Christel gave me "that" call at around 3 in the afternoon. She's been in labour for a while but will only go to hospital when her contractions are around 6min apart. We met at the Femina Midwife Unit at around 11pm that evening. Christel and Christiaan both excitedly, anticipating the birth of their baby boy. We had a couple of walks around the parking lot and some more around the hospital, but soon Christel was very cold after each contraction and we stayed closed to blankets :) We knew a contraction was close each time she threw of her blankets and that they have passed by the time she started shivering again.

It was incredible to watch how this almost mom worked and breath through each contraction through out the night and around 3 she got into the birthing tub. The warm water immediately relaxed and calmed her shivers. Christel made some notes of her favourite verse from her Bible. These were stuck to the wall at the birthing tub and the moments Christiaan read these to her, was magical and surreal. Christel was incredible strong and focused and with the loving support of Christiaan (the dad) and Estie (her midwife) their beautiful son was born just as the first rays of light appeared on the horizon.

It was a long night of labour and love, and little Mikael was the incredible gift to a mom and dad that will remember this night forever!

If you missed the birth slide show, you can have a look here

P.S. I loved how dad also got to use the birthing ball :)

xXx
Sam