Birth stories: Labour without drugs

For my second child, I decided on a home birth as my first was somewhat difficult. As I am a practising homeopath, I ordered a birthing kit containing 18 homeopathic remedies for some of the most common symptoms of labour. I read the instructions to figure out what I needed to take when and taught my partner Paul each remedy and what it was for, so that he could administer them during the birth.

Lucas came very quickly. On my due date we had been to the supermarket and as soon as we got back home my waters broke. I suddenly felt apprehensive: my first labour had been unpleasant, so I took some aconite [homeopathic medicine used for severe anxiety] to calm me down.

We then called the midwife who came within about 10 minutes. She only stayed briefly, but quarter of an hour after she had left, incredibly strong contractions started coming every two minutes and I panicked. Paul got the birthing pool ready as quickly as he could, but while we were waiting for the midwife to return I got the shakes – my legs went all wobbly – so Paul gave me some gelsemium. He also gave me some arnica – as a preventative to help with bruising and healing in case of tearing.

By the time the midwife returned, I was fully dilated. As she had to come so quickly there was no time for her to pick up the gas and air from the hospital. I got into the pool and it was initially a relief, but after a while I started to get distressed so they suggested I get out for a while. I walked around for a bit and in the end Lucas was born on the way back from the toilet just before I could get back into the pool again.

I had planned all sorts of music for the birth but there was no time for any of that! I didn’t seem to be able to push enough. I remember the midwife saying to me “You’ve got to let go”, and I realised I was frightened of pushing. I took another remedy that is often used for people who are grieving and find it hard to let go – and in three minutes Lucas was born. After he was born we got straight back into the pool. I just sat in the water with him and took lots more arnica, as I’d torn a bit, as well as hypericum; good for repairing damaged nerve endings.

The placenta did not come for over an hour, however, and the midwife was getting a bit concerned. I did not want to have a Syntometrine injection [for reducing the risk of excessive blood loss] or go to hospital as I was so thrilled that I had been able to have my home birth. Instead I used secale – a remedy good for retention of the placenta and also good for after pains. It worked a treat – so much so, the midwife wrote it in her notes as she’d never come across it before but wanted to recommend that other women try it. Also, the second midwife attending said my birth had been textbook.

That said, I felt that it all happened a bit too quickly. For a few days after the birth I still felt bizarre – I couldn’t quite believe that Lucas was no longer inside me. I went to see my own homeopath who prescribed something for the shock which really helped.

Now I look back at Lucas’ birth as a great experience. It all went so well, without medical intervention or drugs, and I was able to have the home birth I had dreamed of. I would recommend homeopathy in labour to anyone.’

Where to get it

Homeopathic remedies should only be used under the advice of a registered practitioner who is experienced in pregnancy and birth.

This story first appeared in the Spring 2008 issue of our magazine, Pregnancy, Baby and You.