Line's birth story
When home birth suddenly isn't possible
For us, home birth was naturally 'plan A' for our second pregnancy. But when my water broke a few days before the due date and labor didn’t start on its own, we had to completely rethink our approach.
Over the next few days, midwife Birthe was with us through text messages, phone calls, and home visits, guiding us through several difficult decisions. She consulted with the on-call midwives at Ullevål before we went in for check-ups, and we could really feel the respect and trust in the Min Fødsel team among those we met.
Fortunately, all the tests were fine, and we had time to adjust, both practically and emotionally, to a completely different kind of birth.
In consultation with the home midwives and Ullevål, we waited 2.5 days before the birth was finally induced in the gentlest way at the hospital. After just a few hours in the observation ward (where we were cared for by a warm and kind former ABC midwife), the contractions suddenly became strong and close together, and our little daughter was born after just about an hour of labor. Just as quickly as her big sister.
We were able to stay completely undisturbed in the delivery room for a couple of golden hours before moving to the maternity hotel around midnight. It was important for us to get home as soon as possible, and with the help of flexible doctors and midwives at the maternity hotel, we were able to leave after just 12 hours.
At home, midwife Kristin was waiting, and it was wonderful to climb into our own bed with our newborn daughter. Kristin examined me and the baby and listened with warmth and care to the birth story that didn’t go as we had hoped.
Over the next few days, she closely followed us, especially with breastfeeding, which, thanks to her skilled help, started much faster and more smoothly than last time. It was incredibly comforting to stay in the postpartum bubble with a familiar and flexible midwife who came and went as part of the family. And it was fantastic to know that she and the team were always just a text message or phone call away.
In the days and weeks after the birth, I have thought and felt many different things about the experience of transitioning from a planned home birth to an induction.
Unlike last time, I felt very confident in my own decisions throughout the induction process and the birth, and I was met with understanding and respect when I chose to decline continuous fetal monitoring, vaginal examinations, pharmacological pain relief, and giving birth on my back.
The preparations with the midwife beforehand were invaluable, and it was a great comfort for us to know that we could consult with 'our' midwives even while we were admitted to the hospital.
Over time, it has also become clearer to me that although I had a strong desire to give birth at home, what I longed for the most was to be followed closely, with care and on my own terms throughout the process. And I am left with the feeling that even though the birth took place in a hospital, we were never left on our own: we received great help in adjusting and preparing for the induction, the midwife had direct contact with the observation ward and created ideal conditions for cooperation when we arrived, and we knew we could consult with our midwives if needed during the process.
We are endlessly grateful for the care we received from the midwives at Min Fødsel and highly recommend them to anyone, whether they plan to give birth at home or need or want to give birth in a hospital.