When Tammy Ballantyne Webber was pregnant with her second child, she and husband Brad didn't hesitate to opt for a home birth. Their first one had been a "wonderful" experience, and this time they decided to go one step further and involve the whole family.
During the birth of their daughter Amelie, now two and a half, Tammy had been supported by Brad and her mother Delia. For Jesse's birth in December, Amelie was there, Delia, dad Tommy and domestic worker Dolly Tumelo.
There was no drama, just everyone enjoying a special family experience.
Six, then seven
As a delighted Tommy puts it: "There were six in the room, and suddenly there were seven!"
"When I was pregnant the first time, Brad and I decided that a home birth was the way we wanted to go. Neither of us likes hospitals, have never spent time in them, and we wanted to welcome our baby into the world in a familiar, warm, cosy environment.
"Our decision to have a home birth with a midwife was met with cries of alarm from many colleagues and friends, who trotted out horror stories and accused us of taking risks, and endangering mine and our baby's lives. It was quite arduous having to defend our position. Eventually we stopped trying and just got on with getting ready for the birth. However, our families and many friends were completely supportive."
Tammy and Brad could not have wished for a better outcome, bringing a healthy baby girl into the world in a pool in their living room.
Even better
They wanted their second birth to be the same - but this time it was even better.
"It was calmer than the first and of course we could share it with Amelie as well as my dad and mom."
There is a lot of preparation for a home birth because the pool and equipment have to be hired, electricity and the geyser have to be checked to ensure the water supply (at 37C) is adequate to fill the pool.
Tammy also had three consultations with a gynaecologist and two scans, and made a hospital booking in case a complication during the birth required medical intervention. Tammy elected to have a doula (a birth assistant) as well as a midwife, Sharon Marsay, and she needed to prepare Amelie for the birth of her sibling.
"Our midwife lent us two books describing the birth in a way that could be understood by a young child. We talked about it with Amelie and she was great on the day."
Birth day
Tammy knew early on December 9 last year that this was to be the birth day.
"I had back pains and I knew things would happen but I wanted to keep busy so I baked two loaves of bread. Brad prepared the living room with the pool and everything else we needed and we rang the doula. My mom and dad were there."
In a home birth the mother is free to do what makes her comfortable. Tammy walked around, got into the birth pool, did exercises on her Pilates ball and lay on a mattress. She gave Amelie the option of leaving at any time but Amelie chose to join in with whatever Tammy did. As the day progressed, Delia made sandwiches for everyone (which a hungry Tammy ate too) and Amelie brought her energy-giving lemon and barley drinks, so she always felt involved.
Dad Tommy, a sports journalist with Independent Newspapers, worked in the room next door, popping in to offer Tammy support. Candles flickered, soft music played and the experience was just as the family wanted it to be.
At 2pm, Tammy moved into the pool where the water provided pain relief.
"The birthing pool was fantastic, and warm water eased the contractions."
Only homeopathic pain-relief was administered.
The midwife used a small heart-rate monitor to check the baby's heartbeat, which remained constant and never showed signs of stress.
Finally, at 5.22pm, Jess was born in the pool, with Tammy delivering him in a kneeling position. The midwife floated him to the top and Brad cut the umbilical cord and held the baby while Tammy delivered the placenta. She breastfed the baby, lying on the mattress.
Helped by gravity
"Not once did I ever lie on my back - the idea is to use gravity to push the baby out," says Tammy. "Our baby was welcomed without trauma, without cold metal, without haste, without machines, with very little intervention.
"That night, the four of us slept together in our own bed in our own room."
For Delia it was a special experience being able to witness the birth of her two grandchildren.
Home birthing is not for everyone, stresses Tammy, and she is quick to point out that for some medical conditions hospital births are indicated, but she believes every woman needs to make informed choices about how she wants to labour, and how and where she wants to give birth.
- To find out about home births in KwaZulu-Natal, contact midwife Cheryl Rowe at 031 266 9952 or 083 288 8203.
- Life Hospitals - Westville, Chatsmed, Mount Edgecombe and Crompton - will hold pregnancy workshops this week. Entry is free but booking is essential. Phone the hospitals for details.