I was new to the area of Warkworth when I fell pregnant with my first child. At both a daunting and exciting time of my life I began my search for a Maternity Carer. My Doctor made a few suggestions which included a selection of experienced midwives from the Warkworth Birthing Centre. I jumped online and searched the Centre’s website of which I comfortably made my decision on the Midwife that was right for me.
Initial communication was uplifting as I immediately felt welcomed and cared for by my midwife and the admin staff. Throughout the remainder of my pregnancy I never once questioned the way I was cared for and felt privileged to be part of such a wonderful little community within the Centre.
I have since had two more children, all of which were born at the Warkworth Birthing Centre and cared for by the same Midwife. The choice was made easy after having such a wonderful experience with my first child, as I think back on my labour with pleasant memories and remembering the thoroughness, kindness and professionalism of my Midwife. This experience alone provided me the help I needed to get through Labour with my subsequent births.
In the days approaching D Day with my 3rd baby I had acupuncture and stretch & sweeps to naturally try speed things along. As I predicted, she was born 2 days passed due date, exactly mimicking the previous two. I was alone at home when the first contraction came, and unsure if it was the real deal or not I still advised my midwife who told me to take a hot shower and get some rest and notify her of any progress. My husband was out at sea at this time, so once the contractions were more regular I advised him it was probably best he headed for shore! It was as if my body was waiting for him before kicking into full gear as my contractions never seemed to get closer or more severe. But once he was home and showered they went from being tolerable and 19 mins apart to 7minutes, then 4 minutes and definitely not as tolerable! We hoped in the car and drove the 20 (unbearable) minutes to the birthing centre where we were greeted by my midwife who had the room all ready to go. As with my first 2 births at the centre, I had opted for a water birth, however, complications arose and it was advised that I got out of the water and onto the bed where we could monitor the baby better. This should've normally been quite a stressful moment for me, but my midwife remained so calm during the process and I remember never feeling even slightly phased by it all, and thinking, ‘well, if she seems OK then the baby must be OK’… and sure enough the complications were solved after my waters were broken manually and the urge to push soon followed after. I was butt naked on all fours thinking how glamorous this must look, but honestly, nothing phases anyone in this room! It was not long after that ordeal and I was holding my little girl in my arms. Overwhelmed by love, joy and sheer exhaustion those past hours were now a distant memory. But I do have extremely fond memories of the Centre, my Midwife and Nurses that cared for me post labour. I especially loved that I was remembered from previous births and my children welcomed just as much as me. It truly gave me a sense of belonging and companionship which to me is important after confronting one of the greatest miracles of life. The whole centre seemed to be there to support me and create a safe space so I could comfortably and confidently birth my baby. It truly was a healing experience that left me feeling empowered and I’m grateful to have been able to have the birth I always wanted.