27/08/2026
Mercedez had a water birth at Darent Valley birth centre for her first baby, Esme. She came along to my weekly pregnancy yoga classes in Dartford as part of her birth prep:
I thought it would be nice to share my birth story with you – as I know so many other people did and it was nice to be on the receiving end of hearing these.
We welcomed our daughter Esme on 1st October at 4.58pm. She arrived at 40 weeks + 4 days, weighing 7lbs13 – and of course we are very much in love.
Labour began naturally at home with contractions that gradually built up. I used a comb, a hot water bottle, and the TENS machine to get through each wave, along with a couple of warm baths and the yoga ball.
During labour and contractions, I had to dig deep and find a strength I didn’t know I had. I truly believe that moving my body through yoga, practicing breathwork, and being part of a supportive community — where everyone shared their experiences, your knowledge in response to these, and the birth stories — taught me so much and helped me stay calm, focused, and able to have the water birth I had hoped for.
The midwives on the birthing centre at DVH were incredible. They checked how we wanted things done, from the s*x announcement to the physiological placenta delivery. Being in the water helped everything feel less invasive and allowed labour to progress naturally.
The not-so-good part was that after delivering my placenta, I didn’t stop bleeding and needed emergency surgery. But because my baby girl had arrived safely, as I’d envisioned, and she was healthy, it was easier to go through with that part and stay calm during my recovery.
Now we’re home and settling into our new rhythm — so grateful for how it all unfolded and for everything I learned through yoga that helped me prepare, stay calm, and trust my body.
Thank you so much for all that you do and for providing such a supportive space — and to the group for sharing this journey with me. I look forward to joining you again, hopefully for mum and baby yoga 🙂 and maybe for some me time yoga too! x