Suzanne's Birth Story

I thought that birth would be something I would have to recover from, emotionally, physically, psychologically – I was wrong. Instead the experience catapulted me into the first days of mothering on a massive high – we’d done it!!! And ‘owning’ the birth has given me a new faith in my body.

Kay was introduced to us by our teacher at Kent Hypnobirthing after we began to feel that our NHS midwife might encounter difficulties in supporting us through a low intervention homebirth. When a very small amount of glucose in one routine urine test I was sent for a GTT, which again showed a marginal result and my bump ‘looked big’. In addition I was ‘old’ at 37 and a first time mum.

After lengthy discussions with our NHS midwife, consultant midwife and consultant obstetrician and diabetologist, an awful lot of reading and research and discussions with support groups and AIMS we satisfied ourselves that there were interventions which could be safely carried out in a domestic setting in the event of shoulder dystocia, macrosomia, and blood sugar issues - the main risks that had been highlighted. Though we obtained tacit support to begin our birth at home, it was apparent that, even though my blood sugar was excellently controlled by diet, and we had contingencies in place to address the risks (eg expressed colostrum for blood sugar issues), our wish to have a home birth was very anxiety provoking for our potential caregivers, which we felt could affect the birth itself.

From the first conversation Kay radiated confidence and positivity and had an unshakeable faith that what we hoped for was entirely possible. She took a thorough history, fully discussed everything in our birth plan with us and totally understood and supported our hypnobirthing approach. We looked forward to her visits in our home which were both relaxed and professional, and involved my husband fully. As further reassurance she arranged to have a second midwife (Galadriel Botterill) who was also wonderful- radiating warmth and support to us throughout - present at our birth too and we took great confidence from this.

On the day Kay was absolutely calm, robust, gentle, discreet, respectful and kind and we felt very safe in her hands. She was a wonderful midwife, demonstrating total confidence in my birthing body, and our baby’s progress, letting us get on with it with the absolute minimum of fuss and intervention, whilst keeping us all safe and reassured and offering homoeopathy too!

Our beautiful son was born in water, all 9lbs 9oz of him, with absolutely no problems (not a scratch or even a bruise on me!!) and no interventions or intrusive examinations, just occasional HR and BP monitoring. To be able to get into our own bed that night, newly a family, elated and ecstatic was beyond heavenly. And Kay was there in the days after the birth also to support us with breastfeeding and the beginning of our journey into parenthood.

However you decide to birth – for the decision must be yours and yours alone – I can recommend Kay as an utterly professional and totally confident, kind, calm and robust companion.