Home Birth Aotearoa

The French sign over the door of the maternity ward read "No men allowed". Inside, the stirrup tables were overshadowed by vast fluorescent lights, and through the open door, in the heat of the bare dirt courtyard, the vultures were watching...

I'm an Aussie married to a Kiwi, volunteering for a Non Government Organisation here in Benin, West Africa.

Our first baby was a water-birth at Warkworth Birthing Centre, NZ, and it was gentle, private and timely. With a Swiss midwife on site in Benin, we loved the idea of another water-birth. After devouring “Tummy-talk” magazine, we contacted H2Oh Baby who were amazingly generous and sponsored a birth pool. H2Oh Baby approached Rotary, who kindly donated the substantial courier fees! The pool was eventually rescued from the bureaucratic nightmare of Benin’s postal service, and arrived two days before the baby did.

I was in labour after 7.30am Saturday. I tried to relax my body, not tense up, and welcome the contractions. We drove to the guesthouse we’d arranged. The phone was down and we couldn’t contact our backups, but the lady who runs the guesthouse gave us a hand.

Jo set up the pool. Saucepans of water were heated on the stove. I was on all fours, leaning on cushions. I never felt like I needed pain relief. I concentrated on relaxing, opening, and feeling the baby move lower. Our midwife did an examination and astounded me, saying “You’re fully dilated!”... I said “Are you serious??” I was excited, ready to get in the pool, knowing the baby would be here soon.

I got in the pool and it was cosy, soft and padded. Jo sat in behind. We had candles and worship music playing. I was in the water for half an hour, and pushing for about 10 minutes. Zion was born 12:25 midday, 3.5 kgs, with elf eyes in his pudgy face. I held him and said “Thank you Jesus.” He was relaxed, crying briefly and then feeding. The placenta came quickly as I was standing up. I was intact, no tears, able to sit and walk around. I felt so normal, we came home that afternoon after lasagne and a nap. Enoch got to meet his new baby brother the same day! It was great.

We really thank God for an amazing labour and delivery.

“Now the joy of my world is in Zion” – Lauren Hill

Great Barrier Island Home Water Birth Story

Stefan was 4 days "overdue". I spent a lot of time by myself up on the green hill looking over the sea, to feel like I had the 'space' - I had to keep saying to myself that it was God's timing, and I took the phone off the hook. About 2am Saturday morning, Sept 10th, I started contracting mildly in my sleep, so I just slept and looked at the clock every now and then - I told Johann, and he went to get the pool out. We had an inflatable pool ready, which he put it in our lounge room with the couch facing it. He rigged up the hot water and the towels and the heater. The contractions weren't intense - actually they never were. They weren't regular so we didn't call the island midwife till 5am when they were closer to 6 minutes apart - we thought we should contact her just in case it started happening really quickly! The boys were still asleep. At 5am I thought "Right, better get it moving", so I got out of bed and started walking around a bit, or sitting upright on the couch with all the cushions around me. I was sitting quietly by the light of the gas heater and tried a few different positions like on my knees leaning against the couch.

Adele came in as it was dawn. She sat unobtrusively nearby and had a cuppa. I was thinking I wasn't progressing because the contractions weren't intense or too close together. Johann pressed on the small of my back for a few contractions which helped. I found I was just able to breath normally the whole time, and I didn't really feel like I needed to vocalise. About 7am I felt an urge to get in the pool and just stretched out in the warm water for a while, leaning against the padded sides. About this time we could hear the boys waking up, and we sent them off to a neighbours house with their packed bag. Johann got in the pool and sat behind me, giving me a flannel for my face and sips of water. I asked the midwife to see how far I was dilated and she said 6 or 7 cms. I prayed that God would progress the labour (Stefan was born half an hour later). We had worship music playing in the background and I found myself singing in between. The contractions were never intense but I could feel my body starting to gear up to push. I told Adele, who was surprised! I had one push and then with the second one Stefan's head was quickly born, but without tearing. I touched Stefan's head in the water, with all his hair.
With all the adrenaline racing I made myself relax. My body went into another push and Stefan was born - I reached down and lifted him up onto me - he was slippery with vernix coating so Johann and Adele helped me lift him up out of the water onto my chest. We covered him with a warm towel while he lay against me. He had a bit of a cry and Mummy gave him the first kiss (and the second - and the third). After a while I stood to deliver the placenta but I got cold, so I went back down into the warm water - it came immediately as I was leaning against the sides of the pool. Adele commented later that she was surprised at how clean the water was. We got out, dried off and sat on the couch for a cuddle and a photo. The Peanut M&M's and juice came out, and Stefan had a feed too. He was born at 7.55 am, 3.6 kgs and 53 cms.