Emily MacNay knows all about the importance of midwives after giving birth to two children.
She was keen to speak to us to share her own experience of having a home birth and to thank the caring midwife who made it all possible.
When Emily MacNay gave birth for the first time she wasn’t allowed visitors in hospital.
It was not long after the start of the pandemic when son Teddy came into the world at the maternity unit in Aberdeen.
And although it was still a very positive experience for the mum, she decided she’d have a home birth for her next baby if she became pregnant again.
The birth of her baby girl Maggie this year happened just the way she wanted it – and it was all down to the help of her very supportive midwife.
Lucy Peat was on hand every step of the way to make sure Emily, 31, and her family were prepared for having the birth at home.
How did the Aberdeen midwife help?
“My wife and my mum were both really apprehensive about me wanting a home birth,” Emily explains.
“They were thinking that it was safer in a hospital and worried about what would happen if something went wrong.
“They love me and they very much just wanted me and the baby to be safe.
“Lucy was able to put those thoughts to bed and help me not worry or feel anxious and help me feel totally at ease.”
Emily was able to take both her mum Pamela McIntosh and 45-year-old wife Sarah to appointments with her midwife during her pregnancy.
The long wait for Maggie to arrive…
Emily said she felt Lucy was fully supportive of her birth plans even though in the later stages it was looking more likely Maggie would be born in hospital.
Her baby girl was due to be born on the 30th of December last year but showed no sign of arriving on that date.
“Lucy was going on annual leave that day and she was saying ‘I’m sure when I come back there will be a baby,'” Emily said.
“She came back from her time off and I was still pregnant.”
‘For the first few hours I was just bouncing on my ball’
To prepare for the home birth, Emily hired a birthing pool from a local business and there were lots of towels and other necessities stored in the house.
“It was a bit mad through Christmas and New Year having a big inflatable paddling pool ready in my living room for when I was just ready to go,” Emily says.
Then, in the early hours of January 14 it was clear that Maggie was finally making an appearance into the world – two weeks late.
Emily started noticing the signs of labour and kept herself calm by listening to music she had prepared on a playlist.
And the Barnardo’s charity worker had her mum and wife at home with her for the birth which is just the way she wanted it.
“It was so relaxing,” she says. “For the first few hours I was just bouncing on my ball.
“My mum and my wife were there. It was just totally different from being in a hospital environment.”
‘It was just so magical’
She’d also called the hospital to make them aware that she was in labour and would soon need the help of an Aberdeen midwife.
And she was surprised to find it was Lucy who turned up at the door of their home in Dyce.
She said: “Who would have thought that out of all the midwives who are on an on-call system it’s my own midwife who was there to deliver her!
“She was 15 days late in the end – I think she was maybe holding out for Lucy to be honest.”
Emily was in labour for four hours and little Maggie came into the world at 4.55am, delivered by her midwife Lucy.
And because it all happened during the night two-year-old son Teddy was still fast asleep in his bed.
“Before I would have thought home births were a bit hippy dippy and not my scene,” Emily says. “But it was just so magical.
“Ultimately I wanted a home birth because I wanted my mum and my wife to be there.
“The birth itself was really straightforward, I was in the water for her being born which was great – it was exactly how I’d planned it in my head.
“I was just so lucky that I got what I’d hoped for.”
Would Emily ever work as a midwife?
Emily says she couldn’t fault the care she received from staff at NHS Grampian throughout the whole experience.
She’s a big fan of the One Born Every Minute documentary series on Channel 4 and says she would never rule out a career in midwifery.
“Never say never, you never know what the future holds,” she says.
“Being on the receiving end of their amazing care, I know how good it made me feel and how important their role is and how empowering.
“Lucy is a lovely girl, amazing really to be honest. She’d only been qualified maybe only a year or two at the time.
“Not that that makes a difference at all but she was so knowledgeable and caring; exactly who you want around you when you’re pregnant.”
Midwife Lucy said it was nice to be there for Emily throughout her pregnancy as well as the birth.
She said: “This doesn’t happen very often as any of the team can be on call but it was lovely.
“We feel really lucky to get to know women and families and be recognised as part of the local community.”
And Katie Colville, associate director of midwifery for NHS Grampian added: “We are very proud of Lucy and the wider team who do such an incredible job supporting women and families day-in-day-out.
“Thank you to Emily for sharing her story about the excellent care she and little Maggie received.”
Do you also have a lovely story about a health worker or want to share story about your own journey through a health condition?
If so it would be great to speak to you, please contact me at charlotte.thomson@dcthomson.co.uk
