Hannah: Two Planned Positive NHS Home Births, Water Birth, Physiological birth, Hypnobirthing, Fetal Ejection Reflex, Retained Placenta

Two home births. Two boys born in the pool. Two labours where her body did almost everything on its own and no pain relief either time. Hannah is a mum of two boys from Somerset who shares two calm, positive NHS home water births. Her first, during COVID, came after weeks of reading, hypnobirthing practice, and a pregnancy where her son measured small and consultants kept changing their minds. Labour started at 3am and built slowly through the day. The midwife was delayed. The pool was nearly too late. And then, in the water, just after midnight, her son wriggled out on his own in a Superman pose with his arms above his head. Hannah picked him up herself. Her second labour was even more straightforward, apart from the week before it, when she reached 5cm and everything just stopped. He wasn't in the right position. The midwives went home. And Hannah spent the next ten days having contractions that never quite got going, holding out for the home birth she really wanted. When labour finally arrived properly, the active part was only six hours. He was born in the pool just after midday. No stitches. Stubborn placenta. Half an hour alone with her baby in the water. In this episode we talk about: What it is really like to have an NHS home birth under a dedicated home birth team and what changes when that team doesn't exist second time around How hypnobirthing shaped Hannah's mindset across both labours What the fetal ejection reflex actually feels like from the inside Being sent home at 5cm and spending ten days in limbo waiting for labour to start again Why Hannah chose the injection for her placenta both times and what she thinks about the all-or-nothing view of home birth What a three year age gap between boys is actually like, for anyone wondering This episode is for anyone who wants a home birth on the NHS and has been told it might not be possible. Hannah did it twice. And she would not change a thing. 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 · YouTube Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.