Giving birth naturally in a pool surrounded by fairy lights, aromatherapy blends and bounds of encouragement from an army of midwives sounds like the Pinterest version of a birthing story, but its an experience which one Ayrshire family is proud to call theirs.
Ruth Harvey, 36, and partner Eddie Gillan, 44, welcomed daughter Tabitha into world on Tuesday, February 28 at their home in Dundonald.
Baby Tabitha weighed in at a whopping 12lbs 9oz, with NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s home birthing team crowning her Ayrshire’s biggest home birth baby.
Mum Ruth, an assistant service manager for a family support service in Glasgow, told Ayrshire Live: “When they weighed her we were like ‘oh my god!’
“They had said that she would be a bigger baby but I mean 12lbs 9oz is ridiculous really.
“I was joking that we need to start a book on the things people have said when we tell them how much she weighs. My favourite so far has been ‘12lbs 9oz? Did she come out wearing her school uniform?’”
Ruth and Eddie, who share four kids together, have praised the “phenomenal service” from NHSA&A home birthing unit, as they look to encourage more women to consider a home birth - which NHS chiefs say have continued to increase since the introduction of the team in May 2019.
The couple say the eight-strong team of midwives, who are trained in hypnobirthing, kept them calm throughout the process- especially as doctors feared Ruth may need a caesarean section as baby Tabitha surpassed her due date by two and a half weeks.
“We were way over our estimated due date,” said Ruth.
“We were a bit worried and looked at booking to have a caesarean section, because the consultants at the hospital were getting a bit twitchy.
“But in the early hours of Tuesday morning I went into labour naturally myself in the house, so baby obviously decided she didn’t want to come out the sunroof, she was ready to go.
“We were so glad to have waited for her.”
Partner Eddie set up the living room with a birthing pool and fairy lights, making it “all beautiful” for Tabitha’s arrival, with the midwives arriving in the early hours to support Ruth through labour.
And if twinkling lights and calming smells doesn’t have you pondering over the personal touches a home birth could provide, then perhaps Ruth’s dad whipping up bacon rolls in the background does.
Ruth said: “The midwives arrived at 2.30am in the morning and just let labour happen in the water.
“Things got a bit more serious and I started to push and Tabitha was born in the birthing pool in our living room at 9.30am on the Tuesday morning.
“It was just amazing - all the midwives were there, my dad was making bacon rolls and handing them out to everybody.
“Everyone was just so happy for you - it was like a party.
“There were kisses and cuddles from all the midwives and they continue to come out every day afterwards.
“It’s all based on the relationships that they’ve grown and fostered with you, which wasn’t my experience going into hospital- I never saw the same person twice.
“Having those women there alongside me and Eddie, who we already knew and trusted, just made everything so much easier.
“It was just surreal. At half 9 I’m in the pool in the middle of the room and then 6.30pm that evening we’re all sitting in the same room, everything’s packed away, and we’re eating Domino’s pizza.”
Ruth said she would recommend having a home birth “in a heartbeat”.
She added: “As we’ve told people that we were having a home birth, people seem to look at you funny and say ‘oh you’re brave’, but actually I was more scared at the thought of having someone cut me open to get the baby out.
“Being in my own home with people that care about you, and not having to wait for hospital visiting times or discharge, made it so much easier.
“We are having no more babies but if we were then that’s what we’d be doing.”
Attica Wheeler, head of midwifery and associate director of Nursing– Women and Children’s Services, said: “We are so pleased to hear that Ruth had a positive home birth experience, and was able to welcome baby Tabitha in a relaxed and familiar environment.
“Our home birth team support women in their informed choices about place of birth and provide continuity of care throughout the antenatal, labour and postnatal periods.
“We would encourage any woman who may be considering a home birth to speak to their community midwife.
“Home birth rates have continued to increase since the introduction of the home birth team in May 2019, and we will continue to develop and expand our maternity services in line with the needs of our local women and their families.”
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