Ragini's Homebirth Story - Aug 2025

I was 38 weeks and 4 days when it all began.

That night, I started feeling gentle tightenings — soft waves running through my belly. Not painful, just steady and rhythmic, like my body was quietly preparing for something.

I lay there in the dark, hands resting on my belly, thinking, Could this be it?

I didn’t wake hubby. I wanted him to rest, just in case tomorrow turned out to be the day. After weeks of Braxton Hicks, part of me thought, Maybe this will fade too.

But it didn’t.

Morning Calm

By morning, the tightenings were still there — stronger than the night before but spaced apart and easy enough that I could move through my day.

I sent the kids off to school, finished my yoga practice, and decided to take it easy, sensing that something was shifting.

By 9:30 a.m., I told hubby, “I think today might be the day.”
We’d said that a few times before, but this time it felt different. My body had been quietly working all night, and I could feel it.

Around 11 a.m., contractions were about 15–20 minutes apart and lasted around 40 seconds. They were gentle enough that I could breathe through them easily.

I let my in-laws know, just in case things picked up.

The Day Builds

At 12 p.m., hubby and I went for a short walk. The contractions came steadily, and I had to stop and breathe through each one. It was becoming clear this was not going away.

At 12:30 p.m., we called Amanda, our midwife. She lived about 90 minutes away but said she’d start heading closer and could stay near her second home, which was about 40 minutes away.

While hubby started setting up the birth pool, I rested on the bed between contractions, sometimes rolling my hips on the yoga ball.

Amanda arrived at 2:30 p.m. She watched my contractions, listened to the baby’s heartbeat, and said,
“Everything looks good. I think this might still be early — maybe even tomorrow.”

She helped us set up the birth space, laid out the painter’s sheets, and attached the TENS pads on my back. Before leaving, she said, “Call me if things pick up.” She planned to return that night for another check.

The afternoon passed quietly. Hubby worked nearby, my in-laws took care of the kids, and I moved between resting, breathing, and just being.

By evening, the contractions were stronger but still irregular — some 12 minutes apart, some 20.
At 5:20 p.m., I joined everyone for tea and even played UNO with the boys (to distract myself), pausing for contractions. Soon, the chatter felt too much. I needed quiet.

I moved to my older son’s room. When a wave came, I dropped to all fours, hummed through it, and let the TENS buzz gently on my back.

The Evening Shift

Around 7 p.m., I asked hubby to be with me. The contractions were stronger now, demanding all my focus. I didn’t want to eat, talk, or move too much, just breathe.

At 7:40 p.m., I called Amanda again. She listened to me over the phone and said the contractions sounded irregular, maybe the baby was posterior. She planned to come around 9 p.m., but told me to keep her updated.

I laboured in my dimly lit room with affirmations playing softly in the background, TENS buzzing on my back. Hubby stayed beside me calm and steady.

Things Escalate

Then things changed fast.

Two contractions came back-to-back while I was on the toilet — no pause. As I got up and leaned on hubby and swayed for the next one, I suddenly felt something descend.

“I can’t stand,” I gasped, dropping to all fours over my ball. My body was bearing down.

At 8:26 p.m., I told hubby, “Call Amanda... I feel like pushing.”
She said she was leaving immediately.

With the next few contractions, my waters broke with a gush. Hubby called Amanda again, and she asked him to call an ambulance as backup since she was still 30 minutes away.

By 8:37 p.m., hubby was on the phone with 000 — towel in one hand, supporting me through each primal roar with the other.

Unexpected Company

Paramedics arrived at 8:48 p.m. I was deep in my birthing zone — eyes closed, completely inward. They wanted bright lights on and me to move onto the bed to monitor things (something I didn’t want).

Hubby explained that I needed dim light and calm. Amanda, still on the phone, advocated for me:
“It would be good to let her stay on the floor — upright positions support birth better.”

Thankfully, the paramedics respected that.

They stayed until Amanda arrived. There was some nervous energy in the house, my in-laws were concerned at the sight of paramedics but hubby reassured everyone that the midwives were on their way.

