A British woman is sharing her extraordinary experience of giving birth to a baby girl who weighed a remarkable 12 pounds and 9 ounces at home. Ruth Harvey, 36, made the decision to welcome her newborn, Tabitha, in the comfort of her home in Ayrshire, Scotland, despite living just a short 10-minute distance from the nearest hospital.
Despite the surprise of having such a large baby, Ruth Harvey, who already has two children, expressed that her labor went surprisingly smoothly and was even enjoyable. She described the experience to South West News Service, saying, “You can’t imagine giving birth to a 12-pound baby being an enjoyable experience, but it was.”
Ruth labored in a birthing pool set up in her living room, supported by a team of midwives. The labor lasted a total of eight-and-a-half hours. Reflecting on Tabitha’s size, Ruth mentioned, “Tabitha was born two-and-a-half weeks over her due date, she looked well cooked. I think I make big babies anyway. My other two were 9 pounds, 9 ounces and 10 pounds, 1 ounce.”
The midwifery team attending the home birth had not previously encountered a baby of this size during a home birth. Ruth’s husband, Eddie Gillan, 44, contributed to creating a calming atmosphere by decorating the living room with fairy lights. Following the birth, Ruth was surprised by Tabitha’s size and even checked the Guinness Book of World Records at the library, wondering if her newborn might have made any records for being exceptionally large.
Although Tabitha missed out on setting any records, Ruth and Eddie took measures to ensure a smooth and tidy process, such as covering the floor with towels. Ruth expressed her gratitude for the exceptional care provided by the midwives, describing the experience as “such a great experience” and highlighting the quicker recovery she experienced, allowing her to resume her daily routines, including the school run.
Ruth also mentioned the benefits of aromatherapy and acupuncture for her recovery, acknowledging that some may view them as “hippy stuff,” but found them to be helpful. While Tabitha’s size drew attention and comments from many, Ruth joyfully stated, “She’s a really big baby, a lot of people have commented, but so far nobody has said their baby was bigger.”
Overall, Ruth Harvey’s home birth story highlights the remarkable journey of giving birth to a significantly larger baby and the positive experience she had with the support of her midwives and the calming environment she created.