth book, and ate two bananas. By 6am I was gatvol of being alone. I woke my hubby and told him to start filling the birth pool. I knew it was going to take long, so I decided to just take a normal bath in the mean time. By then my daughter and mother was also awake. My mom sat with me while I was in the bath, and her words was "You seem fine; I don’t think baby is coming any time soon."

I sat on the toilet another huge contraction came and my water broke. The head was crowning.

As I got up to get out a huge contraction over whelmed my body. My mother helped me and I sat on the toilet another huge contraction came and my water broke. The head was crowning. I couldn’t move but wanted to get to the bed. As my mother and hubby helped me to the bed my mother literally held the baby’s head, in case he fell out. I kneeled next to the bed, and with a fourth contraction baby popped out. Born into daddy's hands. Sometime between the second and third contraction hubby called the midwife. Needless to say she and the doula were too late.