The Moment Arrives

At 9:10 p.m., Amanda walked in. The relief I felt was immense. I could finally breathe again.

She gently asked the paramedics to wait in the living room until Renée (second midwife) arrived.

The lights were dimmed once more, and I got into the warm pool around 9:30 p.m. The moment my body sank into the water, I felt a wave of release — it was so soothing.

Now, I had small breaks between contractions — a minute, sometimes more. The atmosphere softened: Amanda’s calm voice, Minesh by my side offering water, encouragement, and steady hands.

I was using the sound “Ma” with each surge calling on the mother energy within and the goddess Durga, visualising strength, power, and grace.

At times, I doubted myself, whispering, “I can’t.” "It's hurting a lot."
But Minesh kept saying, “You’re doing so well. Not long to go” and kept offering me sips of Gatorade to keep my energy up.

My support people next to me, soft fairy lights, affirmations in the background, the warmth of the water, it all felt like my safe space again.

Renée arrived at 9:45 p.m. Shortly after that, Amanda told Minesh he could see the baby’s head in the mirror.

I felt the head at the entrance, moving out and in with each contraction. I could visualise the head moving through the cylinder of my birth canal with each push.

Amanda suggested I try holding the head in place if possible that would save starting over as the head slipped back in.

With the next push and a gentle hip shift side to side, our baby emerged.

9:57 p.m. — He’s here. 🎉

The sudden release of pressure, the hollowing of my belly, and then that miraculous cry.

Amanda guided the baby underwater, then into my arms. I had done it — in my own space, on my own terms.

Minesh and I were elated. I lifted our baby to my chest — another beautiful boy, our third. Our bodies trembled with joy and disbelief.
I kept repeating, “My dream birth, my dream baby.”

We stayed in the pool, skin to skin, soaking in the moment as I breastfed him for the first time.

After Birth

After a while, I moved to the toilet to birth the placenta — this time naturally, easily, without intervention.

Back on the bed, we honoured the placenta with a cord-burning ceremony, surrounded by flowers Amanda and Renée had lovingly gathered. It was the perfect way to celebrate this sacred transition.

Amanda checked me and bubs, we were both absolutely well with no need for stitches for me. I showered while Minesh enjoyed some skin-to-skin time with our baby and the midwives quietly tidied the space.

By 1:30 a.m., the house was still and peaceful. The energy of birth lingered in the air: strong, sacred, tender.

That night, after sharing moments with my in-laws and sending the news to family overseas, we finally drifted to sleep with our hearts full.

The Morning After

The next morning, our older boys met their new brother. Their faces lit up with pure joy. We all cuddled together — a new family of five, soaking it all in.

Later, as the house quietened down, we spent the day resting, eating nourishing food, and reliving every moment.

It all felt surreal — such a big event, yet so calm and intimate.
Being at home made all the difference.

My 5 Biggest Learnings

1. Preparation matters.
Breathing, vocalisation, TENS, movement, and a well-prepared support person are powerful tools.
Because we attended the positive birth program, Minesh felt confident — even ready to catch the baby if Amanda hadn’t made it in time.

2. Familiarity breeds calm.
Practise your tools before labour — yoga ball, breathing, affirmations, positions, counter pressure techniques — so nothing feels new on the day.
I spent much of my labour on all fours or in puppy pose; because it’s part of my regular yoga practice, it felt completely natural.

3. Your environment shapes your birth.
Protect your senses from stress or overstimulation — your body knows what to do when it feels safe.
I had carefully designed my birth space:

• Eyes: dim lights, fairy lights, affirmations on the wall

• Ears: gentle affirmations, no machines or hospital noise

• Touch: being in my own space, with my support person close

• Nose: familiar scents of home

4. Labour can change quickly.
My contractions never followed a textbook pattern — things shifted within minutes. Especially for second or third births, stay ready for that.

5. Continuity of care is gold.
Having the same trusted midwife throughout made a huge difference.

This birth was everything I’d hoped for — a homebirth that reminded me of the strength, intuition, and magic of a woman’s body.

I hope you enjoyed reading my homebirth story. Do let me know if you have any questions or thoughts in the comments below.