10/02/2026
Thank you for sharing Steffi & Benito 🫶🏽 We are so grateful you chose Beyond Midwives to help you to prepare 🥹
Here’s my story: I was exactly 36 weeks and 6 days when I started getting contractions (which I thought were Braxton Hicks). Little did I know it was the start of labour. Although I knew baby could arrive at any time from 37 weeks, I wasn’t expecting it at this stage of pregnancy, as most people I knew had gone past their due dates.
Funnily enough, my contractions started while my husband and I were attending the Positive Labour course at Beyond Midwives, which turned out to be perfect timing as it prepared us — especially my husband — for what to expect and gave us the confidence boost we really needed.
By around 8pm, the contractions became stronger and closer together. When I called the Women’s Hospital, they initially said I would need to go to the high-risk unit as I was still technically 36 weeks. However, by midnight my contractions were only minutes apart, and I was then told to head to the midwife-led unit instead.
Once there, my midwife checked my dilation and confirmed I was in active labour. As I wanted a water birth, they began preparing the pool while I focused on breathing techniques, listening to my playlist and using my birth ball. The midwife even gave me a back massage using her special blend of oils, which helped so much and really kept the oxytocin flowing.
Soon I was in the pool using gas and air for pain relief. At one point, I remember telling my husband, “I can’t do this,” but as it goes, you always can!
My labour was incredibly quick, and with the support and reassurance of my mum and husband, our baby boy arrived just 40 minutes later. My personal experience of the aftercare at the Women’s was amazing. I felt listened to, supported, and cared for every step of the way.
For any mums-to-be reading this: trust your body, trust your team, and trust that you are stronger than you think. 💛
Special thanks to Maria and Nadia, who gave us all the support we needed. The experience wouldn’t have been the same without the knowledge they passed on to us.
