Dani: First Birth, Positive Planned NHS Home Birth After Fertility Struggles, PCOS, Hypnobirthing, Doula Support, No Pain Relief, Placenta Encapsulation

She always knew she wanted a home birth. From the moment she decided she wanted children, there was never any question. Hospital was not even in her mind. Dani is a first time mum from Devon who shares a deeply beautiful first birth story after two years of trying to conceive with PCOS. She conceived the day before moving across the country from Hertfordshire to Devon — a moment she describes as feeling like pure divine timing. She prepared for her birth like a marathon. Hypnobirthing with a doula, affirmations on the walls, a birth playlist, fairy lights, an astronaut projector covering the ceiling in stars, and a birth pool set up in her mum's annex. She refused extra growth scans in her third trimester on instinct alone. Her baby was born weighing 8lb 3oz.Labour started at 2am on her due date. She laboured quietly through the night and all the next day. She ate a Chinese takeaway on the toilet while going through contractions. She never had a single internal examination and never knew how dilated she was. Her daughter Aurea was born at 11.26pm with no pain relief, no stitches, and a delayed cord clamp. The midwives she had never met before did everything on her birth plan without being asked. In this episode we talk about:What it is really like to try to conceive with PCOS and what finally helpedHow hypnobirthing completely changed Dani's mindset around birth and fearWhat a doula actually does during pregnancy and how to find the right oneLabouring at home all day without intervention and what that felt likeWhy she refused extra growth scans and what her instinct told herPlacenta encapsulation and whether it helped her postpartum recoveryGrieving your old self after becoming a mum and how long that really takes This episode is for anyone who has ever dreamed of a calm physiological home birth and wondered if it is really possible. Dani's story is proof that it absolutely is.The stories shared on British Birthing Stories are real, personal experiences from real women. I am not a medical professional and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice. Every pregnancy and birth is different, and I always encourage you to speak to your midwife or doctor about your own individual care.British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTubeWant to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.