Water Birth – Matthew Middleton

As a freelance photographer I cover some strange events: everything from ceremonial tree plantings to an amputee lion to flower shows. Even so, it was with some trepidation that I accepted a request from Belinda, then 36 weeks pregnant, to photograph her before the birth – not unusual; after the birth – also not unusual – and during the birth: decidedly unusual, at least for me!

Needless to say, every single person who heard about this before the event pulled a face and bestowed upon me a variety of titles from ‘brave’ to ‘crazy’ and everything in between. My apprehension grew. Friends, mostly male, regaled me with horrific tales of birthing experiences gone wrong.

Some were also forthcoming with advice that would frankly have been more appropriate if my partner and I were expecting our own first child!

The pre-birth shoot went off without a hitch. We photographed Belinda, Shaun and their three daughters in the family’s beautiful Lowveld garden and ended up with some lovely shots of individuals and the entire family.

Belinda had already produced three delightful daughters: Jessica (6), Hannah (3) and Mary (1) and so was something of a pregnancy veteran. She already knew that this latest and apparently final addition to the family was a boy. He had already been named David and his sisters had chosen a personal song for their as-yet-unborn baby brother.

With their family three-quarters complete, Belinda and Shaun decided to make some changes for this birthing experience. They created a dedicated birthing room complete with double bed, toilet, hot tub, bath and shower. That, coupled with a gorgeous view of the picturesque Lowveld, created a space that contrasted strongly with most people’s mental picture of a birth: no sterile, intimidating hospital room crowded with masked medical professionals for this prospective mum and dad!

Home births are still uncommon in South Africa, where pregnancy is viewed as a medical condition rather than a perfectly natural process. As this is her last child Belinda wanted it recorded both for posterity and to publicise her birthing room, which she plans to lease out to other expectant parents.

The birthing team would be made up of midwife Cathy Middleton and a local GP, who is the only doctor to offer home births in the area.

And, of course, I would be there, trying to stay out of the way. One of Belinda’s friends would also be present to take photographs – back up in case I manfully fainted during the birth and missed out on all the important shots (that’s how it goes in the movies).

The due date of February 14 came and went. The revised date of February 21 came and went. The doctor decided to induce labour, so on March 2, we were all systems go. I had never witnessed a birth before and thus had no idea what to expect. First Belinda engaged in some stretching, wandered around, and asked for water. I could handle this – nothing faint-worthy here, yet.

Then the music started, and I found Belinda helping the baby on its way by dancing around the bedroom, this lasted for at least 20 minutes.

Watching Belinda in labour in the hot tub while one of her daughters played alongside the tub demanding her mother’s attention was surreal, to say the least.

Originally, Belinda was going to experience labour in the hot tub and then move to the bath, where the water was warmer and more hygienic, for the actual birth

In reality, Belinda passed the point of no return very quickly and the birthing team – Cathy, Dr Barry and Shaun – entered the hot tub to help David into the world.

Young David was blue when he entered the world, but with a little inducement from Dr Barry, he started screaming loudly and some oxygen helped create a slightly more human pallor.

Shaun had the honour of cutting his son’s umbilical cord.

After post-birth checks for both mother and baby, the entire family squeezed into the bath and David was passed back and forth between his two eldest sisters, who loved the experience of holding a newborn.

Somehow I can’t imagine a similar experience taking place in a sterile hospital environment.