Comments on: Twin Home Water Birth — Justine Caines

By: Hedda

Hedda — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:18:06 +0000

What a beautiful story! Im expecting twins in early October (babies #2 & 3) and was getting pretty depressed with being told they would most likely be born early and possibly via c-section and that my options for having them were very limited. While a water birth does not appeal to me having them naturally is all I want.

Thank you for sharing your positive twin birth story.

By: Lalita

Lalita — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:01:16 +0000

Hi Justine,
After speaking with you today i thought i would read your birthing story. Wow!!! what an amazing story it was. The power, connectedness and courage of women never seizes to amaze me. I had the biggest smile on my face as i was reading and a flood of memories came back to me. My water birth baby will be 17 this year and it only seems like yesterday when she came swimming like a little tadpole towards me,poked her little head up above the water and took her first breath.She looked into my eyes, followed the voices, looked at all the faces around her and then promptly attached herself to my right breast. This was to become her favourite position for the next two years.

By: Debbie Reichard

Debbie Reichard — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:48:29 +0000

Firstly thanks for your story and your example – they say that beginnings have a magic and a madness to them – maybe there is an element of both in any birth especially home birth. Thank you also for being such a powerful exponent to the home birth movement here in Australia. I hope that along with the support there is in the community (albeit low in actual numbers)
there is such a force and motivation to allow women to make their own choices and not be strapped to convention and the seemingly endless interventive minds of so many in the medical field. Power to the women !

By: Ann

Ann — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:07:55 +0000

wow Justine, what a fantastic birth! i can imagine that the happy cocktail of hormones carried you on a high for a long time. I also had the incredible joy of catching my last baby (number 4). I think I didn’t stop smiling for at least 6 months, and the bond is extraordinary. I also get called a crazy hippy by most around me, but if it means i show my daughter how natural birth should be, so be it. good luck with your beautiful big family.

By: kelly

kelly — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 20:29:13 +0000

Justine,

I just wanted to thank you for sharing your home water birth experience.

It’s very reassuring to know that there are very strong, sensible and determined women out there.

Both you and the midwifes who were so committed are an inspiration.

I’m hoping to be able to water birth for number 4 at home in France after 2 “normal” home births and a “gentle” hospital birth in Melbourne.

Internet makes the world seem like such a small likeminded place when other info sources make it feel so big and hostile.

Thanks again for sharing your courageous story.
Kind regards
Kelly Villain

By: Michelle Meares

Michelle Meares — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:32:58 +0000

Hello Elena

That’s wonderful you are considering a home birth.

You don’t mention what area you live in – here is Betty Vella’s contact details who was one of the midwives at Justine’s birth.

Betty Vella
Midwife Practitioner
North Gymea NSW 2227
Phone: (02) 9540 4992
Mobile: 0410 504 992
Email: bpvella@optushome.com.au

The best place to search for a midwife in your local area is here:
http://www.homebirth.org.au/map.htm

or here:
http://www.pregnancy.com.au/find_a_midwife.htm

You can ask with your local homebirth organisation for midwife recommendations. These local organisations will be linked to from the map on the first website above.

If your baby is breech, there are some care providers and hospitals who will support you to have a vaginal breech birth – such as John Hunter Hospital with Dr Andrew Bisits in Newcastle. Women travel from all over Australia to have their babies here.

Good luck!

By: Elena

Elena — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:59:26 +0000

What a wonderful story! could I ask to get the contacts of those midwives. you were so confident with them and I’m looking for someone qiute urgently- next week I have either to make a deposit to the hospital (I’m not local and not covered for birth) either to stick with homebirth defenitely. The more I find out the less I want to go hospital. I’m 30 weeks, but the dates are not accurate. they say feb, i think – march, which means induction, and my previous baby I had 2,5 weeks later the due date. And also the baby now is in breech position and he might turn, but if he doesn’t- then that’s a definite cesarian, which is quite unacceptable for me. And in my country if I wanted to have the homebirth with the only birthcentre I’m confident in – then I had to take 6 months pregnancy course with them- too late and to travel, too. Hoping to get some advice. Thank you and all the best!

By: Annette Connor

Annette Connor — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:53:31 +0000

What a beautiful birthing story, it made me cry. Water is so relaxing for me, swimming in it, standing under it, just looking at it – it’s a great regret that I didn’t have water births for my children. I hope we can make home water births more available to Australian mothers in the future.
You are an amazing woman – a bit crazy I think, but powerful nonetheless. Well done!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:59:14 +0000

A beautiful story Justine, what a calm and beautiful way to welcome your babies into the world.