Sophie – Clinical Psychologist, Two Physiological Births, “Big Baby”, Home Birth Preparation

Sophie’s journey to motherhood began during the unique circumstances of COVID-19 lockdowns, when she and her husband Travis decided to start trying for their first baby around her 30th birthday. “I was one of those people testing like five days before you can test and just thinking I was pregnant every time,” Sophie recalls of the 10-month conception journey that followed coming off the pill after over a decade of use.

Working as a clinical psychologist specialising in loss and trauma, Sophie brought a unique perspective to her pregnancy journey. “Because of that I always had a mentality of being very open with my loved ones. So we, from day one, we were very open and excited and telling friends and family,” she explains, understanding that if loss occurred, the support network would already be in place.

Preparing for Birth with Professional Insight

Sophie’s professional background informed her birth preparation approach significantly. “The main things for me was kind of to reduce the risk of trauma. So being informed and making informed consent kind of decisions around what I wanted,” she reflects. Rather than focusing solely on avoiding interventions, Sophie prioritised staying active during labour: “For me, kind of from what I was reading and everything I was understanding about it was really like the more active you can stay in labour, usually the more, the quicker it’s gonna progress.”

Her preparation was thorough and methodical. “I did a lot of reading everything. So I did a lot of Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth… I did courses through the hospital… but I decided to do the Calm Birth course.” Sophie also utilised technology, listening to hypnobirthing content through apps like Headspace and preparing practically with techniques like ice-holding practice to simulate contraction intensity.

Charlotte’s Birth: A Textbook First Experience

Sophie’s first labour began at 39 weeks and 3 days with the loss of her mucus plug. “I was really excited. Yeah, literally. I was like, oh my God, what does this mean? What’s happening?” The early labour was manageable, allowing Sophie to enjoy what she thought might be her last day of pregnancy at the local rock pools.

Labour progressed in a beautifully linear fashion that Sophie describes as “very Lottie” – organised and on schedule. The home environment during early labour was crucial: “We started it, it kind of very quickly from six or when it started to get dark, that’s where it started to very much progress quickly into active labour.”

Sophie’s mother, a midwife herself, provided invaluable support during the home labour phase. “Mom was just like, look, let’s just roll with it. She’s just stayed calm… And mom was teaching him where to put pressure in different places and it just felt so loving and yeah, it was beautiful.”

The transition to hospital came after Sophie’s mother asked a pivotal question: “She just very simply looked at me and she’s ‘okay, Sophie, where would you like to birth your baby?’ And I was like, ‘what?’ She’s like, ‘where would you like to give birth to your baby?’ And I was like ‘at hospital.’ She was like, ‘that’s probably where you need to go now.'”

At the hospital, Sophie was initially told she was only 4 centimetres dilated, but progressed rapidly from 4 to 10 centimetres in just two hours. “They checked me and I was 10 centimetres and their head was moving on show. So they were like, ‘okay, you’re ready to start pushing.’ And I was like, ‘what?'”

Charlotte was born after about 20 minutes of pushing, weighing 3.54kg. “She just screamed immediately, which was like, again, just amazing to kind of hear that and see her.”

Henry’s Journey: From Home Birth Plans to Hospital Success

Sophie’s second pregnancy came as a delightful surprise when Henry was conceived immediately after trying. “I just tested just before, you know, going out and having some cocktails at my sister-in-law’s hen’s party. And then, yeah, it was positive.”

This time, Sophie secured a place in the Midwifery Group Programme and began considering a home birth. “I met Caitlin, my midwife, and she has been to a lot of home births… she just flagged, she was like, ‘you’re like really prime sort of candidate for the home birth programme. Would you be open to it?'”

The decision-making process was thorough, with Sophie appreciating the flexibility: “It’s easier to drop down. So if you were to opt for the home birth programme, we can kind of get that all set up and at any point you can go, ‘actually no, I wanna do hospital.'”

Throughout the pregnancy, there were concerns about Henry’s size, with multiple healthcare providers mentioning it at appointments. However, Sophie’s care team maintained a positive approach. “The attitude was just so relaxed around it being a big baby and home birth. There was no panic, no anxiety… it just felt really reassuring.”

A Powerful Home Birth Experience

Henry’s birth began at 41 weeks with what Sophie calls “the birth of denial” – she struggled to believe labour was actually starting after several false alarms. “I just mentally was… it was just like, I had been so confused and I was like, ‘no, it’s not happening.'”

The home birth team arrived around 9:30 PM, creating a beautiful atmosphere. “I just kind of had zone, like the lounge room here zone where I had everything kind of set up and they were in the kitchen and it was just really funny, just this like gaggle of midwives.”

The birth progressed rapidly once Sophie reached transition. “I just came up and I was like, ‘oh my gosh. And I was like, ah, I need to push, I need to push.’ And as soon as I said that word, it’s like all of the midwives were up.”

Henry was born in the birth pool, with Sophie’s waters breaking as she entered the water. “His body just kind of came through and then Caitlin caught him, but moved him under the water to Trav who then helped pick him up and then kind of popped him on me. And it was just incredible.”

The surprise came when Henry was weighed: “They were calling out the weight… they were like, ‘Wait, like the first read was 4.7’ and they were like ‘4.7,’ and I was like, ‘4.7.’ And then they’re like, ‘what?’ And then they’re like, ‘no, let’s try that again.'” Henry weighed 4.65kg and measured 58 centimetres – significantly larger than his sister.

Remarkably, despite Henry’s size, Sophie had no tears or grazes. “When they checked me and amazingly, there was nothing. No tears, no grazers. Again I feel like that was the water.”

Professional Insights and Positive Birth Culture

Sophie’s story highlights the importance of positive language and supportive care providers. “I just think it makes such a difference when someone can just give you ease as well on the other parts of the statistics of like how things can go really well as well.”

Her experience demonstrates that with proper preparation, supportive care, and trust in the birthing process, positive outcomes are possible even with larger babies. “It did just felt like a non-issue and I think that’s why I was so shocked when they called his weight out.”

The post-birth experience at home was everything Sophie had hoped for: “The midwives are just so amazing. They just clean up everything… They stay for four hours… they made our bed and they tucked it literally tucked us into bed.”

Sophie’s journey from clinical psychologist observing birth trauma to experiencing two beautiful births herself offers hope and practical insights for expectant mothers. Her story emphasises the power of preparation, positive support systems, and trusting both your body and your care providers throughout the birthing journey.