Birth Story Part II. ✨
I had two sort of ‘labouring stations’ set up. One was next to the pool on a birth ball, leaning onto on my knees. Then - because I was feeling the urge to pee so regularly! - I would walk to the bathroom, pee, and then either have a contraction in the bathroom or leaning over our kitchen bench. Then I’d continue onwards to the birth ball. By this stage I had the tens machine on which was a godsend - it made such a difference. Shelley arrived around 3pm; and at this stage I was still able to communicate and chat between contractions. I felt very lucid. I felt like I was coping really well.
At some point I had a contraction on the ball, and Dina gently asked if I’d like to hop in the pool. This was around 3:30pm. It felt surreal when Dina suggested this because I knew she wouldn’t unless she was confident the baby was coming soon. I was apprehensive to take off the Tens, but knew I wanted to keep things moving and progressing and felt that getting in the pool was the quickest way of getting my baby. Writing this I can’t believe I labored in the pool for almost 2 hours. It went so fast. Mostly I was on my knees leaning over the side of it, grasping Stacey’s arm in one hand and Brony’s in the other.
As the intensity increased I started feeling nauseous and panicked at the peak of the contractions - not knowing when they would be ‘over’ and the pushing would start, Brony really helped ground me and bring me back to my breath. After one contraction she said ‘it’s done Becca. You never need to go through that one again’ - and her words have really stuck with me even in postpartum. After a difficult night with the baby, it’s easier to reset in the morning and tell myself ‘that night is behind us, we never need to go through that one again’. Brony was putting iced compresses on my back, neck and head because I was feeling so hot, and because it was daytime I was feeling a bit bothered by the light so wanted something dark over my eyes. CONT. IN COMMENTS
Birth Story Part I. ✨
I) I’ve been going back and forth on whether to share the story of my second labour. I’ve been so inspired by @villageformama sharing her current postpartum with twins, it’s incredible to learn how other mamas do it. My first birth in many ways was ‘textbook’, but nonetheless ended up with an episiotomy and traumatic ‘coached pushing’ that kicked off a degree of shock during my postpartum - alongside a very unsettled and screamy baby - that took many months to process. I wanted something different for myself and my baby this time.
I still very much had the ‘anything can happen’ motto in my head, but I wanted to try my best to reduce intervention IF it wasn’t necessary - mostly for a quicker physical recovery, and to avoid so many of the rules and demands the hospital system puts on new mothers (being woken all through the night, noting down nappy changes, so much extra handling of the baby). I very much support every woman’s choice to decide how to birth their baby - I’ve had many close friends opt for other means of bringing their baby into the world, which I deeply respect and admire. There is no judgement here. You only know yourself. And I knew I would feel safer this time in my own environment. Being such a sensitive and visual person, being around my comforts allowed me to sink into the birth portal in a way I could have only imagined before this experience.
On December 10 2025, on my exact “40-week” due date, my water’s broke at 11:49am after I had just eaten a sandwich and lay down on mums couch in Fitzroy North (see last photo above). I had walked (or limped) around Edinburgh Gardens, attempting some curb walking. Already at that stage of the morning I felt like my insides were falling out. CONT. IN COMMENTS…
Gideon getting comfortable in Leon’s room 🌈. I was looking for something to separate the boys clothes and this chest of drawers by @leander.furniture from @fromthememo has been perfection. It’s a great height for two tall parents and the soft close drawers save my overstimulated mind when being open and closed by *helpful* toddlers🙏🏻💘 #gifted
TW: positive home birth (please scroll if a tender topic ❤️)
He is here 😭🥹 Our baby boy was born on a sunny afternoon last week at home - exactly on time on his ‘due date’ and 7 days before Leon’s birthday. He entered the world via water, and straight into my arms, a 4.7kg (!!!) cherub. An indescribable feeling. I will share more of my birth story soon (simply because I so enjoy reading others), but for now, Stace and I are blissed out having Gideon Wolf Kent and Leon in our lives.
Together with all this happiness, we’ve been sitting with unimaginable grief and sadness at the terrible events at home in Bondi. Our thoughts are with everyone affected.
