Amanda's beach labour and hospital birth to Clarke

Amanda and Joe's first baby was due around Christmas and you'll hear Amanda explain how that timing had an impact on her finding a midwife initially and also how it impacted on baby getting some help with a tongue tie. However, it turned out that it was a great time to have a baby especially when it was a beautiful sunny day in labour and Amanda spent quite a bit of time swimming in the waves while experiencing her surges on Boxing Day. It was also beneficial due to less traffic on the roads when they needed to move birth locations; travelling from Birthcare to Waitakere hospital at 8cm dilated. Amanda had to navigate a fairly uncommon of experience of having non stop surges once labour progressed and therefore plans had to change as she felt she needed an epidural. She shares how looking back it would have been helpful to have a doula through birth as she had a good experience of doula care when faced with challenges in her newborn days.