A mum timed her birth so she could finish homeschooling and get her toddler off to sleep – and credits an “intense” Netflix drama for slowing down contractions.
Emma Hollingsworth, 34, from London, juggled her five-year-old daughter Azaria’s last day of term alongside timing two-year-old Buddy’s nap schedule in between her contractions.
“I went into labour in the morning but my husband was at work so I needed to finish the day’s homeschooling”, she told Jam Press.
The mum-of-three said she managed to slow down her labour by lying in bed watching political drama Scandal on Netflix.
The baker – who had home births with her son and daughter – was told there was a wait for ambulances due to pandemic pressures and with finance worker husband Richard, 36, at work she was forced to take matters in her own hands.
She said: “Richard came down at 10.30 and I said I think I’m in labour, so I got into bed and watched Scandal on the iPad because it’s a bit tense and not relaxing so I thought it might slow down my contractions a bit!
“I stayed in bed too as every time I stood up they starting coming thick and fast!”
She continued with her daughter’s last day of term throughout the day before finally getting son Buddy off to sleep at 6pm.
Author Emma added: “My son is so chaotic so I knew I needed to wait until he was asleep!”
Emma welcomed son Boaz just an hour-and-a-half later, weighing 8lb 6oz.
She said: “I had an amazing doula who arrived around 6pm, just before the first midwife.
“The second midwife arrived when my son’s head was out.
“My husband had to leave me for a second to run to the door quickly before his body came out too three minutes later!”
It was particularly special for Emma to have her oldest child Azaria acting as an extra helper throughout the birth.
She said: “My daughter loved being there but I knew I had to wait.
“She was so calm and it was just so special having her there.
“I remember the first thing I said when he came out was ‘we did it’
“She almost got into the pool with me and then changed her mind!”
At 9pm, oblivious to all the commotion, Buddy woke up and met his new brother.
Emma added: “He had just had a very late nap, and he was very surprised to see what had happened!
“He wasn’t talking much yet but he was just really confused and excited – he started dancing around, it was very sweet.”
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