"Positive birth at King Edward Family Birth Centre"

I was accepted into the King Eddies birth centre for my second pregnancy and could not speak more highly of my experience.

My first pregnancy and birth was with Osborne Park Hospital in 2021, through its midwifery group programme. The midwives (and obstetricians I ended up needing towards the end) were all absolutely wonderful, but the programme’s intentions to provide continuity of care weren’t realised. I had a different midwife for every appointment, and also a midwife who wasn’t on the team during my induction. The induction wasn’t smooth and resulted in a vacuum delivery and episiotomy, which was terrifying at the time and a challenge to recover from.

I was induced due to a chance of restricted growth based on a scan at 36 weeks but, thankfully, my baby boy was born a very healthy 3.2kg.

Terrified of facing another induction, I was determined to get into the FBC. I wanted to ensure I’d done everything I possibly could to avoid another induction, and believed continuity of care to express these concerns would help (as well as the FBC’s support for physiological birth).

I was accepted and partnered with Ange for the duration of my second pregnancy. When my 20 week anatomy scans showed signs, again, of a smaller baby, Ange helped put in to place a plan to primarily ensure baby was healthy, but also to prove baby was ‘constitutionally small’ and not growth restricted to better my chances at avoiding induction. The result was extra scans and appointments, and the entire time I felt safe and secure knowing my baby was safe and my concerns were being heard. At 37 weeks I was given the green light by the main hospital to deliver at the FBC (baby remained small, but not growth restricted AND also decided to remain breech until 37 weeks, sneaky!). I went into labour at 40 + 5 and, despite Ange not being able to be there for the main event, had a supported and empowering water birth. My baby girl was born 100g heavier than her brother.

While my labour was long, my recovery (physical and mental) from my second birth was so much faster.

Thanks to the FBC child birth was an overwhelmingly positive experience for me and my husband (who got to witness how both births impacted me differently). And that made for the best possible start to our new life as a family of 4.

Thank you to Ange and the entire team at the FBC, I only hope one day the service will expand enough to care for every woman who wishes to birth in this way.