A LEIGH mum who had an ‘amazing’ home birth following two traumatic pregnancies is encouraging other women to consider having their babies delivered at home.

Kate Roach has praised community midwives from the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL), which runs the borough’s hospitals, and worked with them to promote home births ahead of an information event which took place last night, Tuesday.

During her first two pregnancies the 36-year-old suffered with pre-eclampsia and her daughters, Molly and Mia, had to be induced at 38 weeks.

When Kate found out she was pregnant with her third child Charlie she decided to research the possibility of giving birth in her Leigh home.

She said: “The first idea I had about having a home birth was at Christmas when I saw the fairy lights on in the conservatory – it just looked like a lovely space to give birth in.

“I spoke to my husband David and he wasn’t keen at first.

“He was worried and just wanted me to be safe, but I asked him to stay open minded and when I sent him research information he slowly came around to the idea.”

Kate says the community midwives were very supportive of her wish to steer clear of the traditional hospital option and arrived at her home within 20 minutes of her calling once she had gone into labour.

“They said that the baby’s head was low and hoped he would arrive quickly,” Kate said.

“We chatted about my birth plan and I told them I wanted to let my body do what it needed to and take my cues from it.

“They were so supportive.

“I climbed in the birth pool and felt the most amazing calm as I knelt down. The water was much hotter than I was expecting but being in the water made such a huge difference to how I coped.

“I just kept breathing the gas and air and listening to my body. Then I felt strong contractions coming and suddenly there was my baby under the water, so I lifted him onto me.”

After giving birth to 7lb 14.5oz Charlie on August 5, 2015, Kate could have a shower and sit in bed in the comfort of her own home almost immediately.

She said: “All five of us lay down on the bed together as a family.

“It hit me how amazing it had all been to have everyone I loved around me. I couldn’t have wished for more.”

WWL hosted a home birth information evening at Westfield Children’s Centre in Wigan last night.

Anyone interested in having a home birth can call the community midwives on 01942 778630.