My Second Homebirth: Easy & Fast!
Leo was born at home, right on his due date, and this birth was everything I had dreamed it would be. It was completely different from my first birth, and so much faster. From the first signs of labor to holding him in my arms, it only lasted three hours!
I was sleeping when I woke up feeling some pressure in my abdomen. It felt different, but I had been experiencing similar sensations over the previous few days, so I wasn't sure if labor was actually beginning.
When I went to the bathroom and noticed a little bit of blood, I knew: this was it.
I woke up Dan and told him he definitely wasn't going to work that day. Even though it was Sunday, he usually takes people diving anyway, so he had been about to get ready. Not anymore 😂
I also woke up my mom and told her the birth was starting and that she needed to stay with our toddler, Sofia. I wanted to go for a walk with our dog, Blacky. I remembered how much I loved walking during my first labor, so I wanted to do it again. I asked Dan to come with me, just in case.
The morning was beautiful and calm. During the walk, the first real contractions began, and they were strong. I had to stop walking each time one came because I couldn’t move through them. Blacky was acting so strange and excited, like he knew something big was happening. He was running around wildly and even peeing in places he normally never would. It was hilarious to watch. I tried to focus on my breathing, but the intensity of the contractions surprised me.
We came back home at 7:15 am, and at that exact moment, the midwife arrived. She checked me and told Dan and my mom that I was already 7.5 centimeters dilated. She didn’t tell me directly, but I could see it in her face. We were very close.
I went to bed and continued breathing through the contractions as they grew stronger and more intense. Dan started filling the birth pool with warm water and, shortly after, my waters broke while I was still on the bed. Luckily, only a small amount of water came out, so the bed stayed clean :)
At 9:20 am, I got into the pool. The water felt very hot, and I asked Dan to bring some ice to cool it down. I kept breathing and surrendering to the contractions. They were intense. This time, I didn’t go into the deep trance-like state I experienced during my first birth. I was very present and aware of everything.
Everything Is in the Mind
I had felt a bit nervous about this birth. Compared to my first pregnancy, I felt less prepared. Having a toddler and being in high season, when Dan works nonstop, made it harder for me to do all the ideal preparation things. I didn’t do Pilates or prenatal yoga. I didn’t eat dates or drink raspberry leaf tea. I didn’t follow any of those routines, and toward the end of the pregnancy I started to worry about that.
But I had read somewhere that for an unmedicated birth, 90 percent is the mind and only 10 percent is the physical body. That idea stayed with me.
And beyond the mindset, I also felt something deeper. During both of my pregnancies and births, I felt myself trusting God more than ever before. Surrendering control during labor is such a powerful experience. It reminded me that there is something greater guiding life. These two births have brought me closer to Him, and for that I feel incredibly grateful. In those intense moments, I didn’t just trust my body. I trusted that God was watching over us.
When I felt my baby’s head low down, I knew what I needed to do: relax. I remembered everything I had learned about the fetal ejection reflex and how the body knows how to birth if we allow it. I reminded myself that women’s bodies are designed for this. My job was not to control the birth, but to control my mind, release fear, and trust my body.
I felt his head almost coming out, but I was nervous to fully let go. Another contraction came, and the same thing happened. I knew I was ready, but I still hesitated.
Then the third contraction came, and I told myself THIS IS IT. LET’S DO THIS! My baby cannot stay there any longer. He wants to come out.
Just as I was about to completely relax, Dan came back with the ice for the pool, and suddenly I imagined my poor baby entering the world surrounded by floating ice cubes. I started shouting, “NO ICE! NO ICE!” You can actually see this moment in the video* right before his head comes out. It makes me laugh every time.
Then I finally let go.
His head came out.
I reached down with my hand and touched it. Feeling his head outside my body was the most incredible sensation. I was so happy. I knew the hardest part was over and that his body would follow, either gently or with the next contraction.
I wasn’t worried. I had learned that during waterbirth, once the head is born, the baby continues receiving oxygen through the umbilical cord as long as it remains intact and the placenta is functioning. Babies do not take their first breath until they are exposed to air. That gave me so much peace. I trusted the process.
I told the midwife and Dan that the head was out. She immediately came closer, supported the head, and told me to push. I said, “I can’t push,” but what I really meant was, “I don’t want to push. I want to wait.” My instinct was to let my body bring him out slowly.
She encouraged me again, and I gave a small push.
At 9:34 am, Leo was born.
His body slipped out gently and smoothly, and just like that, he was here.
I didn’t tear at all this time. And the best part, he entered the world so calmly. He didn’t cry right away. He was peaceful, just resting on my chest and looking around. Exactly how I imagined it should be. That made me incredibly happy.
After a few minutes, my mom came into the room. I showed her Leo, and she was so emotional and proud. Then Sofia came in to meet her little brother. She was so excited. Watching her see him for the first time was one of the sweetest moments of my life.
Everything felt peaceful. Powerful. Complete.
The lesson this birth gave me is simple. The body knows what to do. The mind is what we need to manage. When we release fear and trust, the body can do everything.
And at 9:34 on that February morning, mine did exactly that 🤍
I also feel deeply grateful to Dan for being my rock during both of my births. I truly could not have done this without his support. I know it is not easy for him emotionally. He worries. He thinks about everything that could go wrong. And still, he chooses to trust me. He chooses to trust my intuition and my body. That means more to me than I can put into words. His calm presence, his strength, and his love gave me the safety I needed to surrender completely. I love him so much for that.
*There’s a video of the birth, but it felt way too intimate to put it on the internet… so I just uploaded a couple of pictures from right after the birth: 1) Sofia, Dan, and me with Leo and 2) Dan and Sofia introducing Leo to Blacky. I also put up pictures of a photoshoot we did the last week of the birth. My belly was huge! :)
