Otto’s Birth Story

It's an honour to be able to share these words and photos from Kate Peach who took my course in April alongside her husband Gwydion.

This is the home birth of their second son, Otto Forest Peach born 20th July 2021, weighing 9lbs2.

"After having a very long and challenging labour with my first son, I wasn't holding out too much hope for a smooth second labour, however, Hypnobirthing really helped me to see that it may be possible.

Jenny's approach was so reassuring as it coincided with how I've always viewed birth, and despite the challenges with my first, he was born without any intervention in the way that I wanted.

Fast forward 5.5 years and I was 39+4 weeks pregnant, awaiting the birth of my second son. My mum came to stay as we'd planned that she'd be around to care for your first son whilst we planned to birth our second at home.

That day we'd cleaned the whole house, taken the rugs up (it was such a hot day and I couldn't bare rugs down!), cleaned the windows, and mowed the lawn! We decided to go for a meal in town as we had granny as a babysitter, of course! Perhaps our last meal out before baby comes, I thought...

We got to the restaurant at 7, sat on a beautiful terrace overlooking a wonderful view of countryside, and ordered dinner - it was such a beautiful evening and I was feeling so full of baby.

I could feel we were both radiating with excitement for this new baby to join our family, I felt so happy and content in that moment. Out of nowhere, I felt the tightenings coming. One, two, three, four.. I said nothing and just enjoyed the view. Nipped to the loo, huff puff, huff puff. Back to the table, one, two, three, four.

After losing count of the contractions I finally confessed to my husband we may have to abandon ship and head home. We both had a laugh about the lovely guy serving us running and gathering the food into takeaway tubs because "my wife might be having a baby", at this point I knew there was no "might" about it.

By the time we waddled back to the car, pausing every moment to breathe through surges and got home, it was 8:15pm, we called the midwives & birth photographer to let them know things were definitely happening. And got told to call back and reassess in 40 mins or so. My husband went into the loft for the birth pool and started preparing the space, I went to my bedroom and sat on my birth ball, listening to my Hypnobirthing tracks and thinking this was a total breeze when all of a sudden, BANG. I stood, and my waters trickled out.

And at that point things escalated 100%. I called out to my husband who was still in the loft and he called the midwives back, "someone needs to come now", 8:30pm. I quickly popped some make-up on as I knew the photographer would be on her way, and grabbed my bra for the pool. I knew at this point if I didn't go downstairs now, that this baby was coming on the bedroom floor, so down I went.

I made it to the edge of the sofa and that's where I stayed until I got into the pool. The only thing that gave me any relief from the surges was my husband doing hip squeezes, the surges were so intense I was losing my breath at the peak and didn't know if I could make it, although I knew there was no room for doubt because there certainly wasn't any escape!

I carried on, breathing through, telling everyone I couldn't do it, gasping for help. The surges were coming one on top of the other with little to no break in between. Luckily my mum, husband, midwife and photographer (who is also a doula) kept me going, holding me up when my knees were buckling. I focused on my out breath and the line of water in the pool slowly inching higher.. I needed to get in that bloody pool.

At about 9:30 I climbed into the pool, got onto my knees, elbows and forearms on the side, and came around to the idea that now was the time to get this baby out. Within moments the fetal ejection reflex kicked in and I knew it was our time to shine, surrender, surrender, surrender. My whole body surged and ejected again and again until my baby's head emerged. And then the real challenge happened. After a few more surges I could tell he wasn't moving, although I could feel his little limbs almost trying to swim out of me. My midwife told me to stand and to push, the sense of urgency in her voice told me that now wasn't a time to mess around and I told her to "just get him out". Woman to woman, she knew and I knew that we trusted each other. She remained calm and told me baby's shoulders were a bit stuck and she was going to help me birth my baby. I felt her gently manoeuvre baby, and gradually ease him out, and in what felt like forever, he was born.

The birth was everything I'd hoped for, and despite feeling as though a rocket was launching from my vagina, my birth partners were all amazed at how calm and strong I remained throughout, at 8pm we were on our way home from the restaurant, at 10:08 I was holding my baby, and at midnight I was in my own bed”.

Stunningly beautiful photos by Doula Sarah