Page 34 - Mother & Baby - UK (March 2020)

Birth stories

‘My second birth

was so healing’

Meet Alex, who had a great team to support her through labour

One-day-
old Eden

ALEXANDRA
KREMER, 33,
A BIRTH AND
PARENTING
SPECIALIST, LIVES IN
LETCHWORTH WITH
CHILDREN EDEN, TWO, g y g
AND RUFUS, FOUR choose a bead for each stage. Breaking
elf-care was important to me each milestone into separate components
when it came to my second birth. helped it to feel manageable, and we used
WORDS RACHEL TOAL PHOTOGRAPHY DANIELLE REEDER
With my first, there was lots of the beads during hypnobirthing visualisations.
Smedical intervention, and in the end When it came to my birth plan, I wanted
I had to have an emergency c-section. This time, to stay at home and birth in water. The idea
I wanted to feel in control. Since becoming a of a home VBAC didn’t go down well with
mum, I’ve dedicated myself to empowering the midwives, but when I politely presented
people through pregnancy and birth – my them with statistics and facts supporting my
work involves helping mums to resolve birth case, they accepted my decision. It felt great
trauma, teaching hypnobirthing techniques, and to be well informed. I went past my due
supporting parents through the emotional and date but, having thoroughly researched it,
practical side of having a baby. I also trained I turned down an induction.
as a doula, and knew I’d benefit from one too. It was four days later that I noticed my waters
I met Lucy, a local doula, for a coffee after a were leaking. I phoned the midwives to let
friend recommended her, and we clicked. Our them know, but politely declined when they
first exercise involved threading beads, which suggested I come into the hospital. I knew
may sound strange, but it was really helpful. having an internal examination would risk
Each bead represented a different stage in my introducing bacteria, and I wanted to stay at
birth journey – from the first contraction to home as long as I felt good.

32 | March 2020 | mothe ra ndbaby.co.uk