Born 16 July 2025 at 10:04am — at home in Brunswick East.
Our beautiful boy, Cosmo Bluebell, was born at home in the birth pool in our living room on the morning of July 16th, 2025. It was an incredible, powerful, and deeply supported experience — one that unfolded just as I had hoped, guided by the calm and steady presence of our doula, Erika Munton.
From the moment Erika arrived that night, everything changed. My contractions had become stronger and more regular, and as soon as she stepped into our home, the whole atmosphere softened. She instantly grounded me — reminding me to breathe deeply, to stay loose through my body, and to trust each surge as it came.
Erika worked so beautifully with both Chris and me. She guided him gently, showing him how to support me physically and emotionally through each wave — where to press on my back, when to offer water, how to hold me through the intensity. The way she included him transformed the whole experience; we moved together as a team, and he never felt like a bystander.
Throughout the night, Erika coached me through every stage with so much care. She encouraged me to move instinctively — to sway, to squat to walk around the housel, or to rest in the shower when I needed to reset. She helped me find strength in the rhythm of my breathing and reminded me to release the tension in my face, shoulders, and hands. When I doubted myself, she would give me encouragement and motivation to keep going.
The environment she created was so peaceful — dim light, candles flickering, my Birth Bliss playlist looping softly in the background. Between contractions, I rested in the warmth of the water, and during each surge, I held tight to my birthing combs while Chris supported me from behind. Erika stayed close, observing, guiding, and holding space without ever intruding.
As labour intensified, Erika’s voice became my anchor. She helped me stay calm through the transition, reassuring me that what I was feeling was progress — that my body was doing exactly what it needed to. Her words and tone gave me courage when everything felt overwhelming.
When it came time to push, Erika was right beside me, talking me through each breath. Chris sat behind me, holding me while I squatted and pushed with all my strength. Together they encouraged me through every contraction — Chris’s arms grounding me, Erika’s words carrying me through.
When we saw the top of Cosmo’s head, Erika gently suggested that I move back into the birth pool to bring him into the world, just as I had planned. Within a few powerful pushes, he was born into the water. Erika was right there beside us, making sure everything stayed still and sacred in those first moments. She helped keep the space quiet and gentle, giving us time to take in what had just happened — to meet our son, to breathe him in, to cry and laugh and hold each other.
After the birth, Erika continued to care for us with the same steady warmth — helping me out of the pool, supporting me as I birthed the placenta, and making sure both Chris and I felt safe and comfortable. Her calm presence never wavered, even when I felt dizzy and emotional.
Those first hours as a new family were some of the most powerful of our lives. We lay together on the floor, wrapped in towels and love, while Erika quietly looked after us — tending, tidying, and holding the space so that we could just be.
Looking back, I can’t imagine our birth without her. Erika’s guidance transformed what could have been an overwhelming experience into something beautiful, primal, and deeply empowering. She held me through every breath, supported Chris so he could fully be there with me, and made our home birth feel sacred, safe, and full of love.
It was everything I had dreamed of — and more.
