Birth Story – Danielle & Jamie (FTM vaginal water birth)

It all began on Thursday 13th March 2025 at 7:39 am. Just like every month beforehand, I

took a pregnancy test, hoping and praying that it would come back positive. I set up my

phone camera, pressed record and so glad I did, a line appeared on the test – a positive

result! I called my Husband upstairs and asked him to check – yes! I really was pregnant.

From then on, the research surrounding pregnancy and birth began. I stumbled across an

Instagram post highlighting the importance of hiring a doula. Neither of us had heard of a

doula, let alone know what service they provide. A er doing some research we came across

the “Doula UK” website and that is where we found Grace. As Christians, her faith-based

support, alongside her wealth of experience, previous science background and excellent

reviews made her stand out amongst the other doula profiles.

We reached out to Grace soon after and she was the first person, apart from my Husband,

who knew I was pregnant. My Husband and I decided to have a private early pregnancy scan

and from the outset Grace was very supportive. Once we found out our pregnancy was

viable, we asked Grace to be our doula. Due to distance and work commitments, we

selected Grace’s full antenatal preparation and virtual doula support package; this was

invaluable as over a period of months, Grace provided us with a wealth of knowledge which

helped us make well-informed choices for labour and delivery (including our negotiables and

non-negotiables) and the post-natal period.

As I was deemed a ‘low-risk’ pregnancy, my Husband and I decided that we would like a

midwife led hospital water birth with no induction of labour and very little medical

intervention. Grace coached us on how to try and make this possible including labouring at

home for as long as possible during early labour, optimal labouring positions and alternative

pain relief methods such as using yuula balls, aromatherapy, light touch massage and a TENS

machine. Initially it was just going to be my Husband present at the birth but a month or so

before our due date we asked Grace if she could also be present for the birth and that was

the best decision we made.

In the weeks leading up to our due date I had a ended several private reflexology

appointments and had started exercising at home on a birthing ball but apart from the

occasional Braxton hicks, our baby was comfortable and not showing any signs of wanting to

be born. At week 39, my community midwife offered a membrane sweep which I declined

due to the risk of pre-labour rupture of membranes and / or infection. At week 40 +2 I was

seen by a Consultant Obstetrician who informed us about the risks of not being induced

such as placenta failure and still birth. However, with the information Grace had given us

alongside our own research, we stood our ground and declined induction as we wanted to

avoid the potential cascade of medical interventions, so instead we opted for closer

monitoring which involved a ending an extra ultrasound scan and having several fetal

monitoring appointments booked for the following week.

At 40 +5, I noticed a change in my symptoms – I started to feel a pressure building in and

around my bottom, pubic bone and pelvic floor area. In the early afternoon I had passed

several loose stools and started experiencing contraction surges. We kept Grace informed,

and she advised me to rest, nest and adopt UFO positioning. Around 9:30pm I noticed a

bloody show, we contacted Grace again and she advised us to monitor my symptoms and

contact her if anything changed. By 1 am (40 +6), I had lost the mucus plug and the

contractions had become very intense and were occurring frequently (3-4 contractions every

10 minutes). To manage the pain, I was using breathing techniques, yuula balls and my

Husband was giving me light touch massages however we both knew at this point that I had

entered active labour. My Husband proceeded to called both, Grace and the midwife led unit

at our local hospital, who told us to make our way there. Despite Grace living more than an

hour away from us she arrived within 10-minutes of our arrival at the hospital.

Upon entering the midwife led unit, the midwives greeted us and escorted us into one of the

birthing rooms. I immediately entered the birthing pool and continued to labour in there.

Whilst I was labouring, my Husband and Grace provided fantastic support; she held my hand

and encouraged me through every contraction, reminded me to breathe, used

aromatherapy and played worship music in the background. Grace had also cello taped my

birthing preferences on the door so the midwife in charge of my care could read this

throughout my labour. By using a handheld doppler, the midwife intermittently listened to

our baby’s heartbeat and reassured me that everything sounded ok. I distinctly remember

hearing a “pop” and the midwife informed me that my waters had broken. Not long after I

had a sudden urge to push, and within 5 pushes or so, our baby was born. My Husband

revealed our baby’s gender – a beautiful baby girl. The midwife respected our wishes and

gave my daughter and I immediate skin to skin contact and she also waited for white before

showing my Husband where to cut the umbilical cord.

Whilst my Husband was having skin to skin contact with our daughter, the midwife asked if I

had any urge to push. I replied ‘no’ but Grace held my hand and encouraged me to employ

‘down breathing’ – within a couple of breaths and pushes, I physiologically birthed the

placenta without any medical intervention. Through God’s perfect timing, and the help and

support from my Husband, Grace and the fantastic NHS midwife, I had given birth to our

baby daughter in the way my Husband and I desired – a spontaneous labour with no medical

induction and no pharmaceutical pain relief.

During labour I had sustained a deep 2nd degree tear. I was initially told I would require

stitches, and this would be performed in the opera ng theatre under spinal block

anaesthesia however I did not want this (as I had just laboured without any pharmaceutical

pain relief!) and after advocating for myself I was able to undergo the procedure in the

upstairs labour ward with lidocaine injections. Throughout the procedure my Husband held

my hand, and our daughter was cradled by Grace. Once we returned to the midwife led unit

room, Grace ensured my Husband and I had settled before leaving us to bond as a family.

Grace has been a constant source of support for my Husband and I, and we now consider

her not just our doula, but a truly valued friend.