ChicMe WW

Pregnancy Diaries: 'I was in labour for five days and had to change my birth plan on day five'

By As told to Maddison Leach|

Ever wonder if other women experience pregnancy the same way you do? Now is your chance to find out.

Our new series, Pregnancy Diaries, is all about sharing real women's true pregnancy stories จC the highs, the lows, the hilarious and the shocking from conception all the way to birth.

In this diary entry, mum Angie reveals how she made it through a five-day birth marathon after falling pregnant just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Want to share your own pregnancy story? Email it to mleach@nine.com.au?

Angie - pregnancy diaries.
Angie was pregnant during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to give birth at home. (Supplied)

"I fell pregnant in October 2019 and a few months later the world was seemingly falling apart. COVID-19 was brand new and the ensuing hysteria was setting in.

Our model of care up until 20 weeks was midwife group practice, but we were hearing of hospital closures overseas and were concerned things were going to get weird here too.

We discussed home birth as a safer and more consistent option, so the next day I called around to see if any private midwives had space, and luckily they did.

I was feeling worried about the uncertainty of what was going on in Australia at the time, and then Melbourne started having lockdowns, so going to antenatal appointments felt like a grand excursion.

As hospital policies rapidly started changing, I was very grateful we moved our care to homebirth. I felt safe knowing we wouldn't be restricted or rushed in any way during the birth.

It was a Tuesday evening when I went into what would be a five-day labour.

WATCH: ?Four simple ways to prepare your home for the arrival of your newborn

I'd had reduced movements that afternoon and with my midwives being an hour away, we decided to head down to the local hospital to get bubs checked for peace of mind. Babe was happy and well, he was just having a little afternoon siesta.

But as I was lying down on the bed awaiting the doctor, I felt my waters break. I looked at my husband in shock จC I was surprised there was so much water, it just kept leaking and leaking!

Not long after we had arrived home, I started feeling the very gentle beginnings of contractions. They continued infrequently through Wednesday and Thursday, but as Thursday evening arrived, active labour started kicking off.

The birthing pool was ready. The birthing team got the assignment. We laboured at home with two midwives, my husband and my mum all through the night on Thursday, then through Friday and Saturday.

A five-day labour was so intense, yet it was also very empowering. Like any mountaineer or marathon runner would tell you, the journey is tough but exhilarating all at the same time.

Angie - pregnancy diaries.
Angie pushed through five long days of labour at home, often in the birthing pool. (Supplied)

I teach meditation and have a keen interest in the power of our mindset, so during my pregnancy I jumped online and came across Hypnobirthing Australia.

While the name sounded a bit odd, the techniques to help find calm really resonated with me. It combined things like massage, visualisations and breathwork with practical birthing education.

Instead of just doing the antenatal course, I did the teacher training becoming an accredited Hypnobirthing Australia practitioner whilst pregnant and in lockdown, and I became my very own test subject when I was in labour.

But my labour was progressing and the team were fatiguing. We made the call to head into hospital on Saturday evening.

Three hours, a shot of syntocinon (which basically just makes the contractions absolute peak powerful to help bring baby down) and an episiotomy later, I delivered my son myself.

The one thing I really wanted was to deliver babe myself, which I did! It was a wild experience. Afterwards I felt like I was lucid and hallucinating, I felt ecstatic and calm at the same time.

Angie - pregnancy diaries.
Angie encourages other new mums to get educated when it comes to pregnancy and birth. (Supplied)

The cocktail of hormones and emotions were entirely flooring; I felt as though I was levitating.

Birth was the most surreal journey. Even more surreal was looking down at this real-life human being knowing they had just grown inside my body.

The voyage into motherhood, no matter how you get there, is all-encompassing.

My one piece of advice to other mums-to-be is to breathe and get educated.

Take a course, follow related birthing social media accounts, learn about your birthing body and what is going on. When we understand our bodies, the unknown becomes a lot less overwhelming.

Get your support team on board with your birthing preferences, and know that you have rights as a birthing person. You can say NO if it doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts."

For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.

Quirky item future parents are using to make their big baby announcement

Property News: Fashion designer's $7 million usual Sydney home.