Birth Story: Dani loizou

This is the birth of my third Son, Orlando Michael.

After 2 IVF babies due to infertility, I miraculously fell pregnant naturally with my beautiful son Orlando who turned ONE on the 16th May.

It was so lovely to re read my birth story I had written

But the most important message to take from this story, is that even if you need to have an induction or a hospital birth you can STILL have a beautiful, physiological birth if that is what you desire. If you prepare your body and mind, anything is possible.

It all began last Saturday when I was induced (due to a few different reasons). I felt like I was having random on and off contractions all week and had a feeling I had started dilating.

I had the first set of gels at roughly 8.30-9.00pm, the midwife checked my cervix and could feel it hadn't dilated (so I was wrong thinking I had started dilating during the week)

After about an hour I started to get slight contractions. I couldn't sleep so I laid in bed and continued to watch the ranch while Roland (my hubby) got some zz.

As time went on it felt like the surges were getting stronger but I wasn't sure if it was all in my head or if it was really happening.

The midwife came back at 2am and inserted the second gels. I had only dilated 1cm. Pretty much as soon as the second gels were inserted the surges really ramped up and already felt close together.

I didn't wake Roland up and walked around the room on my own for about an hour or so as the surges became quite full on. I decided it was time to wake Roland up, call my mum and @samirichardsonphotography

Roland woke up and got my @elletensaust machine from @blissbirth and placed the pads on my back, ready to to. I also go my @hypnobirthingaustralia meditations ready that I had purchased. I listened to them through my ear phones as I felt I could really zone out this way and block everything else out. It was just me, my body and baby working together.

When in labour with Sierra (my second daughter) I had to move around a lot but with Orlando I was happy to lie down and stay put. The only time I moved was at one point when I went over to the little birth alter, I had set up and was looking at all the beads and affirmations I had received at my mother blessing. One read Myah, Sierra and Sascias strength is with you, and i began to weep. I then knew that things were moving along fast.

As I lied down, I got Roland to get me a wet cloth and I placed it over my eyes. This really helped the process to shut off everything and focus on getting through each surge.

With the next surge I felt my waters break and started screaming out "he's coming, call Ray (my OB), the baby is coming". I don't think anyone really believed me because it was all happening so fast. I knew Orlando was about to be born.

They called my OB Ray Ray who was there in a jiffy. By now I was really roaring and moaning, and couldn't help but push. I had absolutely no control over my body and the things it was doing. It was all natural and instinctual. It was incredible.

At 5.32am on the 16th May, I pushed out my beautiful baby boy.

He was placed straight onto my chest and we spend the next hour and a half together, bonding and undisturbed.

It was all so beautiful and everything I had envisioned for my last birth. Although birth is so so hard at the time, it is the most magnificent, beautiful moment I will cherish forever.

I'm Danielle loizou AKA Dani the doula (@danithedoula_) I am a full spectrum doula, I love to support and nurture people from fertility, pregnancy, birth through to postpartum. I am also a co-founder of The Adelaide Birth Hub, where we strive to connect mothers with an array of local Adelaide businesses that can help them through their birth, pregnancy or postpartum experience. After a long road of fertility struggles, I finally birthed my first baby. I was a ball of anxiety my whole pregnancy and when she was finally here, postpartum hit me like a ton of bricks. I had support from family and friends but felt lost, uneducated and confused. I barely managed to get through the first few months or so, second guessing everything and really not knowing what I was doing. It was rough, but it is what brought me here today. I googled "support person" for fertility, pregnancy, birth and postpartum and I came across a doula. It was then that I knew deep within my core that this was my life's calling. My journey all had a reason and that was to bring me to this work. To educate, empower and give mothers the tools to advocate for their own needs in any given situation.

If I can change one birthing persons journey for the better, than I am making a difference and that is my ultimate goal